The fuel to the fire. The go juice. Morning motivation. Mental jumpstart. The good stuff. Far from a connoisseur, just a dude that knows what he likes. Here’s my ever-evolving go to’s:
#1. Handlebar Coffee Roasters
Santa Barbara, Ca
Now, you might attempt to make connections because I’m a motocross racer and have been obsessed with riding bikes my whole life… ya know that handlebar thing. With the founders being ex-cyclists, maybe there’s something there. But truth is, place any name on this coffee roasting crew and my heart would feel the same. It’s the best I’ve found to date. Wouldn’t ya know, it’s conveniently located within walking distance of my house. Some things are meant to be I guess.
#2. Stumptown coffee roasters
Portland, OR
Moving into the silver medal position on the list is the Hundred Mile blend from Stumptown. I’m not sure what took me so long to try this particular roast. Maybe it’s because I’m not a huge toffee in real life, but all I have to say is daaayum. It’s like taking your favorite craft beans and giving them a boastful jolt into flavortown. Hard to imagine having a bad day after starting with a cup of 100 mile.
#3. Dart Coffee Co.
Santa Barbara, Ca
Local Santa Barbara brew. It was a random Thursday afternoon. I had just met Melissa for some Mony’s tacos, a local joint in the funk zone. As it often does, my mind started to yearn for a post lunch cup of coffee. I had a couple of work meetings coming up in which I could use the extra mental acuity. As she’s walking away she chimes in, “What about that new place with the pink balloons?” So I ventured around the corner and walked in. The rest, as they say, is history.
#4. Stumptown coffee roasters
(Back on the list for the 4 spot)
Portland, OR
The Portland Oregon based roasting company has been around for 21 years. Where to begin… alright so my brother finally made the move to Portland after years of threatening to do so. To say the city fits his style would be an understatement. The dude loves his coffee too. He once told me the only reason he gets out of bed in the morning is because he knows there’s a cup of coffee in his future… Maybe there was something about having my first experience of HAIR BENDER in the original Stumptown location on Division St. in SE Portland. Not sure I even realized what I was getting into at the time. The subconscious has a funny way of picking up on authenticity.