Metro Espresso Survey: Benjamin

I had a great initial turnout for the Metro Espresso survey and wanted to first spotlight Benjamin from Mocha Joe's Coffee Roasters. I still encourage readers to fill out the survey and send them to me. For details look at the post below or click here. I am excited to see how the responses compare with each other. Without further ado, here are Benjamin's responses:

1. When you buy coffee on the go, who do you patronize? (Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, an espresso cart, Au Bon Pain...etc.)

I try to avoid chains at all cost. I regularly use Yelp or Urban Spoon on my iPhone to find the closest locally owned cafe. You never know what you are going to get but I like trying new places. With chains you tend to get consistency, but if you don't like their coffee it means you already know what to expect. If I'm in a pinch though, I will hit up a Dunkin' Donuts, cream and sugar.

2. What is your preferred coffee-based drink (drip, espresso, moka pot, French press, latte...etc), and why?

For regular coffee at home I prefer a light roast brewed with a French Press. I like the extra body that you get from using a French Press and I think the light roast gives you a wider range of tastes. The French Roasts tend to roast away some of my favorite flavors, even though it does bring out new flavors that some people find desirable. If I'm going to our cafe I almost always get a double short maple latte. I get a double short shot and double short cup because I like the milk to espresso ratio. In large lattes, the milk tends to mask the taste of the espresso.

3. In general, what is your favorite aspect about coffee? Explain (i.e culture, taste, social lubricant)

Well, tasting it... but the history, culture, artistry of roasting and science of brewing are pretty interesting as well.

4. What is your favorite coffee story? (i.e bad experience at Starbucks or amazing espresso)

I was a regular at a particular small cafe for a couple of months and the same Barista always seemed to be working the shift when I came in. She was friendly but totally spaced out and would mess up 90% of my orders. If I ordered a maple la[t]te I might get surprised with a mocha la[t]te, if I got a small light roast I might walk away with a large french roast. The cool thing about it though was that it broke me out of my "regular" drinks and I began to appreciate espresso drinks that I had never tried before.

5. Folgers or Maxwell House? :-)

Ha! I'd rather go without. If it comes down to that I'll just drink water =)