A Nice Cuppa

Main Street Caf?? in Patchogue, New York

The Angler — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 06:44:19 +0000

Love of craft beer and excellent coffee go hand in hand. Almost all the craft beer enthusiasts I know are just as nuts about their coffee as they are about their beer. And almost one hundred percent of the people who are fussy about both their beer and their coffee insist on eating only the finest foods and desserts. So it’s probably safe to say that even though we craft beer types are obsessed with the taste of our beer, we are not blas?? about everything else that goes in our mouth. The stereotype of the fast food eating, chip chomping, Sanka sipping beer swiller doesn’t apply to the craft beer enthusiast.

After lunch in the pub or dinner at a bistro/beer bar what I want is a good cup of espresso. Your high end beer bar will probably also have the latest in rocket science-level cappuccino machines so you don’t have to leave the pub in search of a quality espresso, but I have yet to find a brewpub that has satisfied my desire for a good espresso. So in those cases I have to search for my espresso elsewhere.

One of the habits I’ve developed over the years is looking for what I call “a second place.” Now a second place is special; it can be just about any business that is within walking distance of a pub where I can hang out for a half hour to forty-five minutes prior to hoping into my car. It’s truly special when I can find the right combination of brewpub or beer bar that is in close proximity to a coffee house. Patchogue, New York is one such place where good beer and good espresso can be had on the same outing.

Just down the street from the Brickhouse Brewery and Bobbique in Patchogue is a little cafe called Main Street Caf?? (350 E Main St, 631-207-6710). They are a full service cafe serving breakfast and lunch. They even have a selection of bottled beers for the lunch crowd. But what they are best at is their espresso. I’ll have to learn the fancy language of the coffee connoisseur so I can describe it. I’ll do my best: it’s smooth and richly flavored, has a thick mouthfeel, but isn’t overly bitter. The crema is a beautiful buttery toffee color and doesn’t dissolve too quickly.

I usually end up having two espressos at the Main Street Caf??. One is never enough. If you are ever in Patchogue, make sure to stop in and try the espresso. Also if you see their chocolate chip cookies on the counter, get two or three of those. Espresso and a chocolate chip cookie after drinking a world class beer is enough heaven for me.

Espresso Stout: It Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

The Angler — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 05:21:55 +0000

Unless you are a seasoned craft beer appreciator, the combination of coffee and beer might sound a little strange, but the two flavors work together and make a nice pairing.

My first experience with mixing the flavor of beer with coffee was when I was in graduate school. At the north gates of the campus were two of my favorite hang-outs: Highland Coffees and The Chimes, a pub. One day I was sipping my Columbian Supremo at Highland Coffees when a buddy of mine dropped into the shop and said, “Hey, let’s go across the street and grab a beer.” I wasn’t quite finished with my coffee so I took it along. I ordered a stout over at the Chimes and took a sip of it while I still had the taste of the Columbian Supremo in my mouth. What I tasted was incredible. The yomame between coffee and stout was perfect. I wondered what other beers would go with coffee and began to experiment.

In the spirit world, coffee liqueurs are common place. Everyone has heard of Kalluah and, of course, Irish Coffee. But you might not be so familiar with Espresso Stout — a popular drink with the craft beer crowd. Espresso Stout is actually brewed with the espresso in the beer. It’s a natural combination since the dark roasted barley that gives stout its pitch black coffee color even tastes like roasted coffee beans. Espresso Stouts make great dessert beers. Like coffee, they stand up to sweet desserts. I often will pair an Espresso Stout with a raspberry mousse or vanilla ice cream. Try making an Espresso Stout float sometime and you’ll probably give up on root beer forever.

When I began brewing my own beer, one of the first beers my wife Denise and I made was a Chocolate Coffee Porter. (A porter is similar to a stout.) I added dark chocolate and Columbian Supremo to the brew and the result was highly pleasant and a big hit with my friends. But you don’t have to brew your own beer at home to try these coffee based beers for yourself. A number of commercial examples are available. One example is Breakfast Stout from Founders Brewery in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Here’s how they describe this beer:

“You’ve got to love coffee to truly appreciate this phenomenal brew. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. Breakfast Stout has an intense fresh roasted coffee nose toped with a cinnamon colored frothy head…”

Readers in the Pacific Northwest will be able to try the Pike Street XXXXX Stout or the Pyramid Espresso Stout. Here on Long Island, you’ll often find Espresso Stout on tap at the Southampton Publick House. So check out your local brewpub or beer store and see what sort of coffee beers you can find in your area. If you love coffee and beer, why not have them together?

Donavan Hall - Bio

The Angler — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 15:08:42 +0000

Donavan Hall is a writer living on Long Island. He’s a veteran beer drinker, beer brewer, beer traveler, and beer podcaster. He writes about beer for Well Fed’s The Spirit World and other publications including A Good Beer Blog, Lenndevours, and his own blog, Catch & Release. You can listen to Donavan talk about his beer adventures on his beer themed podcast, Slow Brew. Donavan’s other passions include food, farming, literature, jazz, French film, and good coffee. His wife Denise contributes articles to Fit Fare and Growers & Grocers.