[Bruno Moore]

Sorry I had to miss it (had to close up the shop after fixaflatclinic), but wow, that bike corral doth overflowith. Trés Cool.

[Bruno Moore]

@worktheweb 131023 wrote:

My favorite method at home and at work is the Aeropress. It makes delicious coffee, is pretty cheap, and easy to use. Nitro cold brew is also something worth trying, kind of like a Guinness with the cascading “waterfall” and a delightful and unique smoothness.

There’s also a reason why the nitro from next door has acquired the sobriquet “rocket fuel” among the staff at Bikeyspace. It’s really delicious, really smooth…and packs a hefty punch. They’ll make you an ice cream float with the stuff, which is pretty awesome.

[Bruno Moore]

It’s all in the spirit of the thing, not the letter—as is probably kinda clear by now, I care @#$% all about the letter. Creativity and a certain degree of nuttiness count for a lot.

So yes, handmade ceramics count, especially if they were bikecarried (still trying to figure out how to make that one work myself). Just be warned that my tastes in ceramics run distinctly Momoyama Period with Northern Pueblo for spice, and I have a very, very soft spot for all things wood fired—one of my anagama-fired teapots is basically dedicated to brewing Guranse. You might want to have a teammate with a CaBi membership grab a packet (it’s surprisingly inexpensive for Propertea…but practically being given away for something mind-blowingly awesome). If nothing else, you’ll have Specialteapotworthy tea with your compadres—and that’s worth more than any points I can hand out.

Do it for the points, and you’ll die by the points. Do it for the adventure, and the rest will take care of itself.

As for those weird brewing methods—pourover cones are usually made out of slip-cast porcelain or metal. I’ve tried making one before (I cut too large of a drain hole, so it didn’t work), and I’m really surprised I don’t see more. A jebena is traditionally made out of unglazed earthenware. Most of the others are glass and metal, though if you can find a way to make a ceramic espresso machine…

[Bruno Moore]

I think there was an article in Bicycling about this (dangit, why can I never find these things when I need them), something about “why do runners get slow when it’s hot, cyclists when it’s cold? Basically, when you generate your own breeze, the heat doesn’t nail you quite as badly (which was the side point), but, for all the reasons mentioned above and more (tire compound gets less supple in the cold, joints get stiff and creaky, and I know I don’t push as hard when my feet are going numb, my hands can’t feel the brifters when I try to shift or stop, my glasses are fogged over and frozen, and I’m making a snack out of the frozensnot-stiffened merino wool supposedly shielding my face but really getting sucked in when I breathe), cold slows ya down.

It’s totally a thing. Totally. Not just me. Nothing wrong with me at all.

[Bruno Moore]

@accordioneur 130965 wrote:

Note that compared to the stated rules: (Part 1): A only kinda visited a roastery since it was my house, (Part 2) I brewed the coffee using a method that wasn’t on the list, (Part 4) Roasted but didn’t drink the #coffeeoutside. Also, I used different varieties of coffee than any specified in the challenge. And last, my name doesn’t require a UTF character set. Since I was true to the spirit of the challenge, even I didn’t exactly follow any of the rules I deserve at least 2.718 points.

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1. Coffee was roasted, and that’s really cool. It counts.
2. Clever dripper : immersion brewer :: Bodum : French press. Totally counts (and is what I use day-in-day-out)
3. #coffeeoutside is a little weird; most of the pictures you see are of people making it outside, brewing it outside, and only one of drinking it outside. You know what, I think it counts.
4. You’re sure you don’t want to be “Åç¢ø®∂îøñéür? Really sure? Oh, fine, okay.
5. You get Part 5 points for home roasted badassery.
6. e is boring, and not enough points. For adherence to the spirit (and, unknowingly, the letter) of the rules, I award you kudos and 2φ (3.236) points.

[Bruno Moore]

@lordofthemark 130968 wrote:

I am going to focus on just one, about trying the different approaches to preparation.

Try coffee prepared in a French press, a pourover, an immersion brewer, an aeropress, nitro cold brew, a siphon, a Moka pot, a jebena, an ibrik, and, of course, an espresso machine

Which of these, other than the espresso, is the most “must know about”? I am guessing French press?

French press is my fave of those I’ve tried; some of the real coffee nuts (yes, there’s much, much worse than me) will tell you that siphon brewers give you a more nuanced flavor, but I suspect the real appeal is drinking from something that looks like it came straight from a mad scientist’s lab.

[Bruno Moore]

Jeez, exclusionary ruleslawyarin’. I know I’m of a more relaxed mindset when it comes to “what counts,” and would actually find it kinda funny/amusing to see someone who works at DoT CaBi to Gordon Biersch, then to Bluejacket, or repeat my GB/District Chophouse stunt from last year. Heck, if this were Boozeaneuring, I’m wondering what an Ivy City “unlock bike, ride two feet, lock bike, repeat” ride would be—and those of you who have picked over the Coffeechallenge may notice I’ve thrown something like this in there, in homage to my inability to visit just one of a pair of favorite coffee shops a block away from one another whenever I’m in the neighborhood.

Tl;dr: if it looks like it might count, please count it.

[Bruno Moore]

@lordofthemark 130827 wrote:

This is how I know I will not win this competition

Yup. Some of us bike to Annapolis for a cup of coffee. Others to Mobtown for a beer. Never underestimate the power of quixotic obsessions.

(And, truth be told, the ride up to Baltimore’s pretty cool and worth doing if you know the route; just make sure you do it when the breweries are open)

[Bruno Moore]

@jwetzel 130796 wrote:

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Couldn’t sleep so I put the time to good use and put together a map of breweries/brewpubs that seem to be within a day trip. Many of them were already listed for me on http://www.bikeablebrews.com/ There are a lot of them, and I’m pretty sure I missed some. Happy drinking!

Yup, just looking at that map (tiny, yes, but…), I can tell it needs Laurel’s Jailbreak and south Baltimore’s Heavy Seas Brewery—no, not the alehouse (which miiight be one of those pins in Bawlmer), but the actual brewery, which is spitting distance from the main bike route between here and the Inner Harbor.

[Bruno Moore]

@Steve O 130778 wrote:

I am ashamed to admit that I do not understand all the rules perfectly. However, I believe this cup of coffee I bought at Toby’s Ice Cream and Coffee in Westover this morning is worth some amount of points.

Oh my. I hadn’t heard that Rare Bird had opened. I’m going to have to visit them now. Yup, part 5 points for you, whatever they’re worth.

The only Rule that matters (well, subject to bribery or flattery) is the Starbucks rule. Most of the items in parts 1 (the boring, typical challenge bit) and 2 (the “try everything!” bit) can be ticked off if you look at parts 3 and 4 as the real challenge. Part 3 is kinda my secret coffee guide, the people, places, and things I’ll bike across town for. Part 4 is just me being nuts, things that would make for memorable rides, and likely a few stories. Part 5 is just me trying to find new coffee, people, and places, as well as a chance to find out how I’m Wrong.

[Bruno Moore]

@AFHokie 130784 wrote:

Wait…too much beer? Is that an actual possibility?

That much beer gets kinda expensive, for starters, but I think last year’s Atlas/Bardo/DC Brau trifecta was a bit much for me just on principle. Surprisingly, much as I like beer, I really don’t drink that much of it (well, outside of bike shops).

[Bruno Moore]

Oh, so that’s what that is. I was biking past that on my way to Key Bridge BA-PAL Coffee when they were putting it up. Got a little tight with all us folks, wires, frames and such in that passage under the bridge.

Oh, and I just found out I don’t get off work until after 7 that night, so if I’m able to show up, I’ll be late. Like, later than I usually am for things.

[Bruno Moore]

@dkel 130635 wrote:

This. I know I used two of them last year, but never made it to the third (that was my backup in case Bruno threatened to edge me out!).

Heck, you can even use District Chophouse in Chinatown a block away from GB, so long as you bike between the two.

I’m not competing this year. Last year was just…just…too much beer. Waaaay too much beer.

And I still got beat.

[Bruno Moore]

You all are very, very seriously underestimating how much of a multipart scavhunt this is going to be. Just…look, think about the person sponsoring the challenge. There isn’t much I take seriously. Coffee is one of those few things. Oh, you thought #coffeeneuring had rules. You thought it was complicated. Just You Wait. Brünø’s Coffeequest isn’t likely to be completed by anyone. It’s really not supposed to be completable within #bafs2016 by any one participant. I suspect that I will have completed most of it at some part or other (hey, I’m the one behind the challenge), but really—the chances of a Virginia person making it to Silver Spring or College Park for a coffee club are pretty low, and I know I ain’t biking to Fairfax that early in the morning. If you’re going to earn the sack o’ beans (those of you who know how serious I am about my coffee—most everyone reading this, I’m guessing—know that I’ll be giving Serious Beans as at least one of the prizes), it’ll take more than just visiting a couple coffee shops.

So yes. Coffee outside? Check. Coffee outside in a specific place? Check. Specific tea in specific place outside? Also check. Specific coffee prepared by specific person in specific place in specific circumstance? Someone besides me is going to know all the above, so checkeroony.

[Bruno Moore]

Oh Trust Me, it has been thought of. From Herndon to College Park, Vienna to St. Kaldi’s, coffee clubs, coffee meetings, and WABAcoffeestops Will Be Accounted For. It may be a separate “runner up/spinoff” prize, but it will be part of the competition.

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