Blue Bottle Coffee - San Francisco

66 Mint Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/

If you're a coffee lover and you live in San Francisco, undoubtedly you have heard and most likely have tried Blue Bottle Coffee. At Blue Bottle, they take coffee to a different stratosphere than the Starbucks and other coffee franchises. Coffee to them is not just an art, but it is a science as well. Blue Bottle does artisan microroasting, meaning they take a hands-on approach to their coffee, no matter how inconvenient or time consuming it might be. This philosophy is a true coffee lovers or even food lovers philosophy. Blue Bottle uses only certified organic coffee beans that are sustainable, pesticide free, and shade grown. I had no idea what the "shade grown" meant so I looked it up. It means that the tree is grown slowly, under lush tree canopies, giving them time to ripen, to develop a smooth rich flavor, full of complexities.

All coffees are made to order at Blue Bottle. They don't make their coffee beforehand and let it sit out for a day, half a day, an hour, or even minutes. Each order is brewed right there at the moment you order your coffee. This ensures maximum flavor and freshness. Here is a picture of our Latte. I think I am graduating to other levels of coffee drinking. Latte's no longer cut it for me. Beautiful presentation here but the strength and flavor of the coffee was not there. I don't think it was the barista's fault; it is merely the fact that the latte isn't a coffee drinker's drink because of all that milk.

Two of our individually brewed cups of coffee. I don't claim to be a coffee connoisseur, but this coffee had strong but clean flavor to it. Bad coffees are either way too weak tasting or are very strong and leave a bitter taste in your mouth. The cups we drank at Blue Bottle had a good strength and a smooth finish.

This interesting contraption is where the sugar and cream are housed. The bottom part can be removed to reveal the sugar and the top portion with the spout dispenses the cream.

Here is a picture of the siphon bar where the science experiments are conducted. No science experiments but one would think so by looking at it. This machine is rumored to cost $20,000. Halogen lights are used to heat up the coffee and a siphon is used to extract. It is a simple yet complex process that yields a perfect cup of coffee. We'll have to try this on our next trip. A small pot of coffee from the siphon bar will set you back about $11.

Click on this link to watch the siphon bar in action.

We may not be coffee connoisseurs but that doesn't mean we can't appreciate a good cup of coffee when we drink it. After having the coffee a few times at Blue Bottle, I think that my standards and my appreciation for coffee has been heightened. Next time you're in San Francisco make sure to stop by the kiosk at the Farmers Market or the cafe on Mint Street to sample some of these caffeinated creations.