 |
 |
|
|
|
Sections
WritersRSS / Newsletter
SearchFriends of
|
Coffee on the Road - Amherst, MAIn Columbus, Ohio, where I am from, I spent many afternoons sipping a mug of coffee on the patio at Staufs Coffee in Grandview or Cup O Joe in German Village. Both companies are owned by the same person, both offer delicious Staufs Coffee roasted in Columbus, Ohio, and both offer a great atmosphere. That is why when I made the decision to move to Amherst, Massachusetts, I was fearing the worst; no good coffeehouses. Fortunately, Amherst not only offers up some of the best coffee I have ever tasted, it offers it everywhere. From the ice cream shops to the deli and a few sporadic coffeehouses here and there, this town should seriously consider calling itself, "Caffeine City."
Rao's Coffee is the only true coffeehouse in Amherst, save Starbucks, but few wander into the marketing abyss of that store here in Amherst. This is a very progressive town, where protests are held right outside the churches, and it's a safe bet that half the people protesting are members of that church. It's a town that wants to move forward and does. So most people who want to enjoy a morning cup of coffee or one of the many specialty drinks, and possibly a pastry, will wander to Rao's. The coffee here is abundant. They only offer up one regular, one decaf, at a time, but throughout the day Raos shows its range from Kenya to Nicaragua. And best of all, it's fresh. Roasted only three or four miles from the coffeehouse in an old converted barn, barrels upon barrels of fresh coffee are delivered per day, and most of it is gone by dusk. The reason? Unlike Columbus, Ohio, which also offers bulk coffee in store, most of Raos' business, says one worker, comes form bulk coffee. Most people who buy a cup of coffee are also purchasing beans, he says.
The other two gourmet coffees offered in Amherst are Deans' Beans, and Green Mountain. Dean's Beans is offered up at Bart's Homemade ice cream, serving as a coffeehouse in the morning when it's too early for ice cream, and The Black Sheep, a bakery/deli, the most popular lunch destination in Amherst. Green Mountain is offered by Ben and Jerry's ice cream, fittingly, because they are both from Vermont. Out of all three coffees offered here, Dean's Beans fits the best. For an activist town, Fair Trade and Organic Certified coffee is the way to go. This is probably why the Black Sheep and Bart's offer up more than five coffees at a time; because most people on the go, or wanting a quick caffeine fix, without the rush of Raos, grab a cup of Dean's. The citizens of Amherst flaunt their Dean's Beans cups like New Yorkers flaunt Louie Vutton and Prada. They're proud of the 100% Fair Trade, Organic coffee. Another reason they are proud of Dean's is because less than 12 coffee roasters in the U.S. are 100% Fair Trade. In fact, the nearby Green Mountain found in Ben and Jerry's offers less than 15% Fair Trade coffees, although their savvy marketing obviously focuses on their "Fair Trade Coffee." Starbucks is less than 1%. Raos doesn't advertise, but some beans offered are either Fair Trade or Organic.
Coffee lovers thinking about taking a trip into Massachusetts, but wanting to skip the hustle and bustle of Boston, check out Amherst. It sits in the scenic Pioneer Valley and is the scholarly hub of New England, offering five of the most prestigious colleges in the country; Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mt. Holyoke College, Smith College, and The University of Massachusetts Amherst. Perhaps this is why everyone drinks coffee, they're always studying for an exam or preparing a lecture. Either way, stop here and enjoy a different cup of coffee on every block. |
