Tuesday, September 13, 2016

61. Road trip on the "other" side of the ocean: Coffee in Ohio

Sept. 12, 2016
This post is a "peek" into a different coffee world for my friends and colleagues in Rwanda. In Rwanda, good coffee, in the form of a brewed cup, is hard to find. But good coffee in the form of a cherry on a tree or parchment at a washing station is plentiful! So if you're a N. American or a European reading this, try to imagine how everything I describe here may be as interesting to Rwandans who have not been to the North, as descriptions about origin are to us.

On my road trip from Sep. 9 - 12 from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Memphis, Tennessee and back (720 miles/1,158 km one-way) , I had three nice coffee visits in Ohio, which is "the middle of America" in many ways. This was a great "re-introduction to the USA" for me after living in Rwanda for almost a year.

The stops in Ohio were on my return trip.
First: a visit to the roasting plant of Deeper Roots Coffee in Cincinnati, OH. As I drove down the broken asphalt street past modest single-family homes, I was sure my GPS had taken me to the wrong place. But, no! Deeper Roots is located on a surprisingly large piece of farm property tucked away in a residential neighborhood! It is super quaint to look out of the windows of the roasting room and see traditional red barns, farm fences and a few milk canisters for the fresh milk from the cows!
Adam, Courtney and Brandon, 3 of Deeper Roots' staff

Adam, Master Roaster

The farm scene at Deeper Roots Coffee
Second: Winan's Coffee & Chocolate on Miller Lane in Dayton, OH.
Awesome place to stop, since you get a free taste of one of their hand-made chocolates if it's your first time to the store. 

Barista Andre (L) and his supervisor


Coffee display at Winan's
Third: Boston Stoker in Troy (just N. of Vandalia) Ohio.


Awesome "Straw Poll" promotion to fit the season! If you buy a bag of beans, you get to vote 10 times in the straw poll!
Barista Tyler wants to know where you'll "vote" your chips. For Hillary, Donald or None of the Above?!