December 2010
3 posts
New OCB site!
This site is no longer home to Okanagan Coffee Blog and will thus no longer be updated.
For a more user friendly, substantial, and aesthetically pleasing experience, please head over to the new Okanagan Coffee Blog at http://okanagancoffee.wordpress.com/ !
New OCB site!
This site is no longer home to Okanagan Coffee Blog and will thus no longer be updated.
For a more user friendly, substantial, and aesthetically pleasing experience, please head over to the new Okanagan Coffee Blog at http://okanagancoffee.wordpress.com/ !
Like writing about coffee?
Like writing about coffee? Wanna do it for free and reach an audience of at least 20 people? Consider contributing to the soon to be resurrected and revitalized Okanagan Coffee Blog!
I am making serious changes to be revealed in the near the future. One change I’d like to see is more involvement. Sure, I enjoy writing about coffee, but I’m pretty sure other people involved in...
September 2010
1 post
5 tags
Community
My last post here detailed my attempt to put together an article about local coffee roasters of the Okanagan. At the time I was excited about the idea of putting a bunch of locally roasted coffees on one table and formally cupping them. I wanted both to promote local roasters as well as to inform readers of who was doing a standout job. I put together a small cupping team of industry...
August 2010
1 post
Terroir Select Coffees - Coffee Myths →
coffeegeek:
A simple list of myths and their debunking, but a valuable read nonetheless.
July 2010
7 posts
6 tags
Okanagan Roaster Showcase - Call for Submissions
Earlier this week I sent out emails to six local coffee roasting companies, inviting them each to send one or two small samples of their “best” roasted coffee, to be cupped by myself, and a few other coffee lovers. I’ve so far invited Cherry Hill, Shuswap Coffee Company, The Beanery, Backyard Beans, Belgo House/Beans Scene, and Voets. I’m pretty excited for this, as...
8 tags
Investing in your cafe
As a long time barista who has a had to find work both in the Okanagan and in Vancouver, I’m aware of a pervasive and disturbing aspect of this industry: Baristas (and cafe workers in general) are paid miserably. It’s not uncommon to see a shop invest tens of thousands of dollars in equipment, while paying the employees they claim to value wages that are pretty much impossible to...
10 tags
Bean There Bistro - Vernon
Bean There Bistro - 3008 31st Street, Vernon - Open weekdays 7-3 250 545-1999 - info@haveyoubeenthere.ca - Website - Facebook
Bean There Bistro has an enviable location downtown, just off of 30th avenue, yet on a fairly quiet street. I think this area of downtown has much potential, the street is currently home to assorted independent clothing stores, an independent gallery (the...
2 tags
GioBean Espresso - An Aside
Usually before I write about a cafe, or visit it, I’ll search the web for mentions of it, or websites that talk about it. Generally, not much is to be found. In the case of GioBean, however, I found a review by gogo magazine. This isn’t the first time I’ve read an article about coffee that didn’t seem to try very hard. Though I see that GioBean is the “Top Go Go...
8 tags
GioBean Espresso
GioBean Espresso - 1340 Water Street Kelowna - (250) 868-2992
Competition: Bean Scene Downtown; Bean Scene North/Cannery Coffee, Streaming Cafe.
I learned about GioBean mostly via word of mouth from others in the coffee industry in Kelowna. I’d heard that GioBean was of the old school persuasion of italian espresso. I’d heard varying opinions, I decided to check it out:
Located on...
4 tags
Review Changes
The next review marks a few little changes I’m making to the format of my reviews, with the intention of making things more standardized, and making it easier to compare shops in the same area. Foremost, I’m introducing a quantifiable measure with which to rate the shops. I’ll score each of the three areas I look at, on a weighted scale. Coffee quality will be rated out of 50,...
3 tags
What's Happening
As far as coffee related happenings go, it’s generally slim pickings around here (aside from frequent live music at Streaming Cafe and Bean Scene North/Cannery). That, however, is about to change , -for a few days at least-, as Bean Scene North/Cannery os hosting two such events next week.
First up, Bean Scene North (soon to be known only as Cannery Coffee) is hosting what I’m pretty...
June 2010
4 posts
4 tags
Coffee House help wanted - Vernon →
I’ve started posting links to coffee related job listings in the Okanagan. Unless I say so, I’m not affiliated with any of the cafes, nor do I know anything beyond what the listings say:
“ARE you energetic with a smile & enjoy people? A new healthy/Green focused Coffee House desires you to join the team. Positions open: Manager; Assistant Managers; Bakers; Food Prep...
5 tags
Barista Wanted →
Kekuli Café is currently accepting resumes Coffee Bar/Barista positions. Applicants should be very outgoing, as they will be dealing with the public. Applicants must be able to work in a fast paced environment and be able to work well with others under minimal supervision. Excellent customer service skills would be a plus. Wage will depend on experience. Please forward your resume to...
4 tags
In preparation for my return I’m looking to interview (likely via email) Okanagan cafe owners, managers, and roasters for upcoming blogs and Off-Centre columns! Email, tweet, or message me if you’re interested in free publicity in exchange for a chat…
April 2010
1 post
Hiatus
I’m heading abroad for a couple months, as such I won’t be updating here until sometime in July. In the meantime, if you have a piece of news regarding coffee and the Okanagan, send me an email and I’ll put it in the blog. Likewise if you want to contribute and article or review. See you in July!
March 2010
4 posts
5 tags
33rd Street Coffee House - Vernon
33rd Street Coffee House - 3334 30 Ave Vernon BC, V1T 2C8
Whenever I see a sign saying “Under New Management” on what was formerly a nondescript or mediocre business, I’m emboldened to check things out. I suppose that’s the intention of the sign. This shop has been a cafe for some time, a fairly mediocre one typical of the Okanagan, with all the watery...
6 tags
updates
Wow, a couple weeks since the last post eh? Well, coffeewise things have been pretty slow around here, really not much to report. However, aside from that, life has kept me quite busy: Between hitting the homestretch of the school year and preparing for a two month trip through Thailand, I haven’t been out much. I recently received a Yama Siphon from Transcend, so I’ve been making...
re-reviews
I’ve been wondering how to keep this site current. Should I be going back to review shops again after a certain period of time? I want to keep this resource up to date, however my own resources may be taxed in doing so. I’ve decided that I will re-review shops if I’m led to believe they have changed substantially. If a shop I frequent suddenly suffers a drop in quality,...
3 tags
Belgo House/Bean Scene Kelowna in house Barista...
A couple months ago John and Deb, owners of The Bean Scenes in downtown Kelowna and Rutland, invited me to judge their in-house barista competition. This happened on the last day of February. I had a blast judging this contest with John. I’m pretty sure is the Okanagan’s first barista competition or event of any sort.
First thing was a simple espresso contest. Everyone got as much...
February 2010
12 posts
9 tags
The Beanery and Bakery, Summerland
The Beanery and Bakery - 13016 Victoria Road North, Summerland, BC -(250) 494-1884 Website (website is for The Beanery Coffee Roasters, who roast coffee for this cafe. I’m not sure if they are associated in more than name)
I don’t know how associated The Beanery and Bakery is with The Beanery Coffee Roasters, but they do use their beans.
The Beanery is located at the end of a major...
6 tags
Bean To Brew Coffee House & Bakery
Bean To Brew Coffee House & Bakery (250) 260-7787 3202 31 Ave Vernon, BC , V1T2H
I was putting off visiting Bean To Brew. I knew I should, as it sits right on the highway that goes through Vernon to or from Kelowna. It’s just that on my last and only previous visit I had one of the worst beverages I have ever ingested. But the purpose of this blog is to save you having to go...
9 tags
By the cup
Something I’d love to see some cafes in the Okanagan do is brewing by the cup. For those used to drip coffee from a big vat sitting on a burner, I’ll provide an explanation. Typically, when you order a “coffee” you get a cup of coffee that was brewed as much as an hour ago, poured from a large urn. If you’re lucky this urn is insulated to keep the coffee hot, if...
8 tags
Caffe Artigiano, Westbank (West Kelowna)
Caffe Artigiano - Unit 110-2127 Louie Drive, Westbank, BC - 250-707-3518 website
This is the second chain cafe I’ve reviewed for this site, and perhaps the fifth time I’ve gone to Caffe Artigiano, despite living in Vancouver for some time. Unlike earlier reviewed Blenz, Artigiano is not franchised, it is centralized like Starbucks. There will likely be some that will chafe at my...
9 tags
Good Omens, Summerland
Good Omens - 13616 Kelly Avenue, Summerland, BC - 250-494-3200 On Twitter - On Facebook - Website
I’ve been slowly discovering that not only is it worth seeking out great coffee in the Okanagan, but that there are really many more quality oriented cafes than many people think. And by quality I don’t just mean espresso and drip that hasn’t been roasted to a crisp, I mean real...
wants to start a blog series highlighting Okanagan roasters.Anyone recommend some besides Belgo House, Cherry Hill, Backyard Beans, Shuswap?
There needs to be a cafe using JJ Bean coffee in the Okanagan again…
9 tags
Community
I’ve barely been running this blog for two months, in which time I’ve reviewed many a cafe. Many have been disappointing, but there have been a lot of pleasant surprises too. The most surprising thing however, has been the fact that there really are a lot of people who are excited about coffee in the Okanagan. Way more than I first thought. It’s a bit fragmented, but we have...
Barista Jam
I’m wondering if the time is right for an Okanagan barista jam, throwdown, competition, or the like this year? Just a fun/lightly competitive day for coffee enthusiasts in the OK to get together and have fun pulling shots, pouring art, or whatever. I’d appreciate some comments regarding the following questions:
1. Could/would you participate in such an event as a barista?
2. Or...
7 tags
Bean Scene at Latte Art Championships
Katie, a barista at Kelowna’s Bean Scene has been accepted to compete at the Millrock Free Pour Latte Art Championships in New York in March. This is a pretty big deal, and is likely the first time that a barista from an Okanagan cafe has gone to a competition of this calibre. Next time you’re in the downtown or Rutland Bean Scene give em’ some props and lend them your support!...
4 tags
Coffee talk: Does growth harm quality? →
The Globe and Mail facilitated a live Q&A session on the above topic with Canadian Barista Champion Kyle Straw and Everything But The Coffee author Bryant Simon. This is pretty interesting, especially in the light of the fact that Artigiano has a cafe in “West Kelowna”. I’ll likely be posting some commentary on this chat some time this week… EDIT: Turns out the chat...
January 2010
11 posts
6 tags
Blenz Coffee, downtown Vernon
Blenz - 2706 30th Avenue Vernon
This is a special review for a few reasons. One, it has been my policy to not review large chains and Blenz is a franchised Canadian chain. However I’ve decided that in the light of how hard it is to find really good coffee in Vernon I ought to cast my net a bit wider. Two, this Blenz used to be El Portillo, a shop with a special place in my heart as...
8 tags
Streaming Cafe, Kelowna
Streaming Cafe - 596 Leon Avenue - website
Streaming Cafe is unique for many reasons, many of which I can’t state better than the website:
“The Streaming Café was started with a vision of creating a community that mixes coffee and art. More than a Café, we are also a web-based production studio, giving passionate, talented artists a platform to reach their audience directly in a...
Another view: Pink Cherry
Back in December I glowingly reviewed Pink Cherry in Salmon Arm. Recently I was informed that they had changed ownership. As I don’t often make trips out to Salmon Arm, I asked fellow coffee blogger Andrew McWilliam if he would review the shop to give a more current perspective. His conclusions go a bit deeper than mine did, i think, and he writes a really informative review. So go check...
3 tags
OCB on Facebook
I’ve decided to set up a facebook account for this blog to help reach a wider audience and network with the audience I have. Head over to http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=100000687664583 to make friends with Okanagan Coffee Blog.
I’m hoping this will make things a bit more accessible and lead to a better interchange of ideas and dialogue. If you work in, own , or...
4 tags
I AM NOT THE ONLY COFFEE BLOGGER IN THE OKANAGAN!!! YAY! Andrew McWilliam has a terrific blog about drinking, preparing, buying coffee. As you may see, I’m pretty excited about this. He took my advice and headed for the Bean Scene in Kelowna where his conclusions were pretty much the same as mine. Go read his blog: http://amcwilliam.posterous.com/
So here’s a question for you:...
9 tags
What to do?
I’ve recieved a few emails as of late thanking me for writing this blog and mentionin how useful it is to at least a few coffee geeks in the Okanagan. It’s really nice to hear the feedback, as this obviously a labour of love, and my goal was to help coffee lovers in the Okanagan find cafes offering good coffee, so it’s nice to know I’ve done that for some people. ...
7 tags
Heavenly Grounds, Vernon
Heavenly Grounds - 3800 27 Street, Vernon
Heavenly Grounds is nice shop located across the highway from the might Bean to Cup in Vernon. It’s in an older house, it’s cozy and just feels comfortable. The cafe area is segmented a bit oddly, with two rooms for seating, one with a window for ordering. The espresso machine is in another room, I never saw it. The reason for this...
8 tags
The Bean Scene North, Kelowna
The Bean Scene North - 109-1289 Ellis Street, Kelowna
It was an experience at Bean Scene North that laid the groundwork for this blog. Way back in late August, on my way back to Vancouver I stopped in here for an espresso. That espresso blew me away. It was the first I’d had in the Okanagan that could really stand up to best I could get in my (then) hometown of Vancouver. I emailed BSN...
9 tags
Bean Scene Coffee Works Organic Peru - full city...
This is my first bean review, but will hopefully not be the last. It’s tough to find whole bean coffee from local roasters that I know is fresh, but I will endeavour to do so. I try to avoid buying from grocery stores as in most cases I have no idea how long it’s been since the coffee was roasted and packaged, and I want to be sure to try only the best examples that I can get of each...
8 tags
The Cracked Pot Coffee Emporium, Vernon
The Cracked Pot Coffee Emporium - 2913 30th Avenue, Vernon
So early in the year, and already one of my wishes has come true: A well prepared espresso made with a Cherry Hill espresso blend. Read on friends.
Cracked Pot came onto the scene a few years ago, initially serving Lavazza coffee. Now, they have three cafes in Vernon (this one downtown, one on Kal Lake Road, and one in the...
10 tags
Localism Part One
I consider myself a localist (inasmuch as I personally identify with any ideology). What especially concerns me is local commerce and especially food. Growing up in the nineties in the Okanagan, I saw the area tranforming. Especially in Vernon, I saw many small businesses go under as individual consumers moved further and further away from the supporting of locals running local shops towards...
10 tags
2010 Wishes
I thought I’d post some things l’d like to see happening coffee-wise in the Okanagan during this new year.
1) A place to get terrific espresso in Vernon - Ever since El Portillo closed, Vernon seems to be a bit of dead zone espresso wise. It’d be great if this changed, whether it means a new coffee house, or the discovery of terrific coffee at an old one, either way I’d...
December 2009
20 posts
9 tags
Year End Roundup and Awards
That last blog post inspired me to create a list of what I think are the best coffee houses in the area, and a couple other awards, to bring some year end closure. Though this site has been reviewing shops for only a couple months, my experience with coffee hear ranges far longer than that. So without further ado:
Best coffee houses by area:
(Note I’ve divided regions up by major city...
5 tags
Another View
I recently stumbled across Okanagan Life magazine’s best restaurants article. According to the website: “Every year we invite Okanagan Life readers to share their favourites. These are the results of the 15th annual Okanagan Life Best Restaurants readers’ poll - a poll that is 100 per cent reader driven, with zero influence from advertisers”
Of interest to me, and to you,...
7 tags
Pink Cherry, Salmon Arm
Pink cherry - 111 Hudson Avenue Northeast, Salmon Arm - website
Pink Cherry is in beautiful downtown Salmon Arm, a place i recommend checking out. The shop’s space is fairly intimate, but cozy. They have a bit of the usual coffee shop kitch, but still tasteful with nothing over the top.
My intial impression was that Pink Cherry was stretching themselves a bit thin with a huge menu...
7 tags
Fitzy's Beans & Bistro, Salmon Arm
Fitzy’s Beans & Bistro - 101-371 Alexander Street Northeast, Salmon Arm
I try to be diplomatic with these reviews, I try to talk about what I liked about any given cafe as well as what I didn’t. I’m not here to trash local businesses, I’m just here to protect you from bad coffee. I always feel like I have to justify bad reviews, so there it is.
Fitzy’s is...
8 tags
The Roasted Bean Coffee House, Kelowna
The Roasted Bean Coffee House - 648 Cook Road, Kelowna
When I was told that there was one other coffee house that used coffee purchased from and roasted by Belgo House (the roaster run by the owners of the downtown and rutland Bean Scene coffee houses) I thought I ought to visit. The Roasted Bean is located just off Lakeshore road, basically part of the Playa Del Sol resort in Kelowna.
The shop...