So if you know me you know that every morning I start my day with a cup of coffee from Ozo Coffee. Now I don't drink just any normal cup of coffee, I drink a cup of coffee brewed in a very special way. It's called a Chemex, and it rocks my world. The wonderfulness of my morning cup of coffee is not just in the brewing method, but in the coffee used by Ozo as well.
So what makes it so special? First, Ozo roast there own coffee beans locally here in Boulder, CO. You can taste the complexity of the flavors in every cup, the coffee from each region carrying the characteristics from that part of the world. The freshness is what sets this place apart, their coffee is never vacuumed sealed, so it’s perfect every time.
Now the brewing method of this wonder of nature is also just as special. The chemex brewing method was invented by a man with a great name Peter Schlumbohm. He applied for the patent on April 13, 1939 for his new filtering method for coffee, so it’s not exactly new. The beauty of the chemex is that it allows more oil and grit than a normal drip coffee with a paper filter, yet isn't quite as strong as a french press. It's really a perfectly balanced cup of coffee. I do like to add a little bit of milk and sugar to level out the acidity of the coffee, so I’m not a true coffee purist snob.
So, what’s the total experience like here at Ozo, because it’s more than the coffee.
Upon ordering your coffee from one of the sassy baristas at Ozo (they might not be as sassy with you if you aren't a regular). You'll typically have a choice of three different roast for the day, they change daily usually on about a 3-4 day rotation. You'll go over to the "brew bar." This looks like a high school science class, with beakers and digital scales. One of the fine baristas will start by fresh grinding your bean of choice and warming up the hourglass carafe. They then start begin the brewing process.
They start by putting a small amount of water onto the ground up beans. This begins the release of the gases contained in the coffee. This is what's called blooming the coffee, they have to gently stir to allow the gas to escape. Once this is done and the grounds are all moist, they begin by slowing pouring the rest of the water. They use the scales to measure how much water they are using.
They key to a great cup of chemex coffee is patient. If the barista tries to make the coffee too fast, you end up with a gritty cup of coffee. Let gravity to it's job and be patient during the brewing process, all good things in life are worth waiting for, right? This also gives you a good chance to get to know the barista making your coffee, give them a hard time, but don’t be mad when they fight back a little. I’m not saying that the people here are mean, but they know how to have a good time and carry on a conversation.
So the coffee is amazing and atmosphere is second to none. I’ll admit I love a cup of Starbuck’s coffee, but I can appreciate the local business. Coming to Ozo no matter what you order will get you a great cup of coffee with the friendliness and courtesy that is Boulder, Colorado. If you’re looking for someone to go with, hit me, I swear I don’t look for any excuse to stop by there.
