Milwaukee!

I visited the fine city of Milwaukee for the first time last week, and I was quite impressed!

Mostly I was there to see my old friends Tony & Sarah, and the relatively newer Julian.  Milwaukee, however, has a pretty nice coffee scene going on as well...

Alterra is the biggest name in town, and they are doing a bang-up job.  My first visit was to their "Foundry" location, 170 1st Street.

My espresso, Tony's Cortado.  And a pretty awesome datebar.

Got some pretty good vegan hash at Comet Cafe, a pretty hopping diner-y establishment.  With a full bar, and an espresso bar.  Almost tried out their spro-craft, but then I saw the dreaded "Do Not Change The Setting" written on the side of the espresso grinder.  Alas!  Food was good though.

A little joint called Brewed Cafe was just around the corner from Tony & Sarah's, at 1208 E. Brady; wound up spending some time there over the week.  Serving up Anodyne coffee and doing a good job of it--the above is not my favorite style of cap, but the shot & milk were both good.  I walked in skeptical, and then saw: 2-group Linea in good condition, naked PFs w/o splatters everywhere, shot-timers showing in the mid-twenties from the previous spros.  Heaves a sigh of relief.  They also were doing a good job on their cold brew coffee.

Not coffee-related per se, but pretty sweet--Tony has been working for the Milwaukee Bike Federation, and we helped out at the launch-party for their new facility.  Saw a few of Alterra's awesome cycling caps in attendance (see picture at top).

 Alterra's roastworks at 2999 North Humboldt is pretty awesome.  Full cafe, with the 2 Probats on display just on the other side of the bar.

Cup of Kenya off the slow bar.

Mickey, the store manager, is a Buffalonian by extraction (note to self: use "by extraction" puns more).  I'd met him at Spot's roastery a while back, but didn't recognize him at first because of his glorious beard.

Nathan rocking the BGA suit.  I was hoping to catch up with illustrious coffee-man Scott Lucey, but I kept missing him.  Then, as we're flicking through Milwaukee public television later that night, look what I see:



(Scott's espresso 101 starts at 20:20.)

 Stopped by the Public Market for some chow.

 Tempting as this giant inflatable crustacean was, I went for the avocado tempeh wrap.

And on the way out, rapped with the folks at Cedarburg Coffee for a bit.

Fun facts about Jake: I'm a sucker for botanical gardens.  So I had to check out the Mitchell Park Conservatory.

As giant geodesic domes full of plants go, pretty good.

Award for best espresso on my trip (including the Chicago expedition) goes to Anodyne, at 2920 South Kinnickinnic Ave.  They also probably get the award for best graphic design.  And they had cycling jerseys for sale!  Sadly, a little expensive for me.

Roasting on a Samiac in-store.

Yes, that is a Strada MP behind the pour-over station and ghostly baristas.

While we were in the neighborhood, grabbed some sweet potato tots and BBQ seitan at the Palomino.

Anodyne may have got the "Best Spro" star, but Alterra at the lake definitely gets "Best Regular-Type Cuppa Joe" and "Holy Cow, Best Location".

Refurbished but STILL FUNCTIONAL pumping station looking out over the lake, plunked right down in one of the best uses of a waterfront I've seen.  Seriously Milwaukee, how did you pull that off?

Retail & counter.

Seating around the pumping mechanisms.

Tons of seating downstairs, upstairs, and outside.  Awesome cafe.

All in all, I was incredibly impressed with Milwaukee, both generally as a city and specifically for the coffee scene.  Still not sold on the brandy old fashioned though.

On to Chicago!