Coffee is one of my few vices I truly never hesitate when it comes to indulgence. I’m not talking spending big money for the smoked-blended-iced-caramel-thing. No, I’m talking true, real coffee – the stuff that gives you a nice wake up when needed without the harsh bitterness of the mass-produced. It was in college that I found my love for this deeply roasted nectar when I worked for a small coffee roaster, learning everything from how to roast, temperature variations, blending, and pulling the perfect shot. Those were simpler times, but my love of coffee has not changed.

In those days, I was the biggest fan of single origin coffee, especially Ethiopian and Costa Rican. Just like wine, you can tell so much about a coffee plant when you taste a single origin. Now, let’s get something straight – coffee should not taste like the black tar that our parents would drink or that you find at the local gas station. You should not need sugar or flavors to make it taste palatable. Good coffee, when treated right, will unravel its flavors in a very dynamic manner, and roasters like Alumbre Coffees have caught my interest when it comes to my morning cup (or three) of Joe. Not only does Alumbre have some incredible single origin coffees, but their blended variety is nothing to miss as well.

I’ve been tasting a whole slew of the coffees from Alumbre over the past few weeks, so let me point you in the direction of the ones I just love.

Ethiopian – Yirgacheffe – Roasted Medium

When I say I love Ethiopian single origin coffee, I mean I will buy it no questions asked when I see it light or medium roasted on a shelf. The Alumbre is no different. This Ethiopian single origin coffee takes me right back to why I fell in love with coffee, delivering some incredibly bright notes of lemon and lightly roasted berries. Taking a sip, the lemon hits the tip of my tongue before transitioning into the smokiness coming off the roasting process. This is a slower roast for sure, and even at a medium temperature and color, still maintains a brightness and almost lightness to the whole sip.

French Roast, Dark

I cold brewed this batch of coffee and do not regret it one bit. Deep, dark tobacco notes on top of the heavy smoke from the long roasting time made this an incredible coffee to have in the morning. I loved looking into the coffee grinds while in the water and seeing the oils from the roasted beans floating on top, waiting to be mixed in with a quick stir for my next cup. The notes on the French Roast are very sudden, hitting hard with the dark caramel and smoke, transitioning smoothly to a heavy tobacco sweetness before mellowing out. The little oils collected in the cold brew process left a great sweet aftertaste that made me come back for more.

Colombia, Alma Del Cafe De Jardin®, Medium Roast

Honestly, I have never been a big Colombia coffee fan – it’s delicious, but never blew my socks off. But, that said, Alumbre delivers one of the best Colombian coffees I have ever had. There was a hint of roasted cedar in the bag, and as it sat brewing in my French press I watched as the mid-dark color enveloped the water while this semi-sweet aroma floated off. But the taste is where I was amazed; it starts with a semi-sweet chocolate and smoked cedarwood, but then the cedar drops away leaving the chocolate to linger. Yes, yes, in every way, yes. I was sold on my first cup of Colombia coffee, but clearly not my last.

I might have a bit of a fascination with coffee, and will admit I am a bit obsessed with different varieties and roasts, and Alumbre Coffee has kept my interest for sure. It could be their countless investments into the community, the focus on the environment and maintaining the craft roastery feel, or the fact that because Alumbre is an exclusive brand, they take their time to really make the coffees perfect. It probably all of those combined and more to be honest, and that’s something I can stand behind.  And all it takes is a simple Sign up to get started, to start enjoying coffee as it should be enjoyed.

So think about that next time you’re picking up a bag of coffee or sipping a gas station brew; don’t you deserve coffee with flavor? Discover Alumbre as I did. Let your taste buds be free.

Try Alumbre today.

The post Don’t You Deserve Coffee with Flavor? appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The city is broken up into five boroughs, including: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Manhattan is the epicenter of it all, and is the most visiting of the boroughs. The question is, where does one begin when exploring the city? Well, tourist traps have become destinations for a reason, so if it’s your first time in the city, go ahead and take a quick stroll through Times Square, make the trip up the Empire State Building, and roam around through Little Italy and Chinatown, but don’t get stuck too long in these areas. There is far more to this city than the tourist traps, and most of the great gems can be found down quieter streets.

Yes, admire and marvel at the awe-inspiring skyscrapers that tower above the city, but if you’re looking to experience the city more as the locals would, head further into some of the neighborhoods of Manhattan that are spread throughout the city. Within minutes from the financial district, you will feel far removed from the hustle and bustle, and discover hip neighborhoods like Soho, Tribeca, East Village, and a bustling but refreshing side of the city in Greenwich Village.

With literally thousands of food options, it’s best to branch away from the main tourist attractions. Try some of the small hole-in-the-wall establishments that are dotted throughout the city to find some of the best slices of pizza in the country, and look for places that are just a couple of blocks away from the main drag. Here are just a few local joints we would reocmmend not missing while in town.

• Bagel Bistro Diner & Gril
• Blue
• Egger’s Ice Cream Parlor
• Marina Cafe
• 120 Bay Cafe

The city is enormous, and although you can spend hour upon hour exploring the city on foot, it’s best to get around by using the extensive subway system. The underground will whip your from Penn Station to Grand Central Station, and out to the surrounding boroughs within minutes. Everyone from labor workers to executives ride the subway, so it can get very crowded, so keep your items close, but sit back and enjoy some of the best people watching on the planet.

Exploring New York City via the subway was a great way to see as much as possible in 24 hours.

A video posted by FactoryTwoFour (@factorytwofour) on Nov 9, 2015 at 8:31am PST

With so much to see in do in New York City, it’s almost certain that you will never have enough time to explore this incredible place. There’s dozens of museums worthy of a visit, thousands of restaurants and cafes, dozens of impressive tourist attractions, and millions of people to watch. One tip is to spread out your activities and try not to do too much in one day; pace yourself, otherwise you will exhaust yourself during your stay. Move at your own pace, and soak up The Big Apple.

The post Take Stroll Through New York City appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

For those not familiar, Cleveland Cyclewerks is an independent motorcycle manufacturer out of, you guessed it, Cleveland, Ohio. They are creating some of the most unique mass-market bikes available today, and the Ace is their latest little barn stormer. While their Misfit has carried the café torch for a while now, the Ace comes to town as more of a “blank canvas” sled that will be any customizer’s dream. Even stock, it is remarkably café-like and ready to sport you and a cute passenger in retro style.

Even if you haven’t heard Cleveland, they’ve been around for years now pumping our fun bikes and engaging in the café community. Also, the motor they use is, for all intents and purposes, a continuation Honda engine so the internal engineering has been tested well over a billion miles and decades of travel. We haven’t ridden the Ace yet (coming soon…) but having spent some saddle time with the excellent Misfit, we fully expect the Ace to a fantastically fun little street fighter perfect for the urban commute and, you guessed it again, racing to the nearest café.

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