The first whiff of fresh coffee in the morning, the sip of a smooth espresso, the anticipation of a specialty roast – coffee cups overflow with choices in San Diego. It’s time to celebrate our abundance of independent cafes and over 30 local SD county roasters during the annual Caffeine Crawl.
Founder Jason Burton was based in Kansas City, Missouri when he accepted an invitation from San Diego green bean importer, InterAmerican Coffee, in 2014. The trip planted the seed in his mind for the first local Caffeine Crawl, which featured just ten specialists.
Coffee connoisseur and photographer, Oliver Assis, attended one of the first tours and keeps coming back. “I love how you learn about coffee and get a chance to appreciate getting a better understanding of what it takes to make a great cup.”
This year, tastings have grown to include 30 spots, with chocolate and tea tastings thrown in the mix, including Rishi Tea, which is teaming up with Steady State and Cafe Virtuoso for dual coffee-tea combos.
South Park’s Seven Seas Roasting is creating their first customer experience for the event, and we can expect something special from Swell Coffee in Mission Beach. Last year, owner Mondo poured the most expensive cup you can order, the Decemberist, for which he orchestrated every gram, grind, and digitally timed his drip through a gold-plated filter (it’s still available by request).
The 2019 Crawl starts on January 25th at 11:30 am. On Saturday and Sunday, tours start at 9 am and end before 3 pm. Each route is set up independently with suggestions for biking, walking or driving between stops.
Don’t worry about getting over-buzzed while expanding your caffeine horizon. Each stop offers small samples and, just as with wine tastings, while they’re good to the last drop, no one frowns if you don’t drain your cup.
Not sure which one to take? Jason encourages participants to get off their usual routes. “Really it's all about what you’re looking for, but most people select places they don't get to explore during their daily routines.”
Tickets include a drink or chocolate sample and short, educational presentation at every stop on your selected route and an event bag. Check out the available tour options and buy your tickets at caffeinecrawl.com.
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