|
|
|
First look at Brew/Ultimo Coffee
The Web site for the award-winning alternative weekly, the Philadelphia City Paper.
First look at Brew/Ultimo Coffee
Last week, I stopped in to Brew, from South Philly Tap Room owner John Longacre, beer guy Joe Bedia and coffee guru Aaron Ultimo. The space (1900 S. 15th St., 215-339-5177), which will open this coming Friday, May 8 at 7 a.m., is a combo bottle shop and coffee house � while Bedia will be heading up the 500-plus-variety beer end of the bargain (liquor license still en route; it's a less than a month out), Ultimo, formerly of D.C.'s Murky Coffee, will be in charge of all things caffeinated. He and his wife Elizabeth were kind enough to walk me through some of his offerings � all supplied by North Carolina's Counter Culture roasters. I was a little extremely tweaked out by the time I left, but it was totally worth it.
If I somehow found myself on the board of trustees for a coffee museum, Ultimo would be my first choice for curator. The guy speaks about coffee eloquently and passionately while still managing to keep it clear and understandable for the less well-versed. Longacre linked up with him for this project through West Philly musician Denison Witmer, who met Ultimo awhile back while touring.
Brew (Ultimo Coffee when referring to this operation singularly) will work like this: Every morning until 11 a.m., the crew will serve coffee brewed in a Chemex. From 11 on, however, you'll be treated to your choice of four artisanal coffees hand-brewed using Bee House pour-over drippers (see first pic). Ultimo says he prefers this technique (just $2-$3 a cup) to French press, as it lends a little more clarity to the coffee. Espresso, also acquired from Counter Culture, is pulled with a top-of-the-line La Marzocco machine. All the coffees and most of the gadgets here will be offered wholesale, as well.
"This menu is sourced specifically because it's out of the ordinary, and it's taste-specific," explained Ultimo of his selections. They're all very different, and each carries with it an intricate back story, from sourcing to climate to details on the real-life people who work to produce it.
Some brief notes on Ultimo's four current handcrafted coffees:
- La Golondrina (Colombia): A "sugar browning" coffee, which basically means it has darker notes akin to caramel and chocolate. Slight acidity and bitterness to it, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
- Bwayi (Burundi): An "enzymatic" coffee, carrying more fruity aromas and flavors than your average. Notes of flowers and citrus. Burundi is not yet well-known for its coffee production, but it's an up-and-coming player in Africa.
- Idido Misty Valley (Ethiopia): This is a unique one � the pre-brew grounds burst with the scent of berries, so you might be under the impression that it's a flavored coffee. It's not � using the ripest fruit from the coffee plant under strict and carefully regulated drying guidelines produces the fruity characteristics.
- Ariel Pajoy Microlot (Colombia): A lovely, balanced and subtly sweet coffee named after the farmer responsible for growing the beans. "Microlot" means this is a coffee roasted in extremely limited quantities, so get this while it's still available.
A quick word on the eats approach, being headed up by Elizabeth � they plan on carrying croissants, babka and other bready-type things from Four Worlds Bakery; locally produced granola; yogurt; and a lineup of simple sandwiches (brie/honey/apple; goat cheese and jam).
One last thing � yes, they will have decaf.
Congratulations Philadelphia. Ultimo puts the city on the coffee map. The Ultimo family is kind, passionate and wise in the ways of coffee, and are a fantastic addition to the landscape. Long live Ultimo.
Can't wait!
[...] Ultimo Coffee/Brew is set to open the coffee side of operations this Friday at 7am. The beer part is still about a month out. Drew Lazor has the deets. [Meal Ticket] [...]
We stopped into Brew this morning. Longacre is single handedly building an entire neighborhood from scratch. The transformation in that neighborhood since he opened the SPTR and community organizations associations is absolutely amazing. Long live Newbold!
Congratulations, Aaron and Liz! Can't wait to taste your handcrafted coffees.
[...] PREVIOUSLY: First look at Brew/Ultimo Coffee [...]
[...] Brew/Ultimo Coffee opened at 1900 S. 15th Street in Newbold in May 2009, serving amazing Counter Culture coffee from proprietor Aaron Ultimo. Back then, we believed it’d be less than a month until the second half of the operation � a 500-bottle craft beer selection � got off the ground. Unsurprisingly, they hit delays, so they began shooting for June. [...]
[...] Nearly a year after its debut, Brew, the Newbold bottle shop that shares real estate with Ultimo Coffee (1900 S. 15th St.) has finally received its liquor license, owner John Longacre (South Philly Taproom) tells Meal Ticket. They’ll begin stocking stuff this Friday, but won’t be at full strength until the following weekend. Head here and here to revisit this saga of sagas. Brew has its liquor license! We repeat, BREW HAS ITS LIQUOR LICENSE! [...]
[...] competition for cash and other prizes, including the Grinder Burr Medal currently held by Aaron Ultimo of Ultimo Coffee, who�took first prize in September’s TnT at Chestnut Hill Coffee. (That’s his handiwork [...]
- barstool scientist
- Booze
- Brew Revue
- Chef Salad
- Closings
- Coffee
- Contests
- Dealage
- Dirty Dishes
- Don't Front
- Eat This Immediately
- Field Trip
- Food and Art
- Food and Holidays
- Food and Movies
- Food and Music
- Food and Politics
- Food and Sports
- Food and Web
- Food Blogs
- Food Books
- Food Events
- Food News
- Food TV
- Gifted
- Happy Hour Hopper
- How-To
- In Print
- Interview
- Meal Ticket
- Menu Time
- Not So Quickfire
- Notes from the Weekend
- On Wheels
- Openings
- Patio Drinking
- Philly Beer Week 2010
- Photos
- Private Chef POV
- Product Placement
- Recipes
- Snack Time
- Stiff Drank
- SUPPER
- Tea
- Testing
- Ticket Stubs
- Top Chef
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Video
- Weekly Candy
- Weird Regional Foods
- We're Here to Help
- Where'd We Eat?
- Drew Lazor's Ill-Advised Rant Factory
- Pregame
- Ill-Advised Ranting
- The Week Without Meat
- Philly Beer Week 2009
- Real Big
- Where'd I Eat Last Night?
- Top Chef Masters
- The Good Word
- Next Iron Chef
- Arterial Terrorism
- Food and Radio
