Coffee Hunting

Blogging and hot-caffeinated beverages are two things that have followed me from adolescence until now. Two of the things I'm most proud of anyway.

So why not combine then both?
I'm a Houston native currently living in San Antonio who likes to galavant outside of Texas from time to time.

I'm a Starbucks barista (#tobeapartner, or something) and I think I have more of the brewed stuff in my veins now then blood. I'm proud of my green apron, but I like to try other (dare I say better?) things now and again.

While living near Austin for a semester I got hooked on cold brew, a coarsely ground coffee soaked over night (12-24 hours) and brewed without any cold water. Often called Iced Toddy in the hill country.

A few weeks ago my fellow barista buddy and I went on an adventure back to my old hill-country-stomping ground for a coffee round up. We were only able to try a handful of places, but I took her to my personal favorites.

And we ranked them! Lucky you.

5.) We started our countdown with Starbucks as number five, as we've recently started serving cold brew. And our bias probably comes from craving something new and drinking it on the daily.

4.) Number four was a bakery owned by The Root Cellar in downtown San Marcos. And though it was ranked our least favorite in town, I'd recommend it as a first stop for anyone wanting a pastry to pair with their coffee. They have a marvelous bakery and often host bridal showers. 

Their cold brew is amazing, there really are no losers in our countdown. However in comparison it lacked something extra. And it was a little less smooth, more bitter than the others. However, in honesty, we could have caught them on a bad day. That happens too. No barista/coffee shop get's it right every time. 

 3.) Third is the beloved Mochas and Javas, when I was attending university in town this was my daily (sometimes twice daily) stop. Their cold brew is smooth and has chocolatey notes. Pairing it with a brownie is sometimes too rich, but their delicious crustless quiches make for a wonderful brunch on the way to class. I top mine off with some cream, Natalie adds vanilla to hers.

2.) Conveniently next door to M&J's is Dos Gatos. Possibly the only reason they didn't rank number one is because they're only open until 2pm. They were my Tuesday/Thursday stop before German class all semester. Their cold brew is smooth, rich, and perfect just the way it is. I love a black Iced Toddy and a blueberry almost crumble kolache in the morning.

1.) Our winner on this cool afternoon was Stellar Cafe. Smooth, bold, and completely acid-free it was a coffee-lovers dream. Even as our last coffee of the day, we had to savor every sip. It probably added to their rating that I was able to add lavender and vanilla syrup to my Toddy. With my feet in the river, it was the perfect way to end the day. And they have a roof-top sitting area if that adds to your aesthetic as it does mine.