the bird on fire

The Bird is the Word: Sophisticated Schoolyard Shenanigans

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Local Coffee: How Does It Stack Up?

by 1 Comment

By a new blogging voice @ thebirdonfire.org: Jess Billimore

In the words of George from George of the Jungle, “Java, java, java, java.” Yes, we’re looking at more coffee. Blog Coffee Rater Jess took on the arduous task of going undercover to investigate three local coffee shops to determine which serves up the best iced-cold brew in a soothing atmosphere and pleasing locale.

Hi! It’s Jess, in today’s post I will be doing a coffee review of three different locations in the Coachella Valley in order to determine where serves the best coffee. So, how will I be ranking these locations? I will rank them according to location/atmosphere of the shop, the menu, price, and above all- the taste. Each of these categories will be rated out of 5, and the final rankings will be calculated at the end. At each location I will order a medium iced-cold brew to make this as fair as possible.

I’m going to begin with Starbucks. There are several locations around the area, but I chose the one on El Paseo at 73520 El Paseo, Palm Desert, CA 92260. To begin with, it is a very beautiful location. You get a nice view of the mountains if you choose to sit outside, and inside is lovely too. This is a smaller location than most Starbucks, which I personally really like. It had a great vibe–the majority of those dining in were working which really inspired me to come back sometime and do the same. Usually, I find the inside of Starbucks far too loud and hectic, but this one wasn’t, so I would return for that reason also. I would give them a total of 4/5 on location/atmosphere. The barista was also kind and even offered my dog a pup cup, so this location gains +1 bonus point for that. As for the menu, I personally really liked it. Starbucks has a very large menu, which means there’s bound to be something for everyone. I really can’t fault them on it, so they get a 5/5 for that. As for the price, a medium (grande) cold brew cost me $3.25, which in my opinion is a very fair price, so they also get a 5/5 for that! And, of course, the taste–honestly, it was only okay. I personally like my coffee on the stronger side; this was quite a strong roast, so it has the nice bitter coffee taste. It was just very, very diluted. Unfortunately, I would only give them a 2.5/5 on taste. Overall, Starbucks gets a 17.5.

Now, onto my second location: The Vintage Coffee House located at 49990 Jefferson St., Indio, CA 92201. As for the location, it’s lovely. It has indoor and outdoor seating and is so beautifully decorated it feels very homey. It is also a local, independent business, so it is great to support them. The staff is super friendly–definitely the sweetest workers I’ve ever met! They also offered my dog a pup cup and treat so they gain +1 bonus point for that. All the customers were super lovely, too. It’s clear they have a lot of regulars. This is a perfect place to come to work or hang out with friends. I could have seriously stayed there for hours. Overall atmosphere/location is 5/5. The menu was amazing; they had so many unique flavors: lavender, cinnamon roll, butter pecan, and tiramisu. They would also get a 5/5 for this. My medium iced-cold brew cost me $4.50, which, yes, is a little more than Starbucks but still low and totally worth it to support a local business. I give the pricing a 5/5. The coffee was absolutely delicious. It was the perfect level of strength. They get a 5/5 for this also. Overall, The Vintage Coffee House gets a whopping 21.

Finally, I visited IW Coffee, located at 74-995 CA-111, Indian Wells, CA 92210. The location is very pretty outside and the patio has a good amount of sun. I also liked the modern/minimalist vibe on the inside. This seems to be a very popular spot to go with friends, and everyone was super friendly. For atmosphere/location they get a 5/5. As for the menu, it was decent, not as much variation as the previous locations, but there was nothing wrong with it. I am giving them 4/5 for this. The price was $4.85, which isn’t bad at all, so a 5/5 for this, too. Honestly, the taste was disappointing. It was very watered down, similar to Starbucks, so they only get a 3/5 for taste. Overall, IW Coffee gets a 17 score.

All in all, The Vintage Coffee House is the clear winner. It is my new favorite spot for coffee, and I would definitely recommend going there. 

                                                                                                                                           

The Vintage Coffee House in Indio as featured on TripAdvisor.

It’s Coffee Time: A Review of Java with a Splash of Politics

by 1 Comment

By Peter Kadel, Consumer of Caffeine

Recently, I found out about the Black Rifle Coffee Company, a veteran-run-and-owned coffee-roasting operation based out of Utah. Their beans come from South and Central America. The company is owned by Evan Hafer, a veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and who has been working on his coffee-roasting skills for the past ten years. The company advertises itself as “the world’s premium conservative coffee company.” The BRCC roasts its coffee in small batches. The coffee is made to order. This means that the coffee isn’t made until you order it on their website. Thus, BRCC’s coffee takes a little longer to reach you due to the 2-3 day roasting period. Additionally, shipping takes about 7-10 days, but that is at the lowest cost for shipping. If you are willing to dole out the extra money, it can get there in two days.

BRCC carries a decent variety of coffee with 17 different blends that come in 1 of 4 roast types: light, medium, dark, and extra dark. The available textures are ground or whole bean.

I have tried two of the available blends. The first one was a medium-roast blend called the Fit to Fight blend which has an excellent aroma and decent taste. The coffee was delivered quickly. The blend tasted good. Usually I need to sweeten coffee in addition to adding heavy cream, but with the Fit to Fight Blend and with the Black Buffalo Blend–the second blend I’ve tried–I enjoyed the flavor of the coffee by itself. All it needed was a little cream. Even after I accidentally left the grounds out in the open air for a week, the Black Buffalo Blend kept its rich and full flavor and has not let me down yet. The Fit to Fight Blend had one incident where it began to taste sour as I was drinking it, but I’ve only had that issue once (but that might have been the cream).

Overall, the Black Rifle Coffee Company produces quality coffee that has the same effects on me as every other coffee I’ve had–virtually none. However, that doesn’t mean the coffee won’t offer the caffeinated kick most coffee lovers need to get through their day. While some people may be hesitant to support a company with strong political views, BRCC is not the only coffee company to have a political bias; Starbucks is a nationally recognized coffee chain that has often taken a political stance on various issues, rather than remaining neutral. For years, Starbucks has supported same-sex marriage legislation. And, in February 2017, Starbucks offered to hire 10,000 refugees in reaction to recent immigration legislation. The BRCC, in response to Starbucks, stated it wants to hire “veterans instead of refugees.” It should be noted that Starbucks also has a 10,000-veteran hiring initiative. The fact of the matter is, you’re voting with your wallet when businesses get political. You don’t have to buy their product. But, do note, BRCC makes some great coffee!

 

 

Referenced:

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-trump-supporters-boycott-starbucks-2017-2

https://www.snopes.com/politics/sexuality/starbucks.asp

Editor: Charles Schnell

Java Java Java

by 1 Comment

By Makena Behnke

When you’re in high school, or any stressful environment requiring bursts of energy and attention, caffeine is a staple, whether it be Dr. Pepper, Red Bull, black tea, or some form  of coffee. Some people are big believers in the wonders of coffee, and some believe that it stunts your growth. Whatever the case, you cannot deny that coffee will ever go out of style. The chance of running into someone with a coffee cup in hand is inevitable. Now, there are many different types of coffee in this world and many different types of coffee drinkers; some prefer it with sugar, some with cream, and some have a ridiculous order that only they can remember. There are the obvious coffees: black coffee, coffee with cream or milk or sugar, lattes, cappuccinos, and frappuccinos. There are many other preparations of the beloved bean.

  1. Latte– cappuccino without the foam. There’s not much else to say… It’s good.
  2. Cappuccino– espresso with steamed milk foam. Pretty standard drink.
  3. Espresso– a highly concentrated shot of coffee you take right before cramming for finals.
  4. Espresso macchiato– espresso with milk foam, for the lighter studying you have to do.
  5. Espresso con panna– whipped cream and espresso, when you need to get some ~extra~ calories.
  6. Espresso con miele– espresso sweetened with honey. Save the bees by stealing their life’s work.
  7. Flat white– microfoam over single or double espresso… hip version of saying steamed milk foam.
  8. Caffe mocha– a chocolate flavored latte. Need I say more?
  9. Mochaccino– chocolate cappuccino.
  10. Doppio– a double espresso. The kind of coffee you need to get through a block day…
  11. Cortado– espresso mixed with warm milk.
  12. Affogato– espresso with ice cream…
  13. Cafe bonbon– sweetened condensed milk and espresso, crafted to make your heart stop if you have more than three.

* “Winter” is coming; stay warm. Drink coffee.

Editor: Brennan Nick