Being my second day in Berlin, I figured that the most logical next stop to getting acclimated to Berlin would be to weasel my way into the coffee scene.
After reading this beautifully compiled article on Stil in Berlin, I decided to find what was closest to the Mitte where I was staying. Godshot it was. After a sweet 7-minute bike ride with my friend, it turned out that the machine was being worked on, so we browsed the bookstore next to it, and ventured on to No Fire, No Glory.most logical next step to take would be scouting out the most excellent coffee shops in Berlin, one by one. This is also my attempt to weasel my way into some sort of barista gig.
30-minutes of confusion later, we arrived, and it was everything I was hoping for. Antique cash register, expansive patio seating, cushy couches inside with table service from the bar, and a variety of food and alcoholic drinks as well, many involving espresso. Although today was not the day, I will definitely be going back for a café corretto.
The first thing I really noticed about the shop, besides the decor, was the fact that the baristas weren’t actually German. At least one of them, if not more, were Australian. This was made very evident when I approached the counter:
Me: Kann ich hier bestellen?
Clearly Australian Barista: Yes, here’s fine.
Me: Was Kaffee haben sie für Aeropress?
Clearly Australian Barista: The Guatemalan we have is really well balanced for the Aeropress, but the Kenyan is not. I would also suggest the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe for the Aeropress.
Can I still use jetlag as an excuse?
Anyway, my Yirgacheffe was like an orange flower blooming under the amber leaves in autumn: floral, subtle, but very vibrant. The color was a gorgeous mahogany, and the baristas took the time they needed to make it perfect, which is always worth the wait. After about an hour, I appropriately ordered a shot of espresso. They used an El Salvador single origin, and it was the perfect combination of sweet and strong.
After consuming my drinks I moseyed up to the counter and asked the baristas about their coffees, and about a Barista Camp I saw online, which apparently had already passed, to my despair. They seemed excited that I was excited, and that I had some barista experience, and were very open to explaining the various coffees to me.
As a first coffee experience in Berlin, I think I did pretty well. What do you think?