Twin Cities Bean Hunt Coffee Passport

Earlier this year I came up with a fabulous idea. After years of drinking Starbucks only, I decided I wanted to branch out a little and try some of the locally roasted coffees the Twin Cities have to offer and experience the atmosphere of as many of the local, independent coffee shops I could find. I have a friend, his name is Ian. He worked with my husband Chris at Starbucks for a few years and is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur. He is also a student and has a bit of time on his hands. So, I roped him in to my adventure and we came up with a Coffee Passport which we call the Twin Cities Bean Hunt. We made a list, which is ever growing, of many, many coffee shops in the Twin Cities and beyond where we will be "Searching for that perfect cup of brew on the banks of the old Mississip'..."

Every week or so, we will set out on a coffee-hunting expedition, traveling to various bean-brewing establishments throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul. We may even go so far as to try some coffee out in the 'burbs. We hope to capture the essence of each place, rate the brewed coffee, and sample other pair-able offerings.

To rate the coffee we will use a 5-point rating system, which we have aptly named "The Mug Scale of Overall Caffeinated Goodness", or simply: the Mug Scale. This rating will make up half of the 10-point Star Scale we will use to rate each shop; the other 5 stars will be divided as follows: two stars for atmosphere, two stars for value, and the final star will be jealously guarded and awarded for excellent service. We're no pushovers.

There are also a few tea houses to try here in the cities and since Ian's wife, Joanna, has an affinity for tea, not coffee, we decided to rope her in too and try some tea for folks who don't drink coffee. (GASP! I can't even imagine!)

Our goal is to make this a go-to list for people with a taste for good coffee, who may or may not be as experienced with the coffee options the Twin Cities has to offer. We all know the nervousness one might feel upon entering a new place, and the fear of The Coffee Shop Thing. We're here to cut through that pretension for you, and hopefully familiarize you with the great big world outside of Starbucks and Caribou! (Not that I DON'T support Starbucks ;-) Just getting a little crunchy and non-corporate! Sorry Chris, hee hee!)