🍸 Coffee or Tea?

Good Morning Hartford County!

I bet you thought all we talked about was drinky-drinks? But not really, I am a coffee snob, too. (why do you think I named this media company The Hartford Pour, you can pour anything!)

Anyways, I’m thinking that earlier in the week, we will cover coffee/tea and breakfast spots around Hartford county, and then at the end of the week, alcoholic/non-alcoholic types drinks (we are all adults here, right?)

Today, we will start with the Best Coffee Shops in Windsor, CT.

Regardless, please reply to this and let me know if that is something you’d also be interested in.

In today’s edition of The Hartford Pour, we’ll get into:

— Chris M.
Local Whiskey Nerd, Husband, Dad, Entrepreneur ( French Press Coffee > Drip )

(New place no one is talking about)

Have you ever had Vietnamese coffee?

It’s usually a HIGHLY caffeinated and bold traditional brew made with dark-roasted “Robusta beans” ( I LOVE strong dark roasts).

But something else that makes Vietnamese coffee unique is adding condensed milk.

BTW, just a pet-peeve of mine, if you add condensed milk to coffee, that does NOT automagically (yes, I said auto-magically) make it Vietnamese coffee. So don’t be fooled if your local coffee shop starts calling their coffee Vietnamese just because they added the condensed milk.

That being said, The BOP makes a pretty amazing Vietnamese-style cup of joe. Me and Mrs. Hartford Pour stopped by there a week or so ago and enjoyed the experience.

The barista was nothing short of amazing and was patient with us when we couldn’t decide what to order, lol.

Pretty sure that is why they are getting a solid 4.7 out of 5 starts in Google

I recommend you check it out and let them know “The Hartford Pour” sent you #notsponsoredyet

(The LIST)

Let’s get into the best coffee shops in Windsor, CT…

At 226 Broad Street, you’ll run into a total downtown Windsor classic, The Bean.

It has a super relaxed, independent neighborhood feel that the owner actually based on cool West Coast coffee shops.

It can get a little cramped at times inside when they are really busy which can also add to the wait, which can become annoying, BUT the coffee and pastries are insanely delicious and worth it.

There is a nice seating area on the outside you can take advantage of as well that is great to get some fresh air during the warmer months.

The baristas are super nice and will literally make ANYTHING you want (within reason, of course). I ordered a “Dirty Chai” which is just a Chai Tea with a shot of caffeine.

They also have good and affordable food, free wifi, and a place you can chill for a few minutes or an hour or two to work.

Right at Broad Street inside Founders Square where they built the new office buildings… there is a bright and well sunlit cafe called the BOP.

It maybe hard to see/find, but when you find it there is plenty of parking behind the cafe.

Atmosphere is very similar to any coffee shop, but it is very welcoming with plenty of seating. There’s a modern aesthetic with tons seating and nice LOCAL artwork. Wifi is good and free.

As I mentioned above, the baristas really make this place inviting and fun.

What really separates this place is that they go from coffee to wine (yes, actual wine) and turns into a cozy wine bar.

Right next to The Bean is Dom’s Broad Street Eatery. It’s in the scene is marked by the name as Geisler's Market. It’s bar-none, one of my favorite spots in Windsor.

this is another classic for Windsor and has a very high energy New England diner type vibe.

True, it's not a traditional coffee shop. It is a breakfast area. However, their coffee is actually quite amazing. Be sure to pair it with some blueberry muffins that have been toasted and buttered.

Thank me later…

On 701 Marshall-Phillips Road, you will find Baronet Coffee Roasters. Now you're not going to find an actual cafe here or a barista.

What you get here is actual coffee, whether it's ground or whole bean. I talk about it more in the “On the Cheap” section of this email; however, get the whole bean, a coffee grinder, and a French press, and Baronet coffee is some of the best you'll ever drink.

You can even get coffee pods for your coffee machine at home. Colombian is usually the choice for me.

I debated putting Dunkin’ on the list because it's a chain, but the one off of Poquonock is a pretty big staple in Windsor.

New England runs on Dunkin’, right? Just being honest, the only coffee I get from Dunkin’ is there “Dunkin’ Midnight” dark roast with cream and sugar.

The store is a bit small as well, but it’s a not a bad place to stop by when you can get a sandwich next door at the

(The Cure for When You Want To Save Money)

The best part about making your own coffee at home is the money you save with it.

I can buy a nice whole bean coffee from my nearby Stop and Shop for about $10 and make about 20 cups of coffee from it.

That is $0.50 per cup.

Think about that…

Instead of spending $5+ on a gourmet cup from any coffee shop, you can “dog it” and make your dollar stretch and still make an excellent cup.

I am a firm believe that drip coffee is the devil’s work. Run from it as fast as you can.

French press coffee takes more effort to make but is SOOO much richer.

Don’t overspend on one. My costs $20 off of Amazon (check it out here).

I also got a coffee grinder a few years ago that has been an insanely solid workhorse. (check it out here)

That one is a bit pricier than it was when I bought it, but it’s worth it. I got it because it’s relatively “quiet”. I needed that when my son was a lot smaller so as to not wake him up and I could still drink my morning nectar.

Have you tried french press coffee?

Do you know of a AWESOME restaurant or bar? Or something not included in this email you’d like to see?

REPLY to this email and let me know!