A Coffee Maven Vicarious Appreciation
One of the many good things about being the coffee maven is that people sometimes just put a bag of really good coffee in my hands. This was the case on Christmas Eve Eve, when I received a coffee gift from a young friend whose own birthday was to be two days later.
First, to explain: when I say "young friend" these days I can be referring to full-grown adults -- as was the case with this high-school teacher -- because they are younger than I am. In this case, I remember his Christmas Day birth a few decades back. His parents were among our first friends we met in Massachusetts, and his was the first birth among our close friends after the birth of our own kiddo.
We see each other on what we call Christmas Eve Eve or Little Christmas Eve, the most magical night of the year at our cozy and historic church in Bridgewater, and this year he came over to me, clearly happy to be able to pass along this gift.
This is an espresso blend known as Notes from the Underground. Espresso is a brewing method, not a type of coffee, but this labeling suggests a very dark roast suitable for use in espresso. This coffee is sold in whole-bean form, so that I was able to give it a medium grind (rather than the very fine grind needed for espresso) and brew it in my Chemex.
When Patrick handed me the bag, my first instinct was to check the front and back for a CO2 valve. Even though this bag has a paper exterior, the valve was my signal that it is a layered package with foil to keep oxygen out. Bags sealed this tightly need the valve to allow carbon dioxide to escape -- they are a sign of real attention to freshness. The brew did not disappoint -- this is a deep, flavorful coffee.
Many of the offerings at Six Depot are single-origin coffees, and the couple who own the shop clearly enjoy connecting their customers to the farmers on whom they rely. This particular blend, however, is an actual blend from several sources. Attention to quality is reflected in the fact that the package indicates which varietals (sub-species) of Coffea arabica are present: Mundo Novo, Katuaí, and Kent. Of these, only the Katuaí is familiar. I like it because it is fun to say and also one of the few varietals that ripens to yellow instead of red. Harvesting this coffee requires even more than the usual amount of skill!
I usually require students to include a map indicating how far a café is from the commonly known coffee chains. In this case, those chains are not much in evidence in the neighborhood, so the map above points to two destinations elsewhere in Stockbridge. One is Tanglewood -- the beautiful concert venue I visited for the first time in 2025. I will definitely be returning, and I will visit No. Six Depot when I do. The other famous site is a certain restaurant made famous by Arlo Guthrie. Also in the neighborhood --- on the way to Tanglewood -- is the wonderfully relaxing and enriching Kripalu retreat center.
