Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
Issue link: http://freshcup.epubxp.com/i/131835
COURTESY OF BENETTI'S COFFEE EXPERIENCE C O U R T E S Y O F O D D LY C O R R E C T COOL KIDS IN COW TOWN: Roaster-retailer Oddly Correct (left) features light roasts and single-cup brews, while Benetti's Coffee Experience (all photos on right) is defined by its passionate baristas. W hich takes us up to the last few years. Benetti's Coffee Experience, in the eastern KC suburb of Raytown, has been quietly and efficiently seeking excellence for several years now. Benetti's is a strong example of the power of passion in a group atmosphere. Owner Ben Helt, head roaster Kiersten Perry and the dedicated team of baristas help create a pleasant environment where customers can find friendly interaction and, most importantly, an excellent cup of coffee. Incidentally, Benetti's had a by-the-cup bar very early in the game and still has one of the most varied lists of extraction methods in town. Uber-cool micro-roaster Oddly Correct has also been garnering a lot of press lately, after years of building a grass-roots following among Kansas City's hipper crowd. Owner Gregory Kolsto is on-point with the current cultural wave of light roasts and minimally presented wares, while his skill with woodcutting and printing helped establish the industrial and eclectic feel at Oddly's new shop in Westport. The company services wholesale accounts as well, most notably coffee-geek hangout Quay Coffee in KC's River Market. Baristas from both Oddly Correct and Quay gave stellar performances at this year's South Central Regional Barista Championship, with Oddly barista Tyler Rovenstine advancing to the finals. Held during a bleak week in January 2013 in a repurposed Kansas City ballroom, the most recent BCRBC served as a nexus of top baristas and coffee lovers from 16 states in the middle of the country. (The Big Central encompassed two regional competitions—the South Central and the North Central—in one event.) Flaming grapefruits, sensual signature drinks and detailed stories engaged attendees, and the stellar performance of longtime competitor Pete Licata earned him the South Central win that preceded his 2013 U.S. title, won in April at the SCAA Event in Boston. Licata serves as quality assurance manager for Parisi Artisan Coffee, which has opened two flagship cafés in Kansas City. The stores follow the classic European presentation model: formal wear for baristas, hand-made everything and innovation based on years of tradition. A ll these burgeoning shops are competing for a growing spectrum of coffee-loving customers, which makes for a cut-throat environment at times. But there are examples of collaboration as well, including the shared space of brewer and accessory store About the Coffee and beverage marketing firm The LAB (where this writer also works as a copywriter). Here, coffees from Kansas City and beyond are brewed in a variety of ways, while an espresso machine stands at the ready for barista jams and a Martin guitar waits in the corner to facilitate another kind of expression. Regardless of education or skill, coffee lovers gather here to chat and sip, spreading the communal atmosphere so essential in a big (small) town like Kansas City. Yes, even though metro Kansas City stands at a current population of more than 2 million, it has the feel of a tight-knit community. Coffee lovers run into each other regularly, sharing trade secrets and enthusiasm as they visit each other's favorite shops. Kansas Citians in coffee are proud, passionate and progressive. Coffee culture flowers and spreads. What's next? They don't know, but they'll be here, pushing the limits to find out. Fresh Cup Magazine • freshcup.com 35