Say it ain’t so, Joe’s
A recent post propped Joe’s over on 30th and Bluff (at the Steelyards). This author visited today and was greeted with swill for an Americano. Seriously sour. But that’s exactly what I’ve come to expect from Allegro pours and yes, I’m getting tired of writing the same thing over and over about Allegro, but it’s fucking true. Joe’s, Ozo’s, can we change your minds? We have no idea why you slave to Allegro, but you can’t seriously think its quality coffee. Vic’s? Lost cause. You’ve got your formula, you’re sticking to it, and that’s fine. Newslands loves you for it. But Joe and Ozo, you guys really seem to be into coffee for the sake of coffee. How do you reconcile serving Allegro? Please answer, because we know you read us.
the friendly ones at Joe’s
Props to Joe’s on 30th at the Steelyards (Bluff/Mapleton vicinity). They continue to be one of the friendliest crews in Boulder. Went in for a spot check today and was met with just nice, friendly, genuine service. Now, of course, everybody knows by now that we don’t love their choice of roasters (how many times can we call Allegro “swill”? apparently often enough that some people think we’re working for our favorites…). But Joe’s makes up for that by knowing how to work their machines. As we’ve said plenty of times, it’s not just the roast, it’s a combination of the roast, the barista and the machine, and near as we can tell, none of the three swamps any of the others in importance. So a good machine and an excellent barista can make Allegro taste halfway decent, and Joe’s is the place to find that barista (along with Ozo, if you’ve taken a wagon ride out to 55th).
Iz Joe’s expanding?
Let’s put it this way: either Joe’s is about to triple their space into the unit immediately south or else they are about to get a competitor. Of course I could just ask but isn’t speculation more fun?
Evidence: looking into the windows of the space to the south affords a view of an almost-finished space that looks suspiciously like a coffee shop. Ok, it really could be anything but the big espresso machine with three huge pull handles is kind of a giveaway. Then again, there is also a kitchen grill area with big fume hood. So maybe Joe’s is thinking of doing food + coffee, or perhaps a new counter-order restaurant is going in that is also going to serve espresso. Or, thirdly, scuff marks on the floor and a “This Space Available” sign in the window might indicate that it already was a restaurant that has gone under. If that’s true it came and went before I even started coming to this ‘hood. Time (or a Joe’s employee?) will tell.
Oh, and drinking at Joe’s today I finally realized something about Allegro coffee. It is passable if you mix it with a lot of chocolate and heavy milk. I remember thinking this at Vic’s, too. It’s just not good coffee otherwise. Here’s hoping Joe realizes that, too, and soon. If you think I’m the only one harping on this, see this comment.
(And, again, we don’t mean to steamroll anybody on this blog. If you’re an Allegro lover you’re welcome to post here. If you love Vic’s people probably want to hear from you. Email kevin if you want to be an Allegro or Vic’s defender.)
they made me do it
I didn’t want to work at Amante this morning. I still don’t. I can’t handle the eurostyle, or the coffee. Or the soccer jersey uniforms. Or the noise. Or that I’m the only non-Mac. And I didn’t have an iPhone. Europe: nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.
Speaking of Joe’s (were we? oh, yes we were) I stopped in the other day just to smell out the scene. I didn’t even have my laptop, just some time to kill and a desire to find a coffee shop east of 17th St. What’s to like: they’re in to it, which means they probably pay attention to the making of the coffee, which many of us have realized is probably even more important than the roast and beans. You can get good pours even out of Allegro coffee and bad pours out of CC. But that leads us to the bad. My position still hasn’t wavered: on average Allegro coffee is the worst you can find in high use in Boulder. And that’s what Joe’s serves. Proudly. So hey Joe: switch to CC or whatever the Goat serves and you’re going to get my full vote.
