Now open Wednesdays! I know because I am sitting here right now!…read more
Egads! Mike and his team are elevating the coffee game in Ann Arbor to unprecedented levels. Thanks to fellow Yelpers Allison and Tiffany for getting in here early and putting this spot on my radar.
The hours are limited, and up until recently Curious was closed three days a week, which had made it challenging to get in.
What initially grabbed my attention were the co-fermented coffees. Coffee beans that were fermented alongside fruit, like strawberries and peaches. The idea kinda blew my mind. I had never heard of such madness, and despite having a personal preference for coffee flavored coffee, I was compelled to try it.
Wow! Just wow. In a cappuccino with the creaminess and fat of well textured whole milk, true fruit flavors and aromas poured from the cup. I was smitten. But still, this is flavored coffee, albeit flavored coffee without any syrups or sweeteners.
Then there was the hot bloom cold brew. Another concept that made me sit back and ponder how I have been making my cold brew for decades. It made intuitive sense, and tasted fantastic.
But I have to say, given my personal preference for straight up coffee, the pour over program is profound, perhaps even poetic. At the moment I'm sipping on a natural process Luz Helena Geisha. Some coffee shops might have this as the top of their line. At Curious, it's just one of many single origin super high quality beans that are roasted and brewed with care to maximize the flavors from within the beans.
What does this mean in the cup? Well, for starters the color might remind some folks more of a dark tea than what they might be accustomed to from a national coffee chain or the classic diner. The aromas are delicate and distinct. This brew is described on the menu of being tropical, funky, and delicious with aromas of papaya, pineapple, and watermelon.
The flavor is gorgeous. Beautiful balance, confounding complexity, with a long lingering finish.
Coffee like this takes time. Do not expect to pop in and out for a quick cup. This is coffee that demands to be savored, and is served as such. Pour overs come in a glass pitcher so you can appreciate their color and clarity. Then you can pour it yourself into a ceramic cup, which has ample room to get your nose deep inside of it to inhale the intoxicating aromas.
Coffee like this might be a little more expensive than what you might be accustomed to paying, but it's worth every penny. Plus there are always options at Curious that are a bit closer to earth. It's a spot to treat yourself in a little oasis that at night turns into a meadery.
For the record, I am notoriously hard on coffee shops. Curious Coffee is a gem, and we are incredibly fortunate to have this option in our community.
Did I say egads? Because egads this coffee is fantastic!
Do yourself a favor. If you do have to take your coffee to go, for the love of god take off the plastic lid. Smell the brew in your cup and I promise you will not look back. Take your time. Enjoy. Be curious. And follow Curious Coffee on Instagram because they do special extra small batch things all the time.
I look forward to other local coffee shops picking up what Curious is throwing down and seeing the elevation of our local coffee culture.