Exploring new local coffee roasts.
Reno is one of the best coffee towns in the country; we have world-class coffee in almost every neighborhood. Many talented folks have fought hard to bring fantastic brews to town, and pioneers such as the teams at Hub and Old World Coffee in Reno have consistently raised the bar for roasting. While there is a world of new coffee to try, sometimes it isn’t easy to know where to start. With that, I’ve curated this list of some of my favorite roasts and the best ways to drink them.
Tried and True
I love drinking coffee at home. That first cup is crucial as it sets the tone for the whole day, and there is no roast I trust more to start a day off right than the Pica Pica blend from Magpie Coffee Roasters in Reno. Owner Mark Hirose painstakingly maintains the Pica Pica blend as the workhorse of his impressive coffee offerings.
“We blend Pica Pica to be good for almost any method, from cold brew to drip,” Hirose says. “Every wholesale account we have gets a version made bespoke for their application.”
Magpie’s Pica Pica can be found at area restaurants, bars, and other coffee purveyors because it’s just that good. As one of our region’s most beloved coffehouses, Magpie Coffee Roasters continues to make one of the most delicious and consistent roasts around.
Swiss Army Knife of Complexity
Over in the lobby of The Jesse Hotel & Bar on Fourth Street in Reno, Forged Coffee Roasting Co. roasts precise and complex coffee. One of our region’s most brilliant coffee minds, Kyle Oels, owner and roaster of Forged, is as passionate about coffee as a human can be.
“A lot of times when you open a café or a project like this, you are saying to the world, ‘This is how I think things should taste,’ and hopefully the rest of the world agrees,” Oels says. “Long term, I would like to focus on direct relationships with the people who grow our coffee. We have four direct-sourced coffees, but I would like to expand that to all our offerings in the future.”
Forged’s Guatemalan direct-trade coffee, La Libertad, is an example of Oels’ ambition to showcase a single origin. This wild and unique coffee is roasted to be used in any coffee drink, from drip to espresso. It’s ideal for those looking to expand their morning brew horizons.
Celebration of Heritage
You will find some of my favorite coffee drinks at Cafe Con Papi on East Sixth Street in Reno. I deeply love the coffee culture of Latin America, where most of the coffee we drink is grown. The folks at Cafe Con Papi continue this heritage with drinks that will expand your palate and take you back in time to the earliest coffee drinks. Owner Jose Delgado has put together a menu of concoctions that celebrate coffee with bold spices and rich, sweet flavors that are a far cry from the gimmicks of national chains. Cafe Con Papi features a perfectly executed Café de Olla, a traditional Mexican coffee drink prepared in a clay pot and blended with spices and piloncillo, which is a Mexican brown sugar. To elevate the flavor of this historic beverage, the team at Cafe Con Papi chose Hub’s Colombian roast, Santa Elena, as a base. Selected for its bitter cranberry, floral rose, and rich chocolate notes, this coffee is a perfect complement to the bold spice found in the Café de Olla.
You Never Forget Your First Love
Back in the day, this little coffeehouse on Mt. Rose Street had funky little lights and delicious coffee. It was like an oasis of hip in a not-yet-named Midtown district. That shop was the first location of several for Bibo Coffee Co. and where I first asked for a coffee roast named Monsoon Medley. While Reno, Bibo, and I all have grown over the years, this coffee has remained just as delicious as ever. In a classic cup of joe, Monsoon features hazelnut and bitter cacao notes. I recommend this roast for those who like to enjoy a cup after dinner or when you or the company you’re hosting fear high-acid coffees, as this roast is smooth and soft, like a warm blanket on a cool, rainy afternoon.
Like Your New Favorite Song
Something about the coffee and food at Cafe Capello reminds me of a song I love but have never heard before. Comforting and exciting at the same time, this shop in Downtown Reno (in the old Jungle Vino location) offers a blend of new coffee and a classic ’90s coffeehouse vibe. Owner Brendan Capello is a local coffee legend who is as hands on with roasting as possible.
“I’m involved from purchasing green coffee to the roasting and setting the parameters for the espresso and brewers,” Capello says. “So I’m able to see how a change in a profile affects how a coffee tastes almost in real time.”
Capello’s labor of love can be sensed in all the café’s coffees, but to me, the Nicaraguan Jinotega roast is a standout. Each sip is like a chocolate-covered cherry filled with brown sugar. I love sugar in my coffee, but the delicious stone-fruit notes in this coffee make me hold back from adding anything to the cup. I love it as cold brew; the low-impact brewing method makes this coffee sing. When you stop by, make sure you grab a slice of the vegan coffee cake; it has become one of my favorite snacks in all of Reno.
These five coffee roasts represent our region’s new world of coffee roasting — full of exploration, innovation, and respect for tradition. Do yourself a favor, break up your routine, and try one of these fabulous cups tomorrow morning.
Michael C. Moberly is a spirits educator and creative consultant. His 14 years in the industry have been spent learning, loving, and imbibing with some of its best minds, both locally and nationally. He also is good at wearing hats.
