There is nothing better than a fresh cup of coffee in the morning, especially when you’re dragging your you know what! 62% of Americans drink coffee on a daily basis, I am part of the statistic. There is something soothing, relaxing, and uplifting a fresh cup gives you. I am sure the caffeine has something to do with it, but it’s more than that. There is a universal love for coffee…whether it’s a cappuccino in Italy, a cafè au lait in Laos, Turkish in Turkey, or an espresso in Mèxico, people worldwide love the bean. 

As I have gotten older, my pallet has developed to drink coffee black. When it’s freshest, within 2 weeks, you can really taste the abundance of different flavors. This motivated me to buy whole beans, grind them, and make a fresh pot of coffee in a stainless steel French Press. One day while in the grocery store, I picked up a bag of small batch coffee. This led me to explore local roasters in the area. As a business owner myself, I really like to shop and support local businesses.  

In my community of Falls Church, VA, we have a local favorite – Rare Bird Coffee Roasters. It’s a small cafe and specialty coffee roaster and bakery. They recently expanded the store and doubled in size. They aren’t so small anymore! I think people have been waiting for this because every weekend it’s just packed. There are many cool aspects of Rare Bird. For instance, they have Cupping Sessions, where you can learn about the process of roasting, variety of beans, and most importantly taste a lot of different coffee. They feature art shows for local artists. That’s pretty cool… 

If you’re like me and love the small batch, I would highly recommend you go to Rare Bird. You will never let a cup get cold!