The Buzz: What”s current on the coffee scene

A menu of single-origin coffees available at local cafes:

• 21st Street Coffee and Tea: beans from Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea. In the Strip District location, single-origin coffees include Indonesian Sulawesi Toarco, Rwanda Zirkana, Bolivia Anjilanaka, Brazil Fazenda Kaquend (1st place cup of excellence); Also offering a single origin espresso, Rwanda Maraba (cup of excellence, World Barista Championship 3rd place)

21st Street”s Frick Building location: Coffee of the week is Rwanda, Zirikana; Brazil Agua Preta on French press. 21streetcoffee.com; 412-281-0809 (Strip District); 412-281-2480 (Downtown).

• Aldo Coffee Company, Mt. Lebanon: beans from Intelligentsia. This week”s single-origins include Brazil Agua Preta (direct trade), Bolivia Anjilanaka (direct trade, organic), Brazil Kaquend (1st place cup of excellence, brewed to order only) and Indonesian Sulawesi Toarco. Also featuring the “Esmeraldo” espresso blend (Esmeralda and Brazil Cerrado). aldocoffee.com; 412-563-1220.

• Beaver Falls Coffee & Tea Company, Beaver Falls (Roaster): serving Guatemala Huehuetenango Finca Vista Hermosa, Timor Maubesse and Kenya AA Eeagads estate coffee. beaverfallscoffeeandtea.com; 724-843-4221.

• Big Dog Coffee, South Side: beans from Intelligentsia Roasters; serving Bolivia Anjilanaka El Diablo (organic). Brazil Agua Preta and Finca Santuario from Micay, Colombia, for retail sale only. bigdogcoffee.net; 412-586-7306.

• Blue Horse Coffee, Mt. Lebanon: beans from Counter Culture Coffee. Featured single-origin espresso, Gerbicho Rogicha, is a natural-processed bean from the Sidamo region of Ethiopia. Single-origin coffees include Peru Valle de Santuario, Colombia La Golondrina, Bolivia French roast, Sumatra Dolok Sanggul, Papua New Guinea Kuta, Burundi Bwayi, Ethiopia Shakisso, Rwanda Nyakizu, Kenya Tegu, Decaf Mexico Zaragoza and Decaf Peru. bluehorsecoffee.com; 412-341-6114.

• La Prima Espresso, Strip District (Roaster): Origin coffees available for retail sale include Brazilian Daterra, Colombian Supremo Andeano, Colombian Mi Futuro (relationship), Costa Rica Harvest Reserve, Kenya French Mission Bourbon, Guatemala Finca Vista Hermosa (relationship) and Tanzania Peaberry; fair trade/organic beans include Ethiopia Sidamo, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Oromia, East Timor, Sumatra Mandheling and Mexico Chiapas. laprima.com; 412-281-1922.

• Tazza D”Oro, Highland Park: beans from Batdorf & Bronson. Origin coffees available include Mexico La Trinidad Peaberry (limited edition, organic, fair trade, relationship, shade grown), Rwanda Buremera (limited edition), Ethiopia Yirga Chefe Wondo Worka Cooperative (wet process), Ethiopia Adem Bonko Sidamo (organic, wet process), Ethiopia Sidamo Dale (organic, dry process), Ethiopia Sidamo Koratie (organic wet process), Costa Rica La Minita Del Sol (relationship, shade grown, sundried), Rwanda COOPAC (fair trade, wet process), Yemen Mattari (dry process) and Kenya French Mission Bourbon (Wet Process). Costa Rica San Martin single-origin espresso also available; tazzadoro.net; 412-362-3676.

• Voluto Coffee, Garfield: beans from 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters. Featured single-origin coffees include Costa Rica Monte Crisol, Tanzania Hope Peaberry, Kenya AA Rioki Estate, Colombia Timana AA (16 ounce press pot only, available 5/15) and El Salvador La Providencia Estate (available 5/15). volutocoffee.com; 412-661-3000.

Cuppings and classes
• Beaver Falls Coffee & Tea Company: Free cuppings are held on the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m.

• Blue Horse: Free cuppings are held 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Participants assess three coffees. No reservations or experience with coffee tasting necessary.

• La Prima offers a roaster tour and coffee class from 10 a.m.-noon on the first Saturday of each month. Learn about coffee types and espresso basics, and see a roast first-hand. $10; includes sampling, half-pound bag of coffee and biscotti. Space limited; 412-565-7070.

• Fresh Cup cafe in Saxonburg is holding coffee classes the second Monday of each month. Learn about regional coffees, roastings and tastings. $8 for coffee, sweet and chocolate; 724-352-8181 or e-mail kacyhometeas@yahoo.com.

For the most up-to-date information on available beans and special events, contact cafes directly.

China Millman can be reached at 412-263-1198 or cmillman@post-gazette.com. Follow China on Twitter at twitter.com/chinamillman.First published on May 13, 2009 at 8:32 pm