Now that a true Chicago winter has finally arrived (meaning temperatures have dipped below zero), I will gladly opt for hot coffee in the morning rather than my usual iced beverage. Even with an iced coffee koozie, the frigid cold still makes its way to my fingers. I am by no means a picky coffee drinker, especially when it comes to iced. However, the first time I had Intelligentsia I thought twice about just buying the big yellow can of ground coffee at the supermarket.
Intelligentsia is located in three cities: Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. While they are located in just three cities in the United States, they work with twenty different countries to harvest their coffee beans. The Intelligentsia team creates a partnership with the farmers to ensure there is regular communication about the harvest. There is a larger opportunity in the states now to eat “farm to table.” Having that close relationship with the farmers and being able to watch the beans as they get picked to roasted to bagged allows for a much fresher product.
When you go into an Intelligentsia coffee shop, the baristas use what is called the “cupping” process. They use water that is approximately 97 degrees and each cup’s coffee grounds are measured individually to within half a gram. The taste is checked every 40 minutes.
The coffee you drink at any of the Chicago locations was most likely roasted right up on West Fulton street in Intelligentsia’s Roasting Works. The warehouse has three roasters, different sizes, made from cast iron and steel. Much like The Chopping Block offers cooking classes, Roasting Works offers coffee workshops for you to find your favorite cup of joe by blending different roasts together.
The Chopping Block carries a special Intelligentsia blend and different manual coffee makers. The Chemex is one of my favorites to make drip coffee. It has the ability to make a delicious cold brew and be stored in the fridge for later enjoyment. The Chemex is also used in the Intelligentsia coffee shops.
Come to our The Chopping Block stores in the Merchandise Mart and Lincoln Square for a free cup of our Intelligentsia coffee blend and indulge your taste buds anytime.
