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BEST BARISTA

Andrew Kopplin, Kopplin's Coffee

Venue

Kopplin's Coffee

490 Hamline Ave. S

St. Paul, MN

651.698.0457

http://www.kopplinscoffee.com

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Andrew Kopplin thinks most coffee is crud, which is exactly why you should drink his. The veteran barista opened his own shop in 2006, where he sources his beans selectively and brews them by the cup in a fancy new $10,000 machine called the Clover. (It's the coffee geeks' new favorite toy, as it gives the barista precise control over water temperature and brew time, and does this thrilling little trick at the end of the cycle, in which the cylinder of coffee grounds raises up from the top of the machine.) So this is what coffee is supposed to taste like! Fragrant, fruity, spicy, and floral, not flat, dark, and bitter. Kopplin is at the shop nearly all the time, tending to all the little details, from how tightly the espresso grounds are packed to the size of the cappuccino's milk-foam bubbles. (By the way, the milk is from Crystal Ball Farms—local, organic, grass-fed, and glass-bottled, just the way we like it.) He even hosts regular Friday "cuppings," where guests can taste-test offerings side-by-side and have passionate discussions about the coffee industry. Kopplin seems just as comfortable brewing a shot as entertaining a customer's baby, which is why, when it gets busy, regulars feel comfortable enough to duck in the back and grab extra chairs, which is also why he's totally worth the hype, er, buzz.

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  • Best Book Publisher (1)
    2009-06-19 13:51:12
    Are there any other competitors for this category? If not, what exactly is the point?
  • Best Doughnuts (1)
    2009-06-16 10:29:23
    this is the best spot for doughnuts!! I go here evertine I need them for a meeting and everyone...
  • BEST BOUTIQUE (1)
    2009-06-16 01:04:47
    OMG!!! you have to go check out their newest accessories by Madame Owl. She swooped in out of...
  • Best Hot Dog (1)
    2009-06-06 17:34:08
    I prefer Uncle Frankies ... I was a weinery customer for years, but it isn't the same
  • BEST DOUGHNUTS (1)
    2009-06-02 15:11:34
    Living about a block away I have stopped into this shop many of times. The donut selection is...

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