Hello, my name is Dylan Allen.  I worked as a barista during college at a coffee shop called Espresso Milano.  The shop no longer exists but that is where my passion for coffee began.  I was initially attracted by the ambiance of coffee shops and the culture that is associated with it.  Being a poor college student, I was also attracted to the idea of having a job with flexible hours and an endless supply of caffeine.  That coffee shop closed down and I graduated and moved on with my life, but I took my love for coffee with me.  I continued experimenting with different brew methods such as espresso, french press, moka pot, toddy(cold brew), Vietnamese style coffee, and anything else I could find.

I must admit that my first experience with pure espresso put a disturbed expression on my face, but it didn’t take long for my taste buds to become fond of said taste, and the bitter faces to become smiles.  There are plenty of coffee drinkers who are content with watered down Folgers drip coffee, and I have no issue with them, or with those who prefer no coffee at all.  However, when my tastes turned to the finer coffee drinks, it immediately triggered negative responses from friends and family such as being called a “coffee snob”.  Of course, these jests are most likely manifestations of the insecurities of individuals who are aware of the fact that they lack sophisticated taste.  Therefore, I am motivated to educate others in the wonderful world of coffee.  You need not neglect your favorite coffee beverage, nor must you fear new drinks.  Coffee is a complex experience with over 800 compounds affecting flavor(more than wine), so if all you drink is one roast from one origin with one brew method, you are missing out.

Of course, I recognize that I am by no means a supreme authority on coffee, so my benefit from this project is that I will learn more about coffee from other coffee lovers like you!  I hope that this blog will be a valuable resource as well as entertaining to readers, and for my benefit, I hope to get a lot of comments from you.  You don’t have to be an expert to contribute, you just need an opinion, and if you have experiences to share, even better!  I hope you enjoy this blog, and I look forward to reading your comments and questions!

Dylan Allen
mail@dylanallen.net