Grumpy, happily!

Last night, Brooklyn's Cafe Grumpy hosted a coffee "Nerdfest '06," gathering together a bunch of geeked out local coffee professionals and fanatics.

We cupped some wonderful coffees, including a really gorgeous, Ecco-roasted Bolivia COE and a stunning Yirgacheffe from Counter Culture, among other fine and diverse selections.


(Like, for instance, a wonderfully smooth Sumatra -- and I usually shy away from Sumatras!)


(Grumpy co-owner Chris cups in front of the shop's beautiful, long mirrored wall.)

After the cupping, attendees were welcome to poke around on Grumpy's machine and try out the different Ecco & Counter Culture beans they're using these days. There was also beer, which is probably the only drink most people in the room would admit to liking almost as much as coffee.


(Ninth Street Espresso's genius barista, Bob pulled and passed around shots of Ecco and Counter Culture coffees.)

The crowd was friendly and super enthusiastic, and it was great to meet and speak with some of the other professionals around here, and to catch up with others. It's really easy to get sort of caught up in the somewhat isolated world of running stores and working shifts and going home dirty and exhausted, and it was perfect just standing around appreciating the work other folks are doing for the East Coast scene.

Thanks to Chris & Caroline & Daniel & everybody else for the shindig! It was a blast!