Commentary by Jason Conerly
Geist: Global Village Coffee
What they have: The best brews from Africa
I was always told that the best coffee comes from Africa.
Well, I was always told that by my friend Daniel, who spent a good portion of his life living in Zambia. If Daniel had coffee from Global Village Coffee in Geist, he would probably be impressed. Serving Ethiopian coffee, Global Village Coffee truly stands out against other places that serve coffee.
The coffee is earthy and sweet. Not sweet in a sense of use of artificial sweeteners, but a mild fruit flavored sweetness.
The lattes are well balanced as well and it is easy to taste the natural flavor of the coffee without being overwhelmed by anything else that is added to the latte. Overall, the coffee is good and contains a lot of flavor.
Maybe my friend was onto something when he told me the best coffee comes from Africa. It was good to try Ethiopia first.
Carmel: Eggshell Bistro
What they have: A little taste of Europe, in the middle of Carmel
I felt like I was in Europe.
The Eggshell Bistro seemed like it would fit right in, in France or Italy, which is good, considering the culturally different ways the coffee is brewed to achieve different tastes. This includes the Japanese Siphon technique of brewing coffee.
The coffee that the Eggshell Bistro serves is unique. The “Three Africans” blend is delicious. Served black, it is by far a very smooth cup of black coffee. It is strong, yet, the taste is smooth and there is no overpowering bitterness to it as one might find with an “Americano.” One of its best qualities is that there is virtually no aftertaste after drinking the cup of coffee.
The lattes also offered by the Eggshell Bistro are nice as well. It has more of a creamy texture and highlights the natural taste of the coffee.
Eggshell Bistro is located in Carmel City Center.
Fishers: Sure Shot Coffee
What they have: Long lines, but coffee worth waiting!
Who gets up very early on a Saturday just to wait in line with lots of people just to get coffee? Apparently, me.
It was the grand opening of Sure Shot Coffee at Vardagen in downtown Fishers and the wait for coffee was worth it. The coffee itself tastes fresh and has an earthy taste. The lattes are well balanced and does not taste too sweet nor does it taste bitter.
The cold-brewed coffee is worth tasting. I would recommend this for fans of iced black coffee. It is served extremely cold, and without ice.
Another interesting menu item is “The Undertow”. It gives a hot and cold sensation once one drinks it. It is served as two espresso shots and packs a punch. There is a seating area on the second floor to relax as well.
Would I wait in line with all those people for coffee again? Definitely.
Noblesville: Noble Coffee and Tea Company
What they have: Coffee better than the conventional brews
“Friends don’t let friends drink…” Well, you know how the rest goes. That’s the first thing that I see walking into Noble Coffee and Tea Company in downtown Noblesville, a sign that reads how friends shouldn’t let friends buy over-priced popular-brand coffee. The menu here is fairly simple to understand and seating is in a separate room apart from where coffee is ordered. If you are new to the coffee shop the baristas are helpful in making a decision on a cup to drink. After having my first cup I quickly understood why the sticker was on their front door. Their coffee had an extremely smooth and rich flavor to it.
The brew did not taste like a dark roost or light roost, but something that had characteristics of both. If flavors are added, the flavors are not overbearing, and do not mask the taste of the coffee. Instead, the flavors blend together with the coffee to make balanced.
