Coffee Date is a new column that features discussions of beverages stemming from leaves and beans. Whether you brew your own or need a hip barista pouring it in front of you, we’ve got you covered for brands to try at home, coffee shops with some personality, and what you should try or avoid from your regular coffee chains.
Green Day’s Mike Dirnt doesn’t hide his passion for food. This became obvious when he bought and opened Rudy’s Can’t Fail Cafe in Oakland. When he teamed up with Oakland Coffee Works, it should have been no surprise. Somewhat similar to Green Day’s recent Revolution Radio, the Gardenista Blend from Oakland Coffee is a pretty solid, reliable formula.
This particular blend has organic beans from Honduras and Colombia, and it’s pretty good. There isn’t anything that stands out about this coffee, whether it’s drank black or with cream (as I prefer), but it’s still solid. It is a little dry tasting, which is very nice in this case. This was the company’s medium roast blend. I’d be more interested in tasting a different blend, as it seems they change them up relatively frequently, but this was fine.
Gardenista feels like “Bang Bang” or “Revolution Radio” from Green Day’s most recent album. They sound and feel good, but they’re not “Still Breathing,” and they’re certainly not Dookie.
Burger-A-Day 