Monthly Archives: June 2012

The end is near for Harrisburg…as far as the Coffeehouse Journey goes at least. This will be the last entry for the Harrisburg area; from here I will be branching out to all of the cities and (especially) the small towns of the surrounding countryside.

I thought this would be a good coffeehouse to end on because it’s one of those places that’s well known-but only to a certain crowd in Harrisburg. Whereas most of the places in Midtown and the west shore area cater to the arts and culture crowd, Caffeine Connection gets most of its traffic from the government workers at the Capitol and surrounding buildings. The owner, Pat, is well known and well liked by the daytime dwellers of this city, who use the copious amounts of caffeine at the aptly-named locale to stay awake through those long business hours. The cool thing is that the tea selection is actually larger than the coffee selection! There was an interesting “wheel of tea” set up on the counter so patrons could see exactly what’s available.

One warning: the coffee here is a bit more expensive than average and I’m not entirely sure why. Might have to do with the expense of the third street location right across from the Capitol Building. A medium was over $2…but don’t worry, the quality was good so I didn’t overly mind. I wish there were some poetry or music events here-but there is an Occupy stand right across from the cafe, so check that out too! Overall, a nice little oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the downtown streets.

Right outside…

Right inside…

I have a confession to make. This post should have been made several years ago, because that’s when I discovered this particular Linglestown cafe. It was even before they put in the roundabout to confuse the crap out of all the drivers from out of town. You locals know what I mean.

Anyhow, I wanted to do this entry today since it’s Father’s Day and this is the main coffeehouse that I frequent with my dad before we head up to Second Mountain on one of our hikes. It’s an amazing place. I should try harder to be objective for the purposes of this review, but I can’t. This has been my favorite coffee spot for years now, before I even started frequenting the other places in this area. Let’s add up the contributing factors.

First, the coffee is ground on the spot in their giant bean grinder…which is, incidentally, not off limits to the view of the public (just don’t play in it!). You can tell they don’t skimp on the quality by the fact that their main “stable” of coffees (Colombian, Guatemala; 20 blends in all) have a rich, creamy taste to them that hasn’t been watered down to conserve cash, or due to poor storage of the beans. Second, they have a good amount of customization options for their coffees and teas, which includes non-dairy creamer for the lactose intolerant or vegans. Not all coffeehouses have this, and it shows a great amount of empathy for their patrons when they do. Third, the ambiance is the kind of soft, homey sort that can only come from a place that has been there for years and has seen a constant stream of people passing through and hanging out.

Incidentally, they do have music nights here on weekends. Bet you never knew about it. That’s because they’re not super-focused on advertising their artistic events as part of the greater Harrisburg art movement (such as it is). I find this refreshing. Not that there’s anything wrong with being really engaged; it’s just that it’s cool to find a place that is unattached from the ups and downs of the city, and not part of the Midtown scene. It’s quiet, unpretentious, and attracts people from all walks of life. If you go to Linglestown, go here. Until next time, folks!

That roaster of theirs…

Ah, Little Amps! I remember the first time I came here…it was right after they opened back in the fall of 2011. It rapidly gained fame for the method used to make the coffee, called the “French press” system. In this system, the coffee grounds stay in direct contact with the brewing coffee and are separated from it by a mesh, not a paper filter. The good part of that is that the essential oils are preserved and it makes a truly outstanding flavor. That, and the fact that it’s located right in the heart of Midtown made it a real hit in the area.

Aaron Carlson is the owner’s name. He’s actually not just a coffee afficionado, he’s also a die-hard audiophile, and the coffeehouse reflects that. You can buy a lot of old and new records from the place and there’s always a band that I’ve never heard of playing on the speakers. Often, it’s an actual record and not a CD. Aaron agreed with me that the truest sound usually comes from the old analog recordings. Indeed, the best thing about this shop might just be the ambiance. The surroundings scream the urban, Boho aesthetic, but thanks to the presence of actual records and music connoisseurs, it seems way more authentic than the average hip dive!

Here’s the long and short of it: that French press method I mentioned may be a bit of an acquired taste to some, but I for one am glad I’ve naturally acquired it. Just like with the Greek coffee I talked about in the last post, the only downside is that the finer coffee grains appear at the bottom of the cup, so by the end of your drink, you’ll be sipping on some sediment too! This isn’t a bad thing for me; I like my coffee that strong and enjoy the craftsmanship of the coffee itself, which is typically improved through the French press. Still, be careful with that last few sips! Also there’s a decent variety of coffees and teas so you’re never really without an option if French press doesn’t appeal to you.

In the end, this little shop is truly a gem. I highly recommend sitting by the big windows and engaging in some people watching. The location is perfect for it. Oh, by the way, come in the morning. Unfortunately, most days the shop isn’t open past 2pm. Oh well. It’s still certainly worth the early rising.

Sunset in the city.