I should have taken a photo of downtown Bernville, but I was flying far too fast down the twisting Garfield Road to stop. I didn’t even notice a downtown, but apparently there is one, according to the map. That’s what I get for rushing things. Then again, I already had a belly full of coffee, courtesy of Drover’s Grind in nearby Centerport. I noticed on my map that this little coffee drive-thru was only a few short minutes away after an hour-long drive, so I couldn’t justify not stopping to check them out.

The Bree’s Knees has an ultra-femme aesthetic with a hint of riot grrrl. It’s a 90s thing. Don’t make me explain. OK, I’ll explain: A deep-magenta punk edge dominates the visuals here, and you can see it all from Bernville Road. The coffee truck sits in the parking lot near Boyer’s Food Market. The vehicle is a blazing monument to pinkness (and such) that stands out among the undulating yellow-green fields and white fences of this all-business agricultural region. A little whimsy is a welcome sight.

That whimsy has only been around for about three months as of this publication. Well, the company Bree’s Knees has been around since 2022, started by a woman named Bree Poss, according to this recent article on the venture. The drive-thru is new, and it’s not the first time we’ve seen this sort of expansion on the Journey. Remember Wagging Tail up in Watsontown?

The coffee I tasted bore sweet notes of toasted caramel. Really a lovely flavor and texture. It was apparently an espresso blend, but the fact that it was explicitly a dark roast put the richness in context. I said “apparently” because I’m not sure if I got the espresso blend, or if that was just the particular bag I was shown. I was in a hurry, people were behind me, and I didn’t want to waste the barista’s time picking her brain! Either way, this coffee was artful and unique. Not surprising, given that Bree’s Knees has its own proprietary blends. Seriously, these people have a ton of coffee. An entire page of their website is dedicated to single-origin blends. That’s impressive.

One bag I was shown displayed the label of Sonrise Coffee Company in Gordonville, PA. They’re a family-owned craft coffee roaster known for using certified organic beans from traceable sources. Gordonville is in the heart of Amish country, near Mount Joy in Lancaster County (making me wonder if the “son” part was a spiritual reference).

I’m keeping this short because…well…visits to coffee drive-thru trucks are supposed to be brief! For now, The Coffeehouse Journey will continue following the festival scene around Pennsylvania/Maryland. A few large autumn festivals are coming up in the next few weeks, though it remains to be seen how many will be on my personal map.

Until then, stay caffeinated!

the approach…

the sign…

the vibes…

the roast…