House of Brew part I

Given that this blog is called "Coffee and Bikes" I feel that I've really been letting down the coffee chugging crowd (though bikers are of this disposition) with the lack in coffee talk. So to amend this absence in content, I've decided to start what will be an ongoing series of entries reporting on the various coffee houses that I visit. I will preface this series though in that I truely feel that the only way to get a truly 'perfect' cup of coffee is to brew it yourself, but we all know that it's hard to carry a grinder, thermometer, french press, kettle, and fresh beans on every trip you take. Also, the coffee house, appearing in England in the late 1600s and 1700s, was not just a place to drink coffee, but more of a place where ideas and concepts were born and controversy were discussed-a living public forum if you will. The same holds true today. Not only do I find myself subsidizing my standard coffee in take with coffee house brew, I often frequent coffee houses to chill with friends, study, study break, meet up with long lost's, and watch live music and poetry venues. Since I frequent a lot of shops, and have a lot of time on my hands at the present, I might as well guide the Midwest traveler to the best spots for brew in the series known as Houses of Brew. So without further...banter here's entry number 1 in the Houses of Brew...

Nestled on the corner of Main St. and Algoma in downtown Oshkosh lies a diamond in the rough- The New Moon Cafe. This cafe has been the epicenter of downtown Oshkosh since as long as I can remember. Back in the day I remember cruzing to Oshkosh to have a cup of joe there and go to the adjacent Exclusive Company to check out the new ska albums being released. Since my adolescence the New Moon hasn't changed much besides the various politically-charged art hanging from its walls. Last weekend my bro and I went to chill out and read while drinking our respective beverages (tea and coffee) on the plush semi-old couches (made chic' cause of the 'distressed' movement of furniture). We hunkered down reading, discussing, and people watching. Being at 8 pm there was a distinctly youthful crowd hanging out around the tables dimly lit by the high ceilling lights. Large windows on the west and south side converging at the apex of the street corner, are partially blocked by various potted plants and tables set up on the empty stage. While reading Into the Wild, Rilo Kiley mildly plays in the background topping of the urban/hip/art/homie feng shui resonating around the New Moon.

Today I went in to ask the owner (name not being disclosed) about the place, even though I had my own understanding of the Moon. For briefness I'll make a list of the questions and answers to make life a little easier...

Most Popular Summer Drink:
Gritty or Espresso shakes. The gritty shake is made by mixing espresso grounds in the shake where an espresso shake is obviously made with espresso.

Most Popular Winter Drink:
White Hazelnut Mochas.

Musical Acts Being Brought In:
The musical acts are widely ranged from folk, blues, to punk. Most of the bands playing are local, though he said they do have some traveling acts come in. I went to a punk cover show that played last summer and I found the intimate venue not lending well the anarchist energy of the band. Music though was real loud and the covers where of the NOFX and Dropkick variety.

The General Audience Frequenting:
The owner said that he sees anyone from kids pierced to hell to lawyers coming in for their coffee fix. From my observations I see a lot more business people early in the morning tappering off to college-aged chillers and older friends having lunch and after schools out the teenage rush holding down the night shift.

The Craziest Thing Ever Happen:
The owner was woken up at 4 in the morning by a call from the cops informing him that someone had broken into the Moon and broke the atm to get money.

My overall rating of the New Moon is a 8.5 out of 10. Its strong points are the supple couches, friendly faces, and awesome view. I'm a bit neutral on the coffee; they serve Victor Allen's lineup, which is a bit more acidic than my tastes, though I do applaud them for adding Fair Trade to their daily brew lineup. More indicative, though, of a good cafe is their espresso, which I have to say is mighty good--nice head, not too long, and little amounts of grit on the bottom. The worst part about the cafe is their "no bikes in the store" policy. I realize that they've probibily have had to deal with punk kids thrashing on their bmx bikes around the store, but what if a dude forgets his lock? Obviously that is a minor complaint and is pretty much the same where ever you go, so remember your lock. Overall though I'd have to say if you're ever in the Osh-vegas area I'd point you to The New Moon Cafe--the best in town.