Coffee Drinker

I don’t blog much about the “Coffee Drinker” part of “Writer. Thinker. Coffee Drinker.” 

Coffee became part of my daily routine when I was fifteen or sixteen years old. Sophomore year of high school, my systematic theology teacher (I went to a Christian school) kept a pot of coffee on all day, and I’d drink a cup during each class. The only catch? He didn’t supply any sugar or creamer.  

The first time I tried black coffee, I hated it. The only thing I could taste was the bitterness. He assured me that, in time, my tastebuds would adjust, and I’d learn to appreciate the coffee for its innate qualities—the aroma, acidity, body, and flavor notes. 

I haven’t used creamer in my coffee regularly since. 

Me enjoying an iced coffee at a coffee shop in Charlotte, North Carolina, circa 2016

While most people judge coffee shops by their atmosphere, I judge them by the quality of their coffee. When I first moved to Lynchburg nearly 11 years ago, there were three main coffee shops in town: The Muse, The White Hart, and Joe Beans. I quickly became a regular at the White Hart, and my friends and I spent many evenings at the Main Street dive sharing a French press while working on papers and homework.

Unfortunately, the White Hart closed at the end of 2025, and the shop now sits empty, brown paper taped over the front windows. 

Many good memories were formed in that cafe: some of my earliest dates with my husband, conversations with friends, interviews for the newspaper and my senior thesis, and live music events. It was where I got to know new people and where I took old friends. It was a home away from home.

I have never been particularly enthusiastic about the actual science behind brewing a cup of coffee—most people aren’t. During my college years, the third wave of the coffee movement—treating coffee as an artisanal, high-quality craft—rose to popularity. Cafes aligned with this movement began popping up here in Lynchburg, including Kinship Roasters (formerly Third Wave Coffee), Golf Park Coffee Co., and Ironclad Coffee. These cafes offer fewer options than their second wave counterparts, but the quality of their beverages is much higher, and their offerings are more refined.

Unfortunately, this type of cafe experience is also more expensive than the second wave, which focuses more on flavored drinks and cafe experience—both of which I still enjoy.

To counteract this, my husband purchased me an espresso machine for my 28th birthday, a De'Longhi Dedica Maestro Plus. For the first year or so that I owned the machine, I didn’t put much effort into learning how to pull a good shot of espresso. I’d use preground espresso or grind beans myself using a cheap coffee grinder from Walmart.

I recently purchased a Baratza Encore ESP burr grinder—a high-quality coffee grinder capable of grinding for both espresso and slow brew methods. The grinder alone made a big difference, but I added a few additional tools to my arsenal, namely a WDT distribution tool and a spring-loaded tamper. These tools have made it easier to pull consistent shots of espresso that are well balanced and flavorful.

My dog, Bear, posing with a bag of Black Rifle Coffee's Loyalty Roast, which features a dog that looks just like him on the front of the bag

While the gift has been a fun way to explore my love of coffee, my husband also benefits from it—he takes cafe-quality espresso-based drinks to work with him almost every day. And while it has saved us quite a bit of money because we aren’t buying coffee out as often, we still have a budget line item for coffee—I still haven’t mastered pour overs or other slow brew methods, and I think I’ll always enjoy grabbing coffee with a friend.

Right now, I’m really enjoying Americanos, and I make one for myself almost every morning. Another favorite is an iced hazelnut latte.

Are you a coffee lover? What is your favorite drink? Share it with me in the comments, and I’ll give it a try.