Thunderbird Coffee

Should you freeze your coffee?

2011-05-02T19:19:00.004-05:00

There's been so much discussion on this subject over time, and I won't pretend to have the final answer here, but Scott Rao has an interesting take on the matter:

Freezing is a fantastic long-term storage method because it dramatically slows oxidation and loss of volatiles. Contrary to popular belief, the moisture in roasted coffee beans is not freezable because it is chemically bound to the cellulose matrix.

To freeze beans properly, store them in a sealed plastic bag and squeeze out as much air as possible before freezing. Remove beans from the freezer only when they are to be brewed, and never defrost and re-freeze beans. (Even better, pre-portion the beans into one-pot or one-cup doses in small bags before freezing. (Everything but Espresso, 55)

Here he addresses the concern that many have about moisture (which I would be interested in investigating). In any case, I think it's always best to use beans that are 4-14 days "old," and keep them stored in a cool, dark, airtight container--but in a pinch it looks like freezing may not be a terrible option.

What are your thoughts on freezing beans? Have you had any good/bad experiences?

An 8th Birthday Wish

2011-02-26T09:41:00.002-06:00

T-bird regular and 7-year-old Ella Salerno got in touch with us through her mother and told us a little about her 8th birthday wish. Instead of getting gifts for her birthday, she is hoping people can help donate so that other kids can have clean water. Read on:

"This fall Ella became really interested in the global water crisis after learning that nearly a billion people don't have access to clean water and that kids her age can't go to school because they have to walk miles to get water that isn't even clean. We did some research and found charity: water, a great organization that uses 100% of donations to fund water projects. When Ella learned that she could have a birthday campaign and give up her gifts to fundraise for charity: water, she decided to ask people for $8 for her 8th birthday: [DONATE HERE!]

Her goal is to raise $5000 which would build one well and bring water to 250 people for 20 years. In the last four weeks she has raised more than $1900. She has 55 days remaining in her campaign and several fundraising events planned including a skate party, bake sale, & craft fair. We are confident that with the support of our community Ella will reach her goal. Would you consider supporting Ella in her efforts?

charity: water is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and any donation made to Ella's webpage on the charity:water site is tax deductible."

Partay time!

2011-02-21T22:45:00.002-06:00

Come check out this incredible T-bird sponsored party!

2010-11-22T11:39:00.002-06:00

Our first-ever chili cookoff was a great success!

Thank you so much to our business sponsors Beauty Bar Austin, Phara's Mediterranean Restaurant, and Bird's Barbershop.

Thank you also to our awesome judges, Megan Meyers, Laurie Gallardo, and Jason Reece. Thanks also to DJ Benzo, who played an awesome set for us on a lovely day. And thanks to everyone who came out!

Thunderbird's First Ever Chili Cookoff!

2010-11-06T14:42:00.004-05:00

It's coming! Thunderbird Coffee's first ever chili cookoff. November 20, 2 p.m. Here's everything you need to know:

FAQ:

1. You should make one batch of chili, no more than two gallons.

2. You will not need to cook at the event. You should bring a crock pot.

3. Official tasting and judging will begin at 3:30 p.m. Our celebrity judges will work together to determine winners of each category: Spiciest, Vegan, Most Creative, and Best Overall.

4. If you have a table and/or a tent, we advise you to bring it with you. We do have tables, but space is not guaranteed.

5. You may use the "filler" of your choice (rice, noodles, etc.)

6. Be prepared to provide samples of your chili to spectators after judges have tasted all chili.

Entertainment provided by DJ Hobo D!

Prizes by business sponsors TBD.

TO ENTER contact Emma at emma.blauer (at) gmail.com or thunderbirdcoffees (at) gmail.com

Comment card time

2010-09-15T13:22:00.002-05:00

Recent comment from Joel U. from the question "What could we do better?"

"I tried hard to think of something you could do better but after 5 minutes I decided to drink my coffee."

Love it, haha. Thanks, Joel! There's a free drink coming to you in the mail as we speak.

Manor's art for September: Loteria posters by Chepo Pena

2010-08-31T22:12:00.003-05:00

I can't wait for this. Sunday, September 5, will be the official opening of Chepo Pena's loteria poster art at Thunderbird on Manor. The opening will features $2 Mexican beers (Tecate, Dos XX, Pacifico), and that most amazing band Karaoke Apocolypse ("They play it, you sing it!"). Be there!

This month's $250 gift certificate winner!

2010-08-30T12:59:00.004-05:00

This month's winner is Amanda Thomas. She's a Sagittarius, which according to the Internet means that she is optimistic and intelligent. She's a graphic design Master's student at Texas State University, and has left the big city life of Austin for the sanguine life of San Marcos--for now. Check out her design work here. Her favorite food is corn, her favorite animal is the zebra, and she loves big band music. Even though I made that last sentence up, I hope we'll be seeing a lot of her with her winnings. Photo by the talented and prolific Alison Narro.

Beer spotlight: Sierra Nevada Tumbler

2010-08-26T10:54:00.002-05:00

We're a big fan of Sierra Nevada Pale (who isn't?), so when we found out about the SN brown ale, the Tumbler, we had to check it out.

Appearance: Pours thick tan/khaki head. Dark brown color with some red highlights.

Flavor: Smooth and malty! Chocolate and fruit notes. Medium to medium-low bitterness. Not real hoppy.

Overall this is a great beer! Balanced and easy to drink more than one.

2010-08-24T11:36:00.005-05:00

I was driving to Houston a couple months ago and turned on Weezer's Pinkerton. I hadn't listened to the full album in a while. This is one of those albums that takes me back to the age I was when I first absorbed it--in this case it was 1996, and I was 15 years old. I listened to this album every day for roughly two years. It only took me a few songs to come up with the idea of a Pinkerton hoot night; 15-year-old me was peeing my pants.

Giant Steps got a hold of some of the best bands in Austin to play the entire album (plus a few other songs, b-sides and such) on September 9th, and I hope you'll come and bring your friends.

Oh--this is kinda funny: We tried to come up with a drink special fitting of the band and the album. It turns out that a friend of Giant Steps is a guitar tech for Weezer right now, and we asked him what they drink. "Coors Light," he told us. Well, we don't serve Coors Light, but we will have $1 Tecates on hand. See you there.

2010-08-22T16:32:00.001-05:00

Our very own Ryan Hall, in a preview of Alison Narro's photography of our staff.

Now Brewing . . .

2010-07-30T13:09:00.014-05:00

As of today, November 8, 2010, Thunderbird is brewing the following coffees in either our Single-Cup bar, our espresso drinks, or French press coffee. Keep this page bookmarked for updates!

- Intelligentsia Coffee Roasting Company: Yirgacheffe Dama (Ethiopia)

- Intelligentsia Coffee Roasting Company: Kirezi (Rwanda)

- Cuvee Coffee Roasting Company: Mezzanote Midnight Blend

- Cuvee Coffee Roasting Company: Meritage espresso

New website launch and art opening this Sunday!

2010-07-27T21:35:00.003-05:00

Music from DJ Hobo D, $2 Dos XX pints, Pacifico bottles, and Negra Modelo bottles! New art from Lydia Reynolds, and a celebration of our new website designed by Lydia Reynolds and featuring the photography of Alison Narro. Wooo!

This month's $250 GC winner!

2010-07-01T09:04:00.004-05:00

This month's winner of our monthly $250 gift certificate giveaway is Autumn Ewalt! Autumn is an artist and general troublemaker here in Austin. She specializes in sculpture and mixed media, and she has her Master's from Cranbrook Academy of Art. She likes iced lattes in the summer and hot lattes in the winter, and she always loves playing the ukelele. She's a Libra, she loves Neil Young, and she's living the swinging single life! What a catch!

This month's photo was taken by the lovely and talented Alison Narro. View her amazing work at alisonnarro.com, and then go out and buy her your choice of either puppies, ice cream, laser beams, or a giraffe.

Daily Beer Specials at T-Bird Koenig

2010-06-07T17:51:00.003-05:00

Here they are, folks. Come out for our growing and ever-changing beer selection at both locations!

Featured beer: Brooklyn Summer Ale

2010-06-06T10:28:00.004-05:00

Our featured beer this week at both locations is the Brooklyn Lager Summer Ale. It's a light, crisp beer--perfect for sipping on a patio. It comes off with a light citrusy flavor and a tiny floral aroma--a very drinkable beer.

MORE:
Brooklyn Brewery
Beer Advocate's review

T-bird named "Best Coffee Shop" by Rare readers

2010-06-06T10:12:00.003-05:00

It's true! The just-released "Rarest of them all" issue lists Thunderbird as the best coffee shop in Austin. Thanks much to Rare readers, Alison Narro for photographing, and coffee lovers everywhere.

Day two, part two

2010-05-18T20:08:00.006-05:00

After stopping by food-truckopolis I rested for a while and then headed out in search of Portland's other claim to fame: beer.

First stop was Bailey's Taproom. With 20 rotating taps and plenty more in bottles, I knew I was going to try something new. This was a cool place with a modern atmosphere and a very helpful bartender.

One of my favorite things about this place is that they served beers (mostly) in two sizes: 10 oz. and 20 oz. The smaller sizes allowed me to try a few different beers without getting super hammered. Here's what I tried:

Golden Valley Black Panther Imperial Stout (McMinnville, OR). Not sure if it's the same thing as this video shows, but it was really good:

Cascade Lakes Riverside Red (Redmond, OR):

Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Wild (Petaluma, CA). A new release from Lagunitas. I liked it:

Fort George Working Girl Coffee Porter (Astoria, OR):

Tugboat Brewing Company brewpub in downtown Portland was up next. (It's actually right next door to Bailey's.) Really comfy space, friendly bartender, and the menu looked pretty good. Since it was Monday they were doing "Cheers Monday" where if you cheered for everyone who entered and booed everyone who left you would get a free beer (at some point, I got booed before getting a free beer).

Think this one was called the Golden Ale:

Tugboat's (13%) Chernobyl Stout:

All in all a good evening of beer drinking, still back to the hotel early enough to, well, go to sleep. Day three's all about coffee, coffee, and more coffee. Northwest Coffee House, another Stumptown location, and plenty more coming next.

T-bird does Portland, Day Two

2010-05-18T11:34:00.002-05:00

The two-hour time difference here had me awake pretty early. I started off with a great 8 oz. Americano downstairs at the in-house Stumptown along with an amazing bacon-cheese biscuit. Wherever they're getting their pastries from (I think it's Nuvrei) is doing a killer job.

From there I went over to Billy Wilson's Barista, a heavy-hitter here in Portland. It's a great-looking shop, and they're doing it right. Check it out:

That's right, they've got three espressos on. I don't think any of them were decaf. I tried a Coava single origin, and it really hit me with some nice apple and chocolate flavors. I'm planning on checking out the recently opened Barista II on day three or four.

From there I went over to Sip & Kranz, a coffee and wine bar also in the Pearl District. I went ahead and had another double shot of Stumptown's Hair Bender (might as well have as much as I can while I'm here). They had a couple of beers on tap and in bottle as well as a couple of wines, so I asked the barista if they did a lot of beer and wine business. She looked a little dismayed as she told me that she felt like people didn't really know they were open in the evenings, so it wasn't a huge part of their business as of now. Here's Sip & Kranz:

The obvious thing to me here is that while this place is spacious and charming, it feels like a cafe or coffee shop, not a place to drink beer and wine. One of the main things that I find is a struggle with shops who want to do both beer and coffee is that they usually do one with full force and the other almost as an afterthought.

Which brings me to Blitz. I might have just passed Blitz by if it weren't for the giant Gimme! Coffee sign out front. I walked up to the bar and chatted with the bartender/barista and found that they also serve Doma Coffee, which is a roaster out of Idaho. I had a double shot of the Doma (very smooth!) and a pint of the Mack and Jack's African Amber. I hadn't had the African Amber before, but it was a nice beer, with a citrusy sweetness and good mouthfeel.

It's definitely worth noting that while Sip & Kranz was definitely more of a cafe that served beer and wine, Blitz is definitely a bar that also serves coffee. Props to the owners for getting me in the door and for putting a little effort into their coffee. (I also thought it was cool that they went out of their way to serve Doma and Gimme! given that everyone else in town serves Stumptown.)

Blitz:

Now it's lunch time. If you haven't heard about the giant square of food trucks in the Pearl District, it's definitely worth noting. It's basically just that: A few dozen different food trailers that line the perimeter of a city parking lot. This place was swarming with people during Monday's lunch. Greek, Vietnamese, Korean, Polish, burgers, sandwiches, coffee, yogurt, pretty much everything you could ask for. It's like the South Congress trailer area on steroids. I got an amazing gyro and ravenously ate it while sitting on the curb.

There's plenty more for day two, but I'll go ahead and break this post up into two parts, especially since the rest of the day mostly involves drinking beer at some of Portland's coolest brewpubs.

T-bird does Portland, Day One

2010-05-17T02:04:00.008-05:00

Day one couldn't have been better. I'm staying in the Ace Hotel on Southwest Stark Street in Portland's Pearl District. If you've ever been to Hotel San Jose in Austin or the Thunderbird Hotel in Marfa, you'll have an idea of what this is like: modern, minimalist design, unique feel, very cool environment.

I started my trip with a visit right next door: the Stumptown Coffee Roasters that adjoins Ace. Check it out.

Had a really nice espresso there. After that, headed right next door to Kenny and Zuke's Deli for a local beer (can't remember which one) and a great Ruben.

From there I wandered around the city a little. I'll tell you, I picked a good spot in the Pearl District. Here's a view from the street:

Everything is here: Cafes, coffee shops, bars, movie theaters--and of course, Powell's Books. I stopped in that evening and it turns out that comic-book legend Dan Clowes was speaking and signing copies of his new book, Wilson. Clowes is a funny and interesting guy, and had some cool stuff to say about his work and comics today.

After that I ran into another coffee shop I wasn't familiar with, Public Domain. Turns out that there's a good reason I hadn't heard of it: It opened up about five weeks ago. Beautiful place:

Had a very tasty espresso here as well. Will definitely return before leaving.

Tomorrow I'm planning to hit up Barista, Sip and Kranz, another Stumptown location, and the Deschutes Public House Brewery. All in a day's work. If you know any great spots in Portland I should check out, please let me know in the comments section or via our Twitter account.

Correction

2010-05-05T11:52:00.002-05:00

Thunderbird wants to make a correction to our previous post. We were a little rushed and spoke out of turn. Of course Medici has been making individual press pots for years, so has JP's Java. Frank has been brewing single cups of Intelligentsia to order since they opened last year. We salute these pioneers of coffee and are pleased to follow in their footsteps. We sincerely regret the error.

We are also proud, however, to truly be the first coffee bar in Austin (to our knowledge) to use multiple roasters and single-cup brewing methods.

Single-cup bar coming this weekend!

2010-04-29T18:53:00.004-05:00

We're very excited to announce a new development here at the Bird: Our brand-new single-cup coffee bar. You'll notice some sawdust over the next day or so, but starting this Saturday we'll be serving up some INCREDIBLE new coffees from roasters all over the country. Here's some of what's on the list:

- Intelligentsia Colombia Escuela Vieja
- Counter Culture Ethiopia Michicha Sundried
- Cuvee Peru Chachuda Microlot

What does "single cup" mean? It means that there's a range of brewing methods that bring out the subtleties and complex flavors of these great coffees--all made individually for YOU. These brewing methods include Aeropress, Syphon, Chemex, pourover, and individual French presses. There's so much to say about each brewing method--and there will be plenty more information to come--but we encourage you to try them all, and ask questions when you're in the store!

Beer spotlight: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

2010-04-29T18:48:00.003-05:00

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Dogfish Head Off-Centered Film Festival here in Austin. Got to try some great beers, watched some "off-centered" movies, and got to hear a little from Dogfish Head founder Sam Calgione. Great times--and boy was I glad that we had a DD.

As a result, this week's featured beer is the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. The 60 Minute IPA is continuously hopped--more than 60 hop additions over a 60 minute boil (getting a vibe yet of where the name came from?). 60 Minute is a session India Pale Ale brewed with a slew of great NorthWest hops. It's a powerful but balanced East Coast IPA with a lot of citrusy hop character. The session beer for hardcore beer enthusiasts! A video here tells a more detailed story.

Clifford Allen: This month's $250 Gift Card Winner!

2010-04-22T18:11:00.010-05:00

This month's winner of our $250 gift certificate giveaway is Clifford Allen! Clifford is a connoisseur of all things relating to jazz and improvised music. He write for All About Jazz, Signal to Noise, and Paris Transatlantic among other publications. He's originally from Topeka, KS (Wave the Wheat!) but lives here in the T-bird Manor 'hood now. His favorite drink at Tbird is a double short Americano. Clifford is a long-time T-bird fan, and we're all thrilled that he's this month's winner! Sign up today, YOU could be next!

This month's photo was taken by Samantha White! Sam is a freelance photographer here in Austin. She specializes in photos of pretty much everything, and she's a great person to work with. Her website is samanthajanay.blogspot.com.

Chachuda Microlot!

2010-03-31T15:38:00.005-05:00

We're very proud to announce the arrival of a new coffee: The Chachuda Microlot from high in the Peruvian Andes. This very special coffee is a true labor of love and available only for a limited time. Starting this weekend we'll be serving 12 OZ press pots for $3.19 from 9 AM to 12 PM on Saturday and Sunday. The Chachuda has a sweet-toned aroma with notes of toast, aromatic wood, nut and mild fruitiness. The fruit becomes more pronounced in the cup, developing into stone fruit, along with continued sweetness and hints of chocolate and aromatic wood.

What else is so special about it? The trading practice with this coffee is especially worth mentioning. It's well-known that T-bird is committed to only buying direct-trade coffee, and we're particularly proud of how Cuvee purchases this coffee.
The money going to the two growers who cultivate the Chachuda recieve 237% more money directly than the fair-trade minimum! It's just one more reason we're so proud to serve the this coffee. Come try some this weekend! (Feel free to ask for more details!)

Welcome, Counter Culture!

2010-02-18T01:45:00.003-06:00

We're very proud to announce that we are currently brewing Counter Culture's single-origin Teka from Muramvya, Burundi, at Thunderbird Koenig. What's so special about this? Plenty. Based out of Durham, North Carolina, Counter Culture is one of the pioneers of direct-trade coffee in the United States, and T-bird is the first shop in Austin to deliver their incredible coffees to you. It's DELICIOUS and it's available now in French press and to take home by the bag. There's plenty more information HERE. We're committed to carrying the best coffees from all over the world, traded sustainably and roasted by the only the best. Stay on the lookout for more new coffees!

What does this mean for the fantastic coffees we've been serving from Cuvee? Never fear. We will continue to carry a range of Cuvee's sustainably traded and world-class coffees. However, our search for different coffees, different roasters, and new and amazing flavors never ends. This is only the beginning. Cheers.

Direct Trade Coffee

2010-01-13T10:28:00.005-06:00

Picture stolen from Cuvee's Flickr.
Note: This is an introduction to what I hope will be several essays about direct-trade coffee.

Thunderbird is committed to using only direct-trade coffee of the highest quality. Phrases like "fair trade," "direct trade," "farm trade," and "direct relationship coffee" have a lot of power, and they're often thrown around to give the roaster or coffee shop legitimacy. But what do they really mean? How can you tell what's "real" about a coffee shop or roaster's buying methods?

In short, direct relationship coffee ". . . takes a substantial investment of time and money to build a business based on working directly with farmers. It also takes an infrastructure to allow someone to be out of the office a total of several months over the course of the year," according to Mike McKim at Cuvee Coffee Roasters. [Read Mike's discussion of direct-trade coffee here.] It's not just a two-day trip and a snapshot with a farmer. It's about building a legitimate relationship relationship between a roaster and a farm or grower, and it's not something that happens overnight.

Keep checking our blog to learn more about how direct-trade coffee works! For now, a New York Times article from 2007 may stir up some more interest.

SCRBC Winners!

2010-01-11T16:18:00.004-06:00

A big congratulations to the 2010 South Central Regional Barista Competition winners!

1st place: Lorenzo Perkins, Caffe Medici
2nd place: Aaron Blanco, Brown Coffee Company
3rd place: Tyler Wells, Frank

Thunderbird is proud to be a sponsor of this great coffee event!

$250 WINNER!

2009-12-24T10:12:00.004-06:00

A big merry Christmas to Paul Parnell, who won Thunderbird Manor's $250 gift certificate this month! Paul is a screenwriter and T-bird regular who lives and works here in Austin. He LOVES our $1 Lone Stars and French press coffee. He's made a ton of friends at Thunderbird and sources say that he's a pretty solid basketball player. Congratulations, Paul! Sign up for our e-mail list today, and YOU could be next!

This photograph was taken by Ida Fehrenbach! Ida is part of the Tremendous Family art collective. Ida and the rest of the Tremendous Family are showing their artwork at Thunderbird on Koenig for the entire month of January. Come check out their opening party on January 2 starting at 8 p.m.! See you there! (For more of their work, check out thetremendousfamilyblog.blogspot.com)

Finals hours update

2009-12-08T19:41:00.002-06:00

A quick update on our hours for finals week, December 7-11:

Thunderbird on MANOR will continue to be open 24 hours this week!

Thunderbird on Koenig will stay open until 12 midnight to accommodate our late-night Brentwood/Crestview peeps. :D

Coffee posters

2009-12-08T19:37:00.003-06:00

Check out these beautiful limited-edition coffee posters from LMTL75!

24-Hour Party People

2009-12-07T21:40:00.002-06:00

BOTH Thunderbird locations will be open 24 hours during December 7-11, finals week! We can't wait to see you!

Might as well try one of these to get your brain going . . .

2009-11-14T13:39:00.001-06:00

Menu!

2009-11-07T21:39:00.001-06:00

Our menu is now on the Internets! Check it out here (or via our website) and let us know if you have any questions!

RODEO BEER!

2009-09-15T13:22:00.002-05:00

What's Rodeo Beer?

Through an agreement with our beer distributors, we have the opportunity to offer lots of quality craft beers for an extremely cheap price. Every Friday at Thunderbird Manor we're offering RODEO BEERS for $2.50 each.

What's the catch? The catch is that you never know what you're going to get. But it'll always be good! Here's just a few of what'll be in the Rodeo bin this Friday:

- Pyramid Thunderhead IPA

- La Fin Du Monde (9% ABV)

- Left Hand Haystack Wheat

Why "rodeo"? It sounds cool, we're in Texas, and much like riding a bull--you never know what you're going to get. Come out and enjoy one while listening to Da Bluez Preacher, Dave Clucas, and Joseph Green, LIVE!

Big news!

2009-09-09T15:41:00.005-05:00

Starting today, Clementine Coffee Bar will now be known as Thunderbird Coffee! What? What?! What's going on here? Why the change? What's going to happen? Are condo developers going to take over and turn your coffee shop into a 22-story luxury living space? IT'S TIME FOR SOME ANSWERS!

A rose by any other name . . .

Would smell as sweet--right? In this case, it'll smell even sweeter! Here's what to expect:

SAME great coffee, food, and amazing beer and wine selection! (Most taps on the east side!!!)

SAME friendly baristas and managers!

SAME commitment to the Cherrywood/Eastside community!

NEW name. Why? We want you to know that you can get great coffee, great hospitality, and a great experience at both of our locations--whether you're over in north-central Austin, or on the east side. We may have taken it for granted that people knew that Thunderbird and Clementine were owned and managed by the same folks, but it turns out that many people didn't!

NEW and improved environment! You'll notice some changes taking place in the next few weeks--starting with our new beer garden fence! Stay tuned . . .

On a serious note . . .

Believe me, making this change was a big decision for us, and we did not take it lightly. Here's one question we asked ourselves that we absolutely had to satisfy before making this decision:

"Can a business open multiple locations and still have heart?"

We believe the answer is, without a doubt, yes. What great local businesses can you think of that bring their unique vision to multiple locations? Alamo Drafthouse, I Luv Video, Amy's Ice Cream, Caffe Medici, Thundercloud Subs, Trudy's, Chuy's, Vivo, Hoover's, Hyde Park Grill, El Chile--these are all businesses that help make Austin what it is, and we're humbled by the opportunity to follow in their footsteps.

We're on your side!

But we understand change isn't easy, and we value your feedback. If you have a question about this change--or anything else--please let us know: thunderbirdcoffees@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued support!

Ryan McElroy and Chris Cusack, owners, Thunderbird Coffee

2009-08-24T18:44:00.001-05:00

2009-08-24T18:38:00.002-05:00

But what really challenges me to get up and go to work every day . . . is my deep conviction about the intense human drive to provide and receive hospitality--well beyond the world of restaurants. Within moments of being born, most babies find themselves receiving the first four gifts of life: eye contact, a smile, a hug, and some food. We receive many other gifts in a lifetime, but few can ever surpass those first four. That first time may be the purest "hospitality transaction" we'll ever have, and it's not much of a surprise that we'll crave those gifts for the rest of our lives. I know I do.

(Danny Myer, Setting the Table, p. 2)

Secrets of the macchiato

2009-07-09T13:03:00.002-05:00

Ah, the macchiato. One of my favorite espresso drinks. As good as it is, there is a lot of controversy over the macchiato.

A macchiato, by the standards of today's pros, is a small drink made with equal parts of espresso and velvety, textured milk. If you drink it with a great espresso, like our Meritage blend, it's really amazing.

Probably the most confusing element of the debate is the introduction of the Starbucks Caramel Macchiato. The Starbucks Caramel Macchiato is, in fact, a vanilla latte with caramel sauce on top. That's it. Nothing about it makes it a "traditional" macchiato. But it is a cool-sounding name, and Starbucks sells a lot of those drinks, so I guess it works for them.

The second issue that muddies the waters on the topic of the macchiato is the texture of the milk in the macchiato. Should it be a spoonful of large, frothy bubbles on top of the espresso? Should you pour the milk first and "mark" the milk with the espresso? What is the best way to make this drink? This debate still goes on in many coffee shops around the world, and intelligent people can disagree on what works best.

As for me, the espresso experts at Cuvee Coffee, and the baristas at Thunderbird, we've found that the best macchiato is one made with smooth, velvety, "microfoam" bubbles, with equal parts espresso and equal parts milk. It's basically a mini latte. And it's amazing.

July Music at Thunderbird

2009-07-06T15:59:00.003-05:00

That's our music booker Savannah on the flier. Contact her for booking at savvysoundsbooking (at) gmail (dot) com.

Thunderbabes

2009-07-05T18:07:00.000-05:00

Meritage blend

2009-06-22T22:37:00.002-05:00

Thunderbird uses Cuvee Coffee Roasting Company's Meritage blend. Here's the breakdown:

50% Brazil Ipanema Dulce Pulped Natural
20% Ethiopian Sidamo Special Prep Natural
10% Brazil Moreninha Formosa Pulped Natural
10% El Salvador Cerro Las Ranas Pulped Natural
10% El Salvador Matalapa Washed

I friggin' love it.

Holy cappuccino!

2009-06-22T20:37:00.008-05:00

My favorite drink--at Thunderbird or any other coffee joint--is a traditional cappuccino. What is a cappuccino? What makes it different from a latte? These are reasonable questions for the average coffee drinker. Luckily for us, there are answers.

We've been trained by most American coffee retailers that a cappuccino is an espresso with a whole bunch of foamy milk, and a latte is espresso with a little bit of foamy milk. You can certainly order these drinks this way, and you very well may enjoy them. But the Specialty Coffee Association of America, judges of the US Barista Championship, and other specialty coffee aficionados see espresso-and-milk beverages in terms of their coffee-to-milk ratio rather than how the milk is steamed. In fact, the experts say that milk should be steamed exactly the same way in a macchiato, a cappuccino, and a latte.

What ratio of milk, foam, and espresso is appropriate for a traditional cappuccino? The Italians (and all the other folks I referred to in the previous paragraph) define a cappuccino--by law, no less--as one-third espresso and two-thirds textured milk. By contrast, lattes have more textured milk than a cappuccino, and macchiatos have about a one-to-one ratio of espresso to textured milk.

Why steam the milk the same way? In short, because it tastes better. A great barista will steam the milk with small, tight bubbles which creates a smooth, velvety texture which releases milk proteins in the most tasty way possible and highlights the taste of the espresso. It's also the ideal milk texture for creating latte art!

For me the most important thing is that the 8 oz. cappuccino at Thunderbird highlights the delicious flavor of our Meritage blend espresso. (As an aside, the blend breakdown of the Meritage espresso is here.) It's the perfect combination of coffee and milk.

So what about those who have gotten used to their drinks in a different way? Here's some terminology that might help:

- Dry: This is a beverage (usually a latte) that has milk steamed with more foam.
- Wet: This is a beverage (usually a latte) that has milk steamed with very little to no foam.

For example, if you want espresso, steamed milk, and a lot of foam, you might order a 12-oz latte, dry.

This is all important to you, the brilliant and attractive Thunderbird customer, because--technically speaking--Thunderbird only serves a cappuccino in our traditional 8-oz. size. If you order a 12-oz or 16-oz cappuccino, the barista will more than likely inquire as to whether you like your cappuccinos dry or wet, or suggest an 8-oz size.

So now you know! Feel free to discuss this and many other relevant and interesting questions with our baristas next time you're in the shop!

[For discussions of this topic in the zeitgeist, click here and here.]

2008-12-13T17:25:00.002-06:00

Ryan Hall's latte art is featured on Austin Details. Check it out!

Dudetown, USA

2008-12-13T16:58:00.005-06:00

Art opening tomorrow night!

Team Photo Magic presents:

Dudetown, USA
New photography by:

Matt Conant
Jen Hellow
Sean Klinger
Matt Taylor-Goss

NYT + Coffee

2008-12-03T15:27:00.002-06:00

A pretty cool blog post about coffee from New York Times blogger Christopher Niemann is here.

Breakfest Club Crew performing at Clementine and Thunderbird

2008-11-24T11:16:00.003-06:00

Suggestions

2008-11-16T10:20:00.002-06:00

A lot of places have suggestion boxes, but do you ever know what happens to your suggestion? Does anyone read them? Does anyone care?

Here are a few suggestions we've collected recently (in bold); our response follows.

Vegan goodies! Gluten-free? Soy milk @ condiment stand!

We carry vegan treats from Celeste's Best! We'll soon be carrying some gluten-free chocolates, and we do indeed now have soy milk at the condiment stand. Thanks!

Carry the Daily Texan.

We looked into this, because we love The Texan. It turns out that we're not quite on the delivery route, so it looks like we won't be able to carry it for now. Look for it at our sister store, Clementine Coffee Bar.

Whole-grain bread!

Your sandwiches are awesome, but will you assuage my dietary guilt with some whole grain (high fiber) bread?

We've had several suggestions for whole-grain bread. We'd love to carry it, but one factor preventing us from using it in our paninis is that the bread is almost always too thin to work with the panini grill. The vegan sourdough bread that we currently use is nice and thick and allows the sandwich to be pressed without smooshing the ingredients. If anyone has any suggestions on "sturdy" whole-grain bread, please let us know!

Nice place! Stay open later

Stay open later.

Can you stay open later during finals?

As of last May, we now close at 11:00 p.m. nightly instead of 10:00 p.m. We hope this helps!

MySpace bulletins and live music on a certain day each week!

We now have live music on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays outside on our patio. We also have movie night every Tuesday!

Topo Chico

We now serve Topo Chico!

Can you provide simple syrup for the iced drinks?

We can! During the colder months it's available by request, but we always have it available during the rest of the year.

Bigger tables

A few months ago we got bigger tables that offer more than enough room for you, your coffee, your laptop, and perhaps a game of Twister.

Please keep your suggestions coming! We really appreciate the input.

Thunderbird is brewing Cuvee Coffee

2008-10-07T16:35:00.002-05:00

That's right, Thunderbird is now brewing Cuvee Coffee!

Here's more about Cuvee, from their website:

Cuvee Coffee Roasting Company is a Texas-based specialty coffee micro-roaster that provides independent coffee houses and coffee lovers with artisan blends, single origin and estate coffees from all corners of the world.

The Cuvee Commitment: Quality, Sustainability, and Direct Relationship Coffee

Cuvee Coffee is committed to improving the quality of life for everyone who helps bring the coffee from the plant to your cup. We visit the farms and build strong personal relationships with farmers and other partners who share our vision for making a quality product while also preserving natural resources.

We're all very excited about this change. Please let us know if you have any questions!

Movies for October!

2008-10-07T16:26:00.000-05:00

Thunderbird on Austinist

2008-09-16T11:52:00.004-05:00

That's right, a lovely latte poured by Mr. Ryan Hall has been featured on Austinist.com's Foodoir Photography. The photo was taken by Jen Hellow. Thanks, Austinist!

So long, Goodflow (for now)

2008-09-12T10:54:00.003-05:00

Several sources report that Thunderbird's favorite local juice provider, Goodflow, has been temporarily shut down by the FDA for non-compliance with pasteurization requirements. We've been drinking Goodflow for years, and we've never had a problem, for the record.

The good news: According to Austinist, Goodflow will soon be back, and bigger than ever. They're expanding their facilities to comply with regulations. In the meantime, we're stuck: Do we wait it out, or should we check out Naked, Odwalla, or another juice company? Please let us know your thoughts.

Good luck, Goodflow. We're behind you!

Voter Registration Drive September 7

2008-08-18T12:02:00.002-05:00

Yes indeed! We've got a voter registration drive going on Sunday, September 7.

Meet at T-bird at 2 p.m. for canvassing, and stick around from 6-9 p.m. for the after-party planned with Larry Joe Doherty and musical guest Paul K!

Movie Night at Thunderbird!

2008-08-10T19:25:00.002-05:00

It's true. Tuesday night is movie night at Thunderbird! The show starts at 8:30 p.m., and we've got a gang of awesome flicks that you're sure to love. We'll have $1 Lone Stars from 8:00 to close, and a host of brilliant and talented baristas to host.

Here's what we dreamed up for the next few weeks!

8/12: Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man
8/19: Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
8/26: Standing in the Shadows of Motown
9/2: End of the Century: The Story of The Ramones
9/9: This is Spinal Tap
9/16: I Am Trying To Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco
9/23: Heavy Metal in Baghdad
9/30: Fallen Angel: Gram Parsons

August music schedule at T-bird

2008-07-29T17:34:00.002-05:00

Friday 8/1

8pm – Michael Pearson

Saturday 8/2

8pm – Tara Craig

9:30pm – Philip Moody

Wednesday 8/6

8pm – Lawrence Glass

9:30pm – Pauline Pisano (NY)

Friday 8/8

8pm – Brent Pennington

9:30pm – David Nathan

Saturday 8/9

8pm – Paul Finley

9:30pm – Todd Garza

Wednesday 8/13

8pm – Brother Magnum

9:30pm – Dear Henry

Friday 8/15

8pm – Donald Mohr

9:30pm – Daniel Cioper

Saturday 8/16

8pm – Phoenix Saga

9:30pm – Joshua Piper

Wednesday 8/20

8pm – Jon Keanon

9:30pm – Mountains in the Moon

Friday 8/22

8pm – Ideal Soul Mart

9:30pm – Evan Kaspar

Saturday 8/23

8pm – Harold Ambler

9:30pm – Leah Edwards

Wednesday 8/27

8pm – Books Died On

9:30pm – Mike & the Moonpies

Friday 8/29

8pm – Stephen Selvey

9:30pm – Jean Synodinos

Saturday 8/30

8pm – The Lost Pines

9:30pm – The Flatcar Rattlers

Music starts @ 8pm!

For more information about

Thunderbird music & booking,

Please e-mail Jess @ yeoldejess@gmail.com

Movie night at T-bird!

2008-07-14T09:58:00.002-05:00

It's our second installment of the Thunderbird movie night! It all happens at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15.

We'll have:

- $1 Lone Stars on tap!
- Fifty-cent espresso shots!
- Lots of local beers to choose from!
- The fabulous and lovely Katrina and Noelle, brewing coffee and pouring beer for your consuming pleasure!

This time we're showing Control, the 2007 biopic about Joy Division's Ian Curtis. More info about the movie here. Check out the trailer:

Leah Edwards/John Neilson tonight!

2008-07-12T10:37:00.004-05:00

Leah Edwards is playing tonight at 8:00. Check out her MySpace here.

The fabulous John Neilson will be rocking on our patio at 9:00! His MySpace is here.

See you tonight!

Movie Night at T-bird Tonight!

2008-07-01T11:37:00.002-05:00

Howdy!

Tonight at 8:00 p.m., Thunderbird is showing our first bi-monthly movie night! That's right, every first and third Tuesday of each month, Thunderbird will be showing a flick on our new projector outside on the patio.

Tonight's movie will be: You're Gonna Miss Me, the wonderful documentary about Austin's own Roky Erickson, of the 13th Floor Elevators. More info on the movie here: www. rokymovie. com

Don't forget our $1 Lone Stars and .50 espresso shots from 7-11!

Trailer:

Vanessa Lively playing at Thunderbird July 4

2008-06-29T19:15:00.002-05:00

The talented and versatile Vanessa Lively is playing at Thunderbird at 8:00 p.m. with other guests. Come celebrate our independence while watching great live music and enjoying our local beers.

Iced chai = drink of the summer

2008-06-05T15:41:00.004-05:00

In India, Iran, and many other places around the world, the word "chai" really just means "tea." We know the drink somewhat differently, as sweet-spiced black tea, usually served with milk. Soy milk goes especially great with chai, and it's usually topped with a pinch of cinnamon.

Iced chai is delicious and refreshing, especially in the summer. It's for this reason that Thunderbird has deemed it to be the drink of Summer 2008!

Here are a couple of chai recipes that we especially love:

The Boss: 16-oz iced chai with two shots of espresso (AKA Filthy Chai)
Iced Soy Chai: Just what it sounds like. Yummers.

Add vanilla or honey for a little extra something!

Cut tea leaves with spices

Mountains in the Moon + Tiny Tin Hearts this Friday

2008-06-05T15:20:00.004-05:00

Luke Kalloch (as Mountains in the Moon) is playing at Thunderbird at 8:00 on Friday, June 6!

Headlining that evening will be the fabulous Tiny Tin Hearts at 9:30!

Be there! Drink $1 Lone Stars! Hang out with Katrina and Drew, two of the most skilled and good-looking baristas in the city!

The Tiny Tin Hearts

Aaron Sinclair + Brent Pennington tonight!

2008-06-04T18:40:00.002-05:00

Tonight! Thunderbird is hosting Aaron Sinclair, from the illustrious country-rock outfit Frank Smith at 8:00!

Then, at 9:30, Brent Pennington, from the always super musical group Golden Bear will be performing!

$1 Lone Stars, $2 pints of Fireman's 4 and Full Moon Pale Ale, and $4 specialty wines!

Be there!

Aaron Sinclair, at bottom left corner

Pics from DJ Christopher Zane by Jen Hellow

2008-06-03T16:28:00.003-05:00

We are party. Note how thrilled the lady in the background is.

Deep concentration.

Q from QBist Soundsystem stopped by!

Want to book music or art at Thunderbird?

2008-06-03T10:15:00.004-05:00

If you are interested in booking music or art at Thunderbird please e-mail our booking agents, Savannah Macanally @ savvysoundsbooking (at) gmail.com for the Koenig location and James Taylor at james.wesley.taylor (at) gmail.com for the Manor location.

Party on!

June Music at T-bird!

2008-06-03T10:01:00.002-05:00

Tons of great music lined up at Thunderbird this month. Check out our calendar here.

ALL SHOWS @ THUNDERBIRD ARE FREE & ALL AGES!

And don't miss out on our Wednesday drink specials & free shows!

Beer specials on Wednesdays:
• $1 Lone Stars
• $2 other pints (Fireman's 4 and Full Moon Pale Ale)
• $4 specialty wines

Thanks!
Thunderbird

Jacob Wise Jazz Trio canceled

2008-05-28T15:08:00.000-05:00

The Jacob Wise Jazz Trio will NOT be playing on Saturday the 31st at Thunderbird. Sorry for any inconvenience!

More Jen Hellow pics

2008-04-04T16:06:00.001-05:00

Jen took a few more pictures of Thunderbird--these mostly of our fantastic patio--that we're very proud to show off. Check them out here.

Elizabeth Hobbs and Kathleen Taylor tonight

2008-04-04T16:01:00.004-05:00

Elizabeth Hobbs and Kathleen Taylor are playing live at Thunderbird tonight!

The weather will be great, so come enjoy a beer or a glass of wine and listen to some great local musicians.

See you there!

Picture by Jen Hellow

Google Maps

2008-04-04T15:51:00.002-05:00

Google Maps now has a road view feature that shows you a recent image of the location you search for. Here's us!

Click image for larger size

April Shows

2008-03-26T00:24:00.002-05:00

Thunderbird is featuring live music every Friday in April! Here's our current schedule:

Friday, April 4, 7:00 p.m.: Elizabeth Hobbs/Kathleen Taylor
Friday, April 11, 7:00 p.m.: Qbist Sound System Birthday Party with Passenger and other special guests!
Friday, April 18, 7:00 p.m.: Heather Bishop/Kevin McCarthy
Friday, April 25, 7:00 p.m.: Plastic No No Band/Dwayne Williamson/Wilson Getchell

Pics by Jen Hellow

2008-03-24T14:40:00.002-05:00

Photographer Jen Hellow just took a few wonderful pictures of our store. Check them out here.

Cave Coffee

2008-03-18T11:59:00.002-05:00

Comfort is important in a coffee shop. It's nice to go to a place to study, read, or meet with friends and find comfy chairs and couches to sink into. Unfortunately, some places take the comfort concept and turn it into what I think of as a "cave coffee shop." Places like this feel like you should expect to find dirty laundry on the floor; they have a comfortable feel in the same way that a couch potato find his favorite recliner comfortable. It's not exactly wallowing in your own filth, but it's not too far off.

Thunderbird is a comfortable place, but it's also clean, bright, and filled with natural light. Check out these pictures from today--a cloudy afternoon if there ever was one--to see what I mean.

2008-03-08T19:09:00.003-06:00

Our friend Kristi Willis has a blog, Austin Farm to Table, which can be found here. The blog features recipes and info about the Austin Farmer's Markets, which we're a huge fan of. Do yourself a favor and check it out!

The Austin Farmers Market, via the Austin Farm to Table blog

2008-03-08T19:07:00.001-06:00

Elijah Wood came into the coffee shop today, presumably in connection to a movie being filmed a few blocks away.

Things we didn't ask him:

"What was it like to film Home Alone?"
"What was it like to film Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over?"
"Can I have some money?"

Things we did ask him:

"What can I get for you?"

He had a iced quad espresso, if you're interested.

2008-03-02T21:17:00.003-06:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately--Thunderbird had a busy weekend! Lots of planning for our upcoming live music series during the week of March 12-18. Places to go, people to see, etc.

Unrelated: I also saw Soylent Green today. Of all the things I knew about that movie, I didn't know that "soylent" was a portmanteau word using "soy" and "lentils." Charlton Heston is a god of an actor.

The first of our live music events starting on the 12th is the Acoustical Breakdown showcase. Info is below.

Click image for larger version!

A note on espresso

2008-02-26T01:12:00.007-06:00

Let's face it. Coffee can be confusing. Everyone knows what coffee is, but far fewer people are familiar with even the most basic details of espresso. Hell, even the word "espresso" is a little disturbing for some people. With that in mind, here are a few basic pointers on what's what in the espresso world. (Expect much more in the future on this subject.)

- Espresso: A concentrated coffee drink brewed by forcing very hot--but not boiling--water under high pressure through finely ground coffee
- Macchiato: Espresso with a dollop of steamed-milk foam on top (contrary to popular belief, a Macchiato is not the thing they make at Starbucks with caramel all over it)
- Cubano: Espresso brewed with unrefined sugar
- Latte: Espresso mixed with steamed milk--light foam
- Cappuccino: Espresso mixed with steamed milke--heavy foam (surprising to many, this is the only difference between an espresso and a latte!)
- Mocha: A latte with chocolate!
- Americano: Very hot--but not boiling--water with espresso on top. Milk is sometimes added
- Caffe au lait: Half brewed coffee, half steamed milk

These are just the basics. As you can see, they're really not as daunting as they seem when you walk into a coffee shop for the first time. More to follow!

More:
[Wikipedia on espresso]
[Coffee Geek]
[Coffee Review]

Happy Mondays

2008-02-26T01:04:00.002-06:00

Just a recap of Saturday night: The event was a huge success! Tons of people came out (familiar faces and new friends alike) to check out Kevin Lynch's photos and to hear The Winter Dance Party rock out on the patio. Everyone drank cheap beer, rocked out, and generally had a great time.

Some internal scoop: We had our first employee meeting last night, and I think it was pretty successful. I think these meetings are not only a good way to get out a general "state of the union," but a way that all of us can spend time together at once, instead of just seeing each other when we work. Next stop: karaoke party?

Oh! One piece of news for you dedicated followers: Our website is being designed and should be ready soon. It will of course be at thunderbirdcoffee.com--but don't expect much until we announce its launch. Yahoo!

Updates

2008-02-23T15:24:00.004-06:00

Tonight! The Winter Dance Party is playing in the store. Bring your friends and come drink our $1 Lone Star drafts, $5 Lone Star pitchers, and $.50 espresso shots (from 7-10 p.m.). We're showcasing Kevin P. Lynch's photographs, who will be here to answer every annoying question you have about taking pictures. Buy him a beer, won't you?

Also, we attended the grand openings of Black and Tan and Orchid Dance Bar on 7th Street last night. The bars look great, everyone had fun, and DJ Mel rocked our asses off on the turntables. Check out the links to the right for more info about each place.

We also checked out The Black's performance at Lamberts Barbecue last night. As usual, they were great. They'll be playing in Marfa, Texas tonight, so if you're in the area, be sure to check them out. I should also mention that Lamberts is a really cool place to hang out. I didn't get to sample their barbecue, but it smelled incredible, and the vibe there is fantastic. They also have a ton of great beers on tap (Chimay, Guinness, etc.). I mean, it's no Thunderbird, but it's still really cool.

The Black playing tonight

2008-02-22T15:34:00.004-06:00

Those sexy boys The Black are playing tonight in Austin at Lamberts Barbecue. I don't know an exact time, but I'd ballpark it at around 10:00 p.m. Check them out tonight, because this is their tour kickoff show, and they wont' be around for a couple of weeks.

What will you do after that? Walk a few blocks north to check out the grand opening of Black and Tan, the coolest new hangout downtown. The Thunderbird people will be the exceptionally beautiful ones hanging out by the (super awesome) jukebox.

General stuff

2008-02-22T00:46:00.005-06:00

What's the haps? Here's what's new with us:

- Thunderbird just got Shiner Black, which we're excited about.
- We also hired a few new baristas! Great people with great attitudes, all three of them. Say hi to Elizabeth, Ida, or Katrina next time you're in.
- A few of us got together tonight and checked out the Obama/Hillary debate which was hosted by UT Austin. (Unfortunately, none of us were invited to the actual event.)

Just a quick reminder: The Winter Dance Party is playing on Saturday night at the art party celebrating Kevin Lynch's photography. Check out the photos at www.shatteredshutter.com.

Kevin Lynch photography

2008-02-19T12:47:00.004-06:00

As I mentioned below, Kevin Lynch is this month's featured artist, and a party celebrating his work is this Saturday. Here are a few selections from his website that will give you an idea about his work.

On another note, I'm proud to say that Thunderbird is one of the few locally owned joints around town that feature art that doesn't suck, and I think Kevin's photographs highlight that nicely.

Amazing party this Saturday

2008-02-19T11:01:00.004-06:00

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday!

This Saturday, February 23, Thunderbird is having an art party! We'll have music from The Winter Dance Party, beer, wine, and amazing photographs on display by Kevin Lynch. The band starts at 8 and will play until 10 p.m.

Give us a shout if you need any more info!

Fidel resigns

2008-02-19T10:33:00.003-06:00

Fidel Castro resigned as president of Cuba today. The significance of this event should not be underestimated. Although some feel that Fidel's resignation is no big change--Cuba has been unofficially led by Raul Castro, Fidel's brother, for several years now--I wonder if we won't see some noticeable changes starting now, but especially after Castro's impending death. At the very least, this is a huge symbolic shift. I won't get into political stuff on this blog--there are any number of places where that can be discussed--but I will speculate the following:

What could a Castro-free Cuba look like?

- Real Cuban sugar in Thunderbird's Cubano coffees
- Real Cuban cigars (smoked only outside on our patio, of course)
- Spring Break trips to Cuba, just like in the '50s
- 24-hour Buena Vista Social Club marathon concerts all over America

Sounds pretty good to me. Viva!

WWRSD

2008-02-17T11:36:00.003-06:00

A minute ago, a guy asked the name of the band that was playing. We had the Rolling Stones playing, so I said "The Rolling Stones!" He of course meant the band that was playing outside, but the mistake got us talking. What would the Stones drink if they came in? We made these guesses:

Keith: Dark roast with two shots of espresso (Naturally.)
Mick: Single cappucino ("I don't like too much milk. It bad for me throat.")
Charlie Watts: Sugar-free vanilla cappucino
Ronnie Wood: Horchata latte (hot) ("Wots that? Yeh, gimme one o dem.")

Austin Marathon!

2008-02-17T10:10:00.004-06:00

The Austin Marathon is today! The race passes right in front of Thunderbird, and we're lucky enough to be a spot where volunteers pass out water, and spectators cheer for the runners. We've also got a live band playing out front, beautiful weather, and a bunch of attractive baristas. See you here!

St. Bridget's

2008-02-16T19:59:00.003-06:00

St. Bridget's porter is just one of our many great bottled beers. It's made by Great Divide Brewing Co., based out of the Rocky Mountain region. They say that St. Bridget's is named after an Irish saint who "created a sensation by turning her bathwater into beer." We're not sure about that (the Wikipedia entry, at least, has nothing to say about the miracle), but we do agree that it's a nice dark beer.

St. Bridget’s is a smooth and elegant brown porter. Brimming with coffee and chocolate characteristics from dark barley malts, St. Bridget’s is carefully hopped to provide the perfect complement to its malty robustness. This beer is a “must have” beer for all porter lovers.

For only $3.50, you can't do much better for a porter like this.

We're hiring!

2008-02-16T18:52:00.002-06:00

That's right. Thunderbird Coffee is looking for a barista!

We interviewed a few well-qualified candidates today, and there's more coming in tomorrow (Sunday). But if you're a smart dude or dudette with a great attitude and a love for all things coffee, please shoot us an e-mail, comment on the blog, or just come in and drop off a copy of your resume/work experience.

Holla!

Update

2008-02-16T13:23:00.003-06:00

We've gotten some great feedback on the horchata latte today! A lot of people have noticed a toasted-marshmallow flavor, especially with the hot version. A nice warm drink for a day as gross as today.

New coffee!

2008-02-14T14:35:00.002-06:00

We have a new roast! It's the Organic Mexican from Little City Roasters, and it's delicious. It's our lightest roast, with a full flavor and a nice crisp finish. You'll definitely want to check this one out.

La Marzocco

2008-02-13T23:05:00.004-06:00

At Thunderbird, we use a La Marzocco espresso machine, the same kind used in the World Barista Championships. The machines are handmade in Florence, Italy--which is only part of the reason they're so expensive. The other reason is that they're incredible pieces of machinery. Coffeekid.com lists a couple of reasons why they're so great here.

One thing most people will mention about the La Marzocco is that it has two boilers. This means that it has a boiler dedicated to steam and another one dedicated to brewing--which means that the espresso always has water of the correct temperature available, and the milk will always be steamed at a consistent temperature.

So that's why your coffee tastes so good!

More info:

La Marzocco on Wikipedia

Not ours, but the same model.

New drink

2008-02-13T15:16:00.003-06:00

A new drink is on its way!

The full name is the Jesus Maria Horchata Latte, and its ingredients are espresso and fresh Horchata from the delicious and affordable Mexican cafe Jesus Maria, right across the street from us on Koenig. It comes both hot and iced (I personally prefer the iced), and in 12 oz., 16 oz., and 20 oz. sizes.

It'll be ready this week, and we'll be happy to offer a free small one to those who mention this blog through the month of February.

If you've never had Horchata before, you're missing out. It's a rice-based milky-colored beverage with no dairy. Here's a typical recipe found on the Internets.

(Disclaimer: The image above isn't our Horchata, it's just one I found online.)

Our roots

2008-02-13T01:04:00.003-06:00

A couple people have asked me where the name Thunderbird came from. Here's the answer:

Thunderbird before (click image for larger size)

Hot deals

2008-02-13T00:58:00.004-06:00

Some ongoing promotions Thunderbird offers:

The daily Hour(s) of Power: $1 Lone Star pints, $5 Lone Star pitchers, and $.50 espresso shots

10% off for all McCallum High School students

Your thoughts

2008-02-13T00:54:00.003-06:00

Thunderbird is always interested in hearing what you have to say. We do our best to make great snacks and coffee in a comfortable environment, and we're proud of what we do. If you have a suggestion on how to make things better, please feel free to let us know via our MySpace, e-mail, our comment box, or through a comment on this blog.

Ryan pours another perfect latte

2008-02-13T00:51:00.002-06:00

Here's super-barista Ryan Hall pouring a great-looking latte at Thunderbird. If only we could all do it this well.

Thunderbird begins

2008-02-13T00:32:00.001-06:00

I’m sure I’m not the first to try to get something like this started for Thunderbird, but I think it’s about time we had a bit more of a web presence. Look here for info about specials, events, and news on the store. Thanks for checking us out!