Detroit Coffee Passport – Drifter Coffee

Here’s another gift from Kathy that shows why surrendoring in the “gift giving winning” contest was the right move. I can’t do what Kathy does. The latest?  For Father’s Day, she got me the Detroit Coffee Passport. 

It’s cool! And cute! And perfect for a coffee lover like me. 

See? Again … Kathy wins.

The Detroit Coffee Passport has 30 “handpicked” (I question this because there’s a Coffee Passport for every city and some of their choices, knowing what I know, don’t seem “handpicked” …but I’m OK that 28 out of the 30 could be) cafes and coffee shops to try. Then, make some notes.

It looks like a travel passport. It’s fun. I want to visit every cafe and coffee shop in the passport. Why not? And with my looming Empty Nester life getting closer and closer, I’m looking forward to these weekend date mornings with Kathy.

DESTINATION #1 – DRIFTER COFFEE IN FERNDALE

This place has hipster coffee shop “vibe” on lock down. Flyers everywhere for fairs and yoga and parades and festivals and even a flyer for a cuddling club. The furniture all looks reclaimed, old, and antiquey.  There’s an upstairs, a downstairs, and if it wasn’t pouring rain, there’s coffee drinking gardens with picnic tables and rot iron tables and chairs … it’s the type of place I wanna go, people watch, read a book, journal a little, and just chillax.  The only thing missing (and maybe I just didn’t see it) was a turntable for playing vinyl records.  Come to think of it … it must be there and I just didn’t see it. 

The coffee was OK.  I’ll offer a 10-point judging scale for these write-ups. So I’ll give the coffee a 7.  I’m a black coffee drinker. Period. No sugar. No cream. No lattes or cappuccinos for me. The black coffee isn’t their focus … their focus is definitely “vibe” and lattes.  They drip-brewed a giant caraffe, which almost never tastes as good as a 10- or 12-cup, and even that never tastes as good as Aeropress, pour over, or French Press. However, I didn’t ask. Maybe they had other brewing techniques as an option, I don’t know.

Overall … great place and as the first stop on my Cafe Passport travels, it’s hard to believe anyone will beat this “vibe” but I’m looking forward to seeing the cafe and coffee shop world of the Detroit area.

I love trying new things. I love coffee. I love date-mornings with my wife. So this was a great way to start a weekend.

Cheers.