My name is Zachary Barnett, and I love coffee, specifically espresso beverages. I have my usual coffee shop: whichever Starbucks is near me. However, I want to spice up my coffee-tasting life by visiting every local coffee shop in Indianapolis. I want to gauge how each coffee shop makes the same beverage and compile a comprehensive list of each stop, rated on taste, size and value.
Today, I began my journey to try every local coffee shop in Indianapolis. I started with Quills Coffee, because it was a convenient stop on my way to taking my Communication Research Theory exam. While the exam didn’t go perfectly, the coffee certainly helped me get through it!
Quills recently moved to a much larger and more convenient area in Indianapolis. They moved from 9th St. to Meridian St., where they have better parking, and are closer to the “action”, so to speak, as they are just off the interstate. The shop has a great vibe and the staff are very nice, but how would I rate their coffee? Taste, size, and value are rated out of 10, and then added up at the end. Starbucks is the control beverage, so everything will compare.
For each review, I am going to test a large iced mocha. A mocha is essentially a latte (espresso and milk) with chocolate as the additional flavor. This is my favorite form of coffee I have had across the board, and I feel it would be a common beverage for me to determine the best places for your buck.
Taste: 6
It was not awful, but it was not that flavorful. For a drink that has espresso in it, I need some zap, or a bite of bitterness, and this just didn't give it to me. I was a little disappointed because the flavor of the coffee felt very diluted. The espresso roast was very tasty, but very light, as it was overwhelmed by milk.
Size: 8
This drink was 20 ounces, which is pretty standard for a large drink at most smaller shops.
Value: 4
This drink came in a little more expensive than I would normally like to pay. Most of the time, I try to keep my coffee under $7, including tip. The large mocha (and other lattes) are $6.50 + tax (nine percent in Marion county), which brought the bill to about $9. It was a decent beverage, but not worth it to me, at that price point.
Total: 18/30
Quills Coffee is a beautiful shop, and I even got a few stickers before I left. The mocha was not the best, but I am not giving up on Quills just yet. They have tons of options for coffee, and I will surely give them another shot!
Given that this is my first entry, Quills Coffee reigns supreme, but that could change with my next shop! Where should I go next? Let me know on Twitter or Linkedin.
Zachary Barnett
Communication Major Class of 2023
You can find me covering a wide range of topics for the Campus Citizen, traveling around the United States to play trading card games, or drinking coffee on campus. Check out my freelance work at zlbcutomz.com and sixthmanpod.com and check out my social media, to get updates:
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