Double Shot

Written by Derek Craig — Photography by Michelle & Chris Gerard

Astro Coffee and Anthology Coffee serve pour-over coffees (in addition to espresso-based drinks) that are both delicious, albeit different. Both shops are nestled in Detroit's oldest neighborhood, Corktown, and operate a mere three blocks from one another. But unlike more competitive markets, the two coexist in a peaceful and complimentary way.

On the outside, you get a great cup of coffee in about three to five minutes. Depending on which coffee you select, you will get a particular tasting cup of black coffee. It is recommended to try the coffees black first because they tend to be more delicate than an average cup of coffee, and allowing the drink to cool will make the subtle flavors easier to discern, but do they offer cream and sugar, if needed. These coffees differ by name and presentation as both shops use different beans and brewers to produce the same lovable beverage. More specifically, Astro Coffee is a multi-roaster café (meaning they buy coffee from a number of coffee roasting companies) that utilizes a custom-made ceramic cone made in Japan, while Anthology Coffee is a roaster unto themselves and uses the Hario V60.

If you want to appreciate the hard work that these coffee professionals put forth, you should know a few things. To make a good cup of coffee one must understand and manipulate the variables of the brewing process. These parameters include time, temperature, gravity, and the coffee beans. Both shops follow the same basic principles of brewing coffee using different selected tools to serve the the city of Detroit. At the end of the day the choice in brewers will affect the final product even if the same recipe is used, and what you can expect is a fuller-bodied, sweeter cup from the ceramic cone as compared to a more delicate and aromatic cup from the V60. These shops not only give Detroit two more things to be proud of, but also creates a collectively competitive environment that local coffee drinkers benefit from.