To help introduce our newest Metric family member, we sat down with Mark and asked him a series of hard-hitting questions about Chicago, his love for coffee, and Malort. Enjoy!

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What are you most excited about living in Chicago?

Just about everything. I'm originally from Wheaton, IL and even though I've spent nearly half my life in Denver, this move feels like coming home. All of my family is from this area since way back in the late 1800s when they immigrated here from Germany. There's a tradition that I'm excited to discover and explore. As far as actually being in Chicago, I'm very looking forward to the food, the beer, the culture, the diversity, the actual seasons, the abundance of classic dive bars, lakes, music, and so much more!

What's your favorite thing about coffee?

Coffee has the unique ability to bring people together much like other hospitality establishments (like a bar or restaurant). The direction that the industry is heading is exciting and innovative, and it's a fun time to be involved!

What’s your go-to coffee drink?

Usually, drip coffee, but my old-school go-to is an iced Americano in a cortado glass.

Outside of coffee, what gets you excited?

Music, eating, biking, walking, cooking, animals, writing, crosswords, and dreaming of solutions to everyday problems.

I hear you have "cat children"… Can you elaborate on the species of your offspring?

Evelyn is a cross-eyed sassy lady. She's a mutt of probably a Siamese and a Calico, but she rules the roost and isn't afraid to tell you! Charlie is our spirited little fella. He's an orange tabby, and we think he's majority Maine Coon. He is a tender soul but sometimes plays just a little too hard. I have cat pictures... SO MANY CAT PICTURES... want to see them? :)

Lastly... Malort?

I love Malort. In the world of being a conscious taster, it's one of the unique taste experiences. So seldom do we as Americans get to taste something one-note bitter. Other cultures use tamarind or some other more bitter ingredients to cook with, and I think everyone should spend more time with the bitter portion of their palette. It's a nice break from sweet bourbons and salty french fries!

Recently Xavier Alexander, Metric's Co-Owner and Director of Coffee, traveled to Peru. While visiting David Flores' farm, he was particularly affected. Below is a short travel note Xavier wrote processing his journey: 

"About 3 hours north from Jaen lies the sector El Diamanté, a district of San José de Lourdes (which is also a province of San Ignacio in the Cajamarca department).

To reach El Diamanté by vehicle, we crossed the river on a shanty river barge passing over choppy waters and into a beautiful, biodiverse region with one of the most stable microclimates (low, relatively stable humidity) I have ever had the pleasure to experience.

Here, young David Flores, 23 years of age, works his 5 hectares of land with incredible passion and drive which you can clearly taste in the product of his work.

In this photo, you see the path we took to reach the summit. There, we scoped out David's trees- with a pleasant surprise as we discovered he also had old Typica trees at a higher elevation. We excitedly recommended him to process them separately and send us samples from this.

Because of El Diamanté's unique environment, coffees here are extremely floral and show a complexity that is akin to Ethiopian coffees but has their own unique characteristics that run parallel to the work that David puts into his land.

My journey still continues here, learning more about this magical place, a place with food and coffee unlike any other, a country so rich in natural resources and farms that may take hours to get to on foot but are full of beauty and surprises."

Image courtesy of the talented IG user @joshhockin, a fellow traveler on this origin trip with Xavier.

We are (and have been) big admirers of Hopewell appreciating how they balance quality and design harmoniously with their small-ness. So when they reached out several months ago, we jumped at the opportunity to collaborate on a coffee beer.

The collaboration began with a cupping. Xavier, Metric co-owner and project parley, wanted Hopewell to choose the coffee via a blind taste test ensuring that the brewers had an intimate relationship with the coffee and its flavor profile. With six coffees on the table, the consensus pointed to incorporating a balanced, clean Honduras lot: Beneficio San Vicente.

From there, Hopewell created a cold concentrate that they incorporated into an imperial stout base. Then, they steeped coarsely ground San Vicente in the beer yielding a sweet, but balanced brew with notes of fudge and caramel rounding out the beer. 

For a visual overview, check out Potluck Creative's well-crafted synopsis:

Metric Coffee Co. is happy to announce an amazing collaboration with our neighbors to the south at Cardinal Spirits! Located in Bloomington, Indiana, these artisans have developed a notable reputation for crafting stunning spirits.

Cardinal Spirits opened in 2015, and distills whiskey, gin, vodka, rum, and various liqueurs—including the Songbird Coffee Liqueur. While typically sourcing their beans from Indiana roasters, the distillery is currently collaborating with Chicago’s own Metric Coffee to create an Illinois-only edition of their signature Songbird Coffee Liqueur. This limited run is being launched at Metric Coffee’s HQ in Chicago on November 17^th.

The Songbird Coffee Liqueur is made with Metric Coffee beans, vodka, bourbon vanilla, and cane sugar. It’s the kind of ingredient list we at Metric abide and admire: no coloring or flavor extracts added. Just pure and simple goodness. Straight, over ice, or crafted into cocktails or mocktails, we at Metric are just pretty stoked to get our paws around this brew, and want to share it with the world. 

Available at many Binny’s and Whole Foods throughout Chicago, the best way to sample this exclusive product is by hanging out with us Friday, November 17^th. Metric West Fulton, located at 2021 W. Fulton, is hosting a launch party from 6pm to 8pm. Cocktails, Hellion Cold Brew, light fare, and music will fill out an evening enjoying the things we love most: coffee, booze, and good people. The event is open to the public with a simple and free RSVP at http://cardinalspirits.com/chicago.