A superior coffee brew

My first visit to Chazzano Coffee Roasters in Ferndale, MI took an unexpected turn. I arrived, not knowing quite what to expect from this new offering in town and I discovered what can only be described as a love story.

19 years ago, owner and Master Roaster Frank Lanzkron-Tamarazo began roasting coffee for his own enjoyment in his garage. The first cup ignited his passion and love of coffee roasting – the art, science and magic of the craft and all the nuances and processes therein.

Much like Chazzano’s neighbors B Nektar Meadery one half mile to the south, Frank’s home-grown passion has grown into a full fledged business, serving amazing cups of coffee, educating and sharing his love with regulars and new customers alike.

I walked in and asked Frank and his Barristas Claire and Elena to start at the top and take me on a coffee tour, which they obliged. Each cup, drawn from a french press was unique to it’s origins, exquisite and satisfying.

Other preparations include an espresso machine and a method called siphoning, shown in the photo above. Like adding water to Scotch, siphoning can create an entirely different flavor experience from that of a french press from the same type bean. The siphon is also a lot of fun to watch if you’re a process nerd like me.

Of the many things you will refreshingly not find at Chazzano are drip coffee makers, decanters, or flavored syrups. The coffee is made only upon order and specifically for you. Your cup of coffee will always be literally as fresh as it can possibly can be. The dedication to the art is astounding. Also missing – walls of gear, or any of the other annoyances commonly found in st*rbucks type places. Chazzano is blissfully fac to face personal, classy and comfortable.

All of this set up brings us to the star of the article: The coffee.

My first cup, a Papua New Guinea Purosa, is one of Chazzano’s most popular – and for good reason. A wonderfully complex coffee with a wonderful nose of cinnamon and chocolate notes and a full bodied mouth feel that would make any morning feel like a lazy Sunday.

My tour continued with a Citrusy Nicaraguan Maragogype, an amazing Ethiopian Harrar with a floral taste and a nose of wood and tobacco, a Sumatra Manheling that immediately reminded me of a well stocked humidor and a delightfully smooth mouth feel and full bodied flavor, A Guatemalan Comel with vanilla and caramel notes and a naturally decaffeinated Sumatra with a nose like fine dark chocolate and a taste as smooth as silk, I would never guess it to be decaf, and neither will you.

There are other varieties to sample and Frank is always searching for amazing new experiences to share with his customers. Each of the coffees I enjoyed on this visit could probably warrant their own posts. And perhaps as I learn more of the vocabulary and enjoy more of the fruits born of Frank’s expertise, I’ll undertake that task.

If you are a coffee lover or would like to become one, head on out to 1737 E. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale, MI and pay Frank and his staff a visit, or place an order online. You will not be disappointed – and you may just fall in love.

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