A true coffee lover, Darryl relies on Sparkplug Coffee - at home and at work - to keep him fuelled for his Punk Science adventures.
NAME: Darryl Wright
Where do you live? Halifax, Nova Scotia
Years as a coffee drinker? 27 years.
What do you love about coffee?
“Coffee is an interesting thing in that I would not say it “just tastes great” in the traditional sense. It’s not like cake, or beer. Without sugar, at least, coffee doesn’t rush to your pleasure centres or rock your senses. At a food party, coffee is not the boisterous cad but rather the interesting looking person standing quietly over by the wall that everyone is curious to talk to again. Coffee has a stoic nature to it — a reliable, subtle bitterness and consistency. It is simultaneously comfort and ritual. It soothes, and it comforts and I derive my pleasure not from being beat over the head with recognizable flavour but from the subtle aromas, the almost deceiving ease that emerges from its complexity. Is that too much?”
How does coffee fit into a typical day for you? I walk in, I turn on the lights, I fill the kettle, I set up my pour-over and pour in some Sparkplug Coffee. I pause and lean against the counter while it boils thinking about the things that are most important to accomplish. I'm in the safe zone. If anyone asks me for anything I can say with complete immunity -- "I'm just getting a coffee." It's really so much more than that though.
What's the most memorable coffee you've ever had?
“On a corner in downtown Vancouver near Gastown, there’s a Lebanese restaurant called Nuba. They make a coffee there in a pot with rose water, and maybe tarragon or star anise and heavily roasted, powdery grains. It’s incredible and still stands out as the most memorable coffee I’ve tasted.”
Darryl's first order from Sparkplug Coffee - hand grinder, Aeropress, naked coffee - a real coffee lover!
What's your coffee style? I want to say "Black as night, sweet as sin." -- a favourite quote from American Gods. But the truth is just "naked" is fine.
How do you make your coffee? Lots of ways - both whole bean and pre-ground for:
- manual pour-over
- French press
- single-serve pods
What's a favourite place to go out for coffee? The Old Apothecary in downtown Halifax is awesome. It began as a very small shop with a few hand-made pastries and some decent coffee. Since then, through the adventurousness and skills of Laura the owner, it's grown to become one of the cities finest bakeries and coffee houses.
And what's your usual order? Coffee, black.
Do you have a coffee secret to share?
"Just off the boil" is a term used in beer brewing but it also applies here. When you hear that ding or click, don't reach. Pause for a moment, think about someone you love. Lose yourself to allow the temperature a moment to drop to something that won't ruin your experience with acidity.
How did you first hear about Sparkplug Coffee? I was at a scooter rally* which was sponsored with gift bags from Sparkplug. I was told the owner was a friend of one of the members of the club and I looked them up online. I could immediately identify with the startup spirit of the management, the idea of a "subscription" I wouldn't have to think about and -- obviously, the fantastic blends. * If you're in Nova Scotia, the 2017 Halifax Scooter Council Rally in the Valley is August 11-13
What is Darryl's Sparkplug Coffee order? Darryl has a couple different coffees on Autopilot, alternating between the Road Trip and the seasonal coffee. Plus Globetrotter is delivered to his work to keep those gamers happy and caffeinated.
What do you love about Sparkplug Coffee?
“The flavour, consistency of quality and the ease of having it just show up when I need more.”
Is there anything you'd like to spread the word about? At Punk Science we make apps, games and interactive experiences. We'd love to become your goto creative house -- please reach out.