On a recent Friday morning, Bryan Duggan is asking the dozen or so people assembled in front of him what they think the grounds of an Ecuadorian roast smell like.

Self-professed coffee philistines and scruffy, plaid-bedecked twentysomethings I recognize as baristas at Filter Coffeehouse and Big Bear Café offer up “tamarind,” “sweet potatoes,” and “moss” to describe the coffee, dubbed El Gavilan. The weirder the descriptor, the more pleased Duggan seems.

We are in the light-filled, Ikea-furnished Counter Culture training center in Adams Morgan, where Duggan and his fellow customer service representative, Alex Brown, run free “cuppings” every week. Tiny clipboards with sheets of paper to mark down tasting notes have been distributed, and Duggan and Brown explain the various ways to understand coffee: the fragrance and aroma of the grounds, as well as the flavor, body, and aftertaste of the brew.

Don’t be fooled by the local address: Counter Culture’s headquarters are way out of town in Durham, N.C. Yet given the dearth of local roasters to compete with, the company has become the District’s dominant upscale coffee distributor.

A cursory examination of Counter Culture’s business model helps explains why: As long as a shop sells Counter Culture coffee exclusively, the company will provide that place with extra service—at no extra charge. Want your baristas trained in espresso-making and milk-frothing? How about your espresso machines installed or serviced? What about a course instilling staffers with the all-important fair-trade, single-origin, organic ethos? Sell Counter Culture, and only Counter Culture, and you get all that for free.

For so-called third-place businesses like cafés and coffee shops that encourage hanging out rather than rapid customer turnover, that package deal seems like a smart business decision. Rather than taking the time to close shop and train staff, operators can ship their charges off to Counter Culture for classes like “Beginner Espresso Lab” and “Brewing Science.”

For the customer, however, Counter Culture’s vast reach engenders a monochromatic coffee scene where two of every three cups from specialty java joints in the District taste the same. Even if you’re avoiding Starbucks, chances are you’re still supporting caffeine hegemony with every skinny latte you drink.

* * *

Counter Culture, which first entered the D.C. market in 2004 with a single account at the now-defunct Murky Coffee, supplies beans to at least 25 different cafés and restaurants in the city. Its clients include tiny indie shops, such as Peregrine Espresso and Big Bear, the Tryst-Diner-Open City triumvirate, and a number of big-name D.C. restaurants like Komi, Zaytinya, and Rogue 24.

In D.C.’s tight-knit café society, the company’s tentacles run especially deep. Peregrine owner Ryan Jensen, for instance, is also a former Counter Culture customer service representative. Jensen describes the company’s sales strategy as seductive—and, ultimately, matrimonial. “The way we set up our approach is much like a marriage,” says Jensen. “By being faithful to them, we get certain benefits. There are very clear discounts that you get if you purchase a certain amount per week. The more any of their accounts buy from them, you can get more savings. That adds up pretty quickly.” Jensen points to 2-percent discounts on orders between 30 and 100 pounds and 7 percent off those over 100; he estimates that Peregrine’s two locations go through about 500 pounds of coffee per week.

And just like a love affair, the initial wooing comes easy. “I knew the whole deal, the way they do their training and their service,” says Mike Visser, proprietor of Mount Pleasant’s Flying Fish Coffee & Tea. Before opening his own shop last year, Visser worked at Tryst, a Counter Culture client, as well as Baked & Wired, which served the same beans before switching purveyors about two years ago. “Machines are expensive, training people is expensive,” Visser says. “If you want it in a nutshell, it’s good coffee and it’s an unbeatable relationship, like, ‘We’ll service your machine for free if you serve our coffee.’ It was easy enough as a starting point because I knew what they offered from the help side.”

And again like a marriage, the structure of the client-supplier relationship promotes dependency and makes breaking up difficult. “I would always love to bring something else in when I’m better off down the road financially,” says Visser. “I’ve considered bringing in other local roasters, but that voids the warranty.”

Full disclosure: I, too, once worked in a Counter Culture shop—Annapolis’ Hard Bean Coffee & Books. But I never loved the coffee (I find it a bit sour and watery) and, since moving to D.C., have actively sought out shops that serve other beans. This exercise has made me notice just how extensively Counter Culture has saturated the local market. And I’m not alone.

“D.C. has an interesting relationship with Counter Culture. It’s kind of bad in a couple of different ways,” says Jonathan Riethmaier, who blogs about the city’s coffee culture at District Bean. “Some of the coffee shops here wouldn’t be where they are without Counter Culture. To some degree, the level of consumership wouldn’t be where it is without Counter Culture because of their commitment to training and education. ”

The flip side: “If you’re someone that loves coffee and going to different cafés, do you really want to go to the coffee shop on the corner and have their featured coffee of the month, and go to the next one and have their featured coffee, and have it be the same coffee?” says Reithmaier. “That’s the kind of risk you run, that you see a lot of the same coffee in different shops.”

* * *

As widespread as Counter Culture coffee might seem, there are alternatives. You just have to look for them.

There’s M.E. Swings, the 80-year-old roaster downtown. Qualia Coffee in Petworth also roasts its own. Illy, an Italian coffee purveyor, has a shop in Foggy Bottom and now supplies the recently opened Lot 38 near Nationals Park. Local start-up Vigilante Coffee Co. sells beans at Eastern Market and distributes to Smith Commons and Granville Moore’s.

Perhaps the biggest challenge to Counter Culture’s D.C. dominance could come from Ceremony, the rebranded roasting arm of Annapolis’ Caffé Pronto, which offers an exclusive contract that’s comparable in its perks to Counter Culture’s. Ceremony’s roasting operation is 225 miles closer to D.C. than Counter Culture’s Durham headquarters. There’s no training center here yet, but owner Vincent Iatesta says he’s considering it. In the meantime, Ceremony staffers travel to the D.C. area to train baristas at places like Filter and Restaurant Eve.

Ask the guys at Counter Culture about rivals encroaching on their turf and you’ll hear all about the benefits of competition—a position easily espoused by the dominant player in any industry. “If a coffee roaster comes here, and it’s good quality, it’s just going to push the bar up,” says Brown.

Photos by Darrow Montgomery

Eatery tips? Food pursuits? Send suggestions to hungry@washingtoncitypaper.com.

Crepes On The Corner, 257 15th St. SE, (202) 525-4795

Or, just drink your way through Restaurant Week here. [Drink DC]

Drew Trautmann's new District Kitchen is not operating on Mondays for the next two weeks. [Twitter]

Sorry, laptop luggers: there will be no WiFi at the new Filter in Foggy Bottom. [Housing Complex]

What's the deal with Girl Scout cookies and the "weird child army" that pushes them? [WaPo]

Is it really a cupcake if it weighs a frickin' ton? [Twitter]

U Street Music Hall proprietor Jesse Tittsworth finds beauty in the Old Ebbitt Grill bathroom. [Twitter]

If you want to see some really lame restaurant websites, click here. [TBD]

Photo by BrokenSphere/Wikimedia Commons

Cider-braised pork shank at District Kitchen

Crêpes-A-Go-Go, R.I.P. [Prince of Petworth]

Carole Greenwood is not making hashish spread at Artisphere next week. Just ''classical French food done in an American way." [Metro Weekly]

Mmmm...coffee from a cat's digestive tract. Worst. Sumatra. Blend. Ever. [WaPo]

A peek inside Capitol Hill's new Boxcar Tavern. [We Love DC]

Is pepper really all it's cracked up to be? [Slate]

In the future, we may be eating stuff like crunchy mealworms, larvae lollipops and cricket bread. Or at least more vegetables. [Gourmet]

More predictions for 2012: eucalyptus leaf infusions, among other things, will be huge. [Monkeydish]

Yung Park

Park's place, located about two blocks away from the nearest outpost of the Seattle java giant, brews up cups of the fancy Italian illy brand of joe. "It's smooth," he says. But his joint doesn't do the popular pour-over method ("I know that's a trend," he says—albeit one his coffee supplier isn't particularly fond of) or demonstrate its baristas' artistry with ornate designs in foam like, say, Filter or Peregrine Espresso.

Still, he says its slightly "more upscale" than Starbucks. He's right: A 16-ounce latte there costs a whole nickel more than its neighboring grande rival ($3.60 versus $3.55). And it tastes a bit less bitter, too.

His danishes, croissants and pies come from Hawthorne Fine Bakery in Severna Park, Md. And, of course, there's free wifi, too.

Four years ago, Park says he bought the century-old building that used to occupy that corner with the hopes of restoring it. An engineer instead recommended that he tear it down and build anew. "It took me a long time—and money," he says. The name of the two-level, 40-seat coffee house derives from the real estate digits assigned to the combined tracts on which it sits, which previously spanned two lots, he explains.

Park says he's confident that the developing neighborhood can support two coffee shops. He's particularly excited about the upcoming baseball season at nearby Nationals Park. "We might sell a lot of iced drinks," he says. "They need to win some games, though."

Lot 38 Espresso Bar, 1001 2nd St. SE, (202) 758-0677

Photos by Chris Shott

Presumably, another restaurateur (preferably, one with a better track record with the liquor agency) could come in, take over the lease and apply for his or her own license. Y&H knows of at least one experienced manager who is looking for space in that very vicinity.

That's assuming Fathi would be willing to part with his attractive perch there at the corner of Florida Avenue and 5th Street NW.

Otherwise, the current operator, deemed "unfit for licensure" on account of various regulatory violations, would need to come up with a whole new business plan—one that doesn't involve booze. One idea already being floated: a coffee shop.

Another possibility: the existing location already boasts a fancy-schmancy pizza oven, so maybe an artisanal pie place could work in that space. Then again, that concept is quite played-out already. And the place would have to compete with nearby Rustik, which, of course, has a distinctive upper-hand. Beer and wine flow freely at that location.

What do you think should become of the District's most drama-plagued location of the year?

Photo by Chris Shott

Corner Bakery Cafe

Full details in press release form below:

CORNER BAKERY CAFE OPENS NEW CHINATOWN LOCATION IN WASHINGTON D.C.

Nationally Recognized Cafe Opens Doors to Chinatown Neighbors in Nation’s Capitol

DALLAS – October 10, 2011 – Corner Bakery Cafe is proud to feed the day in Washington, D.C. with a cafe grand opening today in Chinatown. From the made-to-order Anaheim Scrambler for breakfast, the toasty Chicken Pomodori Panini for lunch to the mouthwatering Pesto Cavatappi for dinner with a slice of bakery fresh Cinnamon Creme Cake for dessert, Corner Bakery Cafe offers something for every palate.

“We’re excited to introduce Corner Bakery’s signature menu items to the Chinatown neighborhood,” said Erin Hasselgren, Corner Bakery Cafe regional director for the southeastern region. “With Chinatown marking Corner Bakery Cafe’s 14^th location in greater D.C. area, our recently-expanded presence in the market enables us to better serve our local guests while introducing our unique dining experience to new members of the community.”

The Chinatown Corner Bakery Cafe is located at 777 6^th St. NW, Washington, D.C., 20001, at the corner of 6^th and H streets NW and one block from the Gallery Pl-Chinatown Metro station. The cafe is open from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekends. Call-ahead orders can be placed via phone at (202) 697-5250.

In September, Corner Bakery Cafe opened a new location in the Germantown Town Center in Germantown, Maryland. The cafe is conveniently located at the intersection of Germantown Road and Middlebrook Road at 19820 Century Boulevard, Germantown, MD, 2087

Known for its innovative menu featuring a wide variety of egg scramblers and oatmeal for breakfast, flavorful sandwiches and signature panini, homemade soups, signature salads, fresh baked goods and an extensive catering menu, Corner Bakery Cafe has been delighting guests nationwide with fresh, made-to-order meals in a welcoming and cozy atmosphere for over 19 years. Guests can also stay connected with free Wi-Fi while enjoying a bottomless cup of hand-roasted coffee.

From a small bread bakery on a corner in downtown Chicago to a national cornerstone of fast casual dining, Corner Bakery Cafe opened its first location in 1991 and now operates over 120 locations across the country.

About Corner Bakery Cafe

Corner Bakery Cafe is a fast casual restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to guests in Atlanta, Chicago, Clifton, NJ, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Jackson, Miss., Los Angeles/Orange County, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Rochester, NY, Salt Lake City, San Diego and Washington D.C. Established in 1991, Corner Bakery Cafe restaurants are owned and operated by CBC Restaurant Corp. with 121 company-owned and franchised locations around the country. Founded on a philosophy of creating a place for people to relax and gather with family and friends, Corner Bakery Cafe offers a casual atmosphere featuring innovative, seasonal menu options ranging from hot breakfasts and signature panini to handcrafted salads, sandwiches and mouthwatering sweets. Corner Bakery Cafe offers dine-in, to-go and catering service for any occasion. Corner Bakery Cafe delivers a premier bakery cafe experience in the heart of neighborhoods everywhere and gives back to the communities it serves as a Share our Strength “No Kid Hungry” campaign partner, striving to end childhood hunger in America. For more information, visit www.cornerbakerycafe.com, like the Corner Bakery Cafe Facebook page, or follow Corner Bakery Cafe on Twitter @CornerBakery.

# # #

On Oct. 20, java jockeys from D.C. and Philly will face-off in a live-streamed latte art competition. The local component of the contest begins at 8 p.m. at Bloomingdale's Big Bear Cafe. Get the full details here.

Amid the build-up to the big barista battle royale, Peregrine Espresso's Judith Mandel passed along this trash-talking video in which your local coffee scenesters try to incite their rivals from the so-called City of Brotherly Love:

Full announcement after the jump:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, DC – September 22, 2011

Mid City Caffé to Close October 1, 2011

Logan Circle’s Mid City Caffe has announced that it will be closing for business.

The final day of normal operation will be September 30, 2011 with limited hours of operation on October 1. The café was opened in 2009 by a pair of entrepreneurs who turned the interior of the former auto-body shop into a comfortable environment for the neighborhood’s residents to work, relax and socialize.

Unfortunately, the second-story location outside the downtown core proved underperforming. Limited accessibility restricted morning commuter and daytime foot-traffic, and while the café was blessed with a coterie of dedicated regulars, ultimately the volume simply was not there.

Known particularly as a gathering place for the neighborhood’s freelancers and creative professionals, Mid City Caffe proudly served coffee from Counter Culture

Coffee and Caffe Pronto prepared by an expertly trained staff. The café’s closing will leave a gap in the expanding, but nightlife-focused, Fourteenth Street corridor.

It has been a pleasure to serve the Logan Circle neighborhood and to be apart of the city’s burgeoning specialty coffee scene. While the ownership and staff are excited to move on to other opportunities, they will miss their devoted customers.

Contact:

Jeffrey Lamoureux

General Manager

Mid City Caffe

1626 14th St, NW Washington, DC 20009

Email: Jeffrey@midcitycaffe.com

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Photo by Tijuana Brass/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license

Photo by Chris Shott