Step Aside Timmy Afficianodos

The real coffee drinkers are stepping up to the bar.........

This coffee ain't no average cup of joe

$15 price tag gives jolt all of its own

Matthew Ramsey

The Vancouver Province

Monday, August 13, 2007

CREDIT: Glenn Baglo, The Vancouver Sun Caffe Artigiano general manager Joaquian Quian presents a $15-cup of coffee.

VANCOUVER - Coffee drinkers in Vancouver are now able to sip some seriously expensive brew. At a staggering $15 per

8-oz cup ($135 per a half pound of beans), the Panama-grown, 100-per-cent geisha varietal bean is the most expensive coffee ever to hit lips in this coffee-crazy city.

Caffe Artigiano's five locations started brewing it last week and despite the price, Hastings store manager Joaquin Quian is confident it will sell. The chain has 80 pounds of the black gold to carefully measure out.

"I'm not saying this coffee is for everybody," Mr. Quian said. "Anybody in the industry would want to taste this."