Coffee seems like a pretty standard thing, right? Most people wake up in the morning and make a cup of joe, using their Keurig, French press, or regular old coffee pot. We make it, drink it, get that much needed jolt, and move on.
Enter: the Captain of Caffeine at the Mill House Inn. J Silhan is the General Manager of this East Hampton inn, and he just happens to be a coffee aficionado. When you arrive at the inn, you won’t find the standard formalized check-in process. Instead, J and his wife Courtney greet you and ask if they can get you a cup of coffee. If you’re not sure what kind you’d like (because the basic ‘ole grocery-store-brand isn’t served here), he’ll whip out his tarot cards and decipher your coffee fortune.
Based on the quality and characteristics you’re looking for, he’ll match you with the perfect cup of joe. Maybe you want something nutty and aromatic to the nose, but light and smooth on the palate, like the Heritage blend. Or else, you might need the strong stuff, like the famous Death Wish blend. Have some fun sitting in the dining room or hanging out at the ‘Nack bar tasting and learning the intricacies of delicious blends and roasting process. J’s passion for coffee is insanely infectious.
As a Coffee Designer, he works with a few brands that he’s a fan of to help build and create coffees based off of different flavor profiles. All the coffee he receives at the Mill House Inn, from his selected vendors, come in wax bags. This means no chemicals are involved and no nitrogen was used to preserve it. J tells us nitrogen used in store-sold bags helps prolong shelf life but also decreases the flavor of the coffee – and just messes with your taste buds.
At the Inn, none of the beans J serves are more than 21 days roasted and none are more than 12 hours ground. Only the best for his guests.
There’s also hardly any waste associated with their coffee. They steep used coffee grounds to make iced coffee and then use those same grounds to make their own coffee flour. In Chef Carolyn’s Kitchen at the Mill House Inn, they constantly experiment with new and tasty ways to use coffee flour, and so far their science project is paying off. Coffee flour brownies were served during our stay, and they were divine.
The Mill House Inn in East Hampton has something creative and thoughtful going on at every turn. They put their heart into making a meaningful experience for their guests, with their own personalities shining through. Our coffee experience with J is one we won’t soon forget.
