Loaded Up on Coffee: A Ride to Firehouse Coffee in Maxatawny PA

Steve and I had a good one last Sunday. We didn’t set out with any big plan. It was just a riding day that turned into a coffee run, and we ended up doing about 80 miles zigzagging through back roads with more bags of beans than we probably needed. The anchor stop was Firehouse Coffee in Maxatawny PA, out on Route 222 between Allentown and Kutztown, and I’ll say upfront that it was worth the trip.

A few weeks back I caught a Facebook post about a new coffee place that had opened up. The name caught my attention and I filed it away. When Steve and I started talking about a ride day, I figured this was a good excuse to go check it out. We also worked in a stop at Four Monkeys Coffee, and then made a run toward Pennsburg to try Speakeasy Coffee Company. Three stops, three different experiences. Not everything went as planned, but that’s kind of how it goes.

Firehouse Coffee: What’s the Deal

Firehouse Coffee is at 15877 Kutztown Road in Maxatawny, PA 19538. The building has some history to it. At one point it was the town’s general store and post office. There was a fire at some point, part of the building got rebuilt, and it eventually became what it is now. The firehouse theme is carried all the way through. The coffee blends are named after firefighting-related things and the whole place leans into it without being over the top about it.

The owner is Mike Adams. He grew up in Fleetwood, got his start as a junior firefighter at the Fleetwood Fire Company, and went on to work as an EMS first responder and eventually on a MedEvac helicopter. Coffee is his second act and you can tell he put real thought into it.

What to Expect When You Walk In

You walk through the door and you’re greeted immediately. That sounds simple but it matters. From there you’ve got what I’d guess was six or eight of those pump-style coffee pots lined up with different blends, and there are sample cups right there. You’re encouraged to try as many as you want before you buy anything. If you want a full-size cup it’s $2.75. That’s it.

I stood there talking to the guy and worked my way through four or five little sample cups before I finally gave up trying to decide and just said pick five bags for me, no flavored coffee. He did exactly that. Then after he had everything bagged up I turned around and also grabbed a bourbon pecan blend for my wife. So that went out the window pretty fast.

I walked out spending around $75 on coffee. I’ve got no complaints about that. I left with a good feeling about the place and I’m already planning to go back.

Four Monkeys Coffee: A Different Story

GPS had Four Monkeys Coffee eight minutes away from Firehouse, so naturally we took the longest route possible through back roads, overshot the place because the sign is tiny, and had to double back. That part was fine. Getting lost on back roads is kind of the point.

The experience inside was a different story. Nobody greeted us. It was basically just point to the shelf, pick what you want, bring it up. No conversation, no samples, no warmth. It wasn’t hostile or anything, it just felt transactional. Coming right off the Firehouse visit, the contrast was pretty stark. The coffee might be great for all I know, but I left there with three bags and not much else to say about the place.

Speakeasy Coffee in Pennsburg: Closed on Sunday

I joked that since we were already out there we might as well make a full day of it and swing by Speakeasy Coffee Company in Pensburg. I’d been wanting to try their Christmas blend and they do seasonal roasts that I genuinely look forward to. Their autumn blend is solid.

We got there and they were closed. Steve had checked the website and thought they had Sunday hours, but I think he mixed them up with a different roaster. I get it, these small-batch roasters set their own schedules. But it does surprise me how many of them either close on Sunday or run limited hours. That’s the day most people have time to go out and actually buy coffee. I’ll get there eventually. I’ve also got a couple bags coming in the mail so I’m not exactly suffering.

The Mileage Goal

I pulled over to shoot the intro for this video because I had 79.5 miles on the odometer and I couldn’t bring myself to park the bike at 79 miles. That’s just how it goes sometimes. Rode out a little further, got to 100, called it a day. Steve headed home after Speakeasy and I finished the last stretch solo. Good day overall.

Ride With Me

If you want to see the actual ride, subscribe to the WaltInPA YouTube channel for more riding content. If you know another rider who would appreciate a post like this, share it with them. And if you want to talk coffee, motorcycles, or anything in between, come hang out in the WaltInPA Discord where good people talk about riding.