New Cafe Serves Up A Rare Brew

A new, high-tech cafe in Fort Greene could have you saying WTF — the namesake of the business — at how your morning cup of coffee is being brewed.

With unique coffee-making instruments including a Japanese siphon pot, which boils water above a bulb while sucking it through a chamber, and a cold-press with fancy Kold-Draft ice cubes that melt slower than your run of the mill ice, the store resembles a chemistry lab more than a coffee shop.

"Presentation is key to us, especially in a new-age era where people want to know exactly what they're putting into their body," said Asio Highsmith, owner of WTF, which is between on Willoughby Ave. between Adelphi St. and Clermont Ave. "They want to see how their coffee is being brewed."

Highsmith said that WTF brews a single cup of coffee at a time, but that the extra time gives the coffee a stronger flavor body — and a higher price. A brew made from the siphon pot sets you back $5.50, but Highsmith said it's worth every penny — and points to his regular customers as proof.

"I think that Fort Greene is ready for a place like this," said Highsmith, who also owns Pedigree, the footwear store next door, and The Hideout on Adelphi St.

Highsmith said the coffee shop will start selling baked goods next month, and will soon bring in a rotating line-up of coffee roasters.

"We want to keep taking coffee to the next level and keep trying to figure out new ways to present it," said Highsmith. "It's important for us to explain what we're doing and keep the neighborhood up to date on the latest coffee trends. It's a little geeky, but we get off on it and think that other people in the neighborhood will too."

The one thing that Highsmith said he won't keep people up to date on is what the store name actually stands for.

"WTF can mean a lot of things," said Highsmith with a smile. "It's up to the customer to decide what it means when they come in here."

But it might just be your reaction when you see the gadgets used to make your cup of coffee.