Book excerpt: In Portland, Oregon, coffee is more than just a beverage, it is an essential part of the city's character. Under oft-gray skies, independent roasters and cafes flourish, providing a wide array of styles and tastes for discerning Portlanders to choose from. The celebrated Portland coffee culture attracts visitors from around the world, who come to explore the diverse options and find inspiration for bringing great coffee to their own cities. In Caffeinated PDX: How Portland became the Best Coffee City in America, author Will Hutchens tells the stories of the people and companies that pushed Portland to the forefront of the specialty coffee scene. He travels around the city, talking to a wide variety of coffee professionals and capturing their passion for roasting, selling, and brewing some of the finest coffees in the world. He attends cuppings, goes to barista school, and volunteers at barista competitions to better understand what's so special about specialty coffee. Using Portland as the model, Hutchens also explains the phenomenon known as third-wave coffee, a worldwide movement to improve coffee quality from origin to cup. Full of anecdotes and insights into the minds of Portland's coffee leaders, as well as some lesser-known personalities, Caffeinated PDX is an enjoyable read for people who love coffee, for people who love Portland, or for anyone who appreciates a good story."