Alberta’s Bow Valley is one of Canada’s most beautiful regions, a paradise for hikers, mountain bikers, skiers and snowboarders. People this active – and even laggards – need caffeine boosts, and Rave Coffee Roasters is Canmore’s best option. Dean Smolicz opened a plant-lined Rave Coffee cafe in a strip mall at the valley’s mouth in 2014. His staff brews house-roasted beans on a two-group Sanremo espresso machine, one-group Londinium espresso machine, and in pourover and cold brew. During my stay in Canmore, Rave Coffee served five different single-origin coffees.

To get a better sense for Kenya Kiandu AB beans, I ordered a Sample Board ($5) featuring the light roast with notes of “orange, tea, and spice” two different ways. A split ristretto shot fueled a bright concentrated espresso and artful piccolo latte that joined sparkling water and convinced me to revisit Rave Coffee two more times during the trip.