Review: Old Mountain Coffee Company’s Alte Vette

(2024) Last year, prior to leaving the Adirondacks, I stopped at the Old Mountain Coffee Company located in Keene Valley, NY. The sign outside was a beacon that read, “Last stop for coffee before [the interstate].” Having missed out on coffee the days prior, this was a haven to fuel the long drive home. I was glad for that sign.

Old Mountain Coffee Company is the cyclist’s perfect stop: it serves breakfast sandwiches, bakery items, wholesome breakfasts, and even serves some of the local brews on tap. It’s also at the bottom of a miles-long descent from Lake Placid, so it’s the perfect place to caffeinate before taking on the sudden climb back to Mirror Lake. Since it’s the Adirondacks, Old Mountain Coffee Company creates drinks featuring local maple syrup, as well as slinging some of the tastiest coffee in the North Country.

Typically a southern pass of the green painted coffee shop means it’s a departure from the region. Usually the car is packed and we are headed home; the time away is coming to a close. It’s bittersweet to stop at Old Mountain Coffee Company knowing a long drive is ahead as well as the longest possible time until we do it all over again. 

Having raced the Black Fly Challenge the day before, and being located strategically on a collision course with Old Mountain Coffee, I pulled the team car into the parking lot early Sunday morning, the race rig firmly in the roof rack. It’s hard to remember whether food was ordered, but one thing was abundantly clear on the drive home - the coffee was the perfect way to end a weekend while heading into the ever-increasing traffic toward home. It was so good I did two things: I considered turning around for a refill, which was completely ludicrous, and I messaged Old Mountain the next day to ask what coffee was sold. As it turns out, it was their Alte Vette dark roast.

The entire drive home the coffee showcased the chocolatey spiciness and richness a good dark roast is supposed to feature. It was consumed all too quickly, which is why the notion of turning around on the New York Thruway was considered. The dark roast was enjoyable to consume, so it was important to find ways to have it outside the Adirondacks.

Alte Vette is Italian for ‘high peaks’ which Keene Valley - and it’s northerly neighbor Keene - claim the Adirondack home of. We were able to get our hands on a bag of Alte Vette, a slight wait time due to the roasting schedule, and enjoyed the same tasting notes at home. The low acidity set the roast apart from some of the other dark roasts we’ve had, a noteworthy attribute. Enjoying a mug while it rained outside, far away from the Adirondacks, brought back the feeling of a cycling weekend in the six-million-acre state park.

This is definitely one of those coffees to keep around. Its jolt and tasting notes can brighten a morning, a day, and, possibly, a whole week. If you have the chance to stop at Old Mountain in person, don’t forget, it’s the last coffee stop for a while. Except this coffee shop is mandatory to experience.