Experience Quirky Charm at Bethel's Molten Java Coffee Shop

The Ride

I was on the BMW R1200GSA today as I departed Cross River, NY, for a Connecticut coffee spot.  With the Beeline Moto compass indicating just 12.2 miles to my destination in Bethel, CT, there wasn’t a lot of distance to find new roads.  See our article on discovering new roads with Beeline.

We sometimes use affiliate links in our content.  This won’t cost you anything extra, but if you purchase something from one of the links, we may earn some money for coffee.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

As I rode on my GS, I was open to any adventure, even taking a dirt road. I veered off Route 121, following the compass, and passed south of Lake Waccabuc and Oscaleta Lake. These and Rippowam Lake form the picturesque village known as the Twin Lakes. The mystery of why it’s not called Triple Lakes remains unsolved.

Upon entering Connecticut, I joined West Mountain Road, a scenic route that winds through the hills. However, my journey northward required a change in direction, so I found Oak Knoll Road, aligning with my heading.  The only downside of our shared adventure of exploring new roads is the occasional encounter with a poorly named road, or one that lacks an appropriate “No Outlet” sign.  This particular street should have been named Oak Knoll Court, as it led to a cul-de-sac shortly after I got on it.

As I was coming into Ridgefield, I chose to just grab the main drag to pass through it quickly, so I got onto Route 35 until it joined with Route 7.  Route 7 is a major road, but it sits in the valley of the ridges on either side of the road as it heads north toward Danbury.  It becomes a highway as it passes Danbury Municipal Airport before it meets with Interstate 84.

I turned off before then to grab Miry Brook Road, which climbed the hill on the east side of the airport. Airplanes often fly just above the ground here as they descend along the hill to the airport, so it isn’t uncommon to see low-flying aircraft here. It is one of my favorite airports to land at because the approach to both runways is so unusual, as it essentially sits in a bowl with higher terrain all around.

Once past Memorial Park, it was just a quick ride along some of the commercial streets leading to Bethel, CT, and the destination of Molten Java. I passed Hamlin Cycles just a few blocks from the coffee shop. It is well regarded in the area, and the owner, Jim Hamlin, still does most of the wrenching on Aprilia, Triumph, and, of course, the MotoGuzzi motorcycles they also sell in the small dealership.

As I pulled into the lot shared with a few other businesses for Molten Java, Rever reported I had made the journey in just 21.6 miles—short and sweet for this route.

REVER is a mobile app designed to help you track, plan, or navigate your ride. With the app, you can easily plan your route, view maps and directions, and track your distance using GPS technology. The app is an excellent tool for anyone who loves to ride and wants to keep track of their progress and distance.

The Coffee Shop

Bethel is in Fairfield County adjacent to the city of Danbury.  Originally a part of Danbury, it became its own town in 1855, though the area was settled around 1700.

Next time you find an electronic device is out of power, you might reach for some replacement Duracell batteries, whose headquarters were in Bethel.

It’s attached to a strip mall, but the front has a porch with a country style home front door painted bright purple.  As you enter it is as though you are transported back in time to the 60’s with lots of colorful flowers and other hand painted signs on the walls encouraging peace and love.    I immediately felt it was a wonderful character to the place.  There are so many chatzkes in front it is easy to lose your bearing from all the places for your eyes to look.  Fortunately just as you come in the front door, the counter where you can order is in front.

As you head further in, small rooms break off in all directions with plenty of seats and tables each in their own style.

There was a couple in front of me, so the barista said she’d be right with me.  Tons of coffee options, including some that are more eclectic like a “Super Joe” - caramel, chocolate, coffee and espresso were on the chalkboard menu.  Chai teas, burritos and breakfast items too.  One of my favorite options was an Obi Wan Cannoli.  Many other beverage options were there too.  Little Red Corvette Cherry Lemonade & Raspberry Beret Orange + Raspberry Soda shown with images of Prince.

The staff was so welcoming and the space had so much to keep your eyes occupied, this is a place you could easily spend many hours lounging in.

A fellow rider noticed my GS parked outside and nquired what year it was.  He had a 2009, compared to my 2012 model.  He shared he had blogged about a trip he’d done on the bike over many months across the country.  Be sure to check it out.

I had to try a Super Joe. It was in a large paper cup, but it was barely filled. A couple of carafes of drip coffee gave customers some options to fill their cups with the coffee of their choice.

I tried it without adding extra coffee, which undoubtedly had a strong flavor.  Both the chocolate and espresso made for a sweet first impression.  Adding drip coffee softens the flavor, so adjust how much coffee you add to your taste.  The blueberry muffin I paired it with was soft and moist.

Molten Java is a perfect destination, even for a short ride, with lots to look at in the shop and many wonderful coffee and food options to choose from.  Be sure to stop at Hamlin Cycles down the street on your visit…. Maybe you’ll even buy a MotoGuzzi!