C.A. -|- Keeping the faith

Welcome back

2010-07-10T14:40:00.001-04:00

It's good to be back. I have missed working with coffee.

Fair Trade vs. Cup of Excellence

2009-03-02T20:37:00.003-05:00

No, this is not so much a debate between the two, as I very much think both have their place in this vast world of coffee.

Mark (CoffeeGeek) had a Twitter post that tipped me off to this article, in which I found a pretty offensive and disturbing quote that begs to be confronted with such cheesiness as "Why can't we all just get along?".

Gasp, Guffaw, I know. Me? Saying something like, "Why can't we all just get along?"?

Yes, and if you think this is inconsistent, then you've probably misread, or have been a part of the audience who may or may not be defensive of comments or thoughts I have had in the past.

Really. Why CAN'T we all just get along?

Okay, enough of the lengthy prelude.

Here is the quote:

Simon Wakefield is sceptical of the elaborate tasting notes which accompany the Cup of Excellence auctions: “It is clever marketing. But after the beans have been roasted, ground, kept on somebody’s kitchen shelf, made into coffee, and then milk and sugar have been added can you really tell me that you can taste a difference?”

From: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/3a99d2c8-045c-11de-845b-000077b07658.html

Which seems like a nice enough article, but at what point does it become necessary to bash the Cup of Excellence as nothing but marketing?

It seems pretty clear to me that this guy has either never tasted a cup of excellence coffee, or he has an agenda to promote certification LABELS over Quality. (which would be to the benefit of many FT coffee sellers, as well as TransFair.. and let's not get into the discussion of why Fair Trade is not always fair, and how there are purchasing practices that are far more fair than Fair Trade)

I mean, really, how many of you readers have ever thought you might one day buy an extravagantly priced coffee, just so you can have it pre-ground for you to make at home. Oh, and you'll naturally add milk and sugar to this high-priced coffee, because it's "just coffee". And, since it's "just coffee", it will taste like "coffee" (whatever that tastes like), and even pre-ground, it will exhibit no brilliance beyond what an ordinary "good" coffee can offer.

I have tasted some CoE coffees, and they are high priced and scored highly for a reason. Marketing was NEVER the purpose, and Mr. Wakefiled is most probably aware of this fact.

So, my question is this. What does he hope to accomplish with this comment? Especially when there are others saying things like this about Cup of Excellence in the same article:

“It is the absolutely highest echelon of quality coffee,”

As stated by Stephen Hurst, the founder of Mercanta. (If you live in the US and don't know about Mercanta, you probably will soon, and if you don't, then you should)

Now, I'm not saying that Fair Trade sucks, or that Cup of Excellence is the premier coffee solution for everyone, but I don't see any major buyers of CoE coffees smack-talking Fair Trade in public articles from financial publishcations.

Someone send this guy any CoE coffees you have left, and film the tasting. I fail to see how supressing the reward incentive for quality can be of benefit to ANYONE (except for those who build a profit based on a label and misdirection of good will).

ugh. Thoughts? ..ugh.

WRBC 2009 Trailer (?)

2009-01-21T13:52:00.001-05:00

This is pretty sweet. Barista competitions now come with trailers? Hmm...

WRBC 2009 from wrbc on Vimeo.

This blogger sucks.

2009-01-21T02:42:00.002-05:00

And why you may ask? Well, if it isn't obvious, it's been months since I've revisited the ol' coffee aspirations blog. This blog is where I documented my venturing out into the world of specialty coffee a few years ago, and I've been trying to keep it rolling ever since.

Since starting this blog, I've gone on to a number of other things. For one, I started http://espressotrainer.com. For another, I started http://tx-coffee.com, which is where much of my time is spent, and most of my blogging efforts are put to use.

Being a semi-public figure in coffee, I've found it harder and harder to express my personal feelings towards things for fear of accidental defamation, pissing off people who have been around the industry for longer than me, and for just plain not wanting to give the wrong impression about myself in the eyes of others.

Things have been slow with this economy, and it's just now that I'm starting to see retailers recognize what they need to do to survive. It's taken months, but they're coming around... at least, the ones who have come to realize that they need to focus on quality and value ahead of every other principle are.

This is where espressotrainer.com comes in. If you are a retailer, and you need to revamp the quality or approach to spark new life into your coffee program, or if you just need to get an edge on your competition in an effort to survive this economy, there is no better investment than an investment IN YOURSELF. (or so many professors have told me throughout my college career, and I'm inclined to believe it to be true)

You and your people are the best tools you have, and to invest in your company's people is the best mode of investment possible. It's better than advertising. It's better than shiny new equipment. It's better than impulse buy products. Sure, this is a shameless plug, but it's more than that. It's the truth. The companies that are thriving in this economy are the ones who have already done just that, and if you find your business struggling, and you aren't quite sure what to do, consider bringing in a consultant or professional skills trainer. (like myself) Usually, they'll talk with you to see if they can help in the first place before you spend a dime. (I know I do)

Most of us got into this business to help others succeed primarily, and to make a living secondarily. I love coffee, and I want to see the progress of coffee do well, and I want to see businesses who dream of coffee to see this progress in the realization of their dream, as well as in their proverbial pocket book, without which, no dream can survive for long.

Until next time, enjoy your espresso, and savor the flavor. I hope readers of this blog fare this recession well.

The SCRBC is just around the corner.

2008-10-23T06:33:00.002-04:00

And, as expected, I don't feel ready. Does anyone ever really feel all the way ready for these things? My guess is "no".

A few more competitors this year than last. A few repeats as well, which is good to see.

This year we have Isaiah from Double Shot in Tulsa Oklahoma competing. Go Double Shot!

We also have Andrew from Stompin' Grounds in Cabot (outside of Little Rock) Arkansas. Hurray for more states being represented!

We still don't have any love from Louisiana, but hopefully they'll warm up to this whole coffee minus chicory thing soon. ;o)

The SWRBC is being held at the same time, same place, and the only company being represented is Coffee Cartel Lab, owned by the gracious Mexican hot-dog host Jason Silberschlag who took Edwin Martinez, David Latourel and me in the back seat on a pretty hectic drive through Tucson back at the AZ jam in '06. He then went to the first FVH trip and chatted with Jaime V.S. about training, and my name popped up. Of course, it never happened (and I'm not even sure it needed to happen, but it's a fun fact nonetheless).

Competing right before me is Mr. Sean Marshall of Catalina Coffee in Houston, but also of Fusion Beans, a coffee consultancy he co-runs(co-ran?) with a partner. What's interesting is that Sean contacted me a little over a year ago with a request for training. We were on, but funds were tight. It never happened.

But what I am most thrilled about on a personal level is that Nat Long and Skylar Stevens, both from Sugar Brown's Coffee will be competing. Rock! I am no longer the phil-proclaimed "Lubbock Lone Ranger". Yes, I know, you can't believe it. I have friends. In Lubbock. That care about coffee quality. It tends to happen, you know? You show a bunch of people a good thing, and eventually some of them start to catch on.

SB is the birthplace of the concept for this year's signature drink, and I am happy to see them represented at this year's SCRBC that they came to Dallas to watch last year.

I think they'll be running some coffees from Brown, and interestingly, I think they are coffees that were purchased (by Brown) with the intention of use in my competition blend. A lot of people are benefitting from a couple of good ideas here, it seems.

One thing I did happen to notice is the sheer number of competitors who will probably be using Cuveé coffee. 4 competitors from Caffe Medici, one from Cuveé, and one from Jupiter House in Denton, TX (another Cuveé account). That's about 35% of the mix using the same, or a slightly modified version of Meritage. Wowsers. I hope the judges like Cuveé's roasting style! Although, I'd be willing to bet that Clancy will be running his own blend, considering that he is now the roaster at Cuveé.

I'm also quite happy to see Ron De Young of Texas Coffee Traders on the list again this year. Soft-spoken, the farthest thing from arrogance you'll find, and the shot I had off his practice session last year was brilliant. We were all nervous and shaky for last year's competition, but some of us shook more than others. Ron was one of those. I hope he kills it this year.

I'm also looking forward to seeing Ashlind McAshan again. She's competing as an independent this year, after having competed in a couple of out of regions and the USBC last year after the shock of the SCRBC. This woman is freakin' determined, and she doesn't give a damn about what you, me, or anyone else thinks. She's told me so, and she gave me an extra copy she had of God in a Cup. Her home Starbucks is being closed, and today (the 22nd) is the last day of operation. If you need a good director of coffee, lead barista, manager, etc.., she will be for hire soon, and I know she would LOVE to find a great job doing what she loves. (those are extra difficult to come by in the north Dallas area, let me tell you.)

I'll be competing against two near-trainees, and two baristas from a shop I have a good relationship with. Interesting times for Jason. Do I mention the fact that I trained both Nat and Skylar on the basics about a year ago? Do I mention the fact that I have judged an in-house latte art competition for their shop a few months ago? Do I mention the fact that they call me all the time to ask questions and invite me for special cupping sessions, like the first one they held in which I lead a cupping of the much-touted Panama Esmeralda Gesha non-auction lot from PT's? (yes, it was every bit as good as they say, though I still gave it a 94-95, rather than the 97 Ken Davids decided it deserved. I'm too damn critical. I know it, my girlfriend knows it, my friends know it, and there's not a thing I can do about it. Oh well.)

Enough of this rambling. I saw a quote on Blanco's blog that caught my attention.

It is repeated below. (http://coffeepress.blogspot.com/2008/09/coming-up.html)

"Space is the enemy here, and geopolitical boundaries seem to be the enemy of our coalescence. Because the entity is known as "Texas" it seems to make sense that we should all be one big happy family. But as the interstate sign makes clear as you cross into Texas from Louisiana, this really is a big, big place. The sign reads: WELCOME TO TEXAS! Beaumont = 15 miles; Houston = 150 miles; El Paso = 798 miles. Thus, we have to make the best of our situation by grabbing every opportunity for community, no matter how frequency and geographically-challenged and those opportunities are." - Aaron Blanco

Amen to that. You couldn't sum up the reason for the existance of Texas Coffee People any better than that.

Stay tuned for the results of the 2nd annual SCRBC in just under two weeks.

Blend development... on the way.

2008-09-15T03:59:00.002-04:00

Coffee on the way for sampling to develop the competition/production blend with Brown.

Watch out. It's not ready yet, but when it is, I can guarantee it'll rock your socks.

In tandem (if the experimentation/development goes well) the "Top Secret" project will begin actual development as well. Yippee! New drinkware is required, and I think I've figured it out, though I'm not sure. New/more bar tools will be necessary as well. This should get interesting. New toys make for a lot of time-wasting.

I'm trying a new approach to this year's competition. I've learned to transcend previously held obsessions in favor of a more subtle stance on things. Strong opinions gain attention and spark debates, but are often abandoned upon enlightenment. I'm tending to lean more towards the acceptance of the fact that nothing is concrete. It's a new direction for me. We'll see how it fairs when the hammer drops. I tend to have strong opinions and very firm stances most of the time.

Oh, right. You may have seen my pretty face in the Bar Tools article of the Aug/Sep'08 issue of Barista Magazine. No, microfiber isn't as fun to read about, but if you haven't yet, you really should give it a try. Steam wands, counter tops, filter baskets, polished surfaces, glass surfaces, the list goes on. David L. (Clover) almost tried to steal a couple at the TX Jam back in '06 after using some that I had lent him for the Clover demo. The secret has been out for awhile ever since. Behold, the origin of the Microfiber love: my former experience as a part time freelance (aka, on the side) auto detailer.

I am also absolutely thrilled for my virtual good friend and coffee mentor Jaime Van Schyndel and crew for the opening of their roasting operation in Boston. Big congrats!

WBC Fires Michelle Campbell

2008-09-11T02:45:00.003-04:00

Wow. Just, wow.

Read about it here: http://coffeed.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2354

If you have ever competed in any SCAA Regional, the USBC, or the WBC, you have seen the handiwork of Michelle Campbell. Nothing but love for the amazing work she's done over the years. She's left some gigantic shoes to fill that I don't think the board recognized the proportions of when they made this decision.

If you, like me, oppose this decision, you can write to the members of the WBC Board of Directors.

They are:

Cindy Chang: cindy@counterculturecoffee.com
Nick Cho: nick@murkycoffee.com
Andrew Hetzel: ahetzel@cafemakers.com
Emily Oak: emily@freshground.com.au
Mick Wheeler: michael.wheele@btconnect.com
Steve Penk: sgp@laspaziale.co.uk
Drewry Pearson: drewry@marco.ie
Max Fabian: mfabian@demus.it

The SCRBC is Coming...

2008-09-08T18:03:00.002-04:00

And I'm gearing up for this year's competition which will be held in Austin along with the SWRBC. Awfully nice of Cuveé to play host for both of them just so their region could have time and a guaranteed second year.

First things first.

The espresso blend. I'm working with Brown on a blend for this year's regional. It's looking to be quite nice, and something I would be happy to drink on a nearly daily basis. That's a rare statement to cross my lips.

Since the blend is being tweaked, but the flavors are fairly certain, I've begun working on a signature drink. As you can see, it was written away from access to writing paper, and is intended for certain eyes only.

That's right. This message will self-destruct in 10... 9... 8... 7... etc...

The equipment sponsors for this year's WBC, and by extension, the USBC and US Regionals are Nuova Simonelli and Mahlkonig.

This means that the LM GB/5 is out, and the NS Aurelia is in. I'm not really sure how I feel about that. I like the Aurelia. For a heat exchanger, it's a great machine. It's easy to work with, the steam lever is handy, and like most other Nuova Simonelli machines, from a technician's standpoint, it's easy to work on. But hidden in that slew of descriptors lies a phrase that says it all: "For a heat exchanger."

Naturally, heat exchangers do have their setbacks... like the lack of a reliable brew temperature. If you are not used to a double boiler, you can work out at which temperature your coffee tastes best using other methods... like, say, cupping, aeropressing, or any number of manual brew methods.

When you're working with a heat exchanger, unless you are quite familiar with the particular machine, it's almost a guessing game. How much water should be flushed? How much water does the heat exchanger line hold? How consistent is the brew temperature from flush to flush?

Lots of questions come about, and while I have no doubts that Nuova Simonelli will do everything in their power to make the competition Aurelia the best darn heat exchanger ever-to-be-used-in-a-competition that they can, the fact remains: It's still a heat exchanger.

With fun features like active cup-warmers that are, supposedly, going to be on during the competition and cool-touch steam wands, it at first appears to be a a tad easier on the competitor, however, I'm not really sure many people would even notice features like these in a competition setting. In a retail setting, however, these things can make a lot of difference. Generally, I would expect the skill calibur to be a a step or two higher in the competition arena.

On to the grinder. This year the grinder will be doserless. Why? Because that's what Mahlkonig manufactures. The K30 platform will be available for competitors to use. A few thoughts here.
For years, grinder dosers have been "the norm". In such a situation, the concept of "waste" carries much meaning, as does tidiness of the work station. Not all dosers are created equal, however, and with the advent of the newer Anfim models and precise electronic timers for espresso grinding, the "waste" category seems to wane a bit towards uselessness. Not to mention the fact that we've begun to see competitors skip any manual distribution whatsoever becuase their grinder drops the grounds "straight down". That's for another discussion, but it weighs heavily into the work station tidiness concept.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind the doserless grinder so much, except for the inevitable demon that seems to accompany every doserless grinder at some point: clumping. Is it better to sacrifice shot quality for "points" found in the waste category, or is it better to suck it up for the coffee and risk having a sub-perfect score for waste from your dosered grinder?

I know other baristas will say that the flavor from a non-distributed espresso is grand, and there is no reason for post-dose distribution. If all you had done is taste the result, I can understand how that conculsion can be derived, however, despite the all-too-common belief that "Taste is the only morality," if you had ever actually watched the pour from a shot prepared in this manner, any informed casual observer would be sure to tell you that something is amiss.

Are we expected to respect the product itself or the resulting liquor derived from its being? I tend to lean more towards the former, however, it seems there is a growing number leaning towards the latter. This is evidenced not necessarily by what is said, but rather, by what is practiced. I say this not in an effort to belittle, demoralize, or defame anyone in the quality sector of this wonderful industry in which I have found my way, but to question things yet again.

Unfortunately, the philosopher in me is never content with any answer or paradigm, and I will always question the way things are.

I realize that equipment sponsorship is needed, and that it is often driven by wealth (currency, if you will). Is it enough to meet base-level expectations? Is this enough to show due respect to the product this entire industry is built upon? Are we finding ourselves in an industrial slump much like the automotive industry where new ideas are existing, and yet, not being utilized in an effort to save companies or jobs? Frankly, I don't think we're there yet, but I would not be surprised if we found ourselves in just such a predicament as time moves forward.

I have much to say about ethics of competition, but this is neither the time nor place to say it. As they say, nobody likes a critic.

In the mean time, it's time to get my act together and start putting in some serious practice time. 3rd place last year. I had the highest score in the first round, and the competition... and it wasn't that high at all. My goal is to somehow find the balance between the retail ethics of coffee and the competition score sheets for maximum points while maintaining my personal integrity as a coffee professional, and a self-appointed coffee ambassador.

Halloween weekend, it's all going down.

Happy Birthday, yet again.

2008-07-18T18:43:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow is my 25th birthday.

Amazing. I'm young, but I'm starting to feel older. The more time continues, the faster it seems to travel. The mayans may be on to something.

Vince Piccolo of 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters sent a few bags of coffee to try as a "thank you" for referring a wholesale account.

(Double Bagging. )

(The line-up.)

In the time since my last post, a whole lot has happened, but I do not intend to do a full update.

I have been to Middle of Nowhere, Ontario and it was awesome. Neat™ Coffee Shop in Burnstown is doing some great things. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip there, and the students enjoyed the training, it seems. When I was dropped off at the airport it felt like I was leaving family, even though I had only been there for about five days.

I've also been to Granbury, TX to train The Mud Puddle in the small community known as Acton. They have been running Zoka Coffee out of Seattle, and that may or may not continue. It was their first choice for quality and taste, but things have been less than stellar on the customer relations side of things. Not a good way to start a roaster - retailer relationship, if you ask me. I'm sure it's an isolated incident, or Zoka wouldn't be so successful.

Lots of controversy continues in the Specialty Coffee world. I've learned that it is a part of every industry in every corner of the globe. The only difference is the topic and the faces. Without the Yin there would be no Yang. It's a beautiful world.

I heard from Austin Roasting Company that they have been tweaking their roasts a bit as per my suggestions from a phone discussion a few weeks back. Awesome. Jesse most definitely has the heart, and with his culinary background, they're an operation to keep an eye on for the future.

There is a Jam going on in Dallas tomorrow that I helped to organize. Check tx-coffee.com for details. I will not be attending.

I intend to kick back, play some tennis, eat some cake, and enjoy some Epic Espresso.

Until next time,
J.H.

LCC #4, and other coffee-related stuff

2008-05-21T01:26:00.006-04:00

The Lubbock Coffee Club's 4th monthly meeting is slated for this coming Thursday.

This month's theme is latte art. We're having a full-on latte art jam, including tutorials, tips, social interaction, and lots of fun.

The intention is what it has been since the LCC's inception. To get local baristas and shop owners excited about coffee. It's working. Slowly but surely. We are building a scene. (about d*mn time, too. I've been at it for years!)

My good friend Aaron Blanco announced his $9 coffee sale at www.browncoffeeco.com. Sweet deal. $9 for any coffee they offer. Not bad at all. I highly recommend the PNG Tribal Garden. Clean, crisp, refreshing. Lots of grapefruit.

I've been a tad busy lately. The semester is over, but I am behind on work. I've been working on completely re-creating the core curriculum for all three levels of training. Not to mention, I'm re-working the brand image. No longer is the "-Jason Coffee" name, brand, or logo being utilized. I don't like it. I didn't come up with it. And it doesn't send the intended message.

The new basic name/logo now looks like this:

Of course, there are also variations, like this one:
The first happens to fit nicely on a polo. The second happens to fit nicely on t-shirts and ball caps.

A bit "corporate" looking? Sure.. but I think it gets the point across and fits the target demographic.

Also a new "banner" picture:

(and there's another used on the sidebar at tx-coffee.com)

I figure, I'm doing all this work on the image for my business, it's far beyond time to revamp the tx-coffee.com promo stuff, a'la the clothes and goodies at cafepress.com (yes, I know it's not as good as keeping stock, but I don't have the space or the cash set aside for that, so this will have to do).

I came up with this little gem today.. This one's just for coffee nerds:

To see the image close-up, or to see it on different colors (or to buy one, for God's sake) Click Here.

I honestly would LOVE to hear some input into design suggestions, requests (if you're a tx-coffee.com reader) and the like.

I'll be taking a trip to a town near Ottawa in about a month. This will be my first time in Canada, and I am very excited. Of course, I'll be working practically non-stop the entire time, but that's the reason for the trip, so there's no point in complaining about that. I'm hoping to get lots of pictures. The area looks to be absolutely beautiful. (especially compared to the flat over-grown plateau of light brown dust known as the "caprock".

Coffee and (amateur) Photography

2008-04-28T02:01:00.002-04:00

It's not as easy as one might think.

Here are my latest attempts at photographic "ars coffea". (that's coffee art)

The beginning stages.

Waiting patiently.

a bit blurry.

Ran low on milk on the shorter one. (in case it isn't obvious enough)

As photogenic as coffee and espresso are supposed to be, I seem to have a difficult time being satisfied with any shots I get of either.

Tips, pointers, or undeserved praise are welcome. (and encouraged)

No Man Can Serve Two(or three) Masters

2008-04-23T22:37:00.003-04:00

Time and time again, when I talk to people about coffee business strategy it seems the top priority is speed. "I want the customer to be able to be in and out in 90 seconds or less," and the like seem to have somehow become the goal to strive for in regards to customer service.

Fine. Good. Quick service is hard to look down on, but is that all there is to it? Of course not!

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that speed isn't a noble practice. I'm saying that it shouldn't take a back seat to quality.

I know, I know. This is said time and time again. "The horse is not only dead, it ceases to exist." Yes, right. I know. Hear me out.

You have to start with one or the other. Yeah, sure, you can have fast quality, but they are never equals. I don't care what the business plan or mission statement says. I don't care what the manager or CEO says. They are NEVER equals.

Imagine, if you will, a store that wants to franchise. They want to serve the best quality possible. For this reason, they are installing super automatic espresso machines. Counter-intuitive? Why? This means that service will be fast, and the quality will be consistent.. right?

Well... yes and no. Already, we've seen another variable enter into the equation. Consistency.

So now we have to choose between: Speed. Quality. Consistency.

Yes, those three little words that are cause for much planning, much strategy, and much debate over their importance.

The thing is, people always say, "well, they're all important", and the more advanced version, "Quality is the most important, but the others are definitely high on our list." That last one sounds great... on paper.

The problem is that too many times people will say things like that, but when push comes to shove, if there is a bottleneck line out the door, and the shot didn't come out quite right, a lot of people will serve it anyway. It'll be covered in milk anyway, right?

Herein lies the dilemma. We need more than a mantra. We need more than a concept. We need a philosophical framework for how to implement these words accurately and correctly in a cognitive manner.

Actions follow thought, so in order to perform right action, we must first practice right thought. As we've already seen, words tend to be kind of cheap. Mantras and slogans show their age and get stale. They are impermanent solutions to a fundamental philosophical problem within our industry as a whole.

As it is, time and time again I hear and preach that one should focus on a few things, and do those few things well. Time and time again, the word comes up with great emphasis. Focus.

Just as we must crawl before we can walk (and walk before we can run), we must begin begin by focusing on only one element before we can learn to successfully implement the others.

I propose the same thing than any reader of this blog would state to be their primary focus of the three priorities listed. Focus on Quality.

Start by perfecting espresso preparation and milk frothing techniques. Back to basics. Practice. Taste. Analyze. Troubleshoot. Repeat. Do this time and time again until the analysis yields consistent results, and troubleshooting becomes unnecessary.

And there, we've made our first adaptational merger of priorities. We began with quality. Now, we have adapted consistency to the primary objective.

They are not equals. Consistency is an add on. Like a six-speed transmission on a base model coupe.

It's nice, but not the core of what you intend.

Now that the fundamental skill set is in place, how do we beat the clock to get from point A to point B in our slightly improved automobile? We speed it up.

Now, speeding things up doesn't mean dropping the transmission. You certainly can't speed up with no fundamental with which to increase your speed. If you sacrifice the primary objective, the entire structure falls apart, and we are no longer in the upper echelon of product prestige.

Imagine the quickness not as a physical speed, but as an efficiency. We're going to replace the conventional oil with full-on synthetic. We're going to replace the air filter for easier breathing(inhale). We're going to use some GM Syncromesh in the gearbox, and we're going to (slightly) increase the diameter of our exhaust tubing, again, for easier breathing (exhale).

We have not added anything. We have only removed obstacles that make existing power more easily accessible. We haven't sped things up. We've only made the work flow more efficient. The result, as the car will attest to, is better efficiency, and more speed(power).

"Work smarter, not harder".. again. We don't need mantras. However, if you were to take the analogy just given and condense it into one sentence, that would be it. I just feel that such verbalizations are too general and really don't drive the point home effectively enough.

So now we have adapted NOTHING to our Primary Objective other than consistency(from earlier). We've just streamlined the operations a bit. Simple. This is not in the hands of the barista. This is in the hands of the general manager, bar manager, shop owner, whoever is solely responsible for the general layout of things behind the bar.

Now that everything is primed, this little sporty coupe is ready to hit the Autobahn.

It doesn't take much effort to speed things up a bit at this point. If it's truly challenging, then I would suspect that you didn't succeed in optimizing your work station's work flow efficiency.
(Maybe you used the wrong sized exhaust tubing. Maybe your air filter is dirty. Maybe you're still trying to cheap out by using conventional oil.)

In skilled hands, speeding up the pace means just doing the normal tasks in a slightly accelerated pace. Generally, this is more related to efficiency than actual velocity and acceleration of physical movements.

And thus, we have adapted Speed to the Primary Objective.

If you'll notice, neither consistency nor speed will stand on their own if quality truly is the high priority. Both are merely an adaptation to what is already present: a concentrated and intense focus on quality.

But if a bad shot is pulled, you don't ditch the foundation. You don't throw away the car. You throw away the offensive shot and start over. Just like making a U-turn under the highway overpass.

Think of it as a molecule. Quality has a couple of smaller atoms. The first one is consistency. Consistency has a smaller atom attached to it as well. It's called speed.

It's good to be back.

Swimming in Brown Coffee

2008-02-25T02:50:00.005-05:00

Aaron Blanco asked me to do some testing for a brand new espresso blend. This blend is based on an interesting philosophy of espresso blending that Aaron has been thinking about lately. Creating a blend of two coffees to create an experience that equals more than the sum of its parts. This is the first attempt at a realistic execution of this concept, and only the second "production" (as in, regularly created) blend in the history of The Brown Coffee Co. It's called Espresso Two: Jacinto.

Since he was sending this coffee, and since I was leading a tasting for the Lubbock Coffee Club, I asked if he would be interested in kicking another bag of something my way. Well, that's what the Kenya Kichwa Tembo Cooperative was intended for, but there happened to be two extra surprises when the mail arrived.

The bag of Espresso One: Cottonwood (which, btw, has been reformulated for the new crop season.. more on this later) and the bag of Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Gedeo Konga Cooperative FT/O (which comes to the roaster in 25lb. vacuum sealed bags. I've seen a green sample from the broker, and this stuff looks pristine) were intended for "friends" who backed out last minute. No worries. More for me. ;o)
Needless to say, I've been making crazy amounts of coffee here lately. With a full 3 pounds to burn through in a very short amount of time (not to mention visits to my friends at Sugar Brown's), the Expobar has been working overtime (and I've been praying for a plumbed pump and drain).

Even the Hario TCA-2(courtesy of the guys at Barismo)is getting in on the action, as is the French Press. Notes on some of these coffees to come, but for now, I'd like to say something about Espresso One: Cottonwood.

If you've ever tried it before, you may recognize the contents, except for one slight change. The Ethiopean used to be a Harrar. Now it's this "my tastebuds are confused" Yirgacheffe. The general profile of the blend has been affected, and I'm not sure what I think about it yet. I don't consider it an incarnation of Cottonwood at all, when comparing to what I remember from the last crop year. Sure.. there are similarities, but the heart just isn't similar enough for me to see it as the same blend. Don't get me wrong. That's not to say that there's anything wrong with it. Perhaps it just needs its own name.

To my surprise this time around, this blend seems to prefer a slightly higher dose with a coarser grind pulled at a pretty slow pace. (something like 35 seconds before blonding.. I don't keep track of volume) Obviously this is not the star coffee of the review, but I thought I'd drop one bomb at a time (and the slew of coffee is a bomb in itself). I wanted to visit an old friend. I've found this friend to have matured a bit since last we met.
Meet: the new version of Cottonwood.

Plenty more to come.

Lubbock Coffee Club

2008-02-22T15:09:00.003-05:00

After a good long while of trying to get one of these together, it's finally happened.

The LCC Meeting #1 is in the history books.

This neck of the woods is YOUNG in the coffee scene, so I wanted to keep it kind of simple, yet not boring. The last thing I wanted to do was to intimidate anyone new to the quality side of coffee. At the same time, I didn't want to bore the people who had already begun their own journey in quality coffee.

The result? Comparitive tasting, as an education for communicating with customers in terms of flavor and reference. (note: not comparative cupping. why? read from the top again)

We tasted a C-grade pre-ground coffee, a C-grade whole bean coffee, a dark roast specialty coffee, and a light roast specialty coffee (both whole bean, obviously).

They were all pressed, and then tasted.

I'm happy to say that everyone seemed to take something away from it. Nobody was bored, and nobody was overwhelmed. (Phew!)

In attendance were
- the owner, manager, lead barista, and another barista from the host store: Sugar Brown's.

- A barista trying to supplement her thirst for coffee knowledge from Starbucks.

- Two baristas from Day Break Coffee Roasters.

- A married couple who run the coffee shop inside St. Matthew's United Methodist Church.

- Me, of EspressoTrainer.com.

- Tim, the owner of Red Baron Coffee Haus (a drive-thru located at his Red Baron Car Wash)was supposed to show, but for some reason never arrived. (We hope you can make the next one, Tim)

I'd like to get more local coffee people involved in this. We have a meeting and topic already decided on for next month. Thankfully, I'm not presenting that one.

West Texas, watch out. Lubbock is wising up.

Tragedy in Huehuetenango

2008-02-20T00:45:00.002-05:00

Read about it here:
the coffee press

And here:
Finca Vista Hermosa

New "logo" for consulting Biz.

2008-02-18T19:33:00.002-05:00

I'm tossing around a few ideas for a new logo of sorts for www.espressotrainer.com.

I'm pretty much just scrapping the whole "-Jason Coffee" thing. Original, yes. Something I can easily sell? Probably not. Eventually, there will be a parent company over this thing anyway(I hope). The url is dang valuable! I was surprised it was available when I grabbed it.

I'll likely post a few rough pictures of some ideas I've been having here in a few days or so. I may not, but I'm planning on it.

If you want to criticize them, feel free to. If you've got better ideas (or ideas period) I'd like to hear those as well.

A bunch of coffees headed my way from Brown. I'm testing out an experimental espresso. "Espresso Two", which probably won't make it to retail, but it's revolutionary in design. (well, there may never be revolutions fought over it, so maybe it's not so revolutionary after all. It's certainly forward thinking, though.)

Also a bag of Cottonwood (Espresso One), Kenya Kichwa, and a Yirgacheffe to try.

One of these coffees is a donation for the local coffee club tasting I'll be running on Thursday. If you've been reading this blog for long, you'd know how huge of a step that is for the region. It's been a long time coming, but we're finally starting to see signs of progress on the whole. It's a beautiful thing.

Considering the history of reviewing coffees and this blog, I'm not sure if a review is to come or not. I really enjoy reviewing, but I'm not a big fan of the controversy that can arise from such activities. We'll see if reviews pop up here again or not.

Hopefully the grinder will arrive later this week, and I can get started on the mild restoration.

A New Grinder on the way.

2008-02-15T17:43:00.005-05:00

The Mazzer SJ that I had poted pics of before was on loan from Rocket Coffee Roasters to prepare for the SCRBC, as well as for use as a second grinder during the competition.

I had fully intended to buy it, but the money never came in time, and then things got worse. I ended up sending it back when RCR pretty well dissolved into a consulting firm and not a lot else.

So.. I've been stuck with my stepless MDF. And boy, is it ever painful to use when you're used to bigger and better things.

The good news is that I have a "Rio" badged SJ on the way. It probably will not be put to use right away.

If I set it up to use right away, I will never have the patience to go without it for necessary (or unnecessary) cosmetic improvements. So, If needed, I'm going to get those out of the way first.

In related news, Great Infusions has made mention of some new "Duranium" burrs for the SJ. Unfortunately, they haven't given any real information beyond the fact that they are "supposed" to be harder, sharper, and last longer.

I was hoping for more evidence, like grind particle size comparison photographs, side-by-side cup characteristic differences. Instead, they mentioned something about the sound difference and that it might be a little faster (and the grounds may be a little fluffier).

Considering the fact that the name "Duranium" is of a mythical substance, I'd hoped for more detailed information.

That having been said, I'm holding out on purchasing new burrs for this "new" grinder until I've heard more news.

Grinder pictures to come.

It all comes down to one word

2008-02-12T02:58:00.000-05:00

And that word is LOVE.

I don't work. I thrive.

Work is something you do because you have to in order to pay the bills.

Thriving is something you do because you love it so much.

I've been on a small coffee hiatus while getting over the flu. I've returned. And with my return from the hiatus came the gushing of mushy stuff. Don't ask me why.

I love the industry and everyone in it. At times, we don't agree. We may even have heated arguments. We may have times when we feel we are on top of the world, and a few short weeks later, we feel there is nowhere left to go. The feelings of extremes are always short lived.

What it all comes down to is a bunch of people drawn to the same passion. The same spark. The same reason for a constantly moving target, always just out of reach, that we call satisfaction.

It's almost religious, really.

Where did this come from? It was always there.

It's late, and I'm feeling extra gushy about it for some reason right now, and felt like sharing the love publicly.

It's been quiet in here... (and a little industry philosophy)

2008-01-31T00:05:00.000-05:00

As most of my readers know, I also run a blog covering the entire state of Texas. This takes up most of my time.

Even when I had started the other site, I still found things to post here, and I still do.

But why, you may ask, have I not seen an update since October? Why, if there is more to say, have I chosen to remain silent?

Call it contentment. Call it maturity. Call it a stabilizing of the flame.

By whichever name, I've come to accept certain things that once caused an internal riot to think about.

Some may have been following Ryan's rant about the customer bastardizing their cup of coffee, or compromising the integrity of the craft of the barista.

Consider this an informal response, and a "state of the Coffee Aspirer in the here and now".

Some people know that outside of coffee, my other studies tend towards philosophy in some form or another. I find that when I'm studying more in-depth into the philosophy side of things, my writing is influenced, and my thoughts tend to be more analytical, and a bit less from the "gut".

Fair warning: This is one of those times. (Eastern religious philosophies, existentialism, epistemology, metaphysics, oh my!)

The biggest complaint given is that customers will customize what the barista, and the company which that barista works for, feels that they have come to a conclusive method of preparation for a specific beverage that they find to be the best product possible with the given resources at hand. The barista spends time learning, practicing, training, all in an effort to perfect this execution time and time again for the customer. And not only is this time given, but also time is given on a daily basis to dial in the equipment and brew techniques to adapt to the conditions of that day, with on-going adjustment as required as the day burns on.

All of this work put forth in an effort to display in glorious beauty the coffee that has been lovingly tended, carefully roasted, and now is being expertly handled with the attention of the craftsman at the final link in the commercial chain we know as the barista. And why all of this emphasis on what happens beforehand? Ryan doesn't mention it, but I think we all know. Anyone reading this blog, reading his blog, reading anything and everything, and walking the walk right along with the best and the brightest this industry has to offer already knows the answer to this question. It boils down to two words, and two words alone. Love. Respect.

Like many others, I am in this business out of my undying love and passion for the romanticized and commodicized globally enjoyed beverage and culture we know as Coffee.

So much heart, soul, blood, sweat, and tears have been poured into this vulnerable fruit's culmination into the small cup of coffee, and more often than not, "to go, please". It breaks our hearts to see all of this effort go unappreciated, and quite often, taken for granted.

So why wouldn't we be upset when a customer wants to modify a perfectly good recipe to suit their own solitary and perhaps condescending tastes? All this care and attention, only to be drowned in a couple of ounces of some dairy (or God forbid, non-dairy) product, and masked with some form of sweetener. And for what? So the coffee tastes like they "think" it should? What should coffee taste like, anyway? Don't they know how many people went through God knows what for the sole purpose of the production of that specific cup of coffee to exist just the way it does? It's blasphemy! It's a disgrace! (well.. at least we think so.. but not the customer, apparently, as they happen along their merry way with their bastardized cup of brew.)

Let's pause for a moment, and continue to think about this farther.

Yes, we love coffee. This love goes beyond the expression "thanks, I love it!" with a passion that burns brighter and deeper, and with more energy than an uncontrollable forest fire ignited by a flooding of gasoline and a rogue match.

But, that's only half of why we're in the coffee business. We could be happy home baristas with this love, and be content. The world's best coffees, and no-one to tell us how to brew it, and no-one to break our hearts by compromising its integrity with "unnecessary additives".

Obviously there is more to this than love. Obviously more than respect as well.

Seeing the passion and fervor from several in the industry (myself included) reminds me of religion. Not just any religion, but a new and exciting religion that you feel the whole world must know, because it will change your life.

We are not content to be happy with our coffee alone. Oh no. We got into the business because we want to share our love for this beautiful bean, and enable others to "see the light" and appreciate and understand it as WE do.

So we set up shop, work for someone with a similar vision, or, in cases like mine, spread our vision and knowledge for others to benefit from. We are utterly convinced, that once they've had it OUR way, their entire paradigm of coffee will suddenly shift, and old habits... wait.. old habits?

Sometimes, people will go into a coffee retailer expecting anything. They have the cup of coffee, taste it as its served, and are suddenly made aware of a whole new world of flavors and experiences to explore.

Unfortunately, this is just not the norm, and I feel that if it were, the business as we know it would be so far out of our minds that we would be confused if we'd heard of such a thing that we have now.

Half the fun, is the challenge of the customer conversion.

patience grasshopper... it takes time

Most Americans have been drinking coffee for as long as they've been allowed to by their parents. In many cases, this means "most of our lives". Throughout the years of our lives, we've developed certain expectations and behaviors to which we have become accustomed. For years, many of these ideas have gone unchallenged, and unchanged due to the stable nature of our experiences. For millions of people (literally), part of this collection is the category of "coffee". And for a vast majority (I dare say) of these people, filed in the platonic archives of data, the words "bitter", "hot", and some variation of the phrase, "add milk and sugar, or you won't like it" are quite likely to be found. We'll call this person, "Cx"

So, back to the beginning of this post. We're in our new coffee retail center, we've spent hours and hours in time, and thousands of dollars into making absolutely certain, that our methods will give coffee the most due respect possible, and the product will be absolutely outstanding.
Cx comes in and looks blankly at the menu. "I just want a cup of coffee..." The craftsman politely and expectantly asks, "Which coffee would you like?" Now, to us, this seems innocent enough.
Cx says, "..do you have just regular coffee?"

If you are the craftsperson who can relate with the undying internal flame of coffee passion, then odds are, you've had a situation like this, and you can probably recall that same situation, and how frustrated and possibly angry you were at the lack of respect for the coffee you brew, and the craftsmanship you've honed up to the moment.

But.. from the other side of this equation, can the customer hardly be blamed? Is it their fault that they've never had the honest exposure to an exceptional cup of coffee?

Project this concept further, and you can see where this is headed.

They order their coffee (often at your suggestion as to which coffee/beverage this is), and look around for the cream and sugar. They head to the condiment bar, and, just like they've learned, add a healthy dose of some sort of dairy, and a packet or four of sugar.

They have not yet tasted the coffee up to this point, but already, it's been polluted, damaged, disgraced by the addition of external contaminants.

Can they hardly be blamed? They've never had coffee any other way, and when they had tried, the liquid was so bitter, so acrid, so... BAD tasting, that they had been scarred for life, and had sworn off any form of the stuff without first having been smoothed over by some handily available additives. They would probably just stop drinking coffee altogether if it weren't for its stimulating chemical properties, and now-familiar taste (and the pleasing aroma) that has become a part of the daily ritual.

And now they have been served one of the best coffees in the world by one of the best baristas this country has to offer. Do they know the elevated status of the coffee contained in their cup?

Maybe, but usually not. Most people don't even realize that there are different grades, or different types of coffee outside of brew methods. Espresso is some esoteric voodoo in a cup that Italians love, and Americans are warming up to for some ungodly reason. (who can love such a bitter concoction, and so strong! That's just too much caffeine!) You see, these people don't know about this whole world of Specialty Coffee. And for most that do, they only know that "there is something better" than Folger's, Maxwell House, and the like. They're still just barely scratching the surface.

How are we going to open their eyes, and awaken them to the nirvana that awaits if we keep shooting them with daggers from our eyes, and gritting our teeth in an effort to contain the negative feelings we experience when the coffee we've just prepared with such precision and care has just been defiled and disrespected?

The holistic approach is this. True progress takes sacrifices. If we want the market to grow, and the appreciation to increase, we need to get more people on board the Specialty Coffee Appreciation Express, and the tickets aren't sold at a garden-variety ticket booth.

If you treat Cx with as much care and respect as you give the coffee, they will begin to notice. If you are constantly perceiving Cx as your enemy, or the enemy of your product, you will gain nothing but the reputation or perception that you are nothing but an elitist snob. We are not snobs... are we? We certainly don't think we are. We're just doing our best to express the coffee as accurately as possible. We respect our customers too, by sourcing only the finest, and going through inexhaustible education time so that it is possible to serve them the very best that we are capable of producing.

The only problem is that the Cx just isn't aware of all of those variables. They need a guiding hand, and some tolerance before you can gain their respect enough to be able to suggest something different, something new, something "superior". They obviously notice a difference, or they wouldn't keep coming back to YOU rather than your less-than-stellar competition.

We are, like it or not, in the service industry. We need to focus our attention on service to our customers, and in time, we can respectfully and in good faith guide them in the right direction.

Of course, it's often hard to teach an old dog new tricks, and Cx may never break out of their habits, but don't you for a second even begin to think that they don't love coffee for what it is. Some people have a harder time trying to quit smoking than they consider to be worth the health benefits if they do. Some people retain particular mannerisms, just out of subconscious habit. And some have learned to appreciate coffee only when accompanied by the texture of milk, and the sweetness of sugar.

It's not their fault. Let it be, and consider it a necessary sacrifice. The odds are that Cx will tell their friends, family, and co-workers about your outfit, and ZING!... more opportunities to spread the good news arrive on your doorstep.

As I said. The flame has stabilized. It burns bright and hot, but the combustion is under control.

There is comfort in watching progress unfold. Step back, and take a look.

A Couple of New Toys to Play With

2007-10-31T18:02:00.000-04:00

So, Along with the two bags of coffee from the Barismo "Virtual Cupping Club", I received a brand new Hario TCA-2 vac-pot. Sweet deal!

I have to say, using this thing in Simon's "Aroma method" is quite a challenge. Stirring 4 doses (28-32g) of coffee into two cups (~12oz.) of water until full saturation without over-agitating in under 5 seconds is a task that borders on the impossible.

The boys at Barismo say that the Aeropress paddle works wonderfully for this task, unfortunately, that is something I just didn't have on hand.

A few days ago, I saw a "like new" Aeropress that had been used once go up for sale on CoffeeGeek. Being the gadget geek that I am, I opted for it.

It arrived today.
I like the nifty new packaging, however, I just can't get past Alan's refusal to remove "espresso" from the box and description. It's a unique brew method in its own right, and is NOTHING like espresso.

I do, however, think that this brew method allows manual control over so many variables, it just might be the best tool for experimentation since the espresso machine. (did I just say that?)

I know that a lot of people hate on the Aeropress for a variety of reasons. The fact of the matter is that I've had great results, and I've had terrible results from the same coffee from the same brewer.. the only difference has been user control. The skill of the barista.. in a very simple (and surgical-looking) format.

I've been waiting for metal disc filters to become available, and they have been promised from multiple vendors, however, no-one has actually come through. Maybe I'll have to start dismantling an espresso filterbasket to put this one together, though I'd prefer something with smaller holes. (photo-etched anyone?)

Ben Chen (of Barismo) sent me some polyester felt to be cut into a filter disc awhile back. I've cut it down, but not enough, apparently. The clearance between the filter cap and the chamber body is very very tight. The thin paper filters are about all it can take in terms of thickness.

I can cut it down farther so that it fits inside the chamber's diameter, but the only thing holding it in place would be the pressure from the plunger. I'm not sure that's such a great idea, though maybe I should withhold judgment until after some experimentation.

I LOVE the TCA-2. I really do. Unfortunately, it takes quite a while to set it up and to do things right. Not bad for one person, but when someone is waiting, it can feel like an eternity for the one doing the waiting. What an art it is, though, and the result is worth every second.

Aeropress takes a little less time, I think, though maybe it's just a bit more simple to use. I haven't really done any timing at this point.

Excitment.. from a picture

2007-10-15T17:51:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure how many who read this blog have heard of/have participated in an online virtual cupping club before, but the boys at Barismo have been sending out roast samples to compare cupping notes, I suspect, partly to educate those in participation, but also to get a few outside opinions via blind tasting.

At any rate, I saw this picture today, and this means.. .. another round of tasting.

This time, via vac-pot.

Hmm... I wonder what's in that bag with my name on it.

New tastes, new experiences, and a chance to help some friends progress. Dig it.

Long Overdue.

2007-09-05T00:39:00.000-04:00

So my reviews are insanely overdue. The contents of the bags have been gone for quite some time. The good parts ingested.. the not so tasty parts in the trash.

On to the coffees.

The Roasterie's Super Tuscan espresso blend arrived in a white, heat sealed bag with a valve, and some very nifty artwork. In the box, the coffee was accompanied by a nice logo'd demitasse and saucer. Nice touch.

I first tried the coffee with traditional parameters. ~14g, ~2oz, ~20-30 seconds. I wasn't so fond of it. Nothing popped. There was no high end, and there was no deep end. It was all in the middle, and the complexity was not sharp enough to really pick much of anything out. I confess to being a little disappointed. I was expecting this blend to change my opinions of air roasting. It seemed, at first, to confirm them.

I wrote up a detailed review, and submitted it to The Roasterie to be looked over. After a rather defensive response, as can be expected, I was then told, indirectly, that I was using the wrong brew parameters to get the most out of the blend. Something about 20 grams in a triple basket to pull a 2oz. double in about 20-22 seconds is what was suggested. I had previously tried updosing, downdosing, ristretto, lungo, anything and everything.. except the triple basket double.

It made a huge difference. The complexity toned out a little, the flavors expanded to reach into both the higher and lower ends of the spectrum. A little milk chocolate, a little citrus, it was pretty pleasant.

I will say it is a very approachable espresso. It won't make you think. It won't make the seasoned professional go "wow!". It WILL, however, provide a very pleasing shot of espresso. It will also bring your friends over to the dark side.. gently.. gracefully.. and without the relentless explosion of intensity and complexity that can drive many who experience espresso for the first time away.

It's definitely worth a try. Just make sure you have an 18 gram basket handy. Once it arrives, this is your time to shine as a coffee missionary by using it to recruit more people over to the dark side.. the complex and beautiful world of espresso.

CCCC and The Roasterie... some new coffees to try

2007-07-23T23:11:00.001-04:00

Phil P. was kind enough to send me a few samples of Counter Culture's offerings. What a swell guy! He even included a CC T-shirt. Too cool!

A few days ago I received a message from Lindsay at The Roasterie asking if I'd be interested in reviewing their Super Tuscan espresso blend. How could I refuse? It arrived today, just like the CC stuff, along with a nice Brasilian espresso cup with the company's logo on it. Also cool!

Look for some notes from various coffees in days to come.

Also, look for a review of Espresso One: Cottonwood from The Brown Coffee Company in San Antonio at http://tx-coffee.com

Rocket Coffee Roasters - R.I.P.

2007-07-22T21:24:00.000-04:00

R.I.P.

Rocket Coffee Roasters has officially closed for business.

It's a sad day for the coffee scene in Arizona.

Larry is on to other things, and I'm looking forward to hearing about what great things are coming.

Quality... It's a frame of mind.

2007-07-02T02:56:00.000-04:00

I was watching TV today and happened to see a memorial concert on VH1 for ex-princess Diana.

I saw some interesting acts that I wasn't too familiar with, and it got me thinking.

Record companies don't often care about quality of music, sound, voice, or otherwise. Similarly, large coffee companies don't care about freshness, quality, training, or "coffee honesty".

What do the two have in common? The big ones only care about what sells. The purpose is entirely for the all-mighty Dollar, and nothing else.

There are those of us who are called to a higher purpose, but perhaps less income. Does more income really lead to a better quality of life? If the quality is entirely false, or artificial, does it make a difference? Does not an expensive luxury automobile satisfy more deeply when one has acquired it through the fruits of a job done properly, and for the right reasons?

Is it not more important to literally enjoy the fruits of one's labors than it is to simply have nice things?

That having been said, I'd take a gander and say that I enjoy my rusty '85 Celica far more than a leased Mercedes SLK payed for by funds devoid of any passion or life. The qeustion is this: What IS this word.. "Quality"?

Independent musicians do not have as much access to high end processing software or recording equipment, but the music, from the good ones, has soul. It's legit. The real thing. The earnings may or may not reflect the quality created, but the fruits are sweeter, regardless the size of the abundance. Could they sell out and make a ton of money? Absolutely. The fruits would taste like cardboard, assuming straight priorities are in place, and the success would be empty by comparison.

This shifts the idea of quality to be directly connected, and almost at one with, a singular aspect of any action performed by a living creature or organization: Motive

What is the purpose of writing music?

It's like a "choose your own adventure!" book. Your response? "If MONEY, go to page 12. If ART, go to page 23."

It's similar with coffee. Anyone can serve "espresso"(I use the term loosely). Anyone can sell brewed coffee. If the branding is effective, people will be fooled into thinking that your product is good based on the notion of a status symbol alone. Others will be wise to the truth and will avoid supporting the motive of money in preference of supporting the motive of passionate quality and the pursuit of excellence. The other option would be to support the lesser of available evils, depending on your region.

"Success" and "Failure" are entirely relative to the purpose of the mission. Money is only one facet to a breathing, living business. When you focus only on the financial end, you will end up cutting corners and making sacrifices to "hit the numbers".

Make your business drive the numbers. Don't let the numbers drive your business.

If you don't love it with a deep passion, don't even begin to consider it a feasible option. "Success", by our definition, is beyond reach, and happiness can never be attained. The business becomes a chore, work becomes a negative aspect of life, and the owner will become a slave to the numbers. The best possible result is that the business is sold to someone who is fit to breathe the breath of life back into the weakening enterprise, and perhaps it can be salvaged.

Quality isn't nice things. It isn't a status symbol, or a number following a Dollar sign. Quality is a state of mind, a frame of reference, and a way of life. Quality is honesty, integrity, and doing anything and everything for all the right reasons, and nothing more. Money is only a peripheral. if you are surviving, and you are doing things right, you are extremely successful and enjoy a very high quality of life.

May your labor's fruits, no matter the size, be sweet with nectar.

Third Place

2007-06-26T23:53:00.000-04:00

I somehow pulled a miraculous third place finish at the SCRBC.

Details to come.

Had a great time, and really enjoyed watching everyone else's presentations.

It's a great thing for promoting specialty coffee in Texas, and I think we've made a little bit of progress. I hope to see a flourishing culture as the years progress and we have more of these competitions behind us.

More info at www.tx-coffee.com

Image pool at http://www.flickr.com/groups/scrbc2007/

Proverb of the day

2007-06-13T12:15:00.000-04:00

Those who are never satisfied will satisfy the most.

What does it mean?

If you don't know, then I'm not sure I can help you, but I'll explain.

Those who are never satisfied with the quality of their products will consistently put out the best products. It's the constant struggle to improve. It's the reaching for a higher plane.

Once someone has decided that their work is good enough is exactly when it stops being good enough.

Confused? You shouldn't be.

There are a handful of people in our industry who fit this category, and it seems that they all know each other.

I wonder if other industries operate in a similar way.

The Super Secret Signature Drink

2007-06-03T22:46:00.000-04:00

Is coming along nicely.

So far, Plan A is confirmed. This is good, because I never really had much of a Plan B or Plan C.

4oz. total volume. Good times.

Still working on tweaking a few details, but so far, so good.

I just thought I'd share the good news.

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.... What? You expected details?

Not until after the comp. Sucka!

Some cappuccino art from yesterday.

2007-05-30T23:51:00.000-04:00

Tall Rosetta. A little off balance, but with a big heart.

More proportional and symmetrical. Pretty happy with this one.

Another angle to show froth volume.

New Item on the Cart

2007-05-24T02:33:00.000-04:00

Brand new, though borrowed.

This is so I can get some practice in for the SCRBC. No, I don't have a LM to use, but I'm doing what I can. Practice coffee on the way. Watch out, South Central competitors... I've got your number.

Just some art

2007-05-09T17:01:00.000-04:00

6oz. cappuccino. Tulip shaped cup. Milk texture could've been better, but I was pretty happy with the rosetta... especially considering the cup shape. (flat bottom, small diameter rim, etc..)
The serving tray I'll be using for the SCRBC. The three flower pics are actually slots for 4x6 photos. Those slots will be put to good use.

Look! Look! The standard for transparency is farther still

2007-05-08T03:00:00.000-04:00

Guess whose blog I snagged this little gem from?

Origins listed in percentiles as contents of the blend. Amazing. I can't wait to see this sort of thing here in the States. It's bound to happen eventually. Right? ...Bueller?

Next step: visible lot numbers along with everything else... and then Agtron numbers. Roast profiles are a bit much. Roast level is almost too much to ask. Is it possible?

Rocket Reserve Espresso blend

2007-05-07T02:22:00.000-04:00

Larry was kind enough to send me a pound of his newest espresso blend.

Rocket Reserve:

When it arrived, it had not even been publicly released. This stuff retails for a whopping $21/lb. If you knew the list of coffees in it, you would understand why. One of these coffees is exclusively available from Rocket Coffee Roasters.

Here's a look at the roast color and consistency:

It was recommended to start this experimentation at roughly 16 grams and 201F for a double.

So I did just that. 16 grams, but the temp was a little on the high side.
The resulting shot:

The flavor was of leather, cigar tobacco leaf, and a winey tinge. The flavors are not "clean", per se, but they are very clear, very refined, and very easy to identify. The culmination is much like what a possible men's cologne could smell like.

With a heavier dose, I've noticed that the leather becomes dominant, and the winey tinge is a little sharp. Not unpleasantly so, but it's something I noticed.

At a lower temperature, the leather and tobacco take center stage, and the acidity is dulled a little. Strange, I realize, but that's what my tastes told me. At a higher temperature, it becomes a little unpleasant. The flavors lack balance, and the sophistication gives way to an exaggeration of the darker flavor characteristics, and not much else.

I've discovered that with this blend, it's actually best to pull it a little longer than normal. Don't cut it at the first sign of blonding, or you'll be missing some of the clarity.

I found my preferred brew paramters to be closer to 14 grams, a fine grind to pull in ~26-28 seconds, with a lighter tamp (say, 25lbs.. according to the elbow-gauge). The tobacco flavor becomes enhanced with a particular sweetness. The leather is tamed to the status of a compliment rather than a contending flavor. The wineyness is balanced by the sweetness and tobacco flavors quite nicely. The resulting shot was smoother with a much rounder flavor profile and medium body. The temperature was about 201, if I remember correctly, so don't change that part.

As an Americano, the extraction parameter effects become more apparent. I'm not entirely sure why that is.
Often times, I'll find that an Americano can actually expose otherwise hidden flavors in a complex blend. The flavors in this particular case are exactly the same. This is credence to the earlier description that the flavors are clear and distinct.
For a killer Americano, nail the shot with the specs mentioned.

In milk, the leather and tobacco come right through, but so does a dark fruit flavor. This fruit isn't berry.. it's more like plum, but even less tart, if that makes sense. The flavor is present in the straight espresso, but not so much. I believe this is due to the milk dulling the acidity that is a critical part of the winey tinge mentioned earlier.

The flavor is strong enough to cut through even a 16oz. latte, if that's what you like, but I found I liked it best as an Americano for reasons mentioned earlier. It works beautifully in a cappuccino, and makes a very pleasant straight espresso. The lingering aftertaste is sweet, more tobacco than leather, with some of the dried plum coming through. Take a drink of water after the espresso to heighten this effect.

Overall, this doesn't replace my favorite, even at the price-point, but that's just a subjective thing. There is no guessing what you're tasting with this one. The flavors are clear, the mouthfeel is consistent from beginning to end, and the aftertaste isn't far from the initial flavor. Once you've had it, there are no more surprises. It's a consistent flavor, and for that reason, I would consider it to be a very forgiving blend, with little sacrifice to the elegance of the coffee itself in the cup.

Definitely worth a try once it becomes available. Look for it in the coming week or two.

Sold the Gaggia

2007-05-03T05:39:00.000-04:00

My first machine capable of real espresso has been sold. Thankfully, it was sold locally. Thankfully still, the guy who bought it has become an instant coffee buddy, so I'll get to see my old machine once in awhile.

I have a potential training session on the horizon. I've been "promised" the gig, but there's no set date, so I will not say it's for certain.

I had the chance to see and use the newer Astoria stylish machine.

I thought it looked very cool. It seems to be fairly messy with no backsplash. Rinsing the PF takes more care than usual. It also seemed to run a little hot, even with the HX boiler at under 1 bar. It also felt a little different with all of the controls down below rather than closer to eye level. Very cool looking in person, though. I can't stress that enough.

I've been playing with some more Rocket Coffee, but that's for another post. Competition is coming closer, and I'm feeling unprepared. The rules aren't even up yet. :eekomg!:

I don't have a single La Marzocco locally to even try to get with for practice. I'm just doing what I can with what I have with the words "Grab ahold of something, bite your lip, and give it hell" running through my mind. Strange, yet somehow fitting.

I am officially quitting my job at Papa John's. I've realized that if I were to follow through on interest I've received for training or consulting projects, I would have enough work to not need a "wages" job. On top of that, I'd have the time to get out and sell the services in person, which is always better. "Even fishing takes effort"

And here's a teaser for the review(s) to come within the next few days.

Life is funny

2007-04-11T04:31:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been in a situation where you just had too much going on to remember the things you did to maintain your sanity?

It's been like that here in "the life of Jason" lately, so pardon the lack of updates.

A few things have happened. I've been devoting a lot of time to the Texas Coffee People site, including buying the domain name TX-Coffee.com which, by the way, is fully functional as the primary URL for the site. So if you still haven't, drop by and check it out. It's still young, and my fellow contributors seem to be having a difficult time with regular contributions. It's been a one-man show lately.

I took a trip to Austin and visited a few shops... and instead of blogging about it here, it went straight to tx-coffee.com.

I am still planning to compete in the SCRBC in June, and have been trying to promote the hell out of it in any way I can. See Tx-Coffee.com, and see the News tab at http://espressotrainer.com.

Since I have not worked behind a bar in quite some time, figuring out a way to practice has been quite a challenge. I have to buy all of my own coffee. I have to buy all of my own milk. To make matters worse, I am working on a Heat Exchanger home machine. As of now, my odds of making it half way are not too good.

On an up note, I did purchase a kitchen island cart for espresso use, so I at least have a normal height to work with to at least be somewhere in the vicinity of the feel of a competition setting. I like it quite a bit, and it keeps my coffee supplies neatly organized, and right at my fingertips... sans the roaster and green coffee.

My Gaggia Coffee is now for sale. If you are interested in a good starter home espresso machine and have $100 + shipping to spare, you can find some pictures here.

It's by miracle that this blog still has any traffic at all, and it's mostly to read my how-to guide for making the Gaggia MDF stepless. Thanks to a CoffeeSnob(.au) in Australia who did a complete renovation on his MDF to make it far more than it was ever intended to be, who read my how-to, and linked it for the world to see. He later left a link to a PDF of a finer adjustment ring for the number collar for steps. It works beautifully. How many MDF's do you know of that look like this?

While I was transferring everything to my new "shrine", I found my Senseo that was taken apart into a million pieces. I decided to put it back together, and if nothing else, sell it or give it away since good coffee from it was an impossibility and it just wasn't worth my trouble.

I decided to give it another go, seeing that I had it back together and all, and I did. This time, with a slight alteration in technique. When the water reaches temperature, press the brew button, and when you hear the pump start to push some water through, turn the unit off, and then right back on. Once you see it reach temp again, press the brew button and let it go.

MUCH improved. No pre-heating the water before putting it in the reservoir. No pump modifications. It's not ideal, but it's definitely drinkable. I still recommend that you either buy an after market ground coffee adapter, or make your own pods, but please, for the love of good coffee, do NOT buy pre-ground packaged pods for your Senseo.

I also bought a new tamper. "What?", you say. "Jason? A second tamper?". Why yes, actually, why not? By the way, this one is flat. "You're kidding me!.. You? The advocate of the Convex tamper? But why!?" Yes, I know. A million apologies, but I can explain. I like variety. And when I saw this little beauty on e-bay, from a Texas seller, I figured I could spend the green for a new piece of equipment... if for no other reason than for some in-home serious experimentation.
...And experiment I did.

I found the "donut extraction" problem to be much more common from the flat tamper, I suspect, due to the natural tendency for the density of the center of the puck to be slightly higher than at the edges, as well as the tendency for the seal between the puck and the sidewalls of the portafilter to be slightly looser than the packed matrix of coffee granules at the center. A convex tamper has a tendency to not only decrease the distance between the top of the center of the puck and the floor of the filterbasket, but also to put some outward pressure on the coffee particles, thus, helping to fortify the integrity of the side seal.

I did find, however, that scooping a bit from the center of the puck by means of a curved finger during the final leveling off of the puck, the donut extraction is greatly reduced. In fact, I'd call it a non-factor. People have said that the WDT helps to solve the problem.. and it may... but I don't have time for that. I guess I do, but I still consider myself a professional, since I train professionals, and I feel an obligation to keep my skills and technique honed to the application of a commercial setting, even if I do not work behind the bar on a regular basis (or at all, really).

"Is it fast?" Absolutely. Especially when teamed with the Stockfleth's move. "Isn't dosing a factor?" Well, that's not really up to the leveling technique, now is it? If you're a good barista, you'll know how to compensate for any loss of coffee mass in the puck from such a technique.

"Doesn't it waste coffee?" Such a small amount, but isn't it worth it for exceptional espresso?

...I thought so too.

I have much more to write about, but I don't want to clutter up a single post with too much information, so you can look forward to another update in the near future.

Aaaaah... it's good to be back.

Progressing The Third Wave... ?

2007-02-25T17:09:00.000-05:00

I'm sure there will be people who will read this and think, "Oh God, this has been beaten to death... give it a rest!".

In this case, it's about the title description of this particular blog, and my own questioning of whether it's appropriate.

Let's recap.

1st wave: People are drinking coffee. It's the norm, and life in these United States has never been the same since.

2nd wave: People are introduced to the phenomenon known as "Specialty Coffee". Essentially, the notion that coffee has a gourmet side. Starbucks flourishes, and the Italian word for milk becomes common terminology in regards to coffee in the average household.

3rd wave: Quality is king. People are taking this "gourmet coffee" thing seriously. Microlot artisan roasters begin popping up, the SCAA, the BGA, the Roasters Guild and everyone involved become key figures for the "new" niche industry in which the art and science of quality coffee begins. Among these trends is the triple basket, the naked portafilter, microfoam, latte art, and the infamous ristretto.

Here's the dilemma. The 3rd wave was described by the industry as the time in which we "let the coffee speak for itself.". What I see is something else. I see taking a coffee, and forming it to fit the concept of what quality coffee, at the time, is accepted to be.

I notice a new wave of progress within this "3rd wave" niche community. Updosing is the new old-school. Light roasting is making its way back to just in front of the curve. Last but not least, the growers are in the game, playing ball with the rest of us. Many would argue that this is all part of the 3rd wave.. sure. For a few, but it wasn't in the volume or growth of what I would personally call a "wave".

Tiny farms are being rewarded for their hard work through the efforts of coffee auctions such as the Cup of Excellence, and others are taking notice. The concept of "Quality as the primary means of success" has trickled down to the earliest stages of the chain.

And beyond that, single origin espresso is no longer exotic. It's almost the norm for great baristas everywhere. Light roasts enhance the work of the grower, and allow the coffee to really showcase what it is, before the flavors of the flame over-ride the dizzying array of non-coffee flavors present in the green. Green coffee flaws, while still present, are MUCH easier to avoid for people like me. You just have to know where to look, and there is an increasing number of options popping up.

There is the formation of a group within this niche of people advocating quality, and more importantly, absolute honesty in the cup. While those really pushing this practice forward have been called "young guns", its practice is most accurately defined by one of the oldest guns in the North American Specialty Coffee Industry.

There is also the formation of a group of home espresso enthusiasts with a strong tendency to make everything technical and scientifically complex, to the point of, in my opinion, diluting the artistry and basic skill involved and associated with the craft.

The only problem I see, is that the 3rd wave has not finished its initial progression, and yet, here is a 4th wave forming in its crest.

Here in Lubbock-land, the 3rd wave is almost non-present.. and you can just forget about the idea of a 4th wave.

While I think that my part of the country could use a healthy helping of 3rd wave mentality, I'm not sure I should imply that I am helping to progress the third wave, especially since I have a tendency to side with the "young guns" in the search for green quality and absolute honesty in the cup, and constantly progressing towards what appears to be a wine-model approach to coffee in the green state... even the notion of "vintage" coffees.. the same idea, but far from the same practice.

There has not been a stopping of motion between the 2nd and 3rd waves. It seems to me that it was one big motion, just a change of direction, or a vector shift.

At what point does the 3rd wave end, and the 4th wave "begin"? Here's a thought.. when did the second wave end... Now, when did the 3rd wave begin?

It's just not that simple.

Case in point, is it time for a change of the title description? According to a "State of the Industry" report (thanks to Henry Patterson for sending me the link) , we(you know.. the "young guns") are a pretty good ways in front of the curve.

Not that the report is indicative of where the quality niche actually lies, but it's a reference to where the nation as a whole places itself at this moment in time. Apparently, Lubbock is a good 10+years behind.

WCR's Decaf Torro espresso blend

2007-02-11T02:25:00.000-05:00

You may remember my review of the Torro espresso blend from West Coast Roasting a good while back.

Nate White decided it was time to put the decaf up on the site, and asked if I'd like to give it a review. How could I refuse?

The bag aroma is interesting. Chocolate, yes, but also something else.. something much akin to licorice (black, naturally). It was good, but very different.

The first try was a normale double used in a 10oz. latte. It tasted of chocolate, but it was also bitter with a drying effect on the surface of the tongue just behind the tip. Interesting.

Now, I know this is a Decaf blend, so it will be lacking in flavor and complexity when compared to a non-altered bean, but I didn't want to have a shot that was just good "for a decaf". I was determined to get a good shot by any standard, if at all possible.

The obvious solution? Updose, of course.

All this on an Expobar Pulser with a stepless Gaggia MDF. So I dosed a bit more coffee into the ridgless "Synesso" double basket, and pulled. Slightly better, but not enough to say so.

A little logic tells me that the coffee is lacking much of its natural chemistry from the decaffeination process. In order to eke out the maximum flavor, we must have more flavor to begin with from which to extract. The solution?

Jon Rosenthal's infamous Triple Ristretto. Now, usually, I despise this drink. It's as dishonest as one can possibly get to the bean's natural flavor... at least, to me. But I was desperate, and in this case, it seemed to make sense.

Load up the triple basket with no overdosing. Pull the shot to about 1.5oz in about 22 seconds. The coffee sang. It was sweet, it was viscous, and it tasted VERY much of cherries. The result was a chocolate covered cherry with a very weak chocolate. It was definitely not what I was expecting when compared to the normal Torro I had tried.

There is still more experimenting to come, so stay tuned.

UPDATE.

Alright, so I've had some time to live with this coffee. Despite my first impression, this coffee has proven to be a great end-of-the-day treat. I must confess, however, that this is reliant on the triple basket. I was never able to get a shot to satisfy myself with a double basket.

Seeing that I own a tripls basket and a naked PF, this isn't an issue at all, but it could be for some, but I digress. It would be worth trying even if you don't have a triple. For a decaf, it's really pretty dang tasty.

In milk, it mellows out quite a bit and settles into a nice coffee and chocolate flavor. Dark chocolate and milk, that is, not milk chocolate.

I have enjoyed it most as a 2oz. triple Americano with a normal dose pulled in ~22-24 seconds time. I have found it to be quite sweet this way, with teh berry flavors shining through, but not overpowering the mellow balance of the medium bodied medley of flavors.

If you are in need of a go-to decaf blend for espresso, don't pass this one up on your search.

West Coast Roasting website

The Expobar is "Go! Go! Go!" (Roger That)

2007-02-02T04:33:00.000-05:00

Finding Teflon tubing isn't as easy as one might think.

I found a company called Zeus (www.zeusinc.com) who actually specializes in different types of tubing for different industries, including medical, so I figured I'd have no trouble with the food-safe factor.

I sent out an email with the information of what I needed, and if it were possible to only buy 2' (way more than I needed, but extra is good... just in case).

The response I received asked for the measurements of the tubing. I replied, and received a response telling me that they were sending some samples.

"Cool", I thought. Their site describes that Teflon isn't always comprised of PTFE, and that there are actually OTHER non-stick formulas that were developed for the same use in different applications. Little did I know.

Moving on.

I received a box about a week later. Inside the box was a plastic bag containing a length of tubing arranged in a coil. The label said 5'. No charge. Amazing.

That evening, I got it all together. It has been operable ever since. Eureka!

Jason now has a heat exchanger equipped with the thermal stability of the E61 grouphead. It is now possible to crank out the espressos at will, and froth while I brew. This makes preparation a whole lot faster, which means that when I suggest to my beautiful girlfriend that we head over to my place for coffee, she is more likely to agree. Fussing with two drinks on the Gaggia isn't much fun, though it is quite capable of producing some great espresso.

I had actually gotten ahold of Bill at espressowrench.com (www.espressowrench.com) in Tucson to see if they could get ahold of some Teflon tubing for me. It came back positive... just after I was informed of being sent "samples". I didn't think the sample would be enough to work with, so I said, "great! let me know how much."

So here's the dilemma. Do I pay for the tubing and shipping, or do I just pay for the tubing to make up for their cost? I have more than enough tubing to last me for at least 5 years on this thing.

Some of you might be wondering, "What's the E61 group head all about? Why is it special?" Well, it was introduced by Faema in 1961 for optimal thermal stability while producing espresso, which was apparently a big problem at the time. So, yeah.. it's used in espresso preparation.. introduced in 61, and called E61. Coincidence? Perhaps.

Anyway, this is what you see.

(the back side)

And here is a thread on Home-Barista.com with illustrations of how it works.
E61 Diagrams thread

It should be noted that the Pulser is only equipped with the head.. not the entire brew group. (no lever.. there is a solenoid and a switch.. that is all)

BTW.. the espresso rocks, but I'm sick of flushing 10 ounces of water beforehand.

Expobar Update

2007-01-23T15:50:00.000-05:00

So, I know I said I would have pictures.

And I do, but I didn't want to post them just yet.

The Pulser has a leak. A pretty severe leak. A length of John Guest tubing kept bursting under pressure, so I'm waiting for some replacement tubing before I try to reassemble it.

It should be here sometime this week... I hope.

The espresso was good, but I'm having a hard time with the frothing on this thing.

Replacement tip, here I come!

Massive Update

2007-01-15T12:01:00.000-05:00

I'm back. Actually, I've been back, but haven't spent the time to update.

The Barista Jam in Tucson, AZ was an absolute blast. Everyone there was so passionate about what they do. So many people asking questions from anyone they can to learn whatever they can in order to advance their craft. It was extremely refreshing.

I shared a hotel room with Larry Jones and Edwin Martinez, which was pretty interesting. In the room we had: A Rocky doserless, a Chemex, a French Press, about 8 or so different coffees, and three coffee nerds.

Edwin and I woke up every morning to the words "There's a Chemex going over there for ya". What a way to start the day.

I met a whole lot of people. I really doubt I'd even begin to be able to remember all of their names. I met the crew from Cabin Coffee, and they seemed to be the most eager passionate group there. At least, that was my perspective.

Reid Hickman was there to give a presentation on Latte Art, which was extremely well received. It was quite the popular event. Rightfully so, considering the fact that he's won the Millrock Latte Art contest... twice.

I met Gene Lemos of Vanelli's and talked to him quite a bit. It was interesting to be proverbially slapped around a bit by someone who's been in the industry for longer than I've been alive. I learned alot. He was there to give a presentation on home espresso machines which were demoed during the Home Barista shin-dig following the end of Day 1 of the Jam.

Edwin gave his Seed-to-cup presentation, which was a bit more refined and interactive than what I remember in San Antonio. It was also streamlined quite a bit to fit the time frame that was partly taken up when Edwin had everyone introduce themselves. A good idea for sure.

Bill Brodberg gave a presentation on espresso machine maintenance for the working barista. As far as The Coffee Vein is concerned, he is the ONLY espresso equipment technician in Tucson. He had some examples of what can happen if you don't use softened water, if you don't clean out your portafilters, and other little gems that should never grace the counter of a good shop. I was amazed by some of it. You hear alot about it, but how often do you see a 1/4" cake of "black" crack and knock out of a portafilter than had never been cleaned? Yeah... seriously. Gross stuff.

Larry and Gene were scheduled to give a presentation entitled "Advanced Espresso Techniques". Seeing that training is what I do, I figured I would offer to help them outline it. They almost suckered me into doing the whole thing on my own. I could have, but I didn't feel right about it. I was there as a part of the audience, in theory, and I really would not have felt right about taking it on entirely. So, they decided that I should cover distribution techniques. Of course, once I started talking, I had a hard time shutting up, but oh well. I think it went over pretty well. There were some good questions, and a lot of people walking up to me afterwards with various questions.

Mike Trevino did one hell of a job organizing this thing and keeping it on track. It never would have gone as smoothly as it did without him.

Chris(aka Psyd) was there in the background doing all of the grunt-work to make this thing carry through without a hitch. Changing out 5gallon water bottles, washing milk pitchers, setting up, tearing down, cleaning up, and so on. I asked him about it in a light-hearted manner, and he told me his purpose for doing all of that was to make sure that The Vein maintained a great reputation so that it would always be there so he could get a shot when he didn't feel like pulling one on his 2-group Astoria in his small kitchen. (I saw pictures.. it's nuts) The Vein has at least one seriously dedicated customer. I always wished for customers who I could talk coffee with. It's a rare thing.

There was a latte art contest and a signature drink contest. I didn't enter either. I was having way too much fun talking to people about coffee.

That just about wraps up the AZ Barista jam.

I was supposed to go to Tyler, TX to train a shop, but that was called off at the last minute. Joy!

I guess it's okay, though, because it gave me some time to figure out my schooling for this upcoming semester. (going back at it.. need to finish)

I also launched, but have not yet gone public with, www.espressotrainer.com . It is still under construction, but I think it's starting to come together... slowly.

I've gotten positive feedback from people about Texas Coffee People.(http://txcp.wordpress.com). Everyone seems to want to help pull the Texas coffee community together. It's a beautiful thing, and I hope I can help make it happen.

Last, but certainly not least, the Expobar Pulser arrived equipped with a PID and Manometer. Woohoo! HX > 2.5oz. single boiler. It had a leak when it arrived, which I believe to now be fixed. I need to replace the water level safety switch, but I think I can bypass it in the mean time.

Pictures to come.

The New Project

2007-01-06T03:56:00.000-05:00

I am proud to announce the beginning of what could be a huge change for the community of coffee fans and enthusiasts in Texas, much like what arizona-coffee.com has done for the coffee community in Arizona.

It's called Texas Coffee People, named for Aaron Blanco's title for those who are genuinely passionate about coffee, and the Lone Star State.

Take a look.
TXCP

The AZ Barista Jam

2007-01-05T15:51:00.000-05:00

I leave for Phoenix, AZ tomorrow afternoon. Larry is going to get me from the airport, and we'll put around Phoenix for part of the day, at least. I'm not sure if we're driving down to Tucson that night, or the next morning.

It's exciting for me. I'll get to put a face to all these people I've been in contact with for quite some time now thanks to Arizona Coffee.

I know Mike "call me Trevino" Trevino has been putting a lot of work into organizing this thing, which is taking place at The Coffee Vein.

Here is an abbreviated schedule of events - (times subject to change - but unlikely)

Sunday 1/7

10am- "Making the perfect Mocha"

11am- "From seed to cup" presentation; by Edwin Martinez, Finca Vista Hermosa, Guatemala

12:00- Lunch Break (free time)

1pm- Pacific Foods "Latte Art Contest"

2:30pm- Latte Art Technique

3:30pm- "Importance of water quality" presentation - David Beeman, Cirqua Water Systems

5pm- Advanced Espresso Extraction

6pm - 9pm- Home Barista Espresso Fest, sponsored by Vaneli's

Monday 1/8

10am- "Espresso Machine Maintenance" - Bill Brodberg, Espresso Wrench

11am- "Comparative Cupping" - Larry Jones, Rocket Coffee Roasters

12:00- Lunch Break (free time)

1pm- Artista Signature Drink Competition

2:30pm- Advanced Brewing Methods- Edwin Martinez

3:30pm- "What's on your drink menu?" Alternative drink options- Red Rock Foods

4:30pm "Open Jam" time on espresso machines

So, there you have it. I'm hoping to get a lot of pictures from this one. I may or may not enter the sig drink contest. I don't feel I'm prepared. I just haven't had time to play with my ideas yet, but hopefully, soon.

The Art of the Bean

2007-01-03T22:11:00.000-05:00

I just discovered this film on HB.

I never knew it existed. (or maybe I did, but just don't remember)

Enjoy.

Merry Christmas / Happy New Year

2006-12-30T15:32:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy season for me. Fun, but busy.

I know that the tiny blurb in the current issue of Barista Magazine has already been read by now, but...

I think it's high time for an update on my take of the first annual TX Barista Jam.

I was surprised by how many people showed up. Where are all these TX coffee people hiding? Most of them aren't active online, it seems. It's difficult to know your community when you don't have any contact with the people within it.

It was pretty nifty to see a Clover in person. LOTS of different coffees were run through the Clover. Not one of them were dialed in. I think the merits of the Clover would have been better displayed had the time been taken (or notes been followed) to properly adjust the brew parameters for each individual coffee. This may have happened later on in the Jam, as I left during the Lunch break to spend time with my girlfriend, and to see San Antonio. (we walked the entire riverwalk, including the entire riverwalk mall.. just for kicks. We saw the Alamo, and took a boat ride.. it was a lot of fun).

It was good to finally meet Mike McKim in person. I didn't have much time to talk with him, but things happen, I suppose.

The crew from Medici seemed to kind of stick together. None seemed to talk too much. I hope they had fun. I had a hard time telling. Maybe none of them talked to ME, but they talked to others. Who knows.

Edwin Martinez gave a fascinating presentation on the growing and processing of coffee. I learned a heck of a lot, but it was hard to hear. Luckily for me, he's going to give the same presentation in Tucson at the AZ Barista Jam. It'll be good to see him again. He's definitley "coffee people". (in the words of Aaron Blanco)

I have to give a lot of credit to Aaron for putting all of this together in such a short amount of time. Aaron is most definitely "coffee people". If you want to just talk coffee, these are the kind of people you want to get with.

I say that, because for a meeting of coffee people, I had a really hard time finding opportunities to talk about coffee with people. It seemed like there was a lot of focus on the demo equipment itself, and not so much on the coffee being run through it. Fair enough, I suppose, considering it was the first time a Clover had ever been seen in the Lone Star State. It was also the first time I had a La Marzocco GB/5 at my disposal, courtesy of Mike. I didn't spend a lot of time on it, but I think maybe I should have messed with it a bit more. I didn't think I would get much from it while using a blend I was unfamiliar with. It makes it hard to reference differences compared to machines I HAVE had experience with.

An interesting fact about this jam is that it was hosted by Ruta Maya Riverwalk Coffee House. Yeah.. not interesting yet. The interesting part is that they were open for business throughout the entire jam, and continuing on long after it was over.

This is where it got interesting. My workshop was to take place behind the bar of the shop, on their equipment, while they were open. That's right... I was teaching milk frothing to a group of people while on a live bar. It was a bit awkward, I have to say. I felt like I really didn't know my audience, which made it really difficult to put something together. Not everyone was at the same level, and I think the most enthusiastic people at the jam were the on-duty baristi at Ruta Maya. I havent' seen that kind of enthusiasm in someone else at any other shop, ever. It was quite refreshing to see, coming from a place where no-one seems to care at all.

To the mentioned baristi: if you guys are reading this, you guys rock. the heart outweighs the skill any day of the week. Skills can be developed, but the passion is inherent. Keep it up.

In any case, I can't say I was effective at instructing for latte art. The cups available to me for use were 6.5oz. Nuova Point cappuccino cups. This doesn't sound so bad, right? Except, that I had never used the type of cup before. The shape is drastically different than anything else I had ever used. Strange as it may seem. My first 5 or so practice attempts were beautiful. During the workshop, however, I had the hardest time focusing while trying to leave room for people to watch, and explain what is going on while doing it. It was a little ridiculous, and definitely a new experience for me. Something I'll have to work on for the SCRBC.

Some of the Medici folks came in with the ability to already create microfoam, and some were able to pour art. I really felt bad, and unprepared, because I didn't have a lot to offer them while including those who did not already have the training to do either. I really didn't feel too good about my performance. I felt like I disappointed some people who had paid to come to the event. I can, however, say that I am pretty certain that every single person left the workshop with the ability to create beautiful microfoam. The shop's Futurmat's steam wands made microfoam nearly effortless. Seriously, it was the easiest time I have ever had in creating velvety microfoam with minimal effort.

Mike gave his workshop on espresso while I was doing the milk workshop, so I never really got to see what he has to say on general espresso theory. I would have liked to see that one. I didn't hear a whole lot about it either, so I don't have anything to report there, really. He IS our regional BGA chapter rep, so I'd imagine him to have presented a pretty solid workshop.

Aaron hosted a comparitive cupping session focused on flavor differences between varying (3) degrees of roast. It was pretty interesting to taste them side by side. I already knew that there was a huge difference, but that was the first time I had ever cupped the same coffee at different levels in the same session like that. The difference is more extreme than I gave credit for.

At the end of the day, I had fears of losing some items I had left available for use while I was gone. (synesso filterbaskets, microfibers, my tamper), but I got it all back, safe and sound. I can't say enough about this industry. I have yet to meet a single dishonest serious coffee person. I have not met a single one who I would not trust almost immediately to do the right thing at any given moment in time. Every time I attend a coffee get-together, I always feel right at home, even if everyone is a complete stranger. It's a beautiful thing.

I found it a bit interesting when David (of Clover equipment) asked what sort of rag I lent him. Apparently, the world of car detailing has something to give to the world of the Clover. The miracle known as Microfiber.

________________________________________________

Up next is the AZ Barista Jam. Almost immediately afterwards, it looks like I'll be traveling to Tyler, TX to help train a new shop opened in a hospital.

Coming soon: an upgrade to an HX machine... 'bout time.
Soon afterwards: an upgrade to a better grinder.. hopefully a MACAP M4 Stepless. (fingers crossed)

El Salvadore CoE #4 Santa Sofia

2006-12-02T16:46:00.000-05:00

From Rocket Coffee Roasters.

Drip - this is one well-balanced coffee with lots of flavor. Black Currant, a hint of milk chocolate, just a little cashew, and what I would describe as "green cavendish banana".. as in, under-ripe.

There is a bit of juiciness just before it goes down.

I have not yet cupped this coffee, but so far, it is very good.

more to come.

Texas Barista Jam, Nov. 11

2006-10-25T04:10:00.000-04:00

San Antonio, TX.

Be there, or be square.

Texas Barista Jam 2006
Schedule of Events
Time Event
7–8a Registration, networking, coffee and pastries

8a Introductions and Announcements

8:30a Group Cupping: “How Roast Affects Flavor”

9a Ideas Exchange: “Sustainability in Coffee”
Angel Mena, Ruta Maya Riverwalk Coffeehouse, San
Antonio, TX

9:45a Equipment Demo: Clover 1S
David Latourell, Coffee Equipment Co., Seattle, Wa

10-10:30a/10:35-11a
Skills Workshop: “Espresso 101 and 201"
Mike McKim, Cuvee Coffee Roasting Co., Spring, TX

10-10:30a/10:35-11a
Skills Workshop: “Milk Stuff 101 and 201”
Jason Haeger, Mangia Bevanda Coffeehouse, Lubbock, TX

11a Coffee Break

11:15a Ideas Exchange: “Seed to Cup: The Story of Finca
Vista Hermosa”
Edwin Martinez, Finca Vista Hermosa, Huehuetenango,
Guatemala

12p Lunch On Your Own

1p Free Time On Machines

1:30p Group Cupping: “Geography As Flavor”

2-2:30p/2:35-3p
Skills Workshop: “How To Brew Anything”
Aaron Blanco, The Brown Coffee Co., San Antonio, TX

2-2:30p/2:35-3p
Skills Workshop: “Fixing What Goes Wrong”
Mike McKim, Cuvee Coffee Roasting Co., Spring, TX

3:05p Espresso Break

3:05p Free Time ON Machines

4:45p Wrap Up; Door Prizes; Clean Up

5p Good-Byes

Registration/check-in: $25 at door–cash, check, visa, mastercard. (Coffee provided by the brown coffee company. Pastries
provided by cappuccino paradise.)
Introductions/announcements: Aaron Blanco. Sponsor thank you’s; layout agenda; each participant introduce themselves
Cupping #1: ‘How Roast Affects Flavor’ Aaron Blanco facilitates. Two coffees (six total) cupped side by side at city, full city,
viennese roast to see how roasting changes a coffee’s cup characteristics. (Coffees on Clover provided by The Brown Coffee Co.)
Ideas Exchange #1: ‘Sustainability in Coffee’ Angel Mena. Key points on social and environmental agendas that help coffee
growers such as organics, fair trade, shade grown, etc. 35 min’s with 10 min’s Q & A.
Equipment Demo: Clover 1S David Latourell. 15 (or so) minutes on the Clover, its attributes and parameters for brewing coffee.
(Coffees on Clover provided by The Brown Coffee Co., Counter Culture Coffee Co., Cuvee Coffee Roasting Co., Ruta Maya)
Note: All Workshops will be run twice at approximately 30 min’s each with 5+ min’s for Q & A. Participants will be split into two groups with each group participating in one or the other session first, then switching to the other workshop.

Kenya coffee and fruit

2006-10-18T18:26:00.000-04:00

+

=

So, I've been a bit delinquent in keeping this thing updated

2006-10-06T04:38:00.000-04:00

A few things to report.

I have been informed today that I have acquired yet ANOTHER nickname.

"The coffee Don".. apparently I should take on a Brooklyn accent and wear a large tacky ring. Maybe I should keep a collection of these. "Waterboy of coffee" "The coffee Don"

I wonder what's next.

In other news, I've had the great pleasure of tasting a few different coffees lately. A HUGE thank-you goes out to Jaime Van Schyndel for setting me up with all of this, and another HUGE thank-you to Andrew at Ecco, and to the folks at Terroir for setting me up with an extra bag of coffee that was not in the initial order.

I want to comment on a couple of these coffees.

First, I had the pleasure of sampling (a full pound and a half!) of Ecco Reserve.

My first impressions were that I had to be missing something. It's a very light coffee, in that it doesn't hit you hard like most espressos I've tried do. The body isn't the kicker in this one. What really stood out to me is how delicate and sophisticated this espresso really is. The flavors are subtle, and the mouthfeel is extremely soft, and very delicate. Even with these characteristics, the espresso comes through in milk (6oz. capp) The chocolate is very subtle, but definitely present. There is a slight nuttiness (almond, I'd say), with a caramel sweetness hidden beneath.

The mouthfeel is extremely smooth.. and extremely "light". I know this is the wrong descriptor category, but it "goes down easy". The aftertaste as just as balanced and delicate as the initial flavor. This was a bit unexpected, but it really attests to the quality of this coffee. Most definitely worth trying at least once.

The second coffee I want to talk about is Terroir's Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Addis Ketema. I know Jaime has posted about this over at Barismo.com, and I know Chris Owens has given a brief opinion at ShotZombies.blogspot and I guess now it's my turn.

Cupped, this coffee tasted remarkably similar to Darjeeling tea, with just a touch of unsweetened lemon, and a subtley sweet aftertaste.

This coffee is intended to be enjoyed as a Single Origin Espresso, and considering as such, I did exactly that.

After talking to Jaime for a couple of minutes on the phone, he suggested I try it at a very small (volumetrically) dose.. but a very normal weight. This is some DENSE coffee. 16 grams left some extremely generous head-space. I could not use my index finger to distribute the grounds, as they only came up maybe 2/3-3/4 in the filterbasket BEFORE tamping. Jaime suggested I start with a 16 gram dose to pull ~1.25 oz. in about 28 seconds. I tried this, and I found that I liked it.. quite a bit. The flavors were intense, the sweetness was heightened, and the tea was.. diminished? Something wasn't right. The dominant flavor characteristic in the cupping was that of black Darjeeling tea. Why were my espresso experiences so drastically different? I tried again.. temperature surfing higher, lower, but still.. while the unique individual flavors were heightened, the basic element was drastically diminished.

Change of plan. I tried dosing by volume, as I normally do, just to full, and leveled, with no volumetric updosing. I temp-surfed for temperature stability, but not an increase or decrease in the standard temperature for my Gaggia(yes, I know.. I REALLY need an upgrade on my home setup). This shot.. my God. This was heaven in a demitasse. The tea was back.. in full force, but smoother, stronger, sweeter, and the lemon flavor was exactly as balanced as during the cupping, with the body and mouthfeel being much MUCH smoother than I would have anticipated for such a bright coffee and an aftertaste that highlights the sweetness of the tea flavor.. LONG after it's gone. A sip of water about a minute after consuming, and the sweetness in the back of the throat is quite obvious. Beautiful.

Try it again, but this time temp surf a little higher. The flavors are heightened, especially the sweetness.. but again, the tea is diminished. The individual flavors absolutley POP, but the identity (as I knew it from cupping) seemed to be hidden, or rather, too quiet to be tasted through all of the shouting.

With so many different ways to enjoy this as an espresso, and with so many different flavors of great intensity, and pleasure, this is one I'll have to try again.. and possibly again after that.

This is absolutely the best single origin espresso I have ever tried. Period. The flavor is so clean, I can actually taste the "quality" Jaime talks so much about. There is a HUGE difference between this, and a lesser quality coffee. By lesser, I don't mean commercial grade.. I mean specialty grade, high-end coffees. If you've never understood the idea of an absolute definition of quality, try this coffee. It will all become clear.

Moving on, the shop has begun using my coffee. Pretty cool, I guess. I can't help but feel like it's not that huge of a deal, but still... I guess I should be proud.

I plug it to customers whenever I can. I know that it's the freshest offering we have, and usually, it's the better of the two coffees available. I prefer to highlight origin characteristics, while our coffee supplier seems to usually highlight the roast a bit more than I would prefer. Everything tastes like chocolate, it seems. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but to my mind, that's not the pinnacle of what coffee can be. That's also not to say that the origin characteristics are hidden by the roast.. this is not the case. It's just a factor I personally don't care to draw attention to at all. It's about the coffee, not the roast.

Move further along, I'm really REALLY excited about the Barista Jam coming up in January.

To be held at The Coffee Vein in Tucson, AZ. I'll be attending with Larry Jones under the Rocket Coffee Roasters name. Larry's giving me a ride down, and a place to stay while I'm in AZ. What's so exciting about this jam is that I'll be able to meet a lot of people in person who I've had lots of contact with online. Mike "call me Trevino" Trevino, Chris Tingom of Arizona-Coffee.com, Steve Kessler (a new face in the online coffee world, and more specifically, the AZ coffee world), and last but not least, Larry Jones. (sorry if I left you out.. Psyd)

There is to be a Latte art contest, and a signature drink contest. I'm going to be in the Latte art contest for sure.. the signature drink contest I'm not so sure about. Unless I can figure something out soon, I doubt I'll enter. In any case, GB/5's, Mazzers, a 2group Synesso, and a Lorenzato(sp) (Rancilio, from what I hear) to play on, as well as multiple other various brew methods. Let's not forget the coffee.. Rocket Coffee all around. Very exciting.

I'll try to update this thing more often.

Ascaso (Innova) i1

2006-09-23T02:42:00.000-04:00

I had a chance to play around with this grinder (in this same color, actually) today. It was purchased for possible use on the espresso cart for the shop, but apparently they were having problems with it. I was asked if I would take it home, check it out, dial it in, etc..

Of course, I agreed. I love any opportunity I have to try something new pertaining to coffee.

My first impressions were that it was a glorified home coffee grinder. At first, it was not grinding.. at all. The burr was spinning, coffee was in the hopper, but nothing was coming out. It turns out that the space required for coffee to fit through to get to the burrs was quite small, and it was just jammed up. A quick poke around with a skewer, and it was grinding just fine.

The worm-gear adjustment is nice.. but I was not overly impressed with the construction of the interior. The burr carrier was machined from a block of aluminum.. which is fine.. for a home grinder. This grinder is advertised as a "professional grinder".. implying commercial. Don't be fooled.

The burrs are tiny.. really tiny. As in, smaller than my Gaggia MDF's.

Dialed it in, and the grind consistency left something to be desired from a visual perspective, but from a practical perspective, it wasn't half bad.

The doserless design means clumping.. which means that the distribution will be altered to never ben perfect unless the WDT is used.

After dialing the grinder in for a 30 second, 2oz. double, I timed the grinder as taking roughly 45-50 seconds to grind enough coffee for a double.. on my Gaggia's factory filterbasket (something like 15-16 grams, I believe).

In short, this grinder is going back to the vendor. Quite nice as a home grinder at just over a hundred dollars from certain vendors, but nothing that can hold up in a commercial environment (no big surprises there), and it was interesting to find that the grind quality, and overall utilitarian aspects of the Gaggia MDF are far superior to this doserless piece of espresso machinery eye-candy.

I would put it in the "good enough" category for home use, but the "to be avoided" category for commercial use. Again.. I'm not really surprised. I think the vendor marketed it as a commercial machine, but everything about the statitics, and everything else I've read indicated otherwise.

If you can swing for something better, please do. You won't be sorry.

Senseo Stats

2006-09-20T02:21:00.000-04:00

Yeah.. I've been bored.

I took apart the Senseo to see what was going on under all the plastic.

I was quite surprised with what I found.

I found a 1450W boiler (tiny, though it may be.. It looks to be around 4 oz. or so)

I found an Ulka ER EP8R pump. Interesting.

The P in the EP8R stands for Plastic. Meaning, the water outlet is plastic, and thus, not all too durable for the long run.

This pump is also only capable of a maximum of 2.2 bar of pressure. Sad, isn't it? It's still a pressure brewer, and from what I can tell, that's a bit more pressure than a Moka pot.

Max flow is 650CC/Min.

Noise is 58db. (not that it much matters)

Here's the problem.

The solution of pre-heating the water is a BAD idea if the intention is to keep the machine alive for any length of time. The max temperature for the pump is 25C, or 77F. That's roughly room temerature. So much for that plan.

Another idea is to set up a pre-heating system. Maybe a copper tubing wrapped around the boiler taking water from behind the pump, and feeding it to the inlet on the boiler. This MIGHT help solve the problem, but it won't fix it entirely, and this would take more heat-up time than simply pre-heating the water.

What I'm not sure of is if the boiler's heating element remains active during the brewing cycle.

Still lots more tinkering to do with this thing before I'm satisfied.

Quote of the Day

2006-09-14T20:09:00.000-04:00

So, I just arrived at work about an hour ago.

A regular who comes in daily was at the counter. He really enjoys verbal harrassment with those who he feels comfortable enough to be able to do so without insult or injury.

Anywho, on to the quote.

This guy says to me:

"You are the Waterboy of coffee."

Funny, I guess.. except that his tone was not of humor. My boss then asks, "Do you have a donkey that wonders around your bedroom?"

*sigh*.. so much for no longer feeling like an island. The moon has shifted, and the ocean is once again surrounding me.

Senseo.. drinkable coffee?

2006-09-14T18:19:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I've been playing with this Senseo coffee machine a bit, trying to get a decent cup.

I decided to go back to trying various tactics using ONLY the provided pods, since that's what most consumers will be using.

After discovering that the brew is nothing more than a hyped up cafe crema, I got to thinking.

What if the reason the brew temperature is so low is because the boiler is being filled with water from the resevoir as the water already heated in the boiler is being pumped out.. Wouldn't the new water mix with the old?

What's the solution? Start with hot water.

NOTE: There is a good chance that you will burn yourself trying this, so if you do, be careful. I am not responsible for your own self-inflicted injury.
NOTE pt.2: I have no idea how this affects the warranty. Mine was free, so I'm not too worried about it. I can make a cafe crema with my espresso machine if I REALLY wanted to. Damaging the equipment isn't much a concern in my case.

So, you heat some water on the stove. I used a tea kettle, and removed it before it began to boil. I only filled the resevoir about half way so I could hold onto the top part of it without burning my hands.

Pour the hot water into the resevoir, put the resevoir in place, and turn on the machine. Do a quick flush through the pod holder by pressing the single cup brew button, and as soon as you see water trickling, turn the machine off, and then immediately turn it back on. (note: I use this water to pre-heat my cup)

For 1 4oz. cup, use 2 standard pods. Thus, you should have pre-heated the 2cup pod holder in the step above.

Place the two pods in the holder and close the unit. Allow the machine to recover, and immediately press the single cup brew button.

Ignore the faux crema. Note that the color of the flowing liquid remains a dark to medium brown color. It does not go pale, or as we say in espresso, it does not go blond.

Good news so far.

The brew has an improved body, less sourness, a little less bitterness, and you can actually taste a little sweetness in the coffee itself.. slight chocolate notes.

I never would have guessed it.

I think I'll give this a try with home-roast and home-made pods, and then on to the ground coffee adapter to go in place of the pod holder.

Stay tuned.

Look! An Update!

2006-09-14T02:17:00.000-04:00

That's right, an update. I have been fairly quiet lately, and I hate to say that the reason for that is that things have been pretty consistent lately. Nothing new or excited.. until yesterday.

Yesterday I received my free Philips Senseo pod machine.

My first impression based on the machine in stock form, using the provided "Medium Roast" pods, one per cup, in factory recommended directions:

This coffee is terrible. Flat out awful. There's no way around it.

It's a LITTLE better if using two pods for one 4oz. cup, but seriously.. this is a lousy brewing system.

The low water temperature and small dose of coffee results in a cup that tastes both underextracted while at the same time tasting over-extracted. It's ridiculously bad.

I tried making my own pods with fresh-roasted fresh-ground coffee. Better, but the pressure broke the seal, and it leaked everywhere. The coffee was stronger, flowed slower, but only tasted over AND under-extracted with more intensity.

The only way I can perceive to make this thing work is to increase the boiler temperature. I'm not even sure if this is possible to change.. all warranty issues aside.

That doesn't mean I won't try, but just as an fyi. Buying this machine for anyone is a BAD idea. It's a waste of money if ever I saw one. You'd be better off with a Presto Scandinavian that may potentially break 3 months after buying it.

You'd be better off with a coffee cup, a bunch of filters, and a pot to heat water in.

Let's just say it's not worth the time.

But if you happen to be among the few for whom this advice is received too late, I hereby vow to do everything I can to try to wrench a drinkable cup from this blasphemous machine.

For those who are not too familiar with how it works, it essentially makes a cafe crema.. and nothing else, but with gobs of faux crema that's faker than the handiwork of a Hollywood plastic sergion.

In other news:

As of today, it looks like I'll have a steady account for single origin roasted coffee with the shop I work for. Hurray? If nothing else, it'll keep me with a steady supply of new green to try out and offer to customers. It will also give me peace of mind that at least ONE coffee we're offering is less than two weeks past the roast date. No matter how hard we try, sometimes, it just lasts longer than we hope for.

Maybe it's time to start building a bigger roaster.

"Clamouring for espresso... "

2006-08-19T00:58:00.000-04:00

On my trip to Dallas, I picked up 10 6oz. cappuccino cups for use at the shop.

After serving one to ever member of the staff, and explaining the difference, as well as donating my 12oz. pitcher (temporarily) to the shop for use, it's finally begun.

Read here.

It appears as though we are beginning to experience the same phenomenon. Someone ordered a cappuccino, and the barista at the time asked if they wanted a traditional cappuccino, or a foamy latte (not in those exact words, but the same effective products respectively). The regular customer decided to try out the traditional. They loved it.

They loved it so much, they came back and ordered a second. They have found their new favorite.

During my shift this evening, a customer decided that he wanted to try something different. Most of the time, when this is the case, the patron orders the "Gen-X".. which is a spur-of-the-moment specialty drink custom-made and created on the fly by whoever happens to be the active barista at the time. (I love this drink.. It gives me a chance to experiment, and get the customer's feedback all at the same time.. brilliant) This guy, however, told me that he usually asks for a suggestion, rather than the Gen-X. Naturally, I suggested my personal preference in a milk-drink: a Traditional Cappuccino.

This guy came back about 5 minutes later. From the look on his face, I was worried that he didn't much like it. Boy was I wrong. He couldn't say enough about it. He, also, had found his new favorite. I then offered him a double espresso, compliments of the house, just to try it. Sure enough, he loved that too.

Now, here's the interesting thing. This customer is FROM Lubbock, the hub of West Texas. Now, most people FROM this region aren't big fans of specialty coffee. Heck, most of them refuse to recognize it as anything different from what you can get at a diner. I have realized something. This customer was rather young-ish. Probably still in High-school. I have realized that specialty coffee is cut out for the young and forward-thinking, almost exclusively. Not necessarily both, but one or the other, for sure.

The older folks who really enjoy all the great things about specialty coffee, are generally very motivated, forward-thinking individuals. This is not to say that this is always the case, of course. This just happens to be the majority of what I've noticed locally in my region.

All of our customers recognize us as the premier shop in town. Every single one of them have said that the best coffee they have ever had, ever, has come from our shop.

That's nice to hear. It doesnt' surprise me in the least, in fact it's something I was already aware of, but the fact that it is recognized by the customers gives me much hope for the development of specialty coffee in these parts, where life is stagnant, where growth is looked upon with untrusting eyes, and where there is no "brazilian, or ethiopian?".. only "regular".

The winds of change are blowing, and I am damn proud to be a significant player in the movement.

Philips Senseo?

2006-08-18T00:05:00.000-04:00

First of all, I know this isn't a "real" coffee brewer. I know that pods aren't worth the paper their packaged in.

But when I saw an opportunity to get a free Senseo to try, I figured I'd try to make it work.. somehow.

So it appears as though I am eligible to receive a free Senseo. Apparently Phillips thinks that my word-of-mouth will provide them a bit of business.

I don't hope for much, but I try to keep an open mind in all things coffee. I figure that if I can find a way to use fresh-ground coffee in this thing, inexpensively, it'll be worthwhile. I'm not out to make home-made pods. I'm hoping to find a way around the pod system entirely, and make the most out of this machine that is generally overlooked by the quality coffee industry.

Have I gone off the deep end?

Perhaps, but I've been bored to tears, praying for something new to experience in coffee.

It looks like my answer came packaged as a marketing gimmick for the un-informed public.

I say, bring it on.

Nuova Simonelli's Cylindrical 4-hole tip

2006-08-17T17:38:00.000-04:00

So, I know I've been stating that it's more about learning to work effectively with what you have than about the equipment itself. Almost in-line with Mark Prince's creed of "any machine, any grinder, any time", or something along those lines.

Of course, there are limitations, and I would freely admit that, but in a commercial atmosphere with commercial equipment, I was a firm believer that one should easily be able to adapt to what they have to create good, even great, results fairly consistently. I would say it's based on an understanding of one's equipment.

Well, I'm embarrassed to say that I've proven myself wrong. Great microfoam on the NS Mac series is difficult at best. I can consistently create froth capable of pouring art, but consistently creating froth that is truly great in flavor, texture, et al is something else.

The design of the factory steam tip is none-too encouraging in the realm of great frothing techniques. To top it off, the steam wand is terribly short, and does not bend outside of the drip-tray in terms of effective useable space.

My frothing has been a bit off, lately. It's either not enough froth, or overly large froth. Where's the balance? It's not an easy thing to achieve the sweet creamy texture we all love so well with this setup.

Considering that I am generally able to achieve perfect microfoam every time on my home Gaggia machine, I got back to frothing on my home setup to see if I could pinpoint the problem.

To sum it up, at home, I have 1 effective air-jet that doubles as the heating jet. This allows for mucho time to concentrate on the frothing before the milk reaches temperature. On the Nuova Simonelli, there is 1 effective air jet, and 3 effective heating steam jets during the frothing process. This makes things rather difficult. To top it off, it's nearly impossible to find an angled tip fit for the NS threads.

One of our steam wands recently broke. With the new nice-n-shiny chrome wand in place, we had a broken steam wand just lying around, and I got this bright idea of trying to modify the factory tip to be only two holes.

Cylindrical steam tip, meet J.B. Weld. I filled two of the four holes with JB-Weld, praying that it will be enough. We'll find it in.. (where'd that JB Weld package go..) 4 minutes? Okay, so I used JB-Kwik. I'll let it set over-night before testing it out.

We'll see how this goes.

UPDATE:

Well, the little trick worked like a charm. Looks almost like it still has 4 holes, until closer inspection, or until the steam is activated. It does what I hoped it would. It allows for more time, and more control for better results in microfrothing... especially for traditional cappuccinos when using a tiny 12oz. pitcher.

I highly recommend this to anyone using a Nuova Simonelli with the cylindrical 4-hole tip. Well worth the (total of) 10 minutes of work.

Back from Dallas

2006-08-13T21:45:00.000-04:00

I haven't updated in awhile, and it's mostly because I've been in Dallas for the past week. I didn't really do much that was coffee related, but I did come across a shop that served up tasty microfoam with mediocre espresso in a 14 oz. cup sold as a Cappuccino.

The barista seemed interested in learning more. She got kind of excited when I mentioned the idea of latte art contests and barista contests while talking coffee (as I often do). In my opinion, if these folks just do a little research, they could be a shop worthy of visiting.

btw, it's called Java & Cha Co. in Plano, TX.

While there, I bought some cups. Pictures to come (possibly).

Espresso Puck Physics.. What Really happens?

2006-08-03T01:22:00.000-04:00

Before I begin, I would like to say that this is in no way to be taken as anything conclusive, or as an "article" of sorts, but rather as more of a mode of thinking in text format.

I could be right, I could be close, or I could be in the wrong ballpark entirely.

I recently read that there is somewhere in the neighborhood of 540 pounds of pressure constantly pressing down on the bed of coffee in the portafilter during the 9bar extraction. What is this concept of extraction, really? Does the water absorb more solubles under the high pressure and high heat? Does the puck really SWELL under the weight of 540 pounds of water?

Honestly, I really think not. What does this say about pre-infusion? Does pre-infusion really "set" the puck to swell so it provides a more evenly distributed bed of coffee? Or does the pre-infusion force the puck to become wet more thoroughly and evenly throughout? Afer-all, "water is lazy". Water will go where water already is.

Additionally, does proportionally more water mean stronger extraction capabilities in the same pull? Why is it that more complexity is usually achieved from a lighter dose than that of a heavier dose with MORE coffee in the basket? Doesn't more coffee mean more coffee flavor?

Here's what I think. I think pre-infusion helps, not in that it swells the puck for an even extraction, but that it allows the water to find the niches and dense spots in the puck before the pressure hits at full force.

I think that the puck does not "swell" as a result of water contact. I think that the puck swells as a recoil from the pressure be forced upon it for 25-30 seconds. Under that kind of pressure, the cellular structure of the coffee particles have to be under some sort of tension, which would be released at once upon the release of pressure (a'la 3-way valve.. non-valve systems will react differently, I think).

So, we may have now established the physical shape behavior of the puck under pressure. What of the pressurized water's extraction properties?

It is my belief that rather than absorbing solubles, the highly pressurized water actually displaces many of the aromatic and flavor components within the bean structure. The high pressure forces them out.. the water does not extract, but rather pushes these components out of the cellular structure of the grind particles. A finer grind means more surface area which means more exposed components to be displaced. At the same time, this also means more resistance to the pressure, which results in a longer contact time.. resulting in components being absorbed, as well as displaced by the water. Too much contact time will result in flavor components most of us would really rather not have in our cup.

The combination of displaced solubles and absorbed solubles creates a balanced flavor. Too much of one or the other, and you end up with either a sour or bitter pull. Thankfully, much of this shift in "extracted" properties is easily seen with the naked eye.

It's not only about even pressure on (and within) the puck. It's also about even contact time with the coffee particles and the pressurized water. Dense spots will flow much more slowly than air pockets. Which brings me to my next, and final, idea.

At what point does the water become saturated with dissolved solids or solubles? Just like osmosis, less saturated water will absorb more quickly and readily than that of saturated water.

Enter: The science of the ristretto. Ristretto shots take more time. Sometimes a LOT more time. The result is a richer, more concentrated, lower volume shot of espresso. That is, the ratio of water to coffee is considerably reduced. There is no doubt that the longer contact time is absolutely essential to achieve such a result.

Here is where it gets interesting.

Wine tasters will swirl the wine in the glass to allow air to incorporate into the liquid, and "release aromatics" and allow the flavors to expand.

Beer afficionados will let a beer warm up to near, or at room temperature, and then pour it into a tapered glass that is wider on top to allow the flavors to expand.

What is the taste capacity of a single tastebud? Is it possible to cram too many flavor components into such a concentrated form that, while all flavor components are present, only a few are actually perceived by the taster?

Are the flavor components for a ristretto actually any different than those in an "under the line" normale, or are we just unable to perceive the dense culimnation of flavors in the ristretto when compared to the normale? Does the expansion of flavor components in the normale actually cause an increase in our ability to perceive more of the flavor components that are present in both, or is the coctail entirely different?

This thought process began last night. I couldn't wait to begin writing about it.

I'm sure there are many factors that a non-chemist and non-engineer and non-physicist like myself are not even aware of, but this still causes me to realize something on a very real and tangible level.

In the science and practice of espresso, we have such a very long way to go. We are nowhere near the pinnacle. On top of that, consider the science of coffee quality, and the concept of subjective opinion being brought into question by minds such as that of Jaime Van Schyndel.

Concepts and ideas such as these make me understand more and more how little we actually know. It makes me realize that we are still (after ~50 years) in the infancy of espresso theory.

I have not even begun to touch on the topic of tamping, polishing, how hard to tamp, temperature, etc.. etc.. So many factors.. so little comprehension in a single instance of time.

And now, to remind us of why we stress about these little details more than sanity would normally allow, a picture of some latte art at work earlier this evening.

Blogger Facelift

2006-08-02T08:12:00.000-04:00

I am in the midst of a long overdue blogger facelift.

You may have noticed the new header. Yes, I hate the text too. I'd like to get rid of it, but I haven't figured out the coding so the entire image fits without the text forcing it to just yet.

All you blogger pro's out there, feel free to lend a hand. (ahem.. James)

In coffee news:

So far, everyone I've talked to since giving them either a sample, or selling them a pound of coffee has absolutely loved it. Great news for me, but even better news for the coffee scene here in the hub of West Texas. Increasing consumer awareness of quality coffee being the primary objective, with a little cash on the side... maybe.. I have to break even first.

I'll be working the bar tonight from 6:30pm to close. Jr. Vasquez (a local acoustic guitarist) is playing, and I expect a pretty good turnout. I haven't worked a busy bar in a long time. I hope my workflow is efficient enough. I'll find out soon enough, I suppose.

I'll be cutting out a spare portafilter for the shop later today, before my shift. Should be fun. We'll have a new hire next week, I believe, and it'll be good to have during training. Lubbock has never seen training like this before.

I know I've said it recently already, but it's steadily on the rise. Very exciting, since I've been struggling to get some glimmer of a sign for quite some time now. I'm just glad to see it developing into fruition.

In other news:
So, I bought a new camera. It's my first digital camera, and my first "photographer's" camera, if you will.

I've always wanted to get into photography, but never had the time, money, or patience. My current stance is that two out of three ain't bad. I had the money, and I have the patience. Time is another problem, but all in good time, I will learn a few things and hopefully improve.

It's a Fuji FinePix S5200. 10X optical zoom, 5.2X digital zoom. 52X total zoom. Craziness. So that's what they mean by the "SuperZoom" class of cameras.

Coffee and Blend Reviews (the database)

2006-07-31T00:22:00.000-04:00

This is a list of coffees and blends I have tried, and my reviews of them. If the roaster is of any importance, they will be mentioned in the title. Updated as often as coffees are reviewed.

Espresso Blends
Classic Espresso blend - Rocket Coffee Roasters

Rocket Reserve Espresso blend - Rocket Coffee Roasters

Darkstar Espresso blend - Rocket Coffee Roasters

Espresso Torro - West Coast Roasting

Decaf Espresso Torro - West Coast Roasting

Cottonwood espresso blend - The Brown Coffee Company

Super Tuscan Espresso - The Roasterie

Single Origins
Papua New Guinea - Sigri (self-roasted)

Panama - Kotowa Duncan SHB Organic (Rocket Coffee Roasters)

El Salvador - Mont De Leon (Rocket Coffee Roasters)

El Salvador - CoE #4 - Santa Sofia (Rocket Coffee Roasters)

Coffee Quality, and consumer awareness

2006-07-29T01:44:00.000-04:00

Is it just me, or are more people in the southern states beginning to become more aware of good coffee vs. bad coffee?

More and more I have seen people come to a shop I am/was working at in search of something new, something different, something.. better.

Every single time I've made someone an espresso-based beverage for someone new to the shop, they have commented on how good it is. It's so sad, that people for so long have been forced to live with bad coffee, because the local business just don't respect their clientel enough to serve them the absolute best product they can. How is this allowed to happen? Where is the BBB of the Specialty Coffee industry?

Many like myself have become fed up and frustrated with the apathy around us. Some of us have taken on new responsibilities, sort of as ambassadors for our trade, to show oblivious coffee-drinkers "the light". It's amazing to me how people can think my home-roasted coffee is SOOO good. It's not that I'm bad, but I'm no professional roaster.

Coffee this good should be the STANDARD, not the exception. There is no mention of our niche of the culinary field on the Food Network. There is no sight of our niche in the culinary field on rows of magazine on the shelves of bookstores. Our we so ignored by the general public, or is the general public just unaware of what they are missing?

There are various publications that concern coffee, and the closest thing we have on bookstore shelves is Imbibe. How are people supposed to be able to LEARN about great coffee if no-one is serving it, and the publications are not within their scope?

There is word of Rocket Coffee opening a cafe. GOOD! At least there will be ONE good place to get coffee in the Phoenix area.

I've started my consulting and training business to help improve coffee on a more global scale. The problem being that people have to have a desire for improvement before betterment can begin. This desire can be the direct result of a loss of business as customers look eslsewhere in search of better coffee. This desire can also come from a business's RESPECT for their customers, and RESPECT for their (should-be)craft.

I do believe Aaron of AAH! Coffee is putting together a national review database for coffee houses. I've had this idea, but have done nothing about it. Several others have had the same idea. This needs to be done, and soon. People are beginning to have an increased awareness of what good and bad coffee REALLY is, and they should have a reliable way of locating it.

Other quality-minded coffee professionals, continue to carry the torch. Douse it in gasoline so that it burns brighter than ever before. "resistance is futile"

Papua New Guinea - Sigri

2006-07-22T18:36:00.000-04:00

Roasted to Full City in around 15 minutes (I'm not into the Agtron scale yet).

This coffee is pretty smooth, but a bit brighter than I would expect at its roast level.

Starting out, the flavor is very well balanced, with a little chocolate, hint of raisin, and a little spice, melded together so none of them really stand out unless looking for them.

The mouthfeel is about a medium body that thins out a little as the cup cools.

Also, the spiciness sets a backdrop for what I perceive as lemon which begins to take center stage as the temperature begins to drop. The chocolate is still present, though less obvious. The citrus notes are more aggressive than others, though the initial flavor is still present, softly filling the darker notes.

As the cup approaches room temperature, there is a fairly dominant caramel flavor that helps to smooth the mouthfeel out into nearly a creamy texture. Wonderful.

Overall, a great cup. Beautiful in a French Press.

A bit too bright, imo, as a Single Origin espresso. The citrus notes are too much when used as a Single Origin cappuccino, and the result almost tastes a bit sour.

Works well in drip, though much subtlety is lost in the paper filter.

I would definitely buy this again to be used in a French Press. More of a good every-day coffee in the morning than as a special coffee from an auction lot, but that's not a bad thing. It's just a different type of enjoyment.. it's a bit more "comfortable".

Back On The Bar

2006-07-21T15:58:00.000-04:00

I am pleased to announce that I am back to working as a barista at Mangia Bevanda. -Jason Coffee is still in progress. I have not pulled the plug on it, but it is slow going. I still need some supplies, as well as a strategie for approaching existing operations about improving their quality through taking my training course(s). There is a brand new drive-through operation near-by, and I am considering approaching them first. It's a start-up, so there may be an interest.

Most places here have been mis-trained by the local roasting company known as Daybreak Coffee Roasters. The roasting does a pitiful job at hightlighting origin flavors, or being tasty at all, for that matter. As the local "big coffee company", most people here tend to see them as "high quality" and regard the company as knowing about barista skills (which, by the way, they do not).

I am trying to get my name out there so that it becomes associated with establishments with highly skilled employees who know a thing or two about what they are doing.

In time, other shops will realize the need to either catch up, or suffer the loss of business to other more quality-driven shops.

At least, that's the theory.

In the mean time, I'm starting a local coffee club to help increase consumer awareness. My side-car roasting endeavor has the same purpose. People who know me know how obsessed I am with coffee and have asked my opinion on what I think is good. It's difficult to live in a place and have nowhere to point to as a shining example of coffee nirvana yet hold the high standards that most of us in the Third Wave side of the industry do.

I have been asked if I would sell roasted coffee, and I decided that if there is a demand, I may as well do it as a side-project. It's nothing special, and it's completely under the table. Also pretty much non-profit. It's all going back into buying more green coffee to sell again. Really small scale stuff, but there isn't a single good roaster here, and I'm confident that what I can do at home is far better than anything offered here.

Unfortunately, Mangia has asked if I would supply them coffee. I am not a roaster. I am a barista who is dabbling in roasting to help increase consumer awareness of specialty coffee. I wish people would realize this and stop thinking of me as a coffee supplier, but at the same time, this means there is a demand for truly great coffee in Lubbock... and that's a beautiful thing.

23

2006-07-18T01:19:00.000-04:00

No, I'm not a Michael Jordan fan.

The number is a count of years that I'll have been alive come Wednesday, the 19th.

Yes, my birthday is coming just around the corner, and oddly enough, I have nothing planned in regards to coffee for that day. Maybe I'll drop in to Mangia for a cup in the morning.

Happy Birthday to me.

p.s.-send gifts to 1002 Frankford Ave Apt. 431, Lubbock, TX, 79416 ;o)

Barista Guild of America, and a how-to for MDF owners

2006-07-12T04:30:00.000-04:00

It finally arrived. I am now officially a card-carrying member of the Barista Guild of America. This means I get SCAA member pricing on SCAA sanctioned events, the support of my other 387 colleagues in our persuit of providing better coffee to the public as well as discounts at some vendors and retailers.

The reason I joined, in all honesty, was the legitimacy that being a member implies. Since I'm launching a consulting and training business, I thought it appropriate that I be a member of a Guild for the trade which I am a part of. Very excited about this. Had a peak in the "members area" of the BGA forums as was a bit disappointed. There's more activity in the "open forum" than in the actual meat and potatos of the site. At any rate, I'm absolutely thrilled to be a member.

Barista Guild member: 0388

I also thought I'd paste my write-up on how to make a Gaggia MDF stepless. I've been meaning to add this to the blog for a long while and had completely forgotten about it. I mentioned it very early on in the existence of this blog, but have yet to come through.

Well, here it is:

The Official:

"How to Modify A Gaggia MDF To Be Stepless (for next to nothing!)" guide V.1.0

by: Jason Haeger

What you'll need:

1. Safety pin, pocket knife, tiny flat-head screwdriver, or some other tool (for removing the rubber guards in the hopper)
2. A small-ish Philips head screwdriver.
3. Plenty of patience and quite a bit of coffee to "dial it in", so to speak (and I don't mean finding the sweet spot).
4. A stiff nylon brush (hey.. while it's apart, you may as well do a clean-up job on it, right?).
5. A roll of Teflon™ tape or a substitute. (I used Oatey Thread Seal Tape from Wal-mart.. $.97)

Procedure:
1. Remove the doser and hopper lids.

2. Using tool #1, remove the rubber grommets inside the bean hopper. Just work around the outside edge a bit and it'll work its way out. Don't be too forceful or you'll damage the grommets.

3. Remove bean hopper by extracting the two screws. (the ones that were covered by the grommets you just removed)

4. Remove the plastic cover. (two screws at the two front corners.. they're both black. Small philips head)

5. Unscrew the two nut-screws(brass) that the hopper screws were bolted into. (they should be close to hand-tight.. if not, you may need some needlenose pliers or something.. be gentle).

6. Remove the Step counter (the black plastic ring with all the numbers on it).

7. Remove the upper burr set by unscrewing it. (the brass circular thing with the gaping hole in the middle.. you just took two brass nut-screws out of it). It may take a bit of time, but it'll come out eventually. I stuck the hopper back in its grooves for leverage on this part.

8. Remove the step guides and springs. There are two. One in front, and one in back. Black metal round-tipped cylinders with springs inside. Keep them in case you ever need the steps again.

9. Using your brush, clean everything. Turn the machine upside down and shake fairly vigorously. You'll be amazed at all of the old grounds that comes out.. enough for two double shots, practically.

10. Make sure the threads are absolutely clean of any grounds or coffee oils.

11. With the upper burr set upside down (upper bur is top-side), wrap the Teflon™ tape starting at the base (where the notches for the steps are) in a CLOCKWISE motion. You'll want a good 5 layers or so on there. Make sure it's on tight. and even.

12. Reinstall upper burr set WITHOUT the step guides. This should be kind of difficult to do. You might lay the machine on its left side (the side without the dosing lever) and put the hopper in place for leverage.

13. Put the plastic cap on (the one with the step number window), and then the bean hopper. Do a test-grind to make sure the resistance of the tape is strong enough to hold the upper burr in place during actual grinding. If it moves.. even slightly (remember, it can only get worse), remove the upper burr set, wipe it clean, and add more tape.

14. Repeat step #13 until there is no movement of the upper burr during grinding. (yes.. it'll get pretty difficult to get that upper burr back into place each time, but it's worth it.)

15. Once completed with step #14, reassemble everything (sans the step guides.. as mentioned).

16. Enjoy your newly stepless grinder. (keep an eye out for the wandering number during grinding. If that starts to happen..more tape!)

I know, it's too easy. This can't possibly work well. I'm here to tell you that I have not touched it since this modification several months ago (I want to say 6 or so.. possibly more), and the resistance for adjusting the grind is not much, and the grind setting does not change during grinding (it used to, but like a new engine, this setup needs breaking in before it works just as intended).

Grinding "between settings"? How about "using numbers as more of a reference than a setting".

Just make sure you DO use the number plate, as it will give you a reference when switching between FP, drip, and espresso. I reset my number plate to reflect true zero. I would suggest everyone to do the same.

In other news

I received 10lbs. of green Papua New Guinea - Sigri coffee. This stuff isn't bad. I have not had a chance to cup it yet. I just roasted the first batch today, and most of this lot is going to be sold to local friends and acquaintances in hopes of elevating consumer awareness on a grass-roots level. The income will help me afford MORE coffee to do the same with. Hopefully it spreads decently and the local consumer base will begin to understand that there is a real difference in quality coffee compared to what is generally available in these parts.

More News

Mangia Bevanda (local shop.. I trained the owners) is now using AAH! Coffee. While not quite on par with the big names in the roasting industry, this company puts out some great coffee for an outstanding price (commercial pricing, that is).

I can now say that I have a shop here locally that I can point people to when they ask for a recommendation (it happens alot, and it's really difficult to say "uh.. my apartment?" when asked where I go for coffee.. it makes me sound like a snob).

Good things are on the horizon.

I apologize for the delay in updates. There's more to tell, but I don't want to write a book in one post.

SCAP's Best of Panama Auction, Kotowa Duncan

2006-06-27T16:06:00.000-04:00

This coffee is gorgeous. There's just no other way to describe it in one word.

Chocolate, spice, berries, honey. It's all here, and all in moderation, but just enough to let you know it's there. Medium body with enough weight to meld it all together for a great mouthfeel.

Be jealous.

Update

For some odd reason, I had a cup of this coffee sitting here cooling a bit, and I ate a pepperoncini pepper, then took a sip. Don't ask me why.

Here's the interesting part. The result was that the coffee tasted like a chocolate and raisin flavor explosion. Totally unexpected. You never know what you're going to find in coffee (flavorwise).

(thanks, Larry!)

-Jason Coffee: consulting and barista training

2006-06-19T02:37:00.001-04:00

[EDIT: I've dropped the "Jason Coffee" name, and am now running under "EspressoTrainer.com" click

I suppose this is my official anouncement that my independent consulting and barista training business is launching fairly shortly.

I am giving a free training session later this week so I can
A: have a local reference
and
B: work out my curriculum for training.

I want to be as thorough as possible, while keeping in mind the fact that there are no absolutes in this industry, as well as keeping the session rather timely.

I have no clue what to charge for this sort of thing. The benefit is that I have no business affiliation with any roaster, so there is no worry about my advice being sales oriented. On the other hand, it also makes it more difficult to gain the trust of local cafe owners who may or may not care as much about quality as I do.

My greatest fear is failure. Not in the competence sense of the word, but in the business sense.

I am so worried about acceptance by local cafe owners, it's crazy. It's not that I want to personally be accepted, so much as I would love to see Lubbock as a whole accept the idea and potential of great coffees. Unfortunately, anytime money is involved, it's an uphill battle. Good coffee is more expensive. Straight up, it is. Even if it's not much per cup (which it really isn't.. $.10 more per cup.. seriously.. not that big of a deal), but people don't usually see it this way. Instead, they see the bigger picture of $30/week EXTRA. And honestly, isn't it worth that, even if it's out of pocket, to ensure the BEST possible quality in your establishment?

Maybe I'm just crazy, but I can think of at least 100 other people who are as crazy as I am if that's the case.

I have a logo, and I'm working on a brochure. I have Rocket Coffee Roasters as a reference, and I'll have Mangia Bevanda as a local reference. I have been quoated in Barista Magazine in the Alternative Brew Methods article (the melitta stand section.. check it out if you haven't already :o). I'm going to join the Barista Guild very shortly. (Nick, if you're reading this, is there any way to expedite the paperwork?)

I'm trying to get in a position to make this as professional an operation as possible. I believe my success in my goal of improving local coffee depends on it. People won't listen to someone who does not appear to know what they are doing, whether that person actually knows or not is irrelevent.

In other news:

I've got my labels made up for selling roasted coffee to friends and family, or anyone else who asks (on the consumer side of things only.. I am in no place to supply a shop, though I have been asked. I simply don't have the capital to make that happen, as much as I would love to. I guess that's not a bad problem to have.).

I've had a bunch of online friends from other communities (mostly car-related) ask if I sold roasted coffee. They started calling anything that was coffee-related and made by my hands "-jason coffee". Hence, the origin of the name. It comes from years ago when I used to sign every post with " -Jason ". The title sort of stuck, and so I've decided to make it my business name.

Any thoughts or suggestions, please don't hesitate to leave a comment. I'm all ears. (err.. eyes, I guess)

Rocket Classic Espresso Blend

2006-06-14T18:32:00.000-04:00

I've been enjoying this blend for the past week or so. I still have more to think about before writing my opinions here.

Stay tuned.

Update
So, I'm a little (okay, alot) late writing this thing. I've been pretty busy lately, but I'm writing it now.

Classic Espresso comes in a black one-way valve bag with heat-sealed ends, and a nifty looking label with a mirror images of a grouphead and drip tray in black and white with some text that says, "The art and science of espresso".

Very attractive indeed.. but how does it taste?

As a normale shot, there is a nice strong explosion of very complex flavors right off the bat. The balance is such that individual parts are difficult to pick out, but the complexity is quite obvious, and quite pleasant. Going down, the massive hit becomes a gentle caress, and a smooth sweetness is dominant.

As a dose "under the line", the subtle flavors pop a bit more at the cost of a minute amount of depth. The description on the website says something about dried fruit, but nothing about floral notes. My palate experienced very little dried fruit, and dubious amounts of floral notes. As the liquid moves over the palate, these floral notes gently subside, and a carmely sweetness is present, with a very pleasant aftertaste that lingers long after the demitasse is cleared.

An over-dose, with the coffee just touching the shower screen upon locking in, produced a very sweet ristretto-style shot with chocolate tones and some caramel(at ~40seconds. There was another that took a full minute with similar results). While both flavors are present, they are not simultaneously present. That is, the flavor is not "chocolate caramel" or "caramel chocolate", but rather, more to the effect of, "chocolate!" "oh, now there's caramel!". The subtleties diminished, I believe this dose would go over quite well with someone new-ish to espresso. Ristretto-style shots often do, as they are more sweet, and not at all bitter, without having to think too much about the complexity that would otherwise be obvious.

Flavors that I tasted were floral, SLIGHTLY nutty, with some spice that I can't quite put my finger on. I think that the floral notes and sweetness may meld together for some to develop into the dried fruit flavor in Rocket Coffee Roaster's descriptor for this specific blend.

Overall, a very good blend. Hits you hard at first for the explosion of flavor we are all looking for in a normale(or maybe even slight underdose), but eases out as it goes down into the smoothness we are all looking for in a ristretto.

Cuts through milk quite well. Even the complexity is still obvious and present in milk, while the caramel and chocolate flavors come alive thanks to the flavor of the milk itself complimenting these particular flavors exceptionally well (as with most blends with these characteristics).

Don't pass this one up!

West Coast Roasting

2006-05-25T15:43:00.000-04:00

After 5 days of rest, (roasted on the 19th, today is the 25th) I believe that this blend needs more time to rest before it is at its peak as a straight espresso.

The first shot I pulled with this blend was used in an Americano yesterday, and was rather bland. I attributed this at first to the balance of flavors cancelling each other out. Espresso is never bland, regardless of the blend. Uninteresting, perhaps, but never bland. So, upon farther inspection, I decided to give my grouphead a good cleaning.

Today, the first shot I pulled was fairly astringent, with a medium to heavy body, and is very very easy on the palate. This shot told me that this blend needs to rest longer before used as a straight espresso.

The second shot was used in a cappuccino. The dominant flavor in a 6oz. wet cappuccino is milk chocolate. Not the typical dark chocolate often heard of, but milk chocolate. Smooth, delicately sweet, every so slight nuttiness, and maybe a hint of fruit when slurped (as in cupping). The texture in milk is so smooth. This blend would go over extremely well in a commercial setting where one wishes to introduce the customer base to quality espresso. It's not at all harsh, not bitter, not overly bright. The balance is quite user-friendly for those unfamiliar with espresso, while still being enjoyable for those who are already experienced, as there are many flavors to be found, but they are all muted and take a good amount of skill with a trained palate to detect.

The complexity is present, but far from overwhelming, making it great for a first-time espresso drinker while still enjoyable for the experienced palate.

I've found the preferred dose to be on the higher end of the spectrum. My findings may change as I work my way through this pound, but that is my initial impression.

More to come as the blend rests, and more taste tests are implemented. I will test this blend on an inexperienced palate this weekend. My mother is visiting, and has never had good espresso. I anticipate a good reception.

Update v.Espresso
After mulling it over a bit, I was thinking that there just HAD to be a way to squeeze more flavor out of this off-the-wall blend that appears to promise much more than it delivers.

Upon farther thought, it dawned on me that perhaps a finer grind and a lighter dose would highlight the more delicate notes in the bean, as more flavor is generally obtained from a finer grind, and the lighter dose allows the little subtleties to become a bit more clear. At least, that's what my own thought and theory tells me.

A dose "under the line" a'la Wendelboe, at a finer grind yields a straight espresso with everything that the blend promises to deliver. The Ethiopia Harrar takes center stage at last. Blueberries, spiciness, chocolate tones, yes.. all of it. Extremely well-balanced, smooth, and delicious. The aftertaste every bit as sweet as the beverage itself. It appears that a heavy dosed ristretto pulls into a very nice, not very complex-tasting, yet very sweet espresso, while a lighter dose yielding a 1.5oz double in around 22-23 seconds delivers so much more than one would expect upon first inspection. Suddenly, this blend requires a new perspective for the review. I have yet to discover how this dosing technique behaves in milk, or as an Americano.

Update v.Cappuccino
Using the new-found optimal dosing method for this blend, it behaves much as it did as a straight espresso when used in a cappuccino. The only real difference is that the milk chocolate flavor is in the background rather than the center stage of the flavor profile. The milk adds a little depth and body to the mouthfeel, serving as a sweet backdrop to the brighter fruit flavor accompanied by a slight spiciness that is more prevalent in the aftertaste than in the beverage flavor itself. The milk appears to tone-down the subtleties a little, but the blueberry notes are noticeably present, and add an interesting aspect that was lacking in the heavier dosing method.

Sweet, balanced, with the highlights of the Ethiopia Harrar coming through in a sophisticated manner, with no single attribute overpowering another. Quite pleasant with more noticeable flavors, however, an experienced palate will help to fully appreciate the slightly diminished subtleties in a cappuccino. So far, I find that I favor the straight double to a cappuccino.

Conclusion:
While this blend is sweet, and extremely well-balanced, it does lack complexity. While this complex flavor is present, it is difficult to taste for a novice's palate, and not quite satisfying enough for the experienced.

Even so, the balance and chocolate notes of the blend pulled with a heavier dose are still pleasant, especially in milk. As an Americano, the blend has very little complexity, but has a very pleasant "strong coffee" flavor with great balance and mouthfeel.

All things considered, this is a good blend. The shop-sized portions are post-blended, meaning, this review is to be taken as a glimmer of the expected flavor profile for a commercial environment.

In short, this blend, though it has its weaknesses, is definitely enjoyable and worth trying.

A Few Updates

2006-05-25T04:03:00.000-04:00

I bought the Stir Crazy portion of my Turbo Crazy coffee roaster the other day. Just a few more things to buy before I'm in business for larger roasting batches.

I've had a few friends ask to buy coffee from me. I might start doing that once I have this set up and quite a few pounds of green.

In other news, Nate White of

sent me a pound of his Espresso Torro blend to write a review on. He's trying to get his new roasting company on a roll, and I offered to review his coffee as sort of a reference for potential buyers.

I asked him for a snippet of the blend, if he was willing, and he graciously told me every coffee in the blend. I must say, it's quite unorthodox, but very interesting to say the least.

The bag aroma is quite balanced.. almost to the point of being uninteresting, but very inviting.

Full review to come.

Not much to tell

2006-05-18T01:02:00.000-04:00

First off, I would like to apologize for the lack of updates here. I usually try to keep it pretty new. I know how boring a stagnant blog can be, and I decided I didn't want to be one of those types, no matter how busy I got.

I'm still waiting for my tax return. When it arrives, I intend to purchase the missing Stir Crazy portion of my Turbo Crazy setup, as well as a good 10 pounds or so of green coffee with which to work for awhile. I've got a few people asking to buy my coffee that I don't even have yet. Most of the return is accounted for, so there won't be much of it spent on coffee related goods.

There was a picture taken of me drinking some french pressed coffee, and a friend of mine took it and made it into this:

Good promotional picture, I'd say. If only I had a good reason to have it.

Which brings me to my next topic of discussion.

I have considered going into the espresso consulting field on my own, independent of any pre-existing company. No, I'm not a super-barista.. I've never won a competition, or even entered. But what I do have is a basic understanding of how espresso works, and the knowledge of how to pour latte art. So many shops here have just plain awful espresso. I have found two exceptions.. one of which is my current place of work, and the other is my previous place of work.

The previous place had a very VERY forgiving espresso blend. The current place has great technique, if I do say so myself (I trained them) and is, at this point, limited by the blend.. which isn't very good, but I'm trying to change that.

There is a severe lack of options for shops here. Most people not only don't know where to look, but they're not even aware that they should be looking for advice on improving their overall product. Training is what I really want to get into, and my region is in dire need of someone capable of teaching good barista technique. The hard part will be convincing cafe owners that my services will actually help improve their business. That having been said, I'm going to wait until the Alternative Brew Methods article is published in Barista Magazine. I will probably be in it, which means more good stuff to put on my resume, and more reason for cafe owners to trust me with their employees.

I just can't help but think people would be appreciative, though. I've tried a few new shops, and have found new locations for "the worst espresso in Lubbock". This is not encouraging.

I have not had access to a digital camera lately, so I don't have any latte art or naked shot pictures for you this time.

Until next time, may your cup always be full.

Barista Magazine?

2006-05-04T22:14:00.000-04:00

So.. I might be in an upcoming issue of Barista Magazine.

Kenneth Olson is writing an article about alternative brew methods in coffee houses.

I contributed my take on the Melitta Pour-over station. After having worked with one before, I'm a pretty big fan.

Hopefully it goes through. If it does, I'll be sure to post it up here.

Exciting stuff! (crazy.. less than a year in specialty coffee)

Anyone else notice Rocket Coffee Roasters' new tagline pic?

Very nice. I'm not much a fan of the site's background, but the coffee is great.

Aaand.. I'll leave you with some recent pictures.

A cappuccino.

A Hot chocolate.

An espresso pull.

Rocket Time

2006-04-28T14:54:00.000-04:00

I received a pound of coffee today from Rocket Coffee Roasters courtesy of the owner.(Thanks, Larry!)

The coffee is El Salvador-Mont de Leon roasted on April 24.. four days ago.

It was sent via USPS Priority Mail. I'm surprised it arrived so quickly. He just sent it out on Wednesday.

I have not opened the bag to taste the coffee yet, so the review will come later, at which point, I will update this entry.

The included pamphlet describes this particular coffee as such:
From the Ahuapachan region, this is truly a special coffee. An "Old world" Bourbon variety, it has big thick body and good acidity. A bright and lively cup with well-rounded honey tones.

The beans are roasted to City +.

How well my palate agrees with this description, remains to be seen.

Many thanks to Larry for giving me the hookup.

The Review:

As typical of a Central American, this coffee is quite bright with ample acidity. As not-so-typical of a Central American, there was much going on in addition to the acidity to bring it all together in a harmonious experience with enough body and depth to balance the acidity without muting it in the least.

As a single origin espresso, I taste dried apricots.. very clearly. 28 second 2oz pull was enough contact to give it ample, yet not excessive, body to carry the complex flavors and marry them into a single taste experience. There are hints of dark chocolate that are lost in the whole compilation. The crema carries the aromas well, and with the flavors, creates a very soft-palate feel. Very pleasing.

This single origin espresso does not work well in milk, however. I believe the flavors react with the sweetness and lactose in the milk rather badly. Great apart, not good at all together. I have not yet tried it as an Americano.

I have not cupped this coffee yet, but my experience with it in a French Press are quite pleasant.. similar to most central americans, but with a better balance than most I have tried. The flavors come alive when pulled as an espresso. It's like night and day, yet very enjoyable when pressed.

I'll add to this as I cup the coffee and try it as an Americano.

Stay tuned.

Update v.Americano.1:

I tell you, this coffee just keeps amazing me. As a reistretto 5oz. Americano, the body, while not heavy, is quite full and dense. Amazing. The softness on the palate is still clearly present. The dried apricot flavor, while still present, is not as intense and is paired with hints of warm honey. The balance is incredible.

Do not pass this one up! It's definitely worth trying.

Great job with the roast, Larry. As far as I can tell, it's fairly transparent. The origin shines through quite well. El Salvador - Mont de Leon makes one great cup of coffee.

Update v.cupping

Yes, I cupped this coffee WAY past the roast date, but still within the "still fresh" period.

2 slightly rounded tbsp of coffee ground between FP and drip used in a 6oz. cup.

Dry Fragrance:
Very bright
High Acidity
Dried apricot; turkey+cranberry; slight tobacco

Aroma:
Sweet
Cinnamon
Dried fruit
Slight smoke

Flavor:
Bright, smooth, and sweet.

Aftertaste:
delicate milk chocolate

Body:
Medium to full body
Very pleasant soft, comforting mouthfeel (not velvety)

Acidity becomes stronger as the cup cools. Flavors mellow out and become slightly more flat. The body thins slightly, and the cup levels out with the flavors becoming less dynamic.

Overall, a great coffee.

Keep up the good work, Larry.

Up next, PNG - Red Mountain.

Quote of the day

2006-04-26T20:13:00.000-04:00

"We've secretly replaced the decaf with Robusta....Lets see if anyone notices....."

-Steve Watkins(Owner of Panther City Coffee)

It wasn't bad

2006-04-26T00:55:00.000-04:00

The gig isn't bad at all.. in fact, I was kind of dissappointed at the lack of traffic. I did make a few Gen X's, though. When a customer orders the Gen X, the barista makes whatever they feel like at the spur of the moment. It's based on the barista's background, skill, and mood at the time of the order. Trust is crucial. Everyone loved what I made them, which is good.. of course, mixing syrups is almost a no-brainer, and latte art is seen as more of a novelty than the sign of quality that it is.

Just give it time.

I brought my naked portafilter for them to play with. I watched one of the owners pull a shot with it today. She thought it was pretty cool to watch. I cringed a bit when I saw her use the polishing surface to tap on the portafilter to settle the grounds. The shot pulled in the center, but that group has channeling issues with the shower screen. I'm not sure what the deal with it is yet.

I think I may head over there tomorrow to try to figure it out.

Rocket Coffee Roasters sent me some coffee that should arrive tomorrow (as I've been informed). I'm pretty excited about it, and I'll give a review when I've had a chance to cup it, press it, and pull a shot with it.

I have high expectations. ;o)

In other news:
I've been experimenting with hot chocolate/ mocha recipes for the past few days. I'm pretty sure I've got it figured out. Here's a video of some art poured in a hot chocolate taken yesterday. My art today was far better, but I didn't take pictures.

Oh well. Enjoy.

First Day: in a few hours

2006-04-23T05:08:00.000-04:00

I begin my first day behind the bar at this newer shop, with no formal (or otherwise) training from the owners.

I had dropped by with my g/f and my visiting friend to introduce everyone and just have a good time.

On EVERY single table is a flyer that says (per my messing around suggestion.. word for word): "What is latte art? Come find out Sunday 5-9pm" with an internet picture of a beautiful rosetta in the background. I later find out that they have had it written on the outdoor sign since the day they told me I was on.(Thursday)

Holy crap.. I haven't had much time on their machine yet, and I hadn't expected too big of a deal, but now I'm kind of nervous. Not that I'm nervous of whether or not people will like it.. I've been assured by the persons mentioned that even if it's not my best, it's more than anyone here has ever seen (probably). While this is true, I'm trying to set a standard, here. I have very high expectations for myself, and for the industry as a whole.

I feel like I'm representing not only myself, not only the shop, but the entire Third Wave to the people who will walk through the door of that shop come Sunday evening. This is where my nerves come in. I don't have an established flow on this setup yet. Not even close. The steam wands are short.. really short.. and they pivot forward until the wand is at about a 30* angle.. which makes it very difficult to properly froth the milk. I still get larger foam on this machine, but it's getting better. I'm having to get used to 32oz frothing pitchers and how the milk behaves in them after about a month of nothing but my 12oz pitcher at home.. there is a HUGE difference.

I worry about the pre-programmed shot volume. I don't want to pull lungos, but it appears that's what I get with the "double" button. I'll figure it out, I think.

I'm going to bring my timer, my 20z pitcher, and my own tamper so I'm at least comfortable with the tools I'm using. It's so strange, though. I've been praying for an opportunity like this for a long time, and now that it's here, I'm just a bundle of nerves lacking in self-confidence.

This is the first active step in the long journey of improving coffee in West Texas. I just hope this will catch on within the single shop. If that happens, then there's hope. If it doesn't, then it's all just an unfulfilled dream.

Wish me luck, people.

*sigh*

Possibly pictures to come.

New Gig

2006-04-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

The Sunday gig came through, and I begin this upcoming Sunday night from 5-9pm. It's not much yet, but as business picks up, so should my hours. For those who have been following this blog, you'll know who/where I'm talking about.

Pay's not great, but it's comparable to other options locally, and it's doing something I love, so I don't mind too much. At least here I will be allowed the freedoms necessary to really improve and help to bring the Third Wave to Lubbock. I see this as the first step in a long journey in changing the entire espresso market in the region. Hefty adjenda, I realize, but I feel I am up to the task.. for now.. as long as I don't remain alone for too long.

Apparently my other coffee home has changed hands, or will change hands soon.. at least that's what my new coffee home has informed me. We'll see what happens here in the next couple of months. I have too many big ideas for a business that's not my own. I should keep that in mind, I think.

I am no longer at the Custard stand (both good and bad) for reasons I won't get into, but I'm glad to be rid of it. I wasn't enjoying the job much, when what I really wanted to do the whole time was coffee.

In other news:

I'm thinking about starting a blog for SouthWest Coffee. In this region, I feel that every shop worth mentioning is trying to get it done on their own. To my knowledge, this is the only region like that, and probably the one in most need of changing that. This blog/website would give the SW coffee community a place to collaborate and share ideas while we all work towards a common goal.

It would be similar to Arizona Coffee, but more specialized, I think, and more broad regionally.

It's just in the brainstorming stages right now, so it may never take off. BUT! If you are reading this and interested in being a part of something like that, please do let me know. If there is ample interest, I'll definitely get on it.

I'll try to take pictures of this new location this weekend.

Public Apology

2006-04-19T03:22:00.000-04:00

If you are among the very few people who read this blog, you may have noticed that some past posts have been edited.

It was brought to my attention recently(mere hours ago) that I have allowed my negative feelings to get the best of me.

I have made fun of, cut down, and criticized people who never should have received such treatment.

This was never my intent. This is supposed to be a positive blog about improving coffee. I've turned it into a mud-slinging fest in which I wrote bad (and often unfair) things about other people.

To these people (if you are reading this, you know who you are), I sincerely apologize.

I have incredible respect for anyone who can open and run a business successfully for any amount of time.

My current employer(coffee) has done everything he can to ensure consistency in the products served to our customers. He has also given me the chance to work in a field I love so much, and for this, I am very thankful. My friends know how excited I was when I first got the job, and I still love the fact that I can say I work in the field. It's my passion.

My other current employer(treats) runs a VERY tight ship. I never said it here.. I regretfully made this my dumping ground for negative emotions instead.. but at this shop, EVERYONE works. When things are busy, it runs like a well-oiled machine, and I feel this is due primarily to the owners and their choice in employees. Consistently great in what they do, they've taken a humble single-location franchise and made it into something great with a culture all its own and consistently (more than)satisfied customers with friendly service and a consistently great product. Something I hope I can one-day match up to in my own endeavor (in the distant future).

A final apology to another (you know who you are). You're the last one who should've fallen victim to this sort of treatment. I'm sorry.

I vow from now on to keep this strictly about coffee, and not about business, and especially not about my personal negative feelings amplified by external frustrations.

I hope you all can forgive me.

The Newer Shop Update

2006-04-11T04:12:00.000-04:00

They've redone part of their interior. It looks fantastic. Much warmer and very inviting. I love it.

Today they had a "free latte until 7pm!" promotion going on (received a message via text message from the mailing list.. excellent concept, btw.. saying so), which implied to me that both owners would be there.

So, I dropped by. Both seemd pretty happy to see me(a good sign), and it was great to see both of them again. He told me I could make my own if I wanted, but I didn't want to impose. Double 12oz latte. The foam was a bit on the large side, but it still tasted sweeter than most places. The espresso was slightly bitter and lacked complexity, I suspect, due to 1) the blend 2) the roast and 3) the age. The beans aren't exactly the freshest they could be, but I guess that's expected when business slows down unexpectedly. All things considered, it was much better.

He proudly told me the grinder was turned off(it's an automatic Nuova Simonelli model.. MDS Automatic), and that he was trying to work through the grounds in the doser to grind per shot.

Good to hear.

His distribution and tamping technique was drastically improved. It made me proud to see the basics of my own technique in use on a commercial level by a shop's owner.

They also told me they were thinking about maybe hiring me for one day a week as sort of a novelty(think latte art) on Sundays if I was interested. They'd hire me on solid if they could afford to, but due to their location and warm weather, business isn't all it could be. It's improving, though.. slowly. Already they've had a few people compliment them and say how much better it is than Starbucks. Which is something.. especially considering that the new presence of Starbucks down the street from my current coffee home has hurt business majorly there. Considering the fact that it's a franchise, the quality has somewhat of a ceiling. But even still, there's a lot that can be done to help things along.

Free samples help considerably if the product is great. I might try to start sampling espresso if I ever get the chance. As most of us know, good espresso tastes amazingly wonderful. There's nothing harsh or negative about it at all, and it opens one's eyes to new possibilities. The trick is getting people to trust you enough to taste it in the first place.

Until next time, here's some crappy art I poured a few days ago. definitely not my best.

Today's double

2006-04-10T01:44:00.000-04:00

Here's an espresso pull from earlier today (well.. technically yesterday, I suppose).

Sweet Maria's Monkey Blend at FC/FC+ in 8 minutes 3 days off roast.

Gaggia MDF grinder, Gaggia Coffee machine, EPNW Pro-tamper.

Enjoy.(it was delicious)

Naked Extraction

2006-04-03T19:24:00.000-04:00

Here's a video from December in Ft. Worth at Panther City Coffee.

It's my home equipment at a coffee jam they hosted for us.

This is one of those "I'll fill in where I can" moments.

It's AAH! Coffee's Tuscan Blend. Great stuff, though it is a chocolate sugar-bomb. Works beautifuly in milk.

Coffee and Tea

2006-04-03T17:50:00.000-04:00

It's pretty obvious to most people that Tea has been sort of the little brother to Specialty Coffee in today's market. This could be due to the fact that most hardcore quality conscious shops are primarily into coffee, and then branch out into tea since it's an expected product, and as we all know.. instant coffee is a crime.. and thus, so should be the teabag. Companies everywhere, like Iintelligentsia, Stumptown, and heck.. even Peet's have branched out into the Tea side of things in addition to their normal coffee offerings.

This is where it gets interesting. Since quality tea is imported and bought as-is, rather than bought raw, and then dried, fermented, blended, etc.. (well, in some cases, it is blended on-site, but that's not too common), there is little error in the cup, as long as the leaves are from a quality source. There is little effort in proper Tea brewing when compared to coffee. No calibrating a grinder, no learning the science and philosophy of distribution, tamping, extraction, and all that goes along with it (there is far too much to list in this entry), which means less chance for the PBTC to stuff up the resulting beverage. Often times, I see french presses being used for tea more often than coffee.. which is set out in a giant air-pot to fester in its own heat for hours on end.

At least, that's how it is in the LBK. While I'm absolutely extatic to be able to go just about anywhere in town and know that I'll get a quality cup of tea, I'm absolutely flabbergasted by the notion that it is being served by a COFFEE-specific establishment that fails MISERABLY at serving a good.. nay, mediocre capuccino.

I don't mean to scream, but WHAT IS GOING ON? I understand that there is a market for tea. I understand that people buy it quite frequently. What I don't understand is how these establishments can fail to realize why people aren't buying their coffee, but they're buying the Tea.

Reality check:

If your establishment is primarily TEA, (quite easy to determine, if you ask me), then do not advertise as a Coffee-specific establishment.

On top of that, I have discovered how remarkably difficult it is to help turn these places around. It's hard enough to get a job there if you are seriously into coffee. What's more, it's even more difficult once you already have that job.

Are people intimidated by passion? Are they afraid of criticism?

Let's take a step back.

Is the purpose of the business to just merely make a buck, or is the purpose of the business to make and serve great coffee and espresso?

This isn't rocket science, let's think about this. As a famous prick once said in a well-known movie, with everything you do, ask yourself this question: "Is this good for the company?".

Sounds cheesy, but really, isn't that what it's all about for the average business owner? There are others with a more noble agenda, like introducing quality coffee to the local population, but unfortunately this is less the norm than one might hope. Even in the north American mecca of coffee.. it's a rare thing by ratios.

Yes, I rant alot about a lack of quality. Some people may be bored of it. Some people may be sick of it. Some people may read it and think I'm just a complainer, and will always need something to complain about.

Truth be told, I like to complain. I am all about pushing the existing concept of quality farther than it currently is, regardless the industry or field. In my opnion, if someone isn't 100% dedicated to the cause, they need to quit and move on to something that they can work with that kind of dedication. If nobody ever complained, businesses would never feel the pressure to improve.

I can only wish that the world would embrace my view of industry. I am, however, aware of the fact that the, "If you can't be among the best, why try at all?" mentality isn't everyone's cup of tea(no pun intended).

I'm a writer!

2006-03-31T01:17:00.000-05:00

Two days ago I received an email from Larry Jones at Rocket Coffee Roasters in Phoenix, AZ. He told me he loved my contributions on CG and asked if I would be willing to write for Arizona Coffee. His exact words were,

"My reason for this email is to ask if you would like to be a contributer of some form to the site. You could write a short article about anything coffee related, equipment review, maybe how the coffee scene in TX compares to AZ...whatever, I trust your instincts! This site is becoming a major resource for coffee here in AZ and I know they are doing a interview this Fri with the owners of a large popular coffeehouse and will be recording future interviews for playback on the site as well."

Of course, I couldn't say no. We corresponded a bit and I learned that the Specialty Coffee scene there is much like it is here. He's a Third Wave roaster in a Second Wave town, and extremely frustrated with his attemps to progress the Third Wave in the Southwestern United States.

It sounds familiar.

I figured there's no better way to help progress the third wave than to convince the general coffee-drinking public by showing them WHY we should care so much about quality.

I finished the article just a few minutes ago, and submitted it to Larry. As soon as it's published, I'll post a link here for all to see.

Awesome stuff.

edit: UPDATE!
I should've updated this quite awhile ago, but the article is up.. it has been up since the day after I submitted it.
Let me know what you think by leaving comments on the site (not here, please).
http://www.arizona-coffee.com/articles-reviews/
The only article present, currently. "Quality.. Why Bother?"

I hope you like it.

Blah

2006-03-28T21:28:00.000-05:00

So, I took a trip about 2 minutes away (maybe 1/2mile) to that newer shop I mentioned to talk to the owners. I walk in, she seems happy to see me again, and he seems glad to meet me for the first time. He invites me back behind the bar. I do an attempt at latte art, and screw up horribly. I thought maybe I had overstretched the milk.

It turns out, he pulled a double shot from a single basket. Not only that, but it took maybe 10 seconds. Yipes! After a quick crashcourse in proper espresso extraction, he was as excited as I was at the crema produced. It wasn't anything spectacular, but it was not bad at all. We tasted an under-extracted shot so we could see what to look for. I mentioned that it was "sour". We tasted an over-extracted shot. Some sweetness, but also some bitter flavors. We tasted a 'par' shot. We all thought it was much better.

Tried pouring art again. Nailed it. It was pretty exciting, they started showing customers. I've never been so happy as a customer in Lubbock. I love seeing this sort of passion and love for coffee. It's just so rare. It was like a breath of fresh air. I am working my way out of feeling like an island.

He told me about how they were trying to break away from the local coffee roasting company's hooks that they have in the local coffee industry. It seems they're connected in some way to every shop in town. It drives me nuts, and I was all too happy to hear that they were trying to do something different. A song for sore ears, as it were.

In other news:

A friend of mine is working on a site similar to the starbucks delocator, but this one will have options for reviews, and the credibility of the reviewer (i.e.-their position in specialty coffee). I'm really excited about it. It's a long way off, but I'll keep everyone posted. He wants to link to coffee blogs and resources on this site as well, so if you want us to list your blog, contact me to let me know. I'll get a list running.

My hope has new life. Thanks to James V. for helping to keep it alive in cyberspace. You da man.

Guatemalan coffee never tasted so good

2006-03-23T03:41:00.000-05:00

Today, my girlfriend said she needed some coffee so she could stay up to get her work done. I told her I would roast some for her. She said I didn't have to(considering the weather.. and general work involved). I insisted and asked what she wanted. She told me she truste me to choose for her. I eventually coaxed it out of her that she wanted something with a lighter body. I went home and looked, and decided on Guatemala Acatenango Cooperative from SweetMarias.

Set up the popper, stir rod, measuring cup, and chair to go to town. I pre-heat the popper, since it's snowing outside at this point. Dumped in the beans, and let 'er rip. It took quite awhile to reach first crack. I'd say 8 or so minutes, though I had forgotten my timer this time. Roasted it to about City +. It had only a couple of hours to rest.

Took it to my girlfriend's apartment, and ground it , and brewed it . Grind to somewhere between cone-drip and espresso, toss in the filter, and brew it up.

Pour her a cup and have her taste it. Too hot. Add milk and sugar. Pour myself a cup. Taste it..

It's got a good balance. Medium body, good acidity without being overpowering (which is why I was never a fan of Guatemalans in the past.. the acidity was always too much the focus), and a good overall mouthfeel. The flavor wasn't very crisp, but there were hints of medium acidity fruit. Towards the end of the cup, almost luke-warm by now, an amazing flavor of caramel. It's incredible. The caramel flavor lingers long after the cup is finished as I walk back home, the snow still softly falling.

Maybe the trick is the roast profile. Maybe it's an extraordinarily good crop. Maybe it was the low-temp brew. It was probably a combination of all of those things, but whatever it was, it was brilliant.

I've been coresponding with Jaime Vanschyndel by email quite a bit lately. It keeps my hopes for coffee in Lubbock alive. He's a great guy, with great ideas that we tend to agree on most of the time. I find I am constantly envious of his position, however. I would love nothing more than to manage a shop with the control he is allowed where he operates. Having the final say on quality standards, training, presentation, and so on.

Here I am, dreaming already. I really need my own shop.

One of the better days I've had relating to work

2006-03-21T18:11:00.000-05:00

So, I'm at work, bored. Since Starbucks put a store in just down the street, right next to campus (like we are), business has dropped considerably. I've tried offering tips to help pick things back up, but the business has been running fine as it is for years, and it's not clear if it's Starbucks or just a slow semester. Others have tried suggesting random ideas as well.

But anywho, a customer comes in today and orders a large to-go cup of Guatamala Antigua. I've talked to this guy before, and he normally orders a cup of Sumatra Mandehling, but today, he says, "for old times sake" after ordering.

The story behind this is that he has actually been to a coffee plantation in the Antigua region of Guatamala. He's told me about how he's had coffee so fresh, it was literally picked off the tree, pulped on the spot, and then roasted and brewed. First of all, let me just say that I'm not so sure he knew exactly what he was talking about when he told me this, but I'll just assume he did. While I can't say I agree with this method, or that I would consider that to be a very palatable cup of coffee, I can say that he's experienced something most people never get a chance to.
He told me about the farmer whose face lit up when he thought his coffee was the best in a blind tasting he took part in.
He asked if I knew what farm or plantation our Guat came from. I ashamedly and disappointedly told him that, no.. we don't know. We get our coffee roasted from Metro Coffee Grouppe (it's basically the back-end of Coffee Haus.. the roasting, etc..), and they don't give us a roast date, let alone the farm or crop date.

He told me about how they kept their ancient copper drum roaster polished and spotless. He couldn't say enough about his experience. He keeps telling me I should go see it, especially considering "what I'm into".. meaning, my obsession with coffee. I told him that if I ever have a chance to, I'll definitely drop by. Filadelfia Coffee Estate, Guatemala

It made my morning.

I introduced another customer (a younger guy.. I think he was a fellow student) to the concept of different flavors from different regions. He said "I'm not a coffee connoiseur" in a tone implying "I don't care". He had ordered a large cup of Guatamala Antigua (one of our coffees of the day.. in case you noticed a trend), and asked for a refill. I suggested he try just a touch of raspberry syrup in it. I personally, have found that the flavors REALLY compliment each other well. While I'm not one for flavored coffee, I'm not opposed to flavor enhancement, which I feel this does very well.

I gave him a little sample, which he loved. Maybe this will spark a bit of curiosity. Alot of people don't know what they're missing.

Another upnote:
I went up to a new(er) shop just to check it out. It's run by a married couple in their late thirties or so.

I talked to one of the owners. Told her about how I'm working at a different coffee shop. She asked what my favorite drinks to make were, and I told her a cappuccino, and a latte because of the challenge(capp) and that I like to drink them, and the latte is because I like to pour art. She seemed happy that I could pour art. She told me that her husband was trying to learn all that stuff, and I told her I would be more than happy to teach him. That I'd love to see a shop in Lubbock pour art on a consistent basis.

General rant about quality and apathy

2006-03-20T01:42:00.000-05:00

"To have good espresso you must become serious about good espresso." - coffeeDirtDog(Jaime Vanschyndel)

If you have ever read my posts on CoffeeGeek.com, you may recognize the quotation above. I put this quotation in my signature for a specific reason.

Why would anyone even consider the possibility that their espresso is good without having done significant amounts of research, practice, and trial & error?

It makes about as much sense as trying to start a fire by rubbing two random green sticks together, or thinking you could handle the challenge of quantum physics without ever having taken even a highschool physics course. It's just not smart.

In any trade, a practitioner of that trade is expected to know his/her craft extremely well before going into business, or the business will obviously fail. Why is it that so many people venture into the specialty coffee industry as though just any Joe Schmoe off the street is perfectly capable of being trained within a week (let alone a couple of days) to pull decent (let alone good, or great) shots of espresso and froth milk (let's forget about the art of microfrothing and the skill of latte art) to be, at best, palatable?

I know the reason.. ...money. Financial capital is the heart and soul of any profitable business.. yes.. but it should never be the only reason (let's forget about the sole reason) for its existence. When the focus is strictly financial, all concern for quality is lost because the mentality is in mode for pinching pennies and holding back as much money as possible while maintaining "open" status.

In my opinion, these people miss the point entirely.

There is a popular saying in the industry that says, "People are willing to pay a premium price for a premium product." (I apoligize, but I have no idea who to credit for this quotation/concept)

Absolutely! And what's more, the quality shops are usually LESS expensive than the mediocre shops! "How is this possible?", you may ask. It's simple. When quality is the focus, and the business is in place to serve the best possible product to its customers, the customer base grows. Word of mouth gets around, and before you know it, people everywhere know just where to go for the best cup of coffee in their neighborhood. More customers equals more sold product, which means the average price for that product is decreased due to the volume of sales bringing in enough income to easily maintain "open" status, and much more beyond that. Striving to be the best one could possibly be (and perhaps, even beyond what they believe they are capable of) in the industry will only skyrocket the status and popularity of the business.

There are more than enough examples around to prove this point, so I won't bother naming names, but it's not hard to see if you happen to be in the Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, D.C., Charlotte, etc.. etc.. etc.. area. Great coffee is abundant.. but unfortunately, it's far from the norm.

I simply don't understand how some business owners can be content (let alone in good conscience) serving their customers a sub-par (let's not mention flat-out horrible) product again and again, day after day, week after week, year after year. The customers keep coming back only out of either: A. convenience, B. lack of a better option, or C. Ignorance. (none of these is a good reason, quite frankly).

These business owners are the ones who are convinced that their customers cannot tell the difference in the little nuances between an average espresso and a truly great espresso. If you ask me, that's a nearly direct insult to the customers that keep the business afloat! Thatt's absolutely absurd!

Do I sound angry? Yes, I sound angry. And why shouldn't I be? Why shouldn't every coffee house patron all over the country be angry? They're all paying top dollar for a "specialty product" that is expected to be the best they can possibly get. 9 times out of 10, it's FAR from the best possible on the machinery at hand (let alone the best possible given the financial capital in posession).

Seek out good espresso. Even if you can make great espresso (the best you've ever had) in your own home, and you have a quality shop with high standards in your area, support that shop. Visit it often and help keep it alive. In some places, Starbucks honestly is the best shop. I hate to say it, but it's true.

In ANY shop, if the person behind the counter (or if you're lucky, the barista) truly cares about what they are serving , then, chances are, even if it's not the best, it's at the very least drinkable, and maybe just a step above that, truly enjoyable. Drinking a great shot of espresso for the first time is an inspiring experience. Most people in that situation had no clue that coffee was capable of such complexity of flavors and such enjoyment.

Some people will never change, but we can help broaden the minds of future shop owners and young to-be baristas. People should love what they do with great passion.

This rant is over, but on that note, I'll leave you with this.

In the words of Chris Deferio, "May your coffee be deep."

My Home setup

2006-03-16T17:34:00.000-05:00

Here you see my home setup. It looks a little different now, but this is how it looked when it was first assembled.
The Gaggia MDF is now stepless(how-to to come), the hopper is removed, and the tamper has its own non-skid resting place fixed to the top of the doser lid. The Gaggia Coffee is actually rebadged as a Proteo Romanza, and is now equipped with a bottomless portafilter, and the pitcher is now 12oz. instead of the 20oz. pitcher pictured. I've found the 12oz. pitcher to be far easier to work with on the Gaggia's stub of a steam wand (the turbo frother attachment was removed for its uselessness).

The tamper is a Stainless Steel Pro-Tamp designed by Terry Ziniewicz of EspressoParts.com with a convex tamping piston.

For the record, I have major upgrade fever, but I'm still a poor college student struggling as a Third Wave barista in a college town stagnant in a Second Wave market.

New blog spot

2006-03-16T16:41:00.000-05:00

I figured it was time I jumped on the coffee blog bandwagon. I feel I've got a lot to offer, and a lot more to go as I progress in the specialty coffee industry towards the current goal of opening a coffee house.

I'll cover things I learn about home roasting, things I know about espresso and milk, and random thoughts I may have along the way (relating to coffee, of course).

I hope this proves to be of some help to someone somewhere.