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Kristen

Female

Austin, Tx

United States

Profile Information:

What is your position in the coffee industry?: barista, coffee enthusiast
Where are you located? ( City and Country ): Austin, Tx
How many years have you been in the industry?: 2.5 years
If you are a barista or shop, are you interested in a barista exchange with another coffee shop/barista?: yes
Tell us more about your coffee shop or barista skills.: Well, I believe I am someone who is responsible, willing to learn, and passionate about coffee. I care a lot about the quality of the cup I serve, and I also care a lot about creating a positive experience for each customer that enters the cafe. I want people to leave happy, and I love that feeling you get when you know that you've just made someone's day. :)
What cities or countries are you interested in traveling to?: portland, san fransisco, other shops in Austin!
About Me:: I am 22 years old, and have worked in three coffee shops; an independent shop in Houston (Taft Street Coffee), an independently owned franchise in Maryland, and a shop in Austin. Working for a franchise is frustrating at times. My heart will always be with the independent "little guy" shops. I'm a vegan, crafter(sewing, cross stitch, knitting), and tea drinker. I'm a supporter of fair trade, and direct trade! I'm also a BGA member!

I'm determined to learn what I can to better myself and my career. At this point, I'm just interested in being trained in as many things as possible. I crave coffee knowledge, and I feel an overwhelming need to obtain as much as possible. In September of 2008, I attended a barista training held by Intelligentsia in NYC. It helped a lot. I've spent two years learning the basics of espresso preparation, and I feel that I still have tons to learn even about that. Everyone I meet always has something to teach me. I've just started dabbling with Latte art, so I'm definitely a Novice in that area, but I think it's super fun and I want to be awesome at it. Someone teach me to be awesome!

I'd love to attend training at many different places, and I'd eventually like to participate in more coffee cuppings, learn how the espresso machine works on the inside, maybe a little maintence/repair training, and I'd definitely be interesting in learning how to roast eventually. I wish I had more oppertunities to stop lurking youtube tutorials(but thank you, Ritual Roasters!) and burying my nose in nerdy coffee books... and actually participate.

I just want to be good at what i love to do. oh, and I don't want to spend my life in a cubicle.
About My Company:: I work for Austin Java (the original location @ 12th and lamar) right now. nothing to write home about in the coffee department, but I enjoy my co-workers and the atmosphere a lot.
What is your favorite thing about the coffee industry?: the "community hub" that coffee shops create, the people, pulling shots, trying my hand at latte art, and meeting other coffee nerds like myself.
Website:: http://sugar-skull.com

Comment Wall:

Jason Haeger

Cuveé is chugging along raising the bar in Houston. I hope you've had a chance to see what little coffee scene there is when you lived in Htown.

May 27, 2008
vincent

Hi Kristen, I'm a roaster here in Dallas. I was just reading your profile, very interesting.

May 29, 2008
vincent

Yes, it's in a good way. Don't worry about not drinking milk and still becoming a great Barista, you can tell from the look of the milk, the smell and the feel of it, that you have either made a good or bad drink. I spend about 12 hours a day roasting, blending, tasting, buying counting, and selling coffee, but I don't drink that much of it at all. What coffee are you drinking today. Today, Ibrewed a custom dark roast blend that we roasted for one of our wholesale accounts.

May 30, 2008
vincent

P. S. I love Fair Trade too.

May 30, 2008
vincent

Hi Kristen, just saying hello to stay in touch with all us Texas folks.
Hope all is well. great picture by the way.

Aug 5, 2008
Matt Milletto

Happy Birthday from Barista Exchange!

Aug 16, 2008
vincent

Hey lady, great to hear from you. I'm about to drink a Fair Trade Bolivia, Chiapas blend, I roasted it yesterday, so I'm going to try it now. Things are starting to pick up a bit here. Because the weather is cooling off here in Dallas, people like us in the Coffee biz can actually start selling more coffee. Too hot in the summer for java this and "hot coffee" that. How are you. I see you had a birthday in August, Im a jerk for not noticing before. Happy late Birthday. Hope you had a good time.

Im actually going to be starting a new job in October managing a new cafe and book store taht is opening closer to the end of October. I am going to a different sector of the industry I guess. To be honest with you, I just couldn't make enough money to survive at the roasting company Im at now. There are aware of the fact that Im leaving, and though there are not happy about it, they understand. the owner just doesn't have the money to pay anymore, but they have been helpful and Ive learned allot. I will try to help out here as much as possible before I get in the thick of things over at the new cafe.
Long message right? sorry
what are you drinking, and what are you listening to?

Sep 19, 2008
Max Gonzalez

Thanks for coming by. We love the FAEMA E61 Legend as well (I personally think it is one of the best looking machines on the market), but are replacing it with a 3 Group Synesso next week. The FAEMA is going to the roasterie for the training facility. We run a guest espresso program once a month at the cafe, so it will be nice to easily dial in different temps for different espresso's. Cheers.

Sep 19, 2008
Max Gonzalez

Hey Kristen, our Guest Espresso program is something we do once a month. We bring in 50lbs of espresso from roasters from around the country and elsewhere and pull shots for 4-5 days. This gives us and our customers an opportunity to try great blends from great roasters that they otherwise may never experience. We have had some pretty phenomenal stuff come through: 49th Parallel, Coffee Labs Roasters, Barefoot Coffee, etc........
As far as training, I would be more than happy to help you out, just remind me when the date gets closer.

Sep 20, 2008
vincent

Howdy lady,
It's Sunday, and I have to do some maintenance on the roaster. I just got back from Central Market to do a Coffee sampling up there.

Im the same as you, Im also more of a Latte/Espresso guy. I like making lattes and perfecting espresso blends. I have to drink just brewed coffee for tasting purposes, but I don't like it. What's it like up in Hagerstown? Im here in Dallas, Ive lived here for 18 years, and been in the Coffee industry for about 10 years here and not much has changed.
Hope the Mexican blend that you got in was good. We have coffees from Chiapas and Oaxaca. I like Mexican coffees, they are soft and have a slightly nutty and sweet taste and aroma.
Im nutty actually!
and about the music Im all over the map too. I've got everything on my mp3 player from Bjork to Kanye West and some Indian Bolywood stuff in the middle somewhere, with some reggae. Yeh Mon! luv da reggae

Sep 21, 2008
Scott Snodgrass

actually I just got fired on thursday for standing up to Chris...

but blossom and I have already been working on a business plan for a place in kingwood, in the King's Harbor development on the lake.

So, life goes on...

Sep 22, 2008
Alie

Gimme! is the Jimmy Jamz!

Sep 22, 2008
vincent

Im offended! Yer coming to Texas but not to Dallas?!?! I should have known, in your profile under places you would like to visit, you put Houston and Austin... but not Dallas!?!? What's wrong with with Dallas? Sure there's no coffee scene here, and the women have drive huge SUVs and buy huge boob jobs, and it's hotter than hell for 5 months of the year... but it's a nice place :)

Anywho,, I don't know yet about the Cafes in The Land of Aus but Im on the case, I will try to find out for you and let you know.

Coffees of the Day: Organic Peru and Decaf House Blend(Sumatra,Kenya, Guatemala)

Have a good Day later

Oct 2, 2008
Max Gonzalez

Hey Kristen. The throwdown was awesome. Great turnout and a grand prize of $220 that went to Dan Streetman of Cuvee Coffee. He poured some really top notch art. Second went to Lorenzo Perkins of Cafe Medici in Austin. All around a good time and something that needed to happen and needs to happen more often for Houston coffee. Hope you can make the next event.

Oct 3, 2008
Sean Marshall

Thanks! And very cool,.... we'll be glad to have another barista back in these parts. You should try to make it to the SCRBC in Austin, it's gunna be sweet!

Oct 3, 2008
Michelle

Keep in touch - let's meet up when you move here and drink some delicious coffee. What part of town will you be residing in?

Oct 24, 2008
Aaron Blanco

Hi Kristen.

Thanks for your kind note. Come on by when you get back and we'll set up a cupping session or some such.

Oct 24, 2008
Max Gonzalez

Hey Kristen. It is always good to come back to Texas. Let me know when you want to stop by for some training. We are going to have to train at the cafe if it is going to be in November. I wont have the espresso machine hooked up at the roastery until December. Enthusiasm is one of the best tools you can have, so I am looking forward to having you here for some technique critique.

Oct 29, 2008
Jonathan wesley White

Shazam!
Good to have another inked barista among us!

Oct 29, 2008
Troy Reynard

Hey Kristen! What time do you think you'll be there? I'll make sure I'm around.

Oct 29, 2008
Michelle

Are you in Austin yet?

Nov 26, 2008
Dan Streetman

hey Kristen,

hope the Austin Coffee scene is treating well, I will look forward to meeting you at the Saturday Night Smackdown!!

or you are always welcome to come visit our roasting facility in Spicewood.

Mar 12, 2009
Aaron Blanco

Thanks for your kind words. Lorenzo did a great job getting this whole thing set up. I'm glad so many folks thought it was worth their while to attend and PARTICIPATE! Here's to many more...

Mar 29, 2009
paulito

very nice to meet you aswell!!! thanks for the heads up! is there a cool coffee culture in austin? whats the cost of living like? i feel like if i dont get out af la soon errepairable damage will have been done to my soul!

Mar 30, 2009