Rick

Male

Vancouver

Canada

Profile Information:

What is your position in the coffee industry?
coffee shop owner
Where are you located? ( City and Country )
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
How many years have you been in the industry?
2
If you are a barista or shop, are you interested in a barista exchange with another coffee shop/barista?
no
Tell us more about your coffee shop or barista skills.
We are located in kits in Vancouver,we don't have a clover or drip coffee maker, every coffee is ground fresh and either made on our hario pour over, french pressed, vac pots or on our 4 head LaMarzocco.we are passionate about coffee and food. Our menu has gluten free and vegan based foods and our baked goods are butter based.
About Me:
Been drinking espresso for over 20 years, I own a Mac based computer business for the last 13 years, we have a Faema Due with 2 x Nuovo commercial grade grinders setup in the back for us and our customers, if I'm not in the front listen for the grinder noise and you'll find me trying a new blend of espresso. By the way PC's suck! no bias intended thats why I sell Macs.
Rick
About My Company:
We sell Macintosh Computers and accessories and have just purchased the store beside us and are in the process of installing a Coffee Bar. We have named it Momento Coffee House, it opened 16 months ago and we are having a blast. Just started our Tea program with Brendan Waye from theteaguy.com its on target, but the hardest thing I've done so far.
What is your favorite thing about the coffee industry?
Everyone is intensely biased about their coffee, their La Mazorrco, Synesso , etc.
Website:
http://themacmarket.com and momentocoffeehouse.com

Comment Wall:

  • Alun Evans

    Hey Rick. I am only really familar with the Brasilia, the Astoria Rapallo and the LaPavoni levers. The Brasilia are very popular in Italy. Like the Astoria they are very retro. Nice chrome, big steaming and hot water knobs...great finish. Several BX friends (Gin-Li and Chris K) use Pompei levers. Also very nice chrome finish. The LaPavoni like Danny uses in Singapore is less retro. Nice red resin finish as well the crome of the levers and the machine panel facing the barista.

    OK, the argument that a lever would not cut it in a busy cafe is not one I would support. I saw 2 and 3 group levers working away in very busy cafes in Italy. No sweat! I would also say I think the quality of the shots is excellent. As explained the lack of a procon pump means the pressure through the shot is driven entirely from the lever pistons. This means the last few seconds extraction are under lower pressure, inevitably solving any baristas problem of blonding shots.

    I would also say, from recent experience, that the worst shot from a lever is better than the equivalent from a pump driven machine, for the same reasons as above.

    All in all quality of espresso shots, time to prepare the shot and of course the "Theatre" of using a lever are as good (or in the case of theatre better!) than using a pump machine.

    The draw backs... it is very difficult, make that impossible, to run very long shots through some of the machines. In the Astoria the lever piston fills with enough water for a doppio or lungo. So its OK if you make only traditonal EBD,s. However I could see the problem if you were making Aussie or Kiwi "Longblacks", running water for longer through the portafiter.

    Feb 3, 2009