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my first coffee this week

Posted by Steve MacDowall on January 15, 2009 at 10:38pm

I was sick when I was in Toronto but now I have bronchitis and I’m on antibiotics - I've been drinking a lot of tea but today I'm going to have my first coffee in a week. The water is on.

Rhythm of the Bean

Posted by Mike McGinness on January 15, 2009 at 7:34pm

Listen to the rhythm of the roasting drumTelling me just what a fool I've beenI wish that it end and let me stop this painAnd let me grind and brew againThe favorite bean I crave so much has gone awayDepleted stash now needs a new startBut little did I know when I pulled that very last shotThe crema took my breath and stole my heartBean please tell me now does that seem fairFor you to steal my soul away with taste so rareI can't drink another when my portafilter's far awayBean don't you know that I love you soPlease ask the sun to set my palate aglowBean in my heart and let the love we knew start to growListen to the rhythm of the roasting drumTelling me just what a fool I've beenNew beans do roast and soon will let me stop this painAnd let me grind and brew againOh listen to the rhythm of the roasting beanSwish-swish-swoosh swish-swish-swoosh ever callingOh yes listen to the rhythm of the roasting drumNew beans to grind and brew again

Round two

Posted by Chad Smith on January 15, 2009 at 5:54am

So, roast day is here again! I'm currently hands-on with the roaster only one day a week, and I'll be trying to make a quick post before the day begins proper.Looking at my notes from last week's roast, there were only a few 'oops'. I charged the roast 10 degrees late once, and we scrambled to get it caught back up a bit there - not a big deal though. I let a couple green beans fall into the batch we had in the cooling tray, which I had to fish out... I'd love to get a step ladder or something soon, so that I am not reaching quite so far up to tip our beans into the charging chamber; it's a bit of a stretch for me at 5'10". We roasted up an Indonesian Flores, which is delicious - a lot of woodsy, dry leaf and bark like earth tones, with a juicy blackcurrant fruit, tons of body, and a dry finish. In the cupping, there was almost a beef stew like quality, the body was so pronounced. Out of our brewer, a little of that was lost, but still - good stuff. I think the new batch from Mexico came in during the week as well; I'm really looking forward to that, as I haven't really experienced Mexican coffees before! Oh, and Ethiopian Misty Valley is in! Not quite as much blueberry in it this time around, compared to last time we had it, but this is some amazing coffee! Try it if you see it (or order some from us! :D ). The blueberry in this stuff is absurd - it's like pancakes or Boo-berry Cereal.I'll let you know how it goes!

Barista Exchange Partners Discount Series

Posted by Matt Milletto on January 14, 2009 at 9:00am

Hello bXers!

I mentioned earlier this month that we will be rolling out our bX partners discount series, and we have the first opportunity available now. This first discount is offered by the American Barista & Coffee School.

For the next three months the American Barista & Coffee School is offering the following discount exclusively to Barista Exchange members.

Any Barista Exchange member will receive the following discounts on these classes:

Business + Barista Training [5 Days] - $200 OFF Reg. $2695

To take advantage of any of these offers please call ABC's @ 800-655-3955 and mention that you are a Barista Exchange Member.

We also have an exclusive discount from another Barista Exchange Partner, Selby Soft.

SelbySoft would like to help support the Barista Exchange community by offering an exclusive discount to new customers of our SP-1 For Coffee POS System.

Until the end of April 2009, SelbySoft, Inc will offer a discount of $200 off on any Turnkey Point Of Sale system purchased by a Barista Exchange member! Please call us at 800-454-4434 to take advantage of this exciting offer and for details.

Barista de Casa Blog

Posted by Brandon Gott on January 13, 2009 at 5:00pm

Barista de Casa Blog

Picking with care, Javanese Coffee Harvest

Posted by Alun Evans on January 13, 2009 at 3:53pm

19_village%20roof.gif

In the village the streets are quiet and empty. It is a little after midday and the children are at school, the adults going about their daily routine in the fields higher up the slope of the volcano. The only noise is the occasional cackle of hens and a mournful mooing coming from the dairy sheds in the centre of the town. Sunlight filters through the canopy of taller trees, speckling the coffee grown below in a pleasant, clear half-light. The coffee trees are a mixture of Arabica, with some taller Liberica trees reaching up to fill gaps left in the canopy above. The trees, without exception, are laden with coffee cherries, red and ripening under the warm Indonesian sun.It has been months since the flowers on the trees bloomed, flooding the village with the sweet jasmine like floral scent that coffee is famous for. If someone could capture that scent, bottle it, they would produce perhaps one of the most sort after perfumes in the world. As the flowers die off, green buds of fruit develop in their place. Arabica is self pollinating, but this does not prevent big, black Indonesian jungle bees from visiting the blossoms during flowering. The honey Coffee flowers produce is also delectable, pale, sweet and with an unmistakable Melati flavour. Wonderful, but the flavour is of course nothing like coffee at this stage.Over months the buds on the trees develop, hard green and luscious. The trees are guarded by the villagers through this time. Natural sprays made from tobacco leaves soaked in water are used to ward off both leaf diseases and bugs that can damage the development of the fruit. Composts made from last years coffee pulp, mixed with cow manure and rotted grass are used around the base of the trees. With a complex root system (both shallow and deep) the trees need good fertiliser as well as the right amount of rainfall and sunlight to produce great quality fruit. The result can be sampled right now. The cherries are ripening to a deep boysenberry red. The flavour is more like a ripe black currant, mixed with some kiwifruit and passionfruit essence, sweet, fulsome in character. An experienced roaster could perhaps pick some of the flavours he or she would expect to be able to extract from coffee at this stage, but really the process here onwards determines what the coffee would taste like in the cup.As the shadows lengthen, the villagers begin to make their way back to their houses. Some carry 70kg bundles of grass for the cows. Others carry a range of farming implements- hoes, scythes and spades. The villagers work with other neighbouring towns in cooperative fields on the slopes of the volcano. Rice as well as corn is cropped here. The coffee is also cooperative- but on a smaller, localised scale. Coffee is grown on very small parcels of land around individual dwellings, as well as in long, winding groves planted on communal village land. Chickens run wild under the coffee trees, often creating enough noise that would put a herd of elephants to flight. Chickens play an important role in nurturing the coffee trees. Apart from producing nitrogen rich manure, they also help to dig up the earth under the coffee, allowing manures to feed nutrients through onto the roots. Their foraging helps to control pests and reduce the growth of weeds.As the cherries ripen care is taken to make sure moulds and mildew do not damage the skin on the fruit. With good, filtered sunlight this is normally not a problem. However this year there has been unseasonably high rainfall, especially in the late afternoon, which has meant the outer skin of the ripening cherries have to be watched carefully.The villagers spend the rest of the afternoon working with the coffee. As cherries do not ripen uniformly, they need to be picked by hand from the trees over a 2-3 week period. The hand picking method is still now the very best way of insuring the raw product to be dried is of the very highest standard. Baskets made from rattan and batik clothe are carried on the waist. These baskets normally only carry around 5kg of ripe cherry. Once they are filled they are brought back to the collection station at the village heads house. The community has a drying facility built here- with outdoor and indoor concrete pads. The coffee that has been freshly picked is sorted and laid out for dying under the sun. The village has a “semi-wet” process that involves some use of water baths inside also.It is all very relaxed, the picking and collecting of fruit under a late afternoon Javanese sun. The community uses coffee as an excuse to chat and socialise while picking. The first pickers are the older Village Ibu2. They use hooked sticks to pull the higher branches of some Arabica down, so they can get the best, ripest cherries. As the afternoon goes on, the children and finally the men arrive and help with the harvest.About 30 minutes before prayers the men, then the women, make their way back to their terracotta roof houses to mandi and change their clothes. Islam is a very important part of life in the village- for young and for old. The Mosque, a whitewashed Arabic styled building in the centre of town, is surrounded by coffee trees. The lush green leaves and vibrant red of the ripening cherries grow right up to the wide, tiled veranda that runs around the outside mosque. On Fridays, when Sholat Jumat takes place around noon, prayer mats are placed amongst the coffee trees.The imam’s call to worship whispers amongst the coffee grove’s as the last rays of sun stab through gaps in the canopy overhead. With prayers comes the end of the working day and dusk. The temperature drops just a couple of degrees in the evening, a late thunder shower rolling down from the volcanic slopes dampens the humidity. Coffee has been grown in communities like this for centuries. The romance the west feels about coffee has been a daily part of this village’s life for just about as long.

The New Girl

Posted by Shannon Roberts on January 13, 2009 at 11:46am

Seeing how I'm the new girl in town...I'm hoping to get some great input on how to navigate around this site...who to connect with...things to see...etc.Anyone have any pointers for me?

Costa Rica

Posted by teresa pilarz on January 13, 2009 at 10:35am

Two months have passed since my November, 2008 trip to Costa Rica and it is with joy and sadness that I share a small sampling of my many photos. Although I've traveled to other origin lands before, this was the first time I was led to a place - at least in part - by coffee.For any willing observer, Costa Rica reveals its beauty around every turn - in vibrant color, with exotic sounds, and a sensory overload of scents and flavors. As is said, it's Pura Vida (literally "pure life") in myriad forms from the super-sized creepy crawlies and elusive howler monkeys to the gracefully cascading waterfalls and the explosive rock flinging volcanoes. Unfortunately, such power can often lead to tragedy as it did this past week in the Vara Blanca area of Costa Rica. We had an idyllic time at Peace Lodge Waterfall Gardens, which was right at the epicenter of a powerful 6.2 earthquake and by all accounts now seems to be inhabitable.It's a good reminder to seize the day and hold onto your memories! Live fully in the present and don't waste a moment. Change can come in the blink of an eye.

Oh You Silly Coffee...

Posted by Bre on January 13, 2009 at 8:44am

A humbling experience was had by myself this past weekend. And though you may think that you a fairly cool as a cucumber, though a bit awkward, when you are making coffee under the pressure of time, judges, more judges in your grill, prestige, an audience, a microphone, a bright light, and one polyester shirt, it can have a very intense effect on you.I barely remember the 15 minutes. But I do remember the parts where I left a shot in the basket without starting it, the part where i forgot waters, the part where i forgot there was not a sink, the part where I totally knew my shots should have been pulled longer, the part where I apologize about everything, etc.But I had so much fun up there, and so much fun in Tacoma, and like I said, it was a very humbling experience. I have a lot to learn, but I always feel like I have a lot to learn, and not just about coffee.It was so good meeting everyone, and watching everyone perform, and so many of you were just wonderful.I hope to continue learning as much as I can all the time.

coffee is a virtue, not a vice

Posted by byron on January 12, 2009 at 4:54pm

coffee is a virtue, not a vice

SCAA Skills Building Workshop February 13th-15th

Posted by Brent hall on January 12, 2009 at 5:30am

we are currently looking for volunteers for station leads and porters. Please contact Lydia Troxler at 919.433.5130. Volunteering provides great networking opportunities, industry experience, and a chance to experience the Skill Building workshops from a different viewpoint.

Servicing of a 3 group La Pavoni

Posted by Danny on January 11, 2009 at 11:30pm

As said in my earlier blog, its been about a year that I've operated the 3 group La Pavoni. I figured it was time to give the machine a good "Scrub down". The key servicing had to be done on the piston group and removing it with the right tools was not difficult. Having said, get ready for its weight. Each piston weighs a hefty 15kg. Great for weight lifting exercises.

The piston group makes a great looking trophy for Lever Espresso Machine Barista Championship...wonder if there would ever be one...

The back view of the piston where the water enters..

With the valve control removed, there is a little spring which drops out. Gotta be careful not to lost that piece.

This is the underside of the shower screen...after one year, you can see the coffee grounds blocking up some of the holes. This was scrubbed down and after that, clean as a whistle.

We had to have had two persons to help pull the piston spring out from the housing. The fit was really air tight...and rightfully so. When we place it back, a little food grade grease had to be applied to the rubber gasket at the end of the piston spring to ensure a smooth pulling action...After everything is cleaned up, gaskets changed, and fitted up, the system works as good as new with a very smooth lever action pull.I tried looking around for a blog on something similar like but can't find one. I think this is a first...

El Salvador origin trip

Posted by Andy Newbom on January 11, 2009 at 8:54am

Getting very excited. We get to go to El Salvador again this year to visit tons of farms. We are especially excited about getting to spend two days at our favorite coffee farm Finca San jose. We will also be visiting our newest farm partner El Porvenir and Aconcagua. Going Feb 6th through the 14th. Can't wait!

Coffee and wine synergy takes another turn.

Posted by Mike McGinness on January 11, 2009 at 7:12am

Lots of parallels with wine and specialty coffees. Last Saturday Kevin (Josh's uncle and co-owner) and Josh (the winemaker), a couple gents from a (relatively) local winery, stopped by unannounced to try some of my Beehouse station pour-over coffees. They liked what they tasted and we chatted a hour or so. Phone and email exchanges continued during the week. Yesterday Sweet Valley Wines officially became my first private label wholesale customer picking up their first bags-o-beans order.Kevin came in to pick up their order with a friend he said was an extreme coffee connaisseur and former coffeeshop owner. Before picking up the order they ordered a couple Mountain Thunder Estate Kona XF pour-over cups. We talked a bit about different coffees, growing regions etc. and future offerings at their tasting room including custom blends, limited COE offerings etc. Of course I mentioned Idido Misty Valley which neither had heard of. So I grabbed the open bag of IMV from the pour over station and said you gotta smell the whole bean let alone ground aroma of this chocolate fruit bomb potpourri explosion coffee. On whif and immediate reaction was "can we get a couple bags of that too". "Sure, no problem, but it won't be private labeled this time." "No problem, we just want it!"Few hours later 3pm rolls around but instead scheduled education public cupping decided to do espresso tasting of my two current espresso blends. Being in a great mood decided on the fly to end it with surprise SO espresso shots, Panama Esmeralda #5. Everyone was duly impressed, and wired:-)After closing stopped by a new cafe I've started wooing. Joey was back from out of town for his grand father's funeral. We've hit it off well and he likes the idea of dealing local. Tuesday afternoon espresso and pour-over tasting scheduled.All in all yesterday was a great day even if I'm still dead broke and working on opening a second location on a gossamer thread!(Typed out an entry last night, clicked publish post, and off to the la-la land bit bucket it went. Reminder to self: Gotta make a habit of copying the text before attempting to post on BX!)

My Romance with Lever Espresso machines.

Posted by Alun Evans on January 9, 2009 at 9:46pm

My fascination with lever espresso machines stretches way back to the time I saw my first real commercial machine, in Auckland in 1987. The machine in question was being used in what we Kiwi's would call a “Milk Bar” type coffee shop, in downtown Auckland City. The machine was a venerable Italian 2 grouper, complete with the then obligatory dome. I cant remember the type of machine, but I do remember it was not a machine where the dome was part of the workings of the machine (such as an older LaPavoni or Elektra). Watching the barista pull the lever down was pure theatric and part and parcel of the coffee experience in this Cafe.Fast forward 22 years (zzzzzzzzoom) and finally I have my hands on a lever machine I can call my own. a 3 Group Rapallo Astoria, in chrome and gold trimmings, a beauty to look upon.My more recent obsession with levers begun over a dinner of dried noodles and broth at a remote location in Indonesia. I was at this particular place because of an electrical problem with a more modern machine installed several weeks previous. The problem was caused by a highly unstable and spiking inbound electrical current that had first wrecked a stabilizer and then (when the stabilizer had been bypassed caused havoc with the machine. To readers in the US or other developed countries this may sound unusual. In Indonesia (especially outside of the big cities) electrical mayhem is not at all uncommon.Anyway, while chewing on the noodles the owner of the machine brought up the idea of buying a lever machine. No electrical needed, it could run on just gas and either main water supply or water pumped up to the machine by foot pump.It got me thinking and through reading more on line, through BX contacts (thanks Manggo Queen and ChrisK) and finally by going on a trip to South Central Italy, I decided to take th plunge and go for a lever machine.So far I have not been disappointed. The Italian trip, getting a chance to be up close and personal with 2, 3 and even 4 group lever espresso machines was hugely beneficial and recommended for anyone serious about committing to a lever for a busy Cafe. Watching a number of videos on “the correct way to use a lever machine” on U-Tube was not particular helpful and I would not really recommend this approach. Finally a trip to close by BX'er, Danny in Singapore, was worthwhile and true testament to how well this network succeeds in bringing coffee professionals together. Watching his Barista at work convinced me that a machine could produce great shots in a busy cafe environment outside of Italy.For those not familiar with how a lever espresso machine operates. It is actually quite simple. There are no procon rotary pumps connected to the machine to drive water through the heat exchangers and groups. No potentially fiddly parts such as solenoid valves or flow meters. Everything is essentially mechanical, including the valve systems that prevent water flowing back out of the boiler.The term to “pull a shot” comes from the lever action, but is actually somewhat misleading. The action of “the pull” involves pulling the lever down, and holding it there for 3 to 5 seconds, to fill the piston chamber with water. The lever is then slowly released up until it encounters pressure, then left to work its way from roughly 40 degrees up to vertical. Tamping plays a huge role in getting the process to extract correctly, just as it does in prepping a shot using a normal pump driven machine. The key difference is using a standard pump machine pressure to the group is delivered at 9bar constant through the extraction process. A lever delivers a diminishing level of pressure, meaning the last few seconds of the extraction the coffee coming out to make a standard 30ml shot is but a trickle.Other key differences are that there are no solenoids built into the back (or side) of the group to release pressure after the shot...or to act as a release if the barista has packed and tamped way to tightly. After the shot has finished extracting there is a little residue pressure left in the portafilter, meaning when the portafilter is released there is a little “Plopping” noise made. The Italians showed drilled me not under any circumstances to try and release the portafilter during a shot, even if you are looking at a terrible 1 minute extraction. The result is serious burns, scalding and possible damage to the machine and of course Ego's! Better to go to another group, leave the offending attempted shot to petter out on its own accord.There are some very nice optional extras that a lever machine can offer. Obviously the gas option (or electric and gas). Gas only means no electricity what so ever is needed to use the machine. Gas heats the boiler, producing steam and its own pressure to drive the groups and to produce coffee. A foot pump (like the ones found in Marina Supply shops) can drive water up from an auxiliary tank to the boiler of the machine. Of course electricity is essential to power a commercial grinder, but there are solutions to this minor issue..Having now had some experience using the lever (albeit still limited hours) I can say that for sure there is no reason at all why a lever machine can not be used in a busy Cafe environment. I remember debate somewhere on BX about whether a lever would hold up against a procon pump machine in such an environment. I would say having seen the machine in action in Italy (where the record was 1 cafe using in total 10 lever groups on 3 machines simultaneously) yes, with well trained barista no problem. In fact the quality of shots and the actual process I think means the end result can be even better than that found on most commercial pump machines. A 23-25 second extraction on a lever may take 5 seconds longer due to pulling the lever down for preinfusion... but many modern espresso machines also have preinfusion system infusion as well.The capacity of the pistons on a lever are perhaps the only real limiting factor. The piston size generally means that, if used properly, its pretty difficult to pull more than the volume of a double. They were originally designed for single and double shots, so in some countries (eg Australia and New Zealand) where “long Blacks” require more than a double shot delivery, the cafes would have to settle for Americano instead. Some commercial Levers (Pavoni, Faema and Conti) do allow for preinfusion and then a "second pull" which would produce long, long shots. However the Astoria along with most other levers on the market has the piston shafts decoupled from the boiler system, so this is sadly not possible.

THROW DOWN IN TACOMA

Posted by Scott Baldwin on January 9, 2009 at 10:07am

I have heard that there might be a party tonight at the Blackwater Cafe in Tacoma. I was wondering what time the festivities start?

The Sacred Cup begins a sacred journey...

Posted by Troy Reynard on January 9, 2009 at 10:03am

Yesterday, I got a tattoo of a sacred coffee cup (yes, it's a halo, not a doughnut) and on Wednesday I begin a sacred journey, my first trip to origin. I'll be visiting Mesa de los Santos in Colombia and Lagunitas in Honduras, I can't wait.

2009

Posted by Sam Jones on January 9, 2009 at 9:53am

I am looking forward to a great year. I have managed to leave 2008 in the dust! I will be adding to this post soon.

Coffee Kids Open House on Thursday, Jan. 29

Posted by Coffee Kids on January 9, 2009 at 9:50am

Coffee Kids will hold an open house for supporters, friends and the curious on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 from 4:30-7 p.m. Visit our new offices and enjoy coffee, tea and cider from Java Joe’s of Santa Fe, and cookies from Communications Manager Kyle Freund and Executive Director Carolyn Fairman.

A number of images from Dorie Hagler’s exhibition "Behind Every Cup," will be on display and a drawing will be held for a print."Behind Every Cup" is an amazing body of work documenting the life of coffee-farming families, the conditions in which they live, and the joy that they carry with them. Visit the Web site, "Behind Every Cup." Hagler also sells prints of the images and donates 10% of all proceeds to Coffee Kids.Coffee Kids offices are located at 1751 Calle Medico, Suite K, Santa Fe, NM 87505.For more information or to RSVP, call 505-820-1443 or e-mail nancy@coffeekids.org.

Bloom and Temple Visit

Posted by Joshua Longsdorf on January 8, 2009 at 9:08pm

The following is an exert from the blog garagesale-coffee.blogspot.com from and features my journey to Bloom Coffee of Roseville, Ca and Temple Coffee of Sacramento, Ca. Enjoy...After feeding our bodies and spirits we hit the road for a little coffee field trip. First on the agenda was the brand spanking new Bloom Coffee in Roseville (bloomcoffee.com). This is collaborative work of brothers Lucas and Jacob Elia. The space itself is a wonderful amalgamation(sorry we forgot to take pictures). They went into a location that used to be a tea shop and gave it a very needed face lift mostly paint and some repurposed materials. As far as the feel of the shop it somehow seems to lift your spirits while also calming you at the same time. As for the coffee; Verve is the roaster of choice. We were fortunate enough to share a french press with the two Elia bros. They also pulled us a single origin Ethiopian shot , the details escape me at the moment, which had a really enjoyable hoppy floral bitterness to it and a shot of Verve's Sermon espresso. One of my favorite things about Jake and Luke is their enthusiasm, not only that but they are constantly seeking feedback and take criticism like champs. They're truly eager for any feedback that will help them grow. We picked up a bag of Verve Costa Rican Tarrazu to brew at home and hit the road.After Bloom we ventured over to Sacramento. After hunting down some pizza with some help for Nick at Temple we returned back to Temple(templecoffee.com) to proceed with further caffeination. This I was excited for 1. because nick was working and he's one of the most down, no ego added guys in the industry and 2. they use Barefoot Coffee Roasters who never cease to satisfy. After talking for a few Nick asked Jessica to pull us some shots of Brasil Daterra Sweet Reserve. The shots were really creamy almost as though they had a bit of heavy cream in them both in taste and mouth feel. They also had a very nice butterscotch/ carmel covered apple thing going on. She also pulled us each a shot of The Boss which is a blend of Sumatra, Brasil, and Ethiopian if I'm not mistaken. My shot was slighty over extracted so I all really got to enjoy out of it was some chocolatyness. We finished it of with some macchiatos. I didn't catch which espresso it wasbut it was a nice fruity cup, almost berries and cream. We decided to take home a bag of Edwin Martinez's Finca Vista Hermosa Edlyna Microlot roasted by Barefoot as Edwin is always a great producer and Barefoot always does justice to his coffees. From there we hit the road to head back to our lives in Vallejo.More to come on the coffees we picked up for home.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.