Saturday, August 23, 2008

Ethiopia Koratie DP -- in the Siphon

Wow!

This coffee was roasted to a dark city, almost full city roast... but I would do it at a lighter City roast next time to highlight the sweeter flavors.

In the cup the initial sips are blueberry up top and peach on the bottom. Midway through the cup a tiny hint of melon flavors begin to come through, though still surrounded by the blueberry.... and a bit of bitter cocoa in the background.

Blueberry and cocoa begin to dominate as you finish the cup. It finishes with a blueberry bittersweetness. I believe that the sweeter fruits would be more prominent and balanced at a lighter roast. I will report on that next time.

Total brew time on the siphon: 45 seconds - 35 brewing up, 10 to descend.

If you're average and you know it...

... Clap your hands!

There are a relative handful of coffee shops that deliver a quality product and continue to push the envelope. They have knowledgeable and well-trained barista, they roast very good to phenomenal coffees or offer exquisite coffees from a top notch roaster/roasters.


Each of these shops continues to improve their craft and exhibits an eagerness to learn from the top down. These shops make it known that this is what they do, they stand behind it, and more often than not, they deliver in the cup. (Hey, nobody's perfect all of the time, it's the ability to learn and improve that separates the talkers from the doers. )

Now there are thousands upon thousands of coffee shops that confuse, dismantle, and lower the bar with every cup they serve. They source coffee based on price alone. They over roast or buy stale coffees from roasters selling at a discount. Each of these shops takes interest in trying to look cool while having no relevant information to pass to their customers, and their lack of skill and dismissive attitude at the craft of coffee is displayed from the top down.


I wonder? If so many coffeeshops work and train hard at being average and mediocre, why don't they profess it to the world? There seems to be a place in the market for these kinds of shops, so come clean and let the world know. If you're average and you know it, say it proud!