The "Incident" - An Observation

Some of you may be in the dark regarding the "Incident" at Murky Coffee in D.C.

There has been literally thousands of comments across the blogosphere regarding this tiff, and it brings some important issues to light:

This is not your father's coffeeshop.
Coffee has progressed incredibly over the past twenty-years, from the farmer cupping their lots, testing various drying methods, utilizing the science of cultivation--which can create a higher quality bean, to the artisan barista who spends countless hours understanding dosing, leveling, and extraction techniques... and who has to master the nuances of each espresso just as a concert pianist masters various pieces of classical music.

Several coffeeshops across North America have raised their standard of coffee and espresso quality to be greater than the food quality of most high end restaurants. It is the average shop, where over-roasted bitterness is the norm, that continues the thought that coffee is a method of caffeine injection, rather than a culinary experience. For these handful of shops that treat coffee as a culinary experience AND deliver it, a higher standard of respect should be given by their customers, as well as a higher level of decorum should be present in the barista.

This begs the question,

"Can we serve an exceptional product while maintaining a casual atmosphere and expect a high level of respect from the customer?"
There is a casual elegance you can find in many restaurants. Take a look at some of the seafood restaurants in San Fran as an example. Shorts, nice shirt, maybe even sandals... dinner for two, $400+
Is it a product of the atmosphere? Of the pricing? Is it a matter of revamping the entire atmosphere to elicit a different response, a different expectation from the customer?

These are questions I have been thinking about for a few years now and while I have a few solutions in mind... it is the implementation that is hardest. But I do believe you can raise the standard by raising the expectation through better presentation and consumer coffee education.

But the customer wants...
When you get a McFish from the Golden Arches it is entirely different from ordering the Seared Ahi Tuna loin at Charlie Trotter's; the same holds true for coffee.

Quality isn't for the Everyman, and rather than try to appeal to everyone, customers are given the best service by a continual raising of standards along with continued pursuit of excellence in our craft. All of this translates to an exceptional cup, and that is the greatest reward we can give.

Brazil Fazenda Esperanca: a few days later

I've enjoyed several more cups of this coffee in the past two days, and as time has progressed, the flavor nuances have become a little more defined, and the caramel-citrus finish is a bit longer.

I can't quite put my finger on some of the flavors I am getting in the middle of the cup. I'll have to give it a go again, but in a few words, it's good, really good.

More to come!

Our 3000 pound shipment from overseas has arrived!

Siphon brewers and accessories, and wonderful new teas will be available soon!

Espresso timing vs. flow

Observations of the day.

Most of us are familiar with the "Golden Rule" when making espresso -- 3/4 to 1 ounce of espresso in 25-30 seconds, or roughly double that volume for a double shot. When pulling a shot of espresso, how concerned should you be with the timing? How concerned should you be with the flow?

Obviously a combination of both must factor into play, but without going into the myriad permutations you can have of this or that, you come down to the main questions..

Too fast or too slow, which is worse?

There is always an ideal range you want to fall in, but between the two, you would rather have a thirty-five second or greater pour than a sub twenty second pour.

This is because espresso, in layman's terms, is about extracting the optimum amount of flavorful oils from the grounds. But how do we determine if this has happened?

I use timing as a 'rule of thumb' guide and then primarily watch flow and inspect the portafilter to see if it is clean. If the portafilter is clean, and the timing fell in the optimal range, we can assume that the oils were extracted perfectly, and made it into the demitasse. If there are dark oil stains on the inside of the portafilter, this is usually an indication of overextraction... or poor distribution, but that's a topic for another time.

If we underextract, as many places do, and get that eleven second pour, there are virtually no flavorful oils being extracted, and unflavorful piss-like espresso will usually be the result. I can opt for intense at times, but unflavorful, weak espresso is a far worse crime.




How important is the flow?

Flow is important because it gives one a good indication of the color and density of the crema. While the existence of crema is not the end all be all of espresso, it is most certainly one of the most important factors. Crema is important because of all of the body, texture, flavor, and aroma it gives to the espresso.

It's never a simple process, but evaluating espresso by taste is the ultimate way to judge, so whether there are dark oil stains in the portafilter or it was a thirty-eight second pour, we have to use our palate as the ultimate judge. Of course, in my opinion, a great tasting espresso with indicators that it is somehow flawed can only mean there is more improvement ahead.

While this is not intended to be anywhere near a deep exploration of the subject, I hope it will at least get your brain churning.

Rapid Brewing with the Finca El Injerto

Today I tested a fresh (roasted 10p last night) batch of Guatemala Finca El injerto on the siphon.

Grind 3 notches from 'espresso' on Mazzer Mini.
Brew time 20 seconds.
Rapid stir.

The taste? sweet nut, floral, light caramel and a bit of cocoa.

Wow.

Mountain Mambo Espresso

While the main components of this blend remain the same, I often alter percentages and experiment with different pre and post blending methods as well as different roast levels. This way, I can discover flavors I may have missed or lost with some other combination.

This current batch as espresso is peach, mango, light bittersweet almond and hints of honey and chocolate. In cappuccino, it tastes like a peach/apricot creamsicle up front with the almond taking on a lighter, but sweeter role. Not recommended for drinks above 12 ounces.

This espresso is not for the choco choco dark caramel and wood crowd.
But for those looking for a bright, lively, multi-dimensional espresso--this is it.

Kenya AA Nyeri Kiamaina *Tasting Notes*

John Says...

Today I tested a batch of the new Kenya AA Nyeri Kiamaina.

This batch was roasted to a City Roast at 9:00 AM this morning.
Testing was done at 6:00 PM.

I brewed several batches in the Siphon brewer, and even on day one, the flavors are coming through. Peach and maybe a hint of floral apricot in the aroma. Peach and lemon up front, with the peach dominating as the cup cools. A sweet and balanced finish of peach and honey.

I found this coffee to be exceptionally clean, even by my radical standards. It's truly a magnificent coffee and creates a cup you will long remember.