The Glamorous Life of the Latte Makers

Got this puppy for Christmas this year but haven’t yet had...

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 17:17:00 -0500

Got this puppy for Christmas this year but haven’t yet had a day to use it (I’ve been opening at Starbucks and at 4:30 am I just don’t have the will to do a french press - It’s via or death).

Tomorrow is the day! Casi Cielo is going to be this baby’s inaugural grind. Excitement.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's coming back.

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:49:20 -0500

Casi Cielo is officially back and brewing at the ‘bucks starting Tuesday. If memory serves, to me at least, this is like the coffee equivalent of butter; smooth, delicious and I want it all. the. time.

Obviously I’m going to starting hoarding it promptly. I can’t wait.

Natural Processing

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 20:39:12 -0500

Natural processing is also known as dry processing, because of its absence of water. Beans are dried in the sun for several days, until the skin becomes hard and raisin-esque. The dried cherries are hulled to remove the pulp, mucilage and parchment in one step, then the beans are finished up with final drying.

Because the fruit is allowed to dry right on the bean, these coffees have a strong fruit flavor. Brazil, Yemen and Ethiopia use natural processing. The process can produce berry, spice, cocoa and earthy flavors.

Because of the varying degrees of ripeness and harvesting techniques, naturally processed coffee can be unpredictable and inconsistent. I suspect this is why we have no naturally processed coffees to offer at the moment and my processing tasting will be sadly incomplete.

Semi-Washed Processing

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 20:37:12 -0500

Semi-washed processing skips the fermentation step. After being de-pulped, the cherries are soaked for an hour or two, then rubbed together to remove the fruit from the bean. Some of the fruit stays on the bean, adding to the flavor. Next the beans are dried, transported to a milling station and then dried some more. The beans are hulled to remove the parchment and any bits of dried mucilage still stuck to the bean. Finally, the beans are dried yet again.

The semi-washed method is often associated with Indonesian coffees. The partial drying instead of fermentation gives these coffees an herbal and earthy flavor and a full body.

For my processing tasting, I’ll be using Sumatra (always a crowd pleaser) as my semi-washed coffee. Sumatra is an extra bold coffee with an earthy and flavor with a low acidity and full body. Cinnamon, oatmeal, maple, butter, toffee and cheese flavors all complement Sumatra. In my favorite bit of vague descriptive work, Starbucks describes Sumatra as “earthy and unpredictable.”

Washed Processing

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 20:30:00 -0500

Washed processing, as the name implies, involves a lot of water. First the cherries are de-pulped, then the remainder of the cherries are soaked in fermentation tanks for 18-36 hours, which breaks down the mucilage so it can be removed during washing. Next the beans are dried in the sun, then bagged and rested for 2 months. Finally the beans are hulled to remove the parchment (the last layer of the cherry before the bean, like the papery skin on a peanut).

The fermentation process produces a cleaner bean and a more acidic flavor. Much of Latin America’s coffee is processed this way. This is why Latin American coffees are often known for their strong acidity.

For my processing tasting, I’ll be using Breakfast Blend as my washed coffee. It has a mild, bright and tangy flavor, high acidity and light body. Breakfast Blend is nicely complimented by nuts, apples, blueberries and lemon flavors.

"Robusta refers to the hardiness of the tree, not to the flavor in the cup."

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 18:28:49 -0500

“Robusta refers to the hardiness of the tree, not to the flavor in the cup.”

From Indonesia comes the most expensive coffee in the world:...

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 14:12:00 -0500

From Indonesia comes the most expensive coffee in the world: Kopi Luwak, which loosely translates to weasel coffee. Why? Because it’s already been eaten by this guy.

In the Starbucks Coffee Master training it said the coffee cherries “pass through the digestive tract of a civet.” That’s a nice way to put it.

After that first bit, the beans are collected from the forest floor, cleaned and roasted.

Kopi Luwak

Sounds horrifying and yet I seriously want to taste it.

My first attempt at latte art. Not great, friends. Not great.

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 14:01:53 -0500

My first attempt at latte art. Not great, friends. Not great.

Geography Fun Fact:

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 13:55:14 -0500

While most growing regions only have one harvest each year, Kenya has two. Because Kenya is so close to the equator it experiences the seasons of both hemispheres. The main crop is harvested between October and December and then the bonus crop is harvested between June and August.

"Legend has it that coffee in Ethiopia predates the existence of humans."

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 13:49:26 -0500

“Legend has it that coffee in Ethiopia predates the existence of humans.”

- Even if you believe in Creation, coffee comes first. Word is, God did plants on the third day. People didn’t come around until day six.

Priorities. No people until you have coffee to give them. It’s why we get there first to make the coffee before we let people in.

Espresso versus Drip Coffee

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 13:29:34 -0500

Last night one of my baristas brought up the issue of caffeine content in espresso versus drip coffee. He told some customers that a drip coffee packed more of a punch than espresso. I argued. Today, I researched.

By volume, espresso is way stronger because it’s more concentrated (which was my original argument). 1 ounce of espresso has around 30-50 mg of caffeine. I ounce of drip coffee has just 8.125-15 mg. Obviously, no one’s getting an ounce of the Pike to start their morning.

So I did some light (very light) math and compared a grande coffee to a grande latte (containing 2 shots of espresso). The coffee weighs in at 130-240 mg. The latte is only packing 60-100 mg. If you’re like my bosses and me, frequently getting a quad latte, it’s a little more comparable. Otherwise, per beverage, coffee is the reigning champ.

I could argue that technically I was correct. But in any sort of practical scenario, he’s right: the coffee wins.

Caffeine content in espresso vs drip coffee. | Caffeine | News

"Do you like coffee?” “Only with my oxygen."

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 16:35:31 -0500

““Do you like coffee?”
“Only with my oxygen.””

- Lorelai Gilmore, spirit animal.

Happy Thanksgiving! Starbucks® Thanksgiving Blend | Starbucks...

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 12:14:00 -0500

Happy Thanksgiving!

Starbucks® Thanksgiving Blend | Starbucks Coffee Company

My Love of Thanksgiving Blend

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 01:00:00 -0500

Last night I was fortunate enough to work pre-Thanksgiving close with my dear work-wife. Naturally, Thanksgiving blend was essential. Sadly (or wonderfully, if you’re into the business side) our store sold out weeks ago. Fortunately I planned ahead this year and had been hoarding it for weeks. I brought back an unopened bag so I could make a french press… or two. We split one to celebrate before the shift and then I on my lunch I had another french press. By myself. What can I say? I love Thanksgiving blend. It’s a magical mixture of two coffees I love (Guatemala and Sumatra) into one deliciously spicy and herbal coffee that I love absurdly (partially due to my love of Thanksgiving in general.

lickystickypickyme: is it in you!?!?!? It is.

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:24:33 -0500

lickystickypickyme:

is it in you!?!?!?

It is.

"It will make the heart beat a little faster, and it will increase blood pressure,’ he said. ‘If..."

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:09:43 -0500

“It will make the heart beat a little faster, and it will increase blood pressure,’ he said. ‘If you’re young and healthy you will get away with it, but it’s not something I would recommend”

- Dr. Jacob Shani, the chief of cardiology at Maimonides Medical Center regarding the 20 oz espresso: ‘One giant cup of jet fuel’

'One giant cup of jet fuel': New York cafe owner serving up a 20-ounce, 10-shot espresso | Mail Online

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:04:21 -0500

'One giant cup of jet fuel': New York cafe owner serving up a 20-ounce, 10-shot espresso | Mail Online:

Mr Fisher added: ‘It’s never been done before. It just dawned on me that people really love espresso, so why not just give them a cup full of espresso?

Um, because it is insanity.

Low Elevation is for losers.

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:00:00 -0500

Robusta beans are grown at lower altitudes. They grow bigger and faster, are easier to grow and more resistant to disease. Blah blah blah. Sure, robusta is easier but its flavor is inferior.

If you’re gonna do it, do it right. Arabica or bust.

High Altitudes are where it's at.

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 18:49:30 -0500

Fun Fact I never knew about coffee: Elevation matters.

High-quality arabica beans come from high altitudes, between 3,000-6,000 feet. At these heights the beans are nurtured by a perfect storm of temperature, sunlight and rainfall. Warm days and cool evenings slow down the maturation process, keeping the cherries on the tree longer, developing their flavor. The beans also stay smaller and harder, able to withstand a darker roast. High elevation means denser beans with more complex flavors. Yum.

Actually the first soluble blend of coffee was created by a...

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:26:42 -0500

Actually the first soluble blend of coffee was created by a Japanese-American chemist, Satori Kato in 1901. Washington ran with in and made the first mass-produced instant coffee. Seriously lacking in flavor, there was plenty of room for improvement.

Image courtesy of The Oatmeal