Making coffee is cathartic. Some people do yoga, some people meditate, I just like to make espresso. There is just something so soothing about the entire process. The meticulous nature of weighing your coffee to the nearest gram and grinding it at a specific RPM. The magical transition from grinds in a portafilter, to syrupy espresso...
As the year wraps up... it seems like a good time to do a good old fashioned 'ask me anything' video. A lot has gone on since the last one, where I responded to many questions, and even talked about how angry my moka pot recipe has made many Italians. This year's topics appear to be...
On my journey to expand my coffee content... I'm once again trying something new that I lovingly call the Barista Challenge. The game is simple, roll the latte art dice, pour the design, and win some cash. Of course there are some additional multipliers in the mix. For example, if you roll a basic heart, that's...
Since the latter part of the last decade... there's been a lot of talk about industrial automation, and the coffee industry hasn't been immune. It seems we've started small with automatic tampers, espresso machines, and milk steamers, but the next logical step is replacing the most inconsistent part of the process: the barista. Now after the...
Travel and coffee... Often go hand-in-hand. Usually when I’m headed out into the wild blue yonder I do all the research and develop an epic coffee crawl. I always love to experience the local coffee culture when I’m traveling, but sometimes you go somewhere that doesn’t really have a coffee culture. Or you just don’t want...
Those who know me best... would describe me as a purist. Whether it’s my taste in coffee, cars, or most things in my life. Simple is usually better. I also am not a sweet drink person, but it’s the season for pumpkin spice and peppermint mocha. So I decided to grab a couple of La Colombe’s...
I've never been to Denmark... but if I go I know I'll feel right at home at the Coffee Collective. In 2007 they opened in Copenhagen with a great mission. To create "exceptional coffee experiences in a manner that gives better living conditions to coffee farmers across the globe". This practice is common within the third...
This was my second visit to Coffee Fest... and I'm sure won't be my last. Compared to my first experience a few new things have occurred to me about the show itself that I didn't experience the first time (Anaheim in 2016). These things are all based solely on my position within the specialty coffee community,...
Similar to most other industries... the struggle to remain relevant is always there in specialty coffee. Things are changing rapidly, even if it doesn't appear that way. Behind the scenes at some of the worlds best, and even relatively unknown cafes and roasters there is industry changing movements going on. Outside of the cafe level, there...
I've never been to Philadelphia... but I hear its Always Sunny, and the cheesesteaks are to die for. Yet, apparently the City of Brotherly Love is also the home of the growing coffee company La Colombe. My first experience with their coffee was visiting my sister in Chicago. It was June, it was humid, and I...
Higher pay for baristas is always a hot topic… among, you guessed it; baristas. The conversation can get heated, and the overwhelming consensus among baristas is the pay should be higher (obviously). After all, being a good barista is a position that requires a lot of patience, skill, and time to master. Plus, beyond that you...
On espresso bars around the world... there are a variety of steaming pitchers. They are all intended for the same basic purpose, to pour steamed milk into coffee. Yet there are many differences ranging from the subtle, to the blatantly obvious. Some even have no handles if you can believe that. Having used quite a few...
One of the questions I often ponder... is how can specialty coffee bridge the gap and bring in more customers from the commodity side. Often times, people tell me its because specialty coffee is price prohibitive. I feel like this argument isn't all that legitimate, because we all spend our money on things we enjoy. Another...
It's still early days in my roasting career... but its safe to say I'm addicted. Yes it can be repetitive, frustrating, and downright intimidating. The first time I stood beside the Diedrich all by myself I felt a sense of fear, pride, and determination I haven't felt in years. I've even read a book, which I...
Just like many other things in life starting with a solid foundation is vital... and coffee is no different. So lets start with the basics of pulling a shot of espresso like a pro. In this tutorial I'll go over the items step-by-step. As I'm doing this from home I've excluded a few of the Specialty...
Espresso is complex beast… And it’s hard to nail it down to a one-size fits all program. Of course the standard espresso extraction these days is using 18 to 21 grams of coffee, 9 bars of pressure, for 25-30 seconds. Yet, I recently read an article from the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) about a survey given to...
Love em' or hate em', distribution tools are here to stay… It’s rare to walk into any specialty coffee shop these days and not see a distribution tool of some kind sitting on the bar. Nearly every company that produces coffee tools has come out with their own version. They vary in shape, size, and material,...
Step One The Aeropress is one of my favorite by-the-cup methods of coffee brewing. What you'll need is the Aeropress cylinders, the cylinder screw top, a filter, something to stir it with, a gram scale, and of course a cup. Once again I'll be brewing this to my tried and true 1:15 brew ratio of deliciousness....
It’s essential to all life on earth… and a proper cup of coffee. Water; it makes up a total of ninety-eight percent of your coffee beverage. Think of the blood, sweat, and tears that went into bringing those beans into your kitchen. How can you not give them a proper bath after that journey? In this...
As a coffee purist I’m not a fan alternative milks… I feel like they tend to change the coffee too much. Almond, coconut, macadamia, soy, or rice, they all take away from the unique aromas and flavors that they should be elevating. So I was skeptical when I saw a sudden, and constant stream of promotions...
Step One Pick out which sweet, sweet bean you're going to brew and weigh it to your desired amount. I personally always brew drip coffees to a 1:15 brew ratio, so in this tutorial I used 23 grams and aimed for 345 grams of filtered or bottled water. Using the right water is essential as it...
A cup is just a vessel... that holds a liquid, and you drink out if it. Some are short, some are tall, some are glass, and some are ceramic. Its not until you think about it as another tool of the craft of making, and enjoying coffee, that you start seeing them in more specific terms....
In the world of specialty coffee... there is one word that strikes fear into a coffee nerds wallet – Geisha. No, I’m not talking about the Japanese hostesses; I’m talking top-tier coffee. Geisha is believed to have originated in the Gesha village of Ethiopia. This coffee varietal is known for its clarity, sweetness, and aromatic...
As a coffee enthusiast born out of the third wave... I tend to cringe at the term “Italian Espresso”. It’s not that it can’t be good, it’s just not on the flavor spectrum that I usually go for. Generally Italian’s roast quite a bit darker for their espresso than most of the modern specialty coffee roasters...
