it's been an insane blur.
the SCAA show is over (it was huge).
the WBC is over (Troels won).
the Seattle visit is over (so many parties).
tonight is the Stumptown party. tomorrow is the visitors' tour.
once it is over and i've slept for 48 hours i'll start posting some more detailed thoughts.
in the meantime, some quick and random notes:
- Kees is the man.
- any time you get folks like Jimmy, Alistair, Jay, Bronwen et al together the conversation goes uber-geek in about 3 seconds. and it's fun.
- the BGA booth rocked!!
4.19.2005
4.14.2005
i'm frantically trying to wrap stuff up and get prepared for the SCAA meeting/show and WBC this weekend. i won't be posting again (probably) until next week -- probably late in the week. yeah - it's like that right now.
it's been really amazing the last few days. we've had a ton of visitors in (Paul and Andrew from Australia, Kevin and Tomas from Gimme, Mark Inman, Tim Castle, various folks from Colombia, some other Aussies, a couple people from up north...). this has been an excellent "preview" of the weekend. it's been very cool to talk coffee with these folks - but even more cool to discover how we're all facing the same kinds of issues and all pursuing the same kinds of goals and in many cases all arriving at the same kinds of solutions.
it seems like everyone is having issues with the grinder options that are available. it seems like everyone is frustrated by dealing with vendors. it seems like everyone is looking at PID control for espresso machines and direct relationship buying for green beans and staff retention concerns and Sprinter delivery vans.
this all makes the world seem much smaller.
SCAA is going to be very very cool.
it's been really amazing the last few days. we've had a ton of visitors in (Paul and Andrew from Australia, Kevin and Tomas from Gimme, Mark Inman, Tim Castle, various folks from Colombia, some other Aussies, a couple people from up north...). this has been an excellent "preview" of the weekend. it's been very cool to talk coffee with these folks - but even more cool to discover how we're all facing the same kinds of issues and all pursuing the same kinds of goals and in many cases all arriving at the same kinds of solutions.
it seems like everyone is having issues with the grinder options that are available. it seems like everyone is frustrated by dealing with vendors. it seems like everyone is looking at PID control for espresso machines and direct relationship buying for green beans and staff retention concerns and Sprinter delivery vans.
this all makes the world seem much smaller.
SCAA is going to be very very cool.
4.13.2005
rules and drawing within the lines
i had an interesting exchange today.
a quick bit of personal background information that will be valuable when it comes to understanding what i'm about to say. i spent over a decade cooking professionally. i'm reasonably knowledgable when it comes to the palate, flavour and the physiology of taste. my major in school was critical theory - post-structuralism to be exact.
anyway, so i had this exchange.
i was questioned about my description of a coffee and was told that the way i had described it didn't conform with the accepted cupping descriptors and guidelines. i explained how i was using certain words and why i was using certain terms the way i used them.
in addition, i commented that one of the things i love about Stumptown is that we're made to feel free to ignore rules and instead experiment with our own ideas.
finally, i stated that i felt that many of the rules and guidelines in coffee stem from a desire to impress objective and qualitative standards to what is, fundamentally, a profoundly subjective and personal experience.
i thought some more about this and immediately (of course) saw the parallels between what i was talking about when it comes to coffee and my field of study when it came to critical theory. coffee now (like critical theory in the 1960s) has long been an area of arcane and protected knowledge where growth within the field requires years of practice and study under an established master. this tends to result in a sort of intellectual corruption where those with knowledge become disincented from making that knowledge accessible and where status and inclusion requires far more political skill and obsequience to a system than actual ability. there is also a level of fear involved due to the subjective nature of evaluation of taste which results in the creation of layers of justification and obsfucation in order to make a determination impregnible.
when it comes right down to it - all of this is, in fact, not only faulty but fundamentally wrong in a number of ways and on a number of fronts.
i cup coffee daily and in most cases multiple times per day. for the most part these are staff cuppings, where our baristas are learning not only how to cup coffee, but also how to taste coffee. in these we tend to emphasize the importance of trusting your own palate. the other cuppings are a mix of sample cuppings and production cuppings where coffees are being evaluated. in these cuppings we also really focus on our own personal opinions of coffees. i guess you could say that we are the deconstructionists of the coffee world. the thing is... i learn as much about coffee in the employee cuppings as i do in the sample cuppings.
i love the idea that our staff is being educated to ignore the rules - or educated in ignorance of the rules. i love the idea that staff are free to describe a coffee as "reminding them of christmas morning" or "kind of yellow in my mouth." the mind opens and people start actually thinking, learning and tasting rather than just checking the requisite boxes.
of course... it's all just my opinion (grin).
a quick bit of personal background information that will be valuable when it comes to understanding what i'm about to say. i spent over a decade cooking professionally. i'm reasonably knowledgable when it comes to the palate, flavour and the physiology of taste. my major in school was critical theory - post-structuralism to be exact.
anyway, so i had this exchange.
i was questioned about my description of a coffee and was told that the way i had described it didn't conform with the accepted cupping descriptors and guidelines. i explained how i was using certain words and why i was using certain terms the way i used them.
in addition, i commented that one of the things i love about Stumptown is that we're made to feel free to ignore rules and instead experiment with our own ideas.
finally, i stated that i felt that many of the rules and guidelines in coffee stem from a desire to impress objective and qualitative standards to what is, fundamentally, a profoundly subjective and personal experience.
i thought some more about this and immediately (of course) saw the parallels between what i was talking about when it comes to coffee and my field of study when it came to critical theory. coffee now (like critical theory in the 1960s) has long been an area of arcane and protected knowledge where growth within the field requires years of practice and study under an established master. this tends to result in a sort of intellectual corruption where those with knowledge become disincented from making that knowledge accessible and where status and inclusion requires far more political skill and obsequience to a system than actual ability. there is also a level of fear involved due to the subjective nature of evaluation of taste which results in the creation of layers of justification and obsfucation in order to make a determination impregnible.
when it comes right down to it - all of this is, in fact, not only faulty but fundamentally wrong in a number of ways and on a number of fronts.
i cup coffee daily and in most cases multiple times per day. for the most part these are staff cuppings, where our baristas are learning not only how to cup coffee, but also how to taste coffee. in these we tend to emphasize the importance of trusting your own palate. the other cuppings are a mix of sample cuppings and production cuppings where coffees are being evaluated. in these cuppings we also really focus on our own personal opinions of coffees. i guess you could say that we are the deconstructionists of the coffee world. the thing is... i learn as much about coffee in the employee cuppings as i do in the sample cuppings.
i love the idea that our staff is being educated to ignore the rules - or educated in ignorance of the rules. i love the idea that staff are free to describe a coffee as "reminding them of christmas morning" or "kind of yellow in my mouth." the mind opens and people start actually thinking, learning and tasting rather than just checking the requisite boxes.
of course... it's all just my opinion (grin).
4.12.2005
the return of the Harar
it's been a rough couple of years for lovers of the Ethiopia Harar. while there has been the periodic nice coffee, we've been missing those over-the-top Harar flavours. too many Harars over the last few years have been unbalanced, or dirty, or floppy or just missing the blueberry fruit we all love.
well... it's back.
we've been cupping out the new MAO Horse and the batch we have is truly incredible. it's all we've been missing. all the intensity, and all that blueberry... but without the ferment, without the mustyness and without the floppyness.
for the last few weeks all the folks in the Roastery have been sample roasting and cupping this coffee like mad. we've been crossing our fingers and holding our breath - but it continues to amaze.
finally, we can say with confidence that this coffee just outright rocks our world.
we sent a sample off to Fortune Elkins in NYC - and she agrees.
this is a Harar.
well... it's back.
we've been cupping out the new MAO Horse and the batch we have is truly incredible. it's all we've been missing. all the intensity, and all that blueberry... but without the ferment, without the mustyness and without the floppyness.
for the last few weeks all the folks in the Roastery have been sample roasting and cupping this coffee like mad. we've been crossing our fingers and holding our breath - but it continues to amaze.
finally, we can say with confidence that this coffee just outright rocks our world.
we sent a sample off to Fortune Elkins in NYC - and she agrees.
this is a Harar.
4.08.2005
first thoughts
so the break-in period is coming to an end for the 5 group. i've been drinking 3 to 4 doubles a day out of the machine. checking, tuning, evaluating, tracking... it's been illuminating.
first of all - i'm starting to think that this machine may produce coffee with a different profile and mouthfeel than our 3 group Mistrals. it seems like the profile is a bit rounder and that the mouthfeel is a bit denser. this makes me very happy (to say the least).
secondly - the milk from this machine is both better and easier to pull off. this obviously makes the baristas really happy.
third - have i mentioned that it's gorgeous? and impressive? and enormous? when i walk in each time it stops me in my tracks.
first of all - i'm starting to think that this machine may produce coffee with a different profile and mouthfeel than our 3 group Mistrals. it seems like the profile is a bit rounder and that the mouthfeel is a bit denser. this makes me very happy (to say the least).
secondly - the milk from this machine is both better and easier to pull off. this obviously makes the baristas really happy.
third - have i mentioned that it's gorgeous? and impressive? and enormous? when i walk in each time it stops me in my tracks.
4.06.2005
the beast
As many of you know, Stumptown commissioned Kees to build us a one-of-a-kind 5 Group Mistral last year. Over the last few months I have posted the periodic teaser photo now and then.
A couple weeks back, the machine was finally delivered to ESI in Seattle. Duane drove up there, cracked a big old bottle of Chimay with the ESI folks to celebrate and then brought it home.
Monday night Lizz, Ken and Garth prepared the space, the electrical systems and the plumbing for it. From what I gather - it was a long night.
And then last night Ken, Lizz, Wendy and Garth pulled an epic all-nighter doing the install.
Needless to say, I didn't sleep well last night.
So, early this morning I ran over to check it out.
One word... GLORIOUS.
So here, without further ado, I present the mighty 5 group Mistral.
I'll post some thoughts on using it, drink quality, etc after a few days "shake down."
A couple weeks back, the machine was finally delivered to ESI in Seattle. Duane drove up there, cracked a big old bottle of Chimay with the ESI folks to celebrate and then brought it home.
Monday night Lizz, Ken and Garth prepared the space, the electrical systems and the plumbing for it. From what I gather - it was a long night.
And then last night Ken, Lizz, Wendy and Garth pulled an epic all-nighter doing the install.
Needless to say, I didn't sleep well last night.
So, early this morning I ran over to check it out.
One word... GLORIOUS.
So here, without further ado, I present the mighty 5 group Mistral.
I'll post some thoughts on using it, drink quality, etc after a few days "shake down."
4.04.2005
San Francisco
just back from my birthday weekend in San Francisco. it was an incredible experience. the highlight was dinner at the French Laundry which is, in my opinion, the best restaurant in the US by a rather significant margin. incredible. i had been warned and, as a result, i did not ruin my meal with coffee.
but this is not about my food experiences, so...
San Francisco has long deserved good coffee - but has really never had it.
that seems to finally be changing.
first Frog Hollow started doing a decent job down in the Ferry Building.
and now Blue Bottle has expanded and has a cart at the Saturday Ferry Building market as well as a little storefront operation over in Hayes Valley.
the market cart was insane. honestly, i've never seen a more difficult environment for making good coffee. it was totally crazy. i watched James and Steve at work and could not imagine how they could do it. huge crowds, outdoors by the bay, weather changes, a lever machine, no kitchen or prep area to speak of. nuts.
the Hayes St location, on the other hand, is super cool. it's a very funky setup in the front of a garage space on an alley. they have tons of regulars and are doing good drinks. if i was living in SF i'd be one of the regulars for sure.
and now Ritual will be opening as well.
cool.
i met up with a bunch of coffee folks at Blue Bottle. i'd planned to meet Steve (who was working) and Andrew Barnett there - and then Keith (roaster from Mt Shasta) and Eileen from Ritual showed up as well. you want a good sign? there you go. nice work James, Steve et al.
and Steve gave me a little of their new Yemen which is really really lovely. great aromas, wonderful sweet fruit, slightly milky but still quite clean and defined. one of the best Yemens i've tasted in the last 2 years.
but this is not about my food experiences, so...
San Francisco has long deserved good coffee - but has really never had it.
that seems to finally be changing.
first Frog Hollow started doing a decent job down in the Ferry Building.
and now Blue Bottle has expanded and has a cart at the Saturday Ferry Building market as well as a little storefront operation over in Hayes Valley.
the market cart was insane. honestly, i've never seen a more difficult environment for making good coffee. it was totally crazy. i watched James and Steve at work and could not imagine how they could do it. huge crowds, outdoors by the bay, weather changes, a lever machine, no kitchen or prep area to speak of. nuts.
the Hayes St location, on the other hand, is super cool. it's a very funky setup in the front of a garage space on an alley. they have tons of regulars and are doing good drinks. if i was living in SF i'd be one of the regulars for sure.
and now Ritual will be opening as well.
cool.
i met up with a bunch of coffee folks at Blue Bottle. i'd planned to meet Steve (who was working) and Andrew Barnett there - and then Keith (roaster from Mt Shasta) and Eileen from Ritual showed up as well. you want a good sign? there you go. nice work James, Steve et al.
and Steve gave me a little of their new Yemen which is really really lovely. great aromas, wonderful sweet fruit, slightly milky but still quite clean and defined. one of the best Yemens i've tasted in the last 2 years.
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