More than just a cup of coffee…
by Suz Strick, Marketing Manager
Thank you for visiting our blog. We’re so happy you came by and would love to give you a cup of coffee while you read, but our blog has just moved over to it’s new home.
Come on over, get a fresh cup of coffee or tea and read about why Portland Roasting has been a steadfast pioneer of the coffee industry on our NEW blog. All of our content has been migrated now and you can browse by topic related to your interests.
I am pleased to welcome two new customers to the Portland Roasting family. Two great teams of people, two great stories, Two great ideas and two great successes and all in two months!
Meet Molly and Claire from Rain or Shine Coffee house Two friends who met at University of Oregon. Two months ago they conceived of a plan to re open the space (A former coffee shop) on SE 60th & Division here in Portland OR and we were pleased to partner with them. Molly and Claire took advantage of our complimentary training and excelled at it! Check out their awesome pastry case made from an old glass door ad conceived of by Molly’s Mom. If you’re in the neighborhood stop by and sample the homemade goods stocked behind it. The café is light, bright and classy….kinda like Molly and Claire.
Har Har!!!!!!! Meet two Pirates from Vancouver WA – That’s right two Swashbucklers Chris and Litsa Beacock who aptly named their roadside espresso Drive thru “Swashbucklers” and what a treasure chest they have opened! Two months ago they too came to us with a great concept for an old drive thru business. Swashbucklers espresso was born and they have got the place ship shape in no time at all. Chris and Litsa had no coffee background however had a proper plan, enthusiasm and they also took full advantage of our complimentary training. They are fast building a reputation for some of their specials! Try their ‘Black pearl” or walk the plank me hearties…..
Swashbucklers at 16807 NE 4th Plain Road Vancouver WA 98682
I was excited to witness the performance of the 12 semifinalists. It was a great ambiance around the WBC stage; it turned out packed and crazy on Saturday as soon as the Colombian Barista appeared to perform. Everything was going fine until she spent a few more seconds to complete her presentation. From the final six competitors just one Latin American young barista was in competition, with a great presentation based on what a coffee tree could offer. For his personal drink, he used frozen parchment still covered with mucilage , dry coffee flowers, dry coffee “Cascara” —dry pulp—and, on top of that, straight shots of espresso.I have to be honest and say that I have not yet tried this type of beverage, but getting more from one coffee farm besides coffee in cherry or parchment was a simple but powerful message that judges not only appreciated but also enjoyed on their palates.
I am completing this short article after learning that Alejandro Mendez from El Salvador is the new WBC 2011. He brought his coffee from a farm located nearby the Santa Ana Volcano in El Salvador harvested between March and April. One nice touch during his performance was to separate the cream from his straight shot to enhance the sweetness and acidity of this beverage, a nice move to bring the characteristics of the coffee above the preparation itself. Making the coffee the main actor of his presentation provides him a good credit as a representative from a producer country. The message was simple but powerful, and although they have a set of state of the art machinery, baristas should focus on their basic ingredient: the coffee. Moreover, being involved with the process of harvesting and processing the cherries was a main factor that provided to the two finalist a first-hand experience to extract new lessons and create even more complex beverages from byproducts as mentioned before.
Finally, coffee was the king of presentations at the final in the WBC 2011 at Bogota; byproducts could be a new trend of infusing beverages that could bring new customers experience willing to take a new sensory tour.
–Making the rounds
Hey Folks,
It’s been a while since the SCAA Event in Houston and I’ve wanted to report on it, but catching up and then sickness and stuff had me lagging behind. Well, here I am now so…
Right outside the convention center
Houston was the spot for the SCAA Expo this year. I was excited to come out to this global coffee event, not just to see friends in the industry and meet new folks while checking out new products and drinking WAY too much great coffee. I took the trip this year to work for the first time as an Instructor for The Roasters Guild Certification courses being held through out the weekend. My purpose was strictly to volunteer my time to the Guild and work with folks looking to hone in on their roasting skills and get the opportunity to do specific experiments at the roaster and cup the results.
I sat in on just about every roasting lab as Station Instructor, leading the breakout groups as they went to their respective machines and executed a series of roasts meant to analyze the effects on cup quality. With groups we performed a host of intentionally bad roasts, defective roasts, slow roasts, fast roasts, etc. and throughout the workshops were really able to sit and discuss the results.
a group finishing a roast
The great benefit of these workshops is that it’s rare for so many Roasters to be able to take time and resources to perform these comparisons. And with presentations and follow up discussion, being able to compare and contrast profiles in roasting takes what can often be speculation or hearsay and back it up with data. The end of each course answers questions about the craft of roasting and stimulates new ones for each Roaster to take back to their shops with them. Additionally, the courses go towards the Roasters Guild Certification Program which has actually just been ironed out and officiated for both Apprentice and Journeyman levels this year.
cupping our roasts
While I had a great time working as Station Instructor, I also got the opportunity to teach my first class. I ran the “Introduction to Craft Roasting” course and loved it. I’m truly looking forward to doing more, and hopefully in the next year help with the set up of regional gatherings to bring the coursework out to people who can’t travel to the few events a year when the workshops are held.
Outside of the roasting lab, I had a chance to to chat with the folks at Cuvee coffee out of Austin, TX who pulled me a well roasted shot of El Salvador from a Marzocco Strada. I also chatted up the folks at a Hario booth and was just giddy over a table of prototype designs and seeing the designer meandering around. Not to mention the guy I was talking with was actually named Victor Jara! How rad is that?
Hario Prototypes, sorry no Victor Jara pics!
Chilean folk heros aside, I also need to congratulate a former employee who moved up to Olympia a few years back and ended up taking 2nd in this years Brewers Cup Competition. Way to go Mike Cannon! The competitions were all around the labs from Coffee of the Year to the USBC to the Roasters Choice. I tried so many samples of great coffee I think I barely slept an hour and a half Saturday night. Or maybe that was due to the Roasters Guild Party…
Anywhos, The Event was memorable and I’m grateful I got the chance to go. I really appreciate all the hard work that goes into this event year after year and am just glad I get to be a part of it. Next year’s event will be here in Portland! Even better is that having just recently started our move into the Oregon Convention Center, we’re gonna be all over the place and invite you to put this event on your calendar and come visit us and experience this massive coffee encuentro for yourself.
Hario cold dripper...Steampunky.. I want one.
Cheers.
PS. My birthday’s in August… Get me something from Hario!
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