The Epic Of Specialty Coffee

In the days before the Green Siren, Commercial Coffee ruled over all the earth. Yet some rebelled. Hope emerged in the West, and Specialty Coffee became known to but a few. (more…)

In the days before the Green Siren, Commercial Coffee ruled over all the earth. Yet some rebelled. Hope emerged in the West, and Specialty Coffee became known to but a few. (more…)

VANCOUVER, CANADA – 6:41 a.m. -
Baristas around the nation are in mourning as yet another espresso has been buried alive in a paper cup by roughly 10 ounces of steaming hot milk, bringing the “uncountable death toll well into the millions for 2009″, officials said early Tuesday morning.
Eye witnesses claim the espresso was extracted directly into a paper cup (which would later become its casket) and was then swirled around aggressively for a few seconds before being ultimately suffocated by a proportion of milk far too great to possibly come through in.
No memorial was held, but as is tradition, a single white rosetta was placed on top of the espresso by the barista before a lid was brought to cover it any longer from public viewing.
The best 2 minutes and 12 seconds from our 4320 minute adventure back in August.

Congratulations to Kyle Straw for winning the Canadian Barista Championships yesterday, and by doing so quite convincingly. His monster score of 663 points was 36 points ahead of 2nd place. Impressive.

On the second time around, I was a little more coffee focused. Here’s some highlights. (more…)

While I love learning about the minutia of all that is coffee (different steeping methods, pre-infusion, pressure profiling, ideal roast dates, roast curves, etc…) I have found it refreshing to ponder the baby steps that every barista takes when they first enter the coffee world. (more…)
Congratulations to team Cafe Myriade for rocking the house in the Eastern Regionals today. Anthony Benda placed first, with co-worker Alex Scott took third. Cliff Hansen from Bridgehead came in second – and that means the three of them will move on to the nationals in October, here in Vancouver.

There isn’t much commentary necessary here. The mere existence of such a place is enough said already. (more…)
A relatively raw and uncut look at how syphon is done at UCC Coffee, Japan.
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A few moments from our coffee tour in New York City. More thoughts to come.
The first Canadian regional championship of 2009 is set to go.
It will be broadcast live Sunday, July 19th, at 7:45am Vancouver time.
To watch all the action, click here.
Congratulations to Chris Tellez from Espresso Post for placing first!
My cousin just wrote this on my facebook wall –
So, I’m currently at Florida State University College of Medicine, about 7 hours NW of Boca. We have a class of 120, and they divided us into four “Learning Communities” or “LCs.” Each LC has a kitchen, bathrooms, a shower, a large living area with couches, a futuristic printer/copier. There are four study rooms off the main living area, and each own has a projector, whiteboards, tables, and chairs.
Anyhow, I brought in my Gaggia Classic, conical burr grinder, and Bodum French Press and set up shop in my LC. I have been spreading the gospel of the godshot as well as the glory of the French Press to all in my LC, and the good news has spread to other LCs. I am known as the “Coffee Guru”. Two latinas (from other LCs) came by this morning for Kenyan press, and then promptly confessed their love for me after tasting.
Ironically, I am set up right next to a drip machine and Folgers. Yet, the disciples usually wait till I arrive so they can taste the “truth.”
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