4.3.04
spring is in the air...
and only a few days ago it was snowing. suddenly, it's gorgeous outside. happilly, we're still not in the dreaded "blended drinks" season yet.
good espresso, good customers, good fun... a good shift.
tasting notes - New Guinea Waghi Peaberry... a lovely, subtle take on an Indonesian coffee. more complex and balanced that the usual suspects. wonderful nut and wine notes with a subtle earthiness that is almost mushroom-like. Ethiopian Harrar "horse"... crazy, wild cup with intense aromas of blueberry and flowers. the cup is initially a little bittersweet, with subtle berry and wine notes, but as it cools it become intensely blueberry. very cool!
oh... i had a simple doppio this morning that was world-class.
mood - fun, relaxed
music - acid jazz and nu-lounge
coffees - Sumatra Mandheling and House Dark Blend
good espresso, good customers, good fun... a good shift.
tasting notes - New Guinea Waghi Peaberry... a lovely, subtle take on an Indonesian coffee. more complex and balanced that the usual suspects. wonderful nut and wine notes with a subtle earthiness that is almost mushroom-like. Ethiopian Harrar "horse"... crazy, wild cup with intense aromas of blueberry and flowers. the cup is initially a little bittersweet, with subtle berry and wine notes, but as it cools it become intensely blueberry. very cool!
oh... i had a simple doppio this morning that was world-class.
mood - fun, relaxed
music - acid jazz and nu-lounge
coffees - Sumatra Mandheling and House Dark Blend
3.3.04
gorgeous weather... for being outdoors
beautiful blue skies, high 50's, dry as a bone...
what a change from yesterday. and what an effect on the espresso.
i have to say it's a great feeling to walk away from a shift on a day like today knowing that i served good espresso. talk about trying circumstances!!
i broke all the rules in trying to get the espresso to taste right (too high a temp, too much pressure, too fine a grind, too long a pull) but in the end it worked. of course, i'm sure i'll pay for it tomorrow (grin).
tasting notes... Yemen Moka Matari - a wonderful Yemeni, full of winey berry fermenty notes, with a truly wild aroma. spice, chocolate... it had it all. could have used a tiny bit more roast. Brazil Fazenda Vista Allegre - very nice, subtle spice and earth with just enough brightness to make it work. it's going to be great in blends.
mood - fiesty, frustrated
music - traditional jazz and german minimalist jazz
coffees - New Guinea and Central-American House Blend
special - espresso cortado
what a change from yesterday. and what an effect on the espresso.
i have to say it's a great feeling to walk away from a shift on a day like today knowing that i served good espresso. talk about trying circumstances!!
i broke all the rules in trying to get the espresso to taste right (too high a temp, too much pressure, too fine a grind, too long a pull) but in the end it worked. of course, i'm sure i'll pay for it tomorrow (grin).
tasting notes... Yemen Moka Matari - a wonderful Yemeni, full of winey berry fermenty notes, with a truly wild aroma. spice, chocolate... it had it all. could have used a tiny bit more roast. Brazil Fazenda Vista Allegre - very nice, subtle spice and earth with just enough brightness to make it work. it's going to be great in blends.
mood - fiesty, frustrated
music - traditional jazz and german minimalist jazz
coffees - New Guinea and Central-American House Blend
special - espresso cortado
2.3.04
winter wonderland
today on the way to work it was snowing. big, wet flakes. pretty incredible!
the humidity was excellent and the espresso, as a result, was easy to pull and tasty tasty tasty. oddly enough, milk texturing seemed easier as well... we had a big concentrated rush in the middle of the morning (all the regulars arrived at once). thankfully, Peter was there to have coffee and stepped behind the counter to help out. sometimes i wish we had the option to have two employees working at a time - i envy the shops where this is the case.
tasting notes... the Tanzania AA Songea Flatbean was amazing. a huge hit for all. very nutty, with great dark chocolate and vanilla bean notes. a sweet, rounded and very balanced cup. the Honduran Sebastien Melgar was a nice coffee - a bit flat, but smooth and balanced and with low acidity. it's going to be nice in espresso blends. the El Salvador Bourbon Ahamira Estate was lovely - reminisent of Guatemalan Antigua or Panama Boquette in that it was very "un-Central American" in flavour, body and aroma. it reminded me more of a Kona or one of the other island coffees.
mood - snowy, moody
music - all dub, all the time
coffees - Indo Blend, Hawaiian Blend
special - cafe cubano
the humidity was excellent and the espresso, as a result, was easy to pull and tasty tasty tasty. oddly enough, milk texturing seemed easier as well... we had a big concentrated rush in the middle of the morning (all the regulars arrived at once). thankfully, Peter was there to have coffee and stepped behind the counter to help out. sometimes i wish we had the option to have two employees working at a time - i envy the shops where this is the case.
tasting notes... the Tanzania AA Songea Flatbean was amazing. a huge hit for all. very nutty, with great dark chocolate and vanilla bean notes. a sweet, rounded and very balanced cup. the Honduran Sebastien Melgar was a nice coffee - a bit flat, but smooth and balanced and with low acidity. it's going to be nice in espresso blends. the El Salvador Bourbon Ahamira Estate was lovely - reminisent of Guatemalan Antigua or Panama Boquette in that it was very "un-Central American" in flavour, body and aroma. it reminded me more of a Kona or one of the other island coffees.
mood - snowy, moody
music - all dub, all the time
coffees - Indo Blend, Hawaiian Blend
special - cafe cubano
1.3.04
more tastings...
coffees to be tasted tomorrow and wednesday include such things as a nice Yemen Moka Mattari, Honduran Organic Sebastian Melgar, El Salvador Bourbon Ahamira Estate, Tanzania AA Songea Flatbean, Ethiopian Moka Stag and Brazil Fazenda Vista Alegre Traditional Dry.
frustration...
There are many great things about living in Bishop. There are many great things about being a Barista. Being a Barista in Bishop, however, is sometimes less than great.
The combination of the altitude, the temperature swings, the humidity swings, the generally low humidity... there are days when it seems like everything conspires to make pulling decent shots nearly impossible.
The storms have moved out, the pressure has changed, humidity has dropped. The combination of the low humidity and the dramatic change in barometric pressure resulted in a sudden increase in water temp from the espresso machine this morning which combined with the lower humidity to affect the extraction not only in terms of temp (too high) but also grind (too coarse) resulting in a half-hour battle to get good espresso.
In our location, the window is so small. We've got about a 2 degree range of temp where extaction is good, pressure sensitivity is ridiculous, and coffee goes stale in a fraction of the time.
It's enough to make you drink French Press only.
I envy the lucky folks who make espresso at sea level, in humid environments with stable temps.
The combination of the altitude, the temperature swings, the humidity swings, the generally low humidity... there are days when it seems like everything conspires to make pulling decent shots nearly impossible.
The storms have moved out, the pressure has changed, humidity has dropped. The combination of the low humidity and the dramatic change in barometric pressure resulted in a sudden increase in water temp from the espresso machine this morning which combined with the lower humidity to affect the extraction not only in terms of temp (too high) but also grind (too coarse) resulting in a half-hour battle to get good espresso.
In our location, the window is so small. We've got about a 2 degree range of temp where extaction is good, pressure sensitivity is ridiculous, and coffee goes stale in a fraction of the time.
It's enough to make you drink French Press only.
I envy the lucky folks who make espresso at sea level, in humid environments with stable temps.
29.2.04
Tasting notes...
We tasted the Kenya AA Auction Lot coffee today for the second time.
I think yesterday was too early, the body hadn't fully developed. Today, however, was dramatically better.
The dry aroma was fabulous. Wild, spicy, fruity with some almost Ethiopian berry notes. Wet aroma was classic Kenya - spice, floral, fruit - lovely.
It's a very rounded cup, with good body, some interesting spice and floral notes and a good (though balanced) amount of winey acidity. Unlike many Kenyans, this is a softer coffee that doesn't overwhelm the palate. It's actually a 50/50 blend of two different single lot auction lots, and I think this creates the unusual balance.
A lovely coffee - one of my favorites to date.
I think yesterday was too early, the body hadn't fully developed. Today, however, was dramatically better.
The dry aroma was fabulous. Wild, spicy, fruity with some almost Ethiopian berry notes. Wet aroma was classic Kenya - spice, floral, fruit - lovely.
It's a very rounded cup, with good body, some interesting spice and floral notes and a good (though balanced) amount of winey acidity. Unlike many Kenyans, this is a softer coffee that doesn't overwhelm the palate. It's actually a 50/50 blend of two different single lot auction lots, and I think this creates the unusual balance.
A lovely coffee - one of my favorites to date.
