We just got Stumptown bean at Ninth Street Espresso.TapeOpLarry wrote:Build your studio down the street from http://www.stumptowncoffee.com/
Headed there for an Lb this morn!
How to make a good cup of coffee
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Scodiddly
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Lesson #5: How to avoid looking like a dumbass
So mechanical failure of the equipment aside, there's also opportunity for you to screw up the process and end up looking stupid.
1) Overfilling. Definitely a dumbass moment. It's easy to avoid, just use the carafe to fill up the coffee maker.
2) Commercial coffee makers. I'm talking about the amusingly named "Bunn O Matic" and commercial drip coffee makers. Still the same basic theory as the plastic home variety, but with one or two more advanced features. If confronted with one of these, peek around the back or in the cabinet underneath for plumbing. Some of these units will have the cold water plumbed in, so you want to find out early whether or not to fill it up yourself (see section #1, "overfilling"). If you see a pipe or tube going in, then look for a switch marked "brew" on the front. This will do a complete brew cycle for you, though you may also need to manually switch on the warming element.
If no plumbing, then look for a metal cover on top near the back - that's probably the cold water tank. Does it look like a water tank? OK, then pour in a carafe full of water and hit the appropriate switches. Oh, and add the coffee. Forgetting the coffee is a classic mistake.
3) Operating a coffee grinder. This is usually pretty self-explanatory, but take your time and make sure you know what's going on. A little brush is handy for getting out the last bit of ground coffee - a small paintbrush from the hardware is a good and cheap solution.
4) Power consumption. "Hey, we could just put both coffee makers right next to each other and save some work!". Whoah now - stop and think why those units might be way apart... maybe it could have something to do with power consumption? Plugging two high-powered boutique coffee brewing machines into one circuit can often cause overload and a breaker/fuse trip. That's not as big a deal in Europe with the higher voltage, but here in the States it's worth worrying about.
5) Failing to procure supplies. Not only do you need coffee, but milk, cream, sugar, varieties of fake sugar, filters, etc. Plus something to pour that coffee into... make sure there are enough clean mugs, spoons, and maybe even saucers. How about some to-go cups so the customer can rush off to the airport with having to budget time for a coffee stop?
So mechanical failure of the equipment aside, there's also opportunity for you to screw up the process and end up looking stupid.
1) Overfilling. Definitely a dumbass moment. It's easy to avoid, just use the carafe to fill up the coffee maker.
2) Commercial coffee makers. I'm talking about the amusingly named "Bunn O Matic" and commercial drip coffee makers. Still the same basic theory as the plastic home variety, but with one or two more advanced features. If confronted with one of these, peek around the back or in the cabinet underneath for plumbing. Some of these units will have the cold water plumbed in, so you want to find out early whether or not to fill it up yourself (see section #1, "overfilling"). If you see a pipe or tube going in, then look for a switch marked "brew" on the front. This will do a complete brew cycle for you, though you may also need to manually switch on the warming element.
If no plumbing, then look for a metal cover on top near the back - that's probably the cold water tank. Does it look like a water tank? OK, then pour in a carafe full of water and hit the appropriate switches. Oh, and add the coffee. Forgetting the coffee is a classic mistake.
3) Operating a coffee grinder. This is usually pretty self-explanatory, but take your time and make sure you know what's going on. A little brush is handy for getting out the last bit of ground coffee - a small paintbrush from the hardware is a good and cheap solution.
4) Power consumption. "Hey, we could just put both coffee makers right next to each other and save some work!". Whoah now - stop and think why those units might be way apart... maybe it could have something to do with power consumption? Plugging two high-powered boutique coffee brewing machines into one circuit can often cause overload and a breaker/fuse trip. That's not as big a deal in Europe with the higher voltage, but here in the States it's worth worrying about.
5) Failing to procure supplies. Not only do you need coffee, but milk, cream, sugar, varieties of fake sugar, filters, etc. Plus something to pour that coffee into... make sure there are enough clean mugs, spoons, and maybe even saucers. How about some to-go cups so the customer can rush off to the airport with having to budget time for a coffee stop?
Hey Hey!
Regarding Lesson 5, part 5),
It's also good to make sure you have a non-dairy creamer available. Some like a little cream, but are lactose intollerant.
And by the way, flavored creamers are a nice bonus, but be sure to also have regular. It can look just plain stupid to have all the flavors but no basic cream/creamer/milk.
Archmart
Regarding Lesson 5, part 5),
It's also good to make sure you have a non-dairy creamer available. Some like a little cream, but are lactose intollerant.
And by the way, flavored creamers are a nice bonus, but be sure to also have regular. It can look just plain stupid to have all the flavors but no basic cream/creamer/milk.
Archmart
Hey Hey!
Turkish coffee...
Cover the bottom of a good ibrik with the very very finely ground, almost powdered coffee of your choice. Add a grain or two of salt and sugar to taste.
Fill almost to the top with hot (but not boiling) water from a tea kettle.
Stir very gently.
Place ibrik in hot, hot, solar-heated sand.
(if hot, hot, solar-heated sand is hard to obtain in your area, a stove burner will do)
Allow coffee to begin to foam up on the surface.
Remove from heat to prevent from actually boiling.
Repeat placing in sand and foaming 2 or 3 times, never letting it boil or overspill.
Pour carefully, so as not to ruin the foam, into a demitasse or other small coffee cup.
Enjoy
Archmart
Turkish coffee...
Cover the bottom of a good ibrik with the very very finely ground, almost powdered coffee of your choice. Add a grain or two of salt and sugar to taste.
Fill almost to the top with hot (but not boiling) water from a tea kettle.
Stir very gently.
Place ibrik in hot, hot, solar-heated sand.
(if hot, hot, solar-heated sand is hard to obtain in your area, a stove burner will do)
Allow coffee to begin to foam up on the surface.
Remove from heat to prevent from actually boiling.
Repeat placing in sand and foaming 2 or 3 times, never letting it boil or overspill.
Pour carefully, so as not to ruin the foam, into a demitasse or other small coffee cup.
Enjoy
Archmart
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Dan Phelps
- steve albini likes it
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This is a great thread! About something VERY IMPORTANT! I have a french press kit that I can travel with if I think the coffee situation is going to be dire.
I am probably a bit of a coffee snob, so please take that in to account.
Bean freshness is REALLY important. Coffee is only really fresh within 2 weeks of the day it was roasted. It's peak time (flavor wise) is really in the first week to week and 1/2. After that the oils in the bean (which are responsible for the good flavors) start to get old and taste rancid. Really good coffee tastes as good as it smells right at the moment that you grind it. Most coffee you can buy at the grocery is already weeks to months old, and a lot of them have "expiration dates" that are months, or even YEARS away.
Starbucks works around this problem by over-roasting (burning) their beans, cooking out the tasty but short-lived oils. The resulting coffee has a longer shelf life, but basically tastes like tiny charcoal briquettes.
Mmmm, Carbon!
Some places (many places, here in Seattle) will but the roast date on the bag, so you know if you getting fresh coffee. If you don't have a small roaster near you, and want to get super fresh coffee, a lot of places will ship it 1 or 2 day.
I love coffee. A good cup has tons of positive effect on the vibe of a session, for me. And taking the 6-7 minutes to prepare it in a french press is a good break to let your mind wander while you are doing something manual.
Yay, coffee!
I am probably a bit of a coffee snob, so please take that in to account.
Bean freshness is REALLY important. Coffee is only really fresh within 2 weeks of the day it was roasted. It's peak time (flavor wise) is really in the first week to week and 1/2. After that the oils in the bean (which are responsible for the good flavors) start to get old and taste rancid. Really good coffee tastes as good as it smells right at the moment that you grind it. Most coffee you can buy at the grocery is already weeks to months old, and a lot of them have "expiration dates" that are months, or even YEARS away.
Starbucks works around this problem by over-roasting (burning) their beans, cooking out the tasty but short-lived oils. The resulting coffee has a longer shelf life, but basically tastes like tiny charcoal briquettes.
Mmmm, Carbon!
Some places (many places, here in Seattle) will but the roast date on the bag, so you know if you getting fresh coffee. If you don't have a small roaster near you, and want to get super fresh coffee, a lot of places will ship it 1 or 2 day.
I love coffee. A good cup has tons of positive effect on the vibe of a session, for me. And taking the 6-7 minutes to prepare it in a french press is a good break to let your mind wander while you are doing something manual.
Yay, coffee!
"Starbucks works around this problem by over-roasting (burning) their beans, cooking out the tasty but short-lived oils. The resulting coffee has a longer shelf life, but basically tastes like tiny charcoal briquettes."
I hate Starbucks. I suspect they did that as a blatant marketing thing. By simply doing something different that no one else was doing (who else would burn the beans?) and boldly calling it gourmet, people who wanted to be people drinking better coffee quickly decided that that burnt taste was better (Must be! Otherwise why would a smart guy like me pay so much for it?) and proceeded to pitty those who couldn't afford it or didn't appreciate what's better about it.
Archmart
I hate Starbucks. I suspect they did that as a blatant marketing thing. By simply doing something different that no one else was doing (who else would burn the beans?) and boldly calling it gourmet, people who wanted to be people drinking better coffee quickly decided that that burnt taste was better (Must be! Otherwise why would a smart guy like me pay so much for it?) and proceeded to pitty those who couldn't afford it or didn't appreciate what's better about it.
Archmart
I don't want to go too OT here, but I think that Starbucks is tanking. I know of two in my area that have closed down for not making ends meet. Sell your stock! Sell Sell Sell!!!Archmart wrote:"Starbucks works around this problem by over-roasting (burning) their beans, cooking out the tasty but short-lived oils. The resulting coffee has a longer shelf life, but basically tastes like tiny charcoal briquettes."
I hate Starbucks. I suspect they did that as a blatant marketing thing. By simply doing something different that no one else was doing (who else would burn the beans?) and boldly calling it gourmet, people who wanted to be people drinking better coffee quickly decided that that burnt taste was better (Must be! Otherwise why would a smart guy like me pay so much for it?) and proceeded to pitty those who couldn't afford it or didn't appreciate what's better about it.
Archmart
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My music - www.myspace.com/kenadessamusic
Recording space - www.myspace.com/twinreverbsound
HOT soul music - www.enzoandthebakers.com
Freelance drum hookups available constantly
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MoreSpaceEcho
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JohnDavisNYC
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Hey Hey!
Taking it just a little back on-topic... (Maybe)
So what are we really talking about here?
Of course this topic appeals to several sides of us (in no particular order):
1) The tech geek that wants to know the ultimate approach and equipment.
2) The elitist/winer who wants to show that we know the difference between superior and inferior and rant about how let down we've been.
3) The perfectionist that seeks to nail it, no matter what we're doing.
But I think the real issue is about customer service.
Here's a little anecdote that I think pertains.
McDonalds Coffee... Yeh, I know. But here's the thing. They made a big deal recently about making coffee for you, adding cream and sugar and all. Often being in a hurry to get to work I decided that wouldn't be a bad option when time mattered. I'd simply go through the drive through, tell them how I like it, and roll away sipping my coffee. (previously, when I felt like an Egg McMuffin or something, I'd go in, just to make my coffee right without spilling it in the car)
First time... Large coffee, please. Half a creamer and 2 sugars, please. What did I get? About half cream and half coffee. (I'm lactose intolerant so no good)
Second time... Same order but I explained carefully that I really only need just a few drops of cream and can't tolerate much more. Same result.
So I go in, and ask what I need to say to get what I want. They tell me that their machine only dispenses cream in certain amounts so there's no "half" dose. I'll need to order it with the sugar but with the cream on the side.
Third time... I do just that. Result: I get lots of cream and no sugar.
Fourth time... Try again, explaining myself. Same result.
Repeat ad nauseam. (Literally)
So my point is... We should also be careful to both be clear what people want and ready to explain what we can and cannot do.
Archmart
Taking it just a little back on-topic... (Maybe)
So what are we really talking about here?
Of course this topic appeals to several sides of us (in no particular order):
1) The tech geek that wants to know the ultimate approach and equipment.
2) The elitist/winer who wants to show that we know the difference between superior and inferior and rant about how let down we've been.
3) The perfectionist that seeks to nail it, no matter what we're doing.
But I think the real issue is about customer service.
Here's a little anecdote that I think pertains.
McDonalds Coffee... Yeh, I know. But here's the thing. They made a big deal recently about making coffee for you, adding cream and sugar and all. Often being in a hurry to get to work I decided that wouldn't be a bad option when time mattered. I'd simply go through the drive through, tell them how I like it, and roll away sipping my coffee. (previously, when I felt like an Egg McMuffin or something, I'd go in, just to make my coffee right without spilling it in the car)
First time... Large coffee, please. Half a creamer and 2 sugars, please. What did I get? About half cream and half coffee. (I'm lactose intolerant so no good)
Second time... Same order but I explained carefully that I really only need just a few drops of cream and can't tolerate much more. Same result.
So I go in, and ask what I need to say to get what I want. They tell me that their machine only dispenses cream in certain amounts so there's no "half" dose. I'll need to order it with the sugar but with the cream on the side.
Third time... I do just that. Result: I get lots of cream and no sugar.
Fourth time... Try again, explaining myself. Same result.
Repeat ad nauseam. (Literally)
So my point is... We should also be careful to both be clear what people want and ready to explain what we can and cannot do.
Archmart
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