Tim Ferguson, who owns Heroes, recently gave me a bag of Tanzania coffee to sample.  When I get beans from a local roaster to try, I usually swing by a local coffee shop and test them out with the owner of the shop for two reasons: 1) the shops have the best equipment on hand to brew up a couple cups to sample, and 2) I think it’s always good to keep the efforts of local roasters in front of our local coffee shop owners to help further the local coffee community. It’s always fun to evaluate a local roast with a coffee shop that works to brew excellent coffee every minute of every day.

Some of the local coffee shops use local roasts, such as the Mudhouse, which roasts its own coffee at the Mudhouse roasting facility downtown, Heroes Coffee Cafe, Big Momma’s Coffee, which uses coffee from a local roaster named Origins, and from what I’ve heard, Hot Shots over on East Sunshine in Springfield.  There may be other local shops that also use local roasters, but several of the local shops use national roasters, namely PT’s Coffee and Intelligentsia, both of which create a great coffee product on a national level with expeditious shipping to guarantee freshness.

On this particular day, I knew the The Hub Bikes and Beans, which carries Intelligentsia coffee beans, had just received a shipment of Tanzania beans.  So I felt it would be fun to do a side-by-side comparison of the Intelligentsia Tanzania with the Heroes Tanzania.  Jason Strother, who owns The Hub, can brew two cups side-by-side using a pourover drip brewer, using the same measurement of beans, the same grind and the same water.  By equalizing those variable as much as possible, we can see what comes out of these two roasts.

On physical inspection of the beans, we noted that the Heroes Tanzania beans appeared to be of the peaberry variety while the Intelligentsia beans appeared larger and may not have been a peaberry.  A peaberry is a special type of coffee bean.  Typically, two flat-sided coffee beans, called flat berries, develop inside each cherry of coffee fruit, but in the case of a peaberry, only one side of the coffee fruit gets fertilized and as such only one small oval, pea-shaped coffee bean develops inside.  According to Wikipedia, about 5% of the worldwide coffee crop comes in the peaberry form.  Tanzania has become known for sorting out the peaberries and selling them together as a coffee variety.  For more on peaberries and the specific peaberries of Tanzania, there’s an interesting, very detailed read over at the Virtual Coffee site on the matter.

Back to the side-by-side comparison, though, it was interesting to us that the Heroes appeared to be a peaberry variety while the Intelligentsia appeared to be more of a flat berry roast.  I was expecting both roasts to be of the peaberry variety simply because it was from Tanzania, but looking at the Intelligentsia site’s description page for this bean, I don’t see any reference to peaberry.  What was also noticeable in visual inspection was how similar the two roasts were.  The Heroes roast was barely darker than the Intelligentsia roast, but they were so close that you couldn’t really tell the difference until you put the beans side by side.

In grinding the beans, they smelled similar, and then in brewing, the only thing we noticed different between the two brew cycles was that the Intelligentsia roast had a more prominent “bloom” than the Heroes roast.

Fresh roasted and freshly ground coffee will typically “bloom” as it comes into contact with water, meaning the grounds will expand and almost foam together. From my experience, the bloom of a coffee brew is a good sign of freshness of the roast, but you can actually get too much bloom if you brew too soon after  a roast without letting the beans rest for a few days.  I once had a roast that wouldn’t stop blooming — the whole time the grinds were in the French press with the water, they were constantly effervescing and moving the grinds in almost a rolling boil style, and after a little research, I discovered that too much bloom means you’re brewing the coffee too early, and the beans haven’t had a chance to release enough gases post-roast, so all those gases are expelling out during the brew process.  Typically, a freshly roast coffee that has had ample time to rest will bloom for about a minute after coming into contact with water and then settle down.  Anecdotally, I’ve heard that you won’t get much bloom in a brew around 30 days post-roast, but I personally believe it’s shorter than that.  In this situation, though, the low bloom in the Heroes roast was somewhat odd, because I know it was freshly roast.  I’ve notified Tim about this odd behavior and he’s checking into it because the Heroes coffee should have bloomed more.

After the brew, Jason poured the coffees into cups, and we tasted them.  After a few slurps, Jason and I both agreed that the tastes of the coffees were almost identical.  The flavors were the same, the acidity and the same, but the only real distinction was the body.  The Intelligentsia brew was a little more syrupy in its mouth feel than the Heroes version.  We couldn’t really tag one as better than the other.  Instead, it came down to a preferential determination as to whether you wanted a more syrupy body to the coffee or a less syrupy body.

All in all, we considered this a success for Heroes Coffee.  Intelligentsia Coffee is a national roaster that produces some of the better coffee roasts in the coffee industry, so for Heroes Coffee to produce a roast of similar, almost identical qualities is a big deal.  Heroes is working hard to develop their roasts to the level of consistent quality that the national roasters, like Intelligentsia and PT’s Coffee, are putting out, and it’s exciting to see a local roaster producing a good Tanzania roast like the one we sampled.

1. the place is called Dancing Mule.
2. it is located in a nondescript shopping center south of Sunshine.
3. one word: drive-thru-centric (okay, I cheated).
4. did I mention the place is called Dancing Mule?

So I braved the morning traffic and crossed Glenstone Avenue on foot, where I soon got my pretense handed to me on a plate. First, they serve PT’s Coffee; as far as pure coffeery, they’re not fooling around. PT’s is an award-winning Midwest roaster, and I’ve never been disappointed taste-wise with a shop that serves them. But I do have to admit, as much as I like coffee, I’m more personally interested in coffee culture and a big part of that is taking a look at the spaces where we find ourselves drinking coffee, working on our Macs, and reading our Dave Eggers’ novels.

And here again, I’m pleasantly surprised with Dancing Mule. They’ve outfitted this place where it doesn’t really feel like I’m sitting in a nondescript shopping center so indicative of southside Springfield. The look isn’t as über-modern as I would have chosen, but I’m not their interior decorator and it’s a far cry from bad looking. I feel comfortable here and don’t want to leave quickly. I want to linger and enjoy my drink, listen to the barista educate a customer on their brewing methods. And isn’t that the point of a good coffee shop? Good job, team Dancing Mule—you make this side of town better, and that’s not an easy feat.

Hugs,
d

On Friday, I bought a quarter pound of Black Cat beans from the Hub, and over the weekend, I brewed Black Cat in my French press.  It was a very straightforward, balanced coffee, and I was confused because every time I’ve had Black Cat as an espresso shot, it’s been bright.  Before having Black Cat as a shot, my primary espresso experience was with La Bella Vita from PT’s Coffee at The Coffee Ethic (@thecoffeeethic on Twitter) in downtown Springfield, which has a rich, full-flavored, complex flavor, as well as PT’s Gizmo espresso blend, found at Hebrews Coffee (@hebrewscoffee on Twitter) and Dancing Mule Coffee (@dancingmule on Twitter) here in Springfield, and I was shocked by the fruity brightness of Black Cat on that first sip in contrast to the PT’s blends.  I’m come to appreciate the different espresso experience I’ve had with Black Cat, so when I was brewing up the Black Cat in my French press, I was missing that bright note that I was expecting out of my coffee.

I discovered via a Twitter post from the Hub over the weekend that the Black Cat I purchased on Friday was part of their most recent shipment, and this batch was the newest and latest Black Cat blend formulation.  As you may know, coffee roasters often have to adjust their blends due to the coffees that are available and in season.  A blend is initially created with a certain formulation of bean of different origin, but over time, most roasters will tweak the flavors by adjusting the ratios or beans represented in the blend, sometimes due to availability of beans and other times simply to meet their preference and desire to improve their coffees.

Commercial roasters must balance the desire for predictability of the flavors for their customer base, so blend formulation changes may be rare, but a good coffee shop will track and know when their roaster is adjusting the blends they use.  My understanding it that both Intelligentsia (@intelligentsia on Twitter) and PT’s Coffee (@ptscoffee on Twitter) have adjusted their espresso blends in recent days, and in that kind of situation, if you’re a coffee geek, it’s always worth trying a shot of the new blend to see how it’s changed.

So, today, I’m drinking a whole different Black Cat espresso that the one I had last week.  This Black Cat espresso shot is much more middle-of-the-road in its flavor combinations, not as brash and bold up front as the last version, but not as dark and brooding as the last version of PT’s La Bella Vita was.  I haven’t yet had it in a milky espresso drink, so I can’t tell you how it blends or contrasts with the milk, but as a straight espresso shot, I will miss the bright experience of the last Black Cat but I think I will be very satisfied.

His final paragraph rings so true to me:

Sometimes people seem skeptical that great coffee will ever be anything other than a micro-niche, especially people outside the industry. It’s not surprising that super-specialty coffee got its start in über-hip places like the corner of Denny and Broadway on Capitol Hill, or downtown Portland. And the urban hipster vibe is still crushingly strong in the overall industry. But Zoka Kirkland is proof that great coffee is about quality of ingredients, professionalism, care, execution, and love. Not your zip code. I’d put their quality up against just about any other shop in the country.

I sometimes question whether I’m part of a micro-niche that may never really grow into something larger and broader. But I see glimpses of hope in the discussion, like this week when a coworker called specifically to get my advice on which coffeemaker to buy, making the qualifier that it couldn’t be over $200. The “over $200″ qualifier gave me hope because it told me this guy is willing to spend some real money on a coffeemaker and is beginning to understand his coffee better, and it actually led the conversation into more manual methods of brewing coffee versus whether he actually needs to buy a coffeemaker at all. At times, I feel crazy for being so passionate about coffee and wanting to learn more, but then there are other moments where I realize that being a resource is valuable. But I also get frustrated realizing how many coffee shops really don’t wholeheartedly pursue a craft but only make the next cup.

I write to affirm the joy that Daniel’s Zoka review brought me in his call to excellence, and I’m writing to do the same. If you run a coffee shop, and you’re doing it half ass, get out of the business so someone who’s really going to pursue “quality of ingredients, professionalism, care, execution, and love” can fill the gap you leave behind. If you’re thinking about opening a coffee shop, realize that there are lots of coffee drinkers who don’t really care too much about those things, but there are people like me — and plenty of them, even more than I sometimes realize — who will reward you with their dollars and their loyalty and their friendship if you pursue a coffee shop that’s not just about ZIP code but is about “quality of ingredients, professionalism, care, execution, and love”.

If you’re a barista, don’t just dump grounds and pull shots.  Make good coffee.  Measure things out, check for freshness, seek to make the best cup of coffee or shot of espresso every time.  I appreciate it when a barista dumps a shot they’re making for my drink when they realize it’s not a good shot.  It’s a big deal to me when the person behind the counter actually knows what they’re serving or what’s in a blend they’re selling.  I regularly ask baristas what’s on tap and what’s in it, and I’m amazed at how many give you a blank stare.  Yesterday, a barista at a local coffee shop (who isn’t a newbie — I’ve seen her around) didn’t know the different between a City and a Full City coffee roast.  Seriously?!?!?  And the other day, at another local shop, a barista pulled my espresso shot directly into a styrofoam cup without even looking.  Is that excellence?  Is that attention to detail?  Is this what I’m paying for?  If every barista pursued “quality of ingredients, professionalism, care, execution, and love”, the coffee scene wouldn’t be so hit and miss.  C’mon, people — step up!

And if you’re a coffee drinker, don’t settle for just a cup of coffee.  Pursue the best and expect it from those who make your coffee.  Don’t just drink what’s nearby; drink what deserves drinking.  Get to know coffee, how it’s grown and prepared and roasted.  Learn to make it at home and make it right.  Learn the ins and outs of what makes coffee good and how to tweak it and make it better.  Don’t go to shops that don’t pursue excellence in their product simply because you can get wifi.  Seek out the different, less traditional methods of making coffee, like pourovers, Chemex, vacuum brewers, French presses and more.  Actually figure out how you like your coffee brewed, and in the process, you’ll begin to appreciate those who do it right and know their stuff.  Let’s give credit where credit is due, and show our appreciation by being loyal to those who really pursue “quality of ingredients, professionalism, care, execution, and love” when it comes to coffee.

Thanks, Daniel for the inspiration, and thanks to Zoka for doing it excellently right where you are. I’ll come visit next time I’m in the Northwest solely on the storyline that Daniel has put forward.

CoffeeNate 13 : Kuhlman’s Koffee Review from Nathan Smith on Vimeo.

First was an article about the lingo of coffee tasting. Tasting coffee in a group setting — called cupping — can be somewhat intimidating, but I find that it’s one of my favorite ways to explore a new coffee roast or coffee purchase. Just the other day, at The Coffee Ethic, a few of us cupped a roast of Peru Cafe Andes Amazonicus that I homeroasted, and it’s fun to get the input of others into the aromas and flavors that are coming out of your coffee. What can be most challenging, though, about cupping is trying to put words to the smells and flavors that you’re experiencing. The article “Learn the Lingo of Coffee Tasting” is a good primer of the basic tasting concepts of aroma, acidity, aroma, taste, and finish.

If you’re looking for an introduction to manual drip brewing and the basic elements of brewing quality coffee, the article “Brewing at home lets coffee lovers control many variables that affect flavor” covers the topic well. It acknowledges that many people who get into coffee end up switching from automatic drip brewers to some sort of manual process, usually French press or manual drip brewing, to command more control over the ultimate brew. This article runs through the grind, the dosage (coffee to water ratio), the water, and the temperature involved in brewing good coffee, and it also covers the storage and of coffee and the cleaning of coffee brewing tools. It’s a well-rounded article on the basic steps of brewing good coffee. I personally switch between a French press and a Chemex when I brew for myself at home. I also have an Aeropress, which is another popular form of brewing for coffee lovers, but it hasn’t endd up as one of my top methods as I’m still figuring out my preferences on dosage with the Aeropress.

Then the Times acknowledges that espresso drinks and their names can get confusing. So they give a short primer on the different espresso drinks and their elements. They cover the basics of of espresso itself, then dive into cappuccino, caffe latte, caffee mocha, mochaccino, mocha latte, macchiato, caffe Americano, cafe au lait, and Frappuccino. It’s a basic quick and dirty espresso drink cheat sheet.

Lasty the Times does some side-by-side coffee comparison of the major retail coffee brands, rating Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s and 7-11 using taste tests. The rate in categories of Hot Coffee and Iced Mocha, and the results are intriguing. Of course, here at 417Coffee, we wouldn’t really recommend that you drink any of these four brands, but sometimes you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do, and we understand. They also offered up a side-by-side instant coffee taste test, comparing brewed coffee, Starbucks VIA instant coffee, and Nescafe Taster’s Choice.  They even put together a coffee ice cream taste test.

Sean from Ozarks Coffee Co. at the farmers market on the Ozark square

You can currently buy his fresh roasted coffee at the farmers market on the Ozark city square every Thursday evening. I visited the farmers market a couple of weeks ago just to see his setup, and I also needed some coffee to take to a family reunion and had not homeroasted anything of my own.

Sean has a pourover drip coffee setup right there on site with preground coffee ready for sampling. I found his setup ingenious because it spread the aroma of coffee around the farmers market, plus it allows for realtime samples of the coffee before you buy. I tried the Ethiopian blend and the Black Velvet blend. The Black Velvet is a blend of dark roast Indonesian coffee and lighter roast Kenyan beans designed to capture the thickness and body of Sumatra while adding in the high, bright notes the Kenya’s coffee is known for. I bought a pound of the Black Velvet for $8 to share at the family reunion. Although I’m a fan of lighter roasts and Ethiopian coffee and was really tempted on that blend, I figured that something with a darker feel to it would be more of a crowd pleaser for those who drink Starbucks. It can be hard to change people’s tastes too quickly.

Ozarks Coffee Co farmers market pourover drip setup

We were camping at the family union, so I packed a 30 ounce JavaPress camping French press, a camping kettle for heating up water, bottled water (which we were taking anyway for general use), and my Zassenhaus hand grinder. Thanks to my friends at The Coffee Ethic, I weigh my beans instead of measuring with tablespoons, so I used my gram scale at home to weigh out the beans, premeasuring the proper dosage for the 30 ounce press and then sealing the beans in Ziplocs for the trip.  I calculated my dosage using a 6-ounce cup with 7 grams of coffee per cup, and thus measured 35 grams of beans for the press.

Brewing the coffee on site at the family reunion was fun.  I ground my coffee beans by hand (which always catches someone’s attention), heated the water on the gas camping grill, and then brewed and pressed.    The 30 ounce press allowed me to fill up my thermal mug plus share a cup with my brother-in-law.  The Black Velvet is a great blend, too.  It has a rich dark flavor with full mouth feel up front with just the right amount of bright notes to make it a very balanced coffee.   It’s the kind of blend that Starbucks should have used when making their Pike Place Blend.  I made it at the campground, and it was so good, I also used the JavaPress at home as well to make it again.

On Monday, we brewed the Black Velvet in a French press at The Coffee Ethic, and Tom dosed it using a 5-ounce cup instead of the 6-ounce cup like I did all weekend, and it wasn’t as balanced using the 5-ounce cup, leading into my argument that the coffee world needs to settle on a uniform “cup” measurement — my preference is 8 ounces — so we can have a standardized brew measurement that works across the board without having to predefine “cup” every time we brew.

I like the Black Velvet very much, although I tend to be a light roast drinker.  I’m not a big fan of Kenyan coffee because it is so simple — just alot of bright high notes — but it works out perfectly as the coffee to match with the Indonesian to create a balanced blend.  In my opinion, the Black Velvet is a good blend to please a broad mix of coffee drinkers when you’re serving to a crowd.

Visit Sean at the Ozark square farmers market on Thursday evenings to buy his coffees.  When his website goes online, I will post the link here so you can also buy online.