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 Snap 1: time to combine the upper bowl with the lower one when bubbles become medium size. I had plans for what I was going to write here: brewing methods 123, elaboration of the pros-and-cons of them, and ultimately, helping you find the solution to your daily decent cup.
There are methods that I think would be a good starting point because of their friendliness: low-cost initial investment and full control over the variables factoring in a cup of excellence.
It would be interesting to talk about them especially since they seem exotic to many people here. At the same time, it’s kind of challenging to explain everything since coffee lovers have never seen them in person.
Fortunately, before got my hands dirty, a showroom of these coffee brewing methods is arriving to let you take a peek at them and save some work for me. Blue Bottle Coffee is scheduled to open today in Williamsburg, New York City. They stockpile a hoard of 19-century-style coffee brewing gadgets: “pour over” and “iced coffee dripper” according to the preview of The New York Times. » CONTINUE READING
New York City is a fascinating place in the way that it’s hyper-congested. How so? Walking on the street, with all kinds of things passing by, you actually enter another world by passing another block. Hence, everything is within your reach — as long as you know where to find it.
 Bongs, bongs, bongs… and mini scale Today, I am strolling on St. Mark’s Place looking for this “thing” to elevate my coffee profession. St. Mark’s Place is a busy street lined up with Japanese beer houses, restaurants, souvenir shops and tattoo shops, but not a coffee shop. (Puerto Rico Importing is beyond 2nd Ave which I don’t pass often, so that doesn’t count:) I come here for yakitori and Japanese beer all the time. But today, I passed by all the restaurants and headed to the tattoo shops… Yeah, if you want to name people Japanese, Goth or Punk by where they go, today I am a punk. But labeling me won’t deter my determination to hunt down the “thing”: a mini scale.
I have seen a lot of baristas use a mini scale to weigh coffee grounds for brewing. No doubt, that’s a promising scene no matter how the cup ends like later. » CONTINUE READING
The mixture of beans from different corners of the world in comparison with a straight or single origin coffee, which is coffee from one region. Blend can be of the same roast or at different roasts to create desired flavor.
Historically, blend originated from the need to create various “flavors.” Blending beans was developed in early coffee drinking history to work around the limited roasting knowledge and facility in pre-industrialization. Blend is also important in compensating each year’s crop variability to keep the flavor consistent. » CONTINUE READING
The beans of one country or a region within it. See “single origin.”
Coffee beans from one location, region or country. It could be as specific as to refer to a single farm, estate or co-op.
Coffee beans taste different based on where they grow; the species of coffee tree, the types of soil, the climate and altitude of the plantation all make a difference. Though harvesting skills, processing, and roast — all human factors — effect the taste, it always comes down to natural factors when we try to evaluate the individual characteristics of coffee beans. Hence, the country name, plus the region within it, are quite enough to explain how the coffee should taste. » CONTINUE READING
The name says it all: “road” in Italian; it’s the coffee you have in a rush. And, the more important thing is: it’s the cheapest coffee you can get with “Starbucks” in your cups. It, of course, hints it offers the quality on par with their signature brews. Or does it?
 The pack I stashed under my keyboard. Starbucks unveiled VIA in Feburary. Said it’s been “development for 20 years.” Well, they must be very serious about it. There’re some positive reviews around. I’ve been curious about it even I don’t have any expectation for instant coffee at all. And, as of September 30th, it’s on sale nationwide in Starbucks stores.
I actually got my sample over the weekend but kept it till today. I think the office environment is a better place to replicate “the great coffee in an instant” experience. On the weekend, I’d rather fiddle with my Hario dripping or siphon brewing system. » CONTINUE READING
 Nowhere to find the legendary flipping image. You just have to go with this one… “When you flip anything, you just have to have the courage of your convictions.” said Julia Child, played by Meryl Streep in the movie, Julie & Julia, right before giving the pancake a flip on her TV show. This is an unthinkable classic moment: is a celebrity chef having fear flipping a pancake just like most of us? It’s amazing that Julia Child reveals the same fear just before dropping half the pancake on the cooker like we often do.It’s reminiscent of the moment I poured water into the ground coffee in my Hario dripping glass for the first time: the uneven pre-moistening didn’t build an even coffee bed for holding a steady flow, then pouring too slow, with overflowing a big possibility.… It’s daunting to think how I was gonna screw up this precious coffee, the legendary chocolate flavor, the flower fragrance… » CONTINUE READING
No pun intended here.
I’m not in Balti but Chelsea; I don’t need to use body language but my native language to talk to my company; I’m here saving no one but my dried-out olfaction and gustation senses. I’m sitting in Cafe Grumpy.
 Cafe Grumpy, my favorite coffee hide out. Unlike other days here, today, Angie and Nikkie join me in this coffee hide out on Saturday afternoon. I’m super hyper about their company — not that they are necessarily adorable people, it’s their coffee choices — two extra cups to taste! With their generous sharing (offering?) of their cups, I could taste three different coffees from three different countries in just a few minutes. Usually I come up here to finish my healthy dose of daily tabloids in the time I finished one cup as it cools, but today is a little special. » CONTINUE READING
When I moved to New York six years ago, it was a challenge to spot a cup of decent coffee in this cosmopolitan city. Hard to believe, but coffee here is hopelessly dull.
Now, here’s “Coffee: The New Wave”: espresso shops are opening every week, if not every day; cupping events are held on both sides of East River; single origin beans are much talked about. ‘Single origin’ refers to beans that are straight from one particular estate, farm or co-op which are then roasted, brewed and enjoyed. What’s special about coffee from a single origin? It’s the idea of terroir, which is borrowed from wine tasting. Terroir is the notion that topography, soil and climate can make two brews taste different, even if they are grown from the same species of coffee plant.
Notwithstanding this hype about ‘single origin,’ this wave seems disturbed by the rock of established brewing methods and roasting interpretation. Contrary to ‘single origin’ is the ‘blend’ which is the mixture of beans from different origins. ‘Blend’ beans have prevailed in the specialty coffee market for a long time due to the nature of the ubiquitously applied espresso machine. After all, roasting, brewing and the appreciation of the cup are all interrelated and designated to meet certain taste sensation expectations. Hence, darker roasting is necessary, the espresso machine is irreplaceable and the appreciation would be limited. Call it The Trinity. To explore the most of what ‘single origins’ has to offer, new roasting ideas are needed, brewing alternatives must be found or invented, and taste sensations could be more daring. The Clover brewing system is one of the examples coming in this coffee new wave.
There’re a lot more to be explored. The coffee new wave in New York is the consequence of a series of asking questions. I feel lucky to be here, in the middle of this ‘wave.’ I don’t know where it’s going, but I’d invite you to join me in this exploration.
Raise my cup, cheers~
Revised 2010.0224
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