RIP coffee
Here is a picture taken of my first batch roasting RIP (Roasted In Parchment) coffee. I won’t know for a bit how the coffee turned out. The biggest difference in roasting this kind of coffee is that the visual and auditory cues are muted and different than when roasting green coffee sans parchment. Notice the bean that has the bubbles resembling a marshmallow torched over an open flame.
More later.
Just when I thought I had coffee on the road figured out, I have been thrown a new twist. My system assumes I will have access to hot water and a mug to brew into in the room. I bring coffee, a small plastic cone filter basket and coffee. Usually my hot water source involves using the little coffee maker in the room to make hot water for use in this pour-over system.
My room at the Wingate has an in-room coffee maker, but it is a pod system designed to brew one cup at a time. This makes it difficult to get hot water needed for my extremely simple pour-over brewing system. I have been able to make this “work”, but it is really throwing a crimp in my style. This system brews directly into a mug, so there is no carafe available from which to pour water without spillage.
The key lesson here is that you can assume nothing. Hot water is never guaranteed — even at a place you frequent. If you are like me, this means a call in advance to confirm these assumptions.
I am an enormous fan of Clover brewed coffee. Today, Starbucks announced they will acquire Clover.
What does this mean for the future of this phenomenal brewing machine and what does this mean for Starbucks?
Will the Clover machine mean a renewed focus on bean quality, or will it be used to cover up the existing weaknesses?
Will Starbucks allow me to pay a ‘corking-fee’ to brew my homeroasted coffee in their clover machines?
Why couldn’t they have announced this on St. Patricks day? They were so close.
I was in Portland last week, but unfortunately there was no time to really explore. I had been advised that Stumptown Coffee was the best to try out, but I did not get the chance. On the flight out of town, I saw a local offering called ‘Coffee People‘. When I discovered that they offered two choices for espresso, I decided it was a good sign. The choices were ‘Black Tiger’ and ‘Weiner Melange’. I couldn’t order espresso with the word Weiner in it, so I opted for the Black Tiger and was pleasantly surprised.
Oddly enough, when I returned to look up their website, I found that their only locations were in the PDX airport and they still do mail order. Very interesting indeed.
I have two new pieces of content for IneedCoffee.
Hacking the Starbucks Barista Grinder is about making a Starbucks Barista grinder so it can grind fine enough for use in a higher end espresso machine like the Rancilio Silvia.
In Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine Tips, I share my tips and advice on using the Rancilio Silvia epresso machine.
Rebecca and I were invited to an opening event for Crimson Cup’s retail store in Clintonville. This is the roaster’s first retail operation as they have to this point been suppliers to businesses and retail operations. I had a very good double espresso which is rare to find these days outside of my home. I am wishing them continued success in this new operation.
