Daniel of Arabica

An article on coffee | June 26, 2009

I write on the web as a way of giving back to all those people who’s blogs I frequent and who have given me so much. That’s the altruistic justification and it is the truth. But it’s just as true that I write on the web to be…well…read. and I am interested in things that increase that readership. More specifically, I am interested in things that increase the depth of that readership. Getting hits on my site is gratifying and I, much like any blogger out there, like seeing that visit count go up, up, up. But, lately, I have found myself gravitating more towards the stats that tell me how long a visitor stays on my site. Is what I am writing compelling enough, to those that drop by my site, to keep them there. I write some fairly long pieces. If I receive a visitor who’s time spent on my site is a mere :30, well, they haven’t read much. They’ve dropped by, checked out what’s around and decided it’s not for them.

I read an article on the inter-webs the other day that passed along some sage advice. Subject of the article? Getting traffic on your website and keeping it there. Method? Write for your audience. In other words, if your site’s about puppies you probably shouldn’t be writing about your latest trip to the dentist. The puppy lovers that came to your blog didn’t come to your blog to hear about your tooth decay issues and they are probably not going to stick around to read about it. They might visit your site but that visit is going to be short-lived. They are going to go somewhere else. Give the puppy people non-puppy-focused content for too long and you’ve lost them. Possibly for good. For me, the piece also reinforced the idea that one should decide what that audience is in the first place. You have to decide who your audience is before you can write for them. In the end, if one is at all interested in truly communicating by blogging on a particular subject, it’s just a tad disrespectful to give a reader much else than what you have led them to expect they’ll find by coming to your site.

I find myself devoting a lot of my time writing on the subject of coffee. Coffee is a passion and a hobby and making it, drinking it, talking and writing about all gives me great pleasure. There is a quality coffee explosion happening right now, right where I live, in The San Francisco Bay Area. I’m having a good time documenting my experience of it. I think it deserves focus and I think those of you who are frequenting this blog to read what I write about coffee deserve a place of your own and to get out of your visit as much as you can.

To these ends, I’ve decided to start up another blog. Coffee focused. No puppies. I present to you: Daniel of Arabica.

No puppies: Daniel of Arabica

I will still be posting here as well but If it’s written by me and it’s about coffee, Daniel of Arabica is where you’ll find it. Thanks for reading. Thanks for staying. Happy brewing. Happy drinking.

Daniel G. Markham

Related:
“Maiden Voyage to Elizabeth Street Brewing” “Life’s Little Luxuries” “Fire up the Afterburners”
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1 comments (feel free to add your own). .

Shine, Kenya, shine

A tasting note | June 12, 2009

Kenyan coffee is under-appreciated. Or at least under-represented. Ethiopia is the darling of African coffees these days, to wit, the crazy-quilt-like ubiquity of “Wondos” and “Misty Valleys”. Look on the shelves – literal or virtual – of your favorite “coffee 3.0″(1) roaster and chances are the African category is going to be dominated by one Ethiopian after another. I’m scratching my head on this one. Why is it, I wonder, that Kenyan coffee is so underrepresented?(2) It’s certainly not an issue of quality. Kenya produces some of the finest beans on the market and has a highly sophisticated and well developed system for getting its beans out to that market(3).

Given this imbalanced situation, it’s nice to see one of Kenya’s quality products get some time in the spotlight for once: Ritual Roasters in San Francisco has but one African coffee on their menu at the moment. And it’s a Kenya. Not only that but, as a part of their “Sweet Tooth” single-origin espresso program, they are offering it up by the shot as well as by the bag.

In the spotlight

The Kenya Karindundu on offer at Ritual was the “mystery coffee” I mentioned was present at the Friday cupping in which m’lady and I participated. At the time, the “mystery” designation was warranted, not by the lack of knowledge of the coffee’s name or place of origin, but by the lack of knowledge of how it was processed and what its growing conditions were. That shortfall has been somewhat cleared up, it seems, as Ritual’s page for the Karindundu illustrates; that this is a coffee grown at high altitudes – 2000m above sea level – and that its refined acidity and “exotic flavors” are a direct result of this(4). I, myself – as did m’lady (no coffee slouch is she) – thought that this was one of finer Kenyas we have ever had the pleasure of tasting.

From the notes (in the press pot):

  • sweet, syrupy, molasses fragrance
  • gingerbread aroma
  • dark berry
  • “zingy” lemon acidity
  • slight floral
  • full body

The gingerbread aroma was the most surprising aspect of the cup but this may need a bit of an explanation: I’m not talking about an intense hit of crystallized ginger (although, wow, wouldn’t that have been interesting) but a more general flavor – that dovetails with the molasses – of a dark, sweet bread. The dark berry flavors were reminiscent of ripe Bing cherries.

The flavors are concentrated. That was another trademark of this coffee: intensity. The sweetness of this cup was not of the cloying, candy-like variety but tipped more toward the dark sweetness of molasses and raw sugar. Let’s call it a “mature” sweetness.

The acidity was wonderful. Kenyan coffees are known for their brightness, especially when compared to coffee from Ethiopia. I have tasted Kenyans that, after a few sips, were fatiguing for my tongue. Think sour worm candies – or many Costa Rican coffees, for that matter – and that cotton-mouth feeling you get after too much acid has taken its toll on your tongue. The acidity of the Karindundu, though, was well developed and incredibly enjoyable. Its presence was marked at every sip but was well integrated into the cup. No fatigue here. Lemony too. Yumm(5).

Gimmee a “K”!…

It’s nice to see Kenya getting some attention. I am curious why Ethiopia is so dominant on the shelves of many of the 3.0 roasters especially considering Kenya’s reputation for quality but I will take what I can get. It’s wonderful, though, that, at least in the case of Ritual Roaster’s Kenya Karindundu, what I can get is such a unique and enjoyable cup.

Where to get it

The usual suspects:

  1. Quick, somebody get my lawyer on the phone. I smell a trademark. [↖]
  2. Sounds like a subject in need of further study…and possibly a good idea for another post… [↖]
  3. Thompson Owen, of Sweet Maria’s, penned a rich and descriptive travelogue of his recent buying trip to Kenya. Combined with their Kenya page they offer a wealth of information about Kenya, its quality and well developed auction system. [↖]
  4. I imagine more general information about how Kenyan coffees are processed can be found at Sweet Maria’s but my curiosity is piqued about Karindundu’s specific processing [↖]
  5. Official tasting term [↖]
Related:
“What I Was Drinking Then: Panama Boquete” “Twelve Barrels” “Second chances with Ritual’s Sumatra Sidikalang”
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2 comments (feel free to add your own). .

Maiden Voyage to Elizabeth Street Brewing

A photo | June 6, 2009
Virgin Elizabeth St. Brewery Visit Panoarama

Maiden voyage to Elizabeth Street Brewing

Elizabeth Street Brewing is the brain-child of a family in Noe Valley. I’ve posted on it before but – long story short – it is a very generous and ingenious way of the Brewer-Hay family sharing their passion for brewing and a unique, socially driven method of realizing their dream of eventually opening a proper brew-pub.

I had the opportunity to finally pay ESB a visit and was impressed with the hospitality and conviviality of the operation. Cheers!

Related:
“The Elizabeth Street Brewery” “Daniel of Arabica” “A brewpub in planning”
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0 comments (feel free to add your own). .

Timely

A photo | June 1, 2009
Timely

Timely

Related:
“Wait for it … Wait for it …” “UI Nightmare” “Those Days are Over”
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1 comments (feel free to add your own). .

A tale of three cuppings

An article on coffee | May 29, 2009

Two cuppings in one week. Somebody stop me. First, if you’re scratching your head at the word “cupping”, may I recommend a primer on the process? As I mentioned in “Cupping. A primer”, being able to attend one of these has been a long time coming. The first time? Stumptown in Portland a long time ago. Recently? Four Barrel. This time? Ritual’s weekly friday cupping. And as it turns out, three very different experiences.

Stumptown’s “Annex”: high society

The cupping at Four Barrel was a nice re-introduction to the process. The last time m’lady and myself took part in a public cupping was a couple of years ago in Portland at Stumptown’s “annex” location. We had both participated in a cuppings on a more professional level many times before but the one in Portland was the first time we had taken part of a public version of the process. It was nice but neither of us could escape the feeling of it having been a bit of a haughty affair. In my imagination it was going to be a bit more casual, educational and both of us were hoping for a more shared, communal experience. Not to be too hippy-dippy. We didn’t regret participating and were certainly interested in trying it again but as it happened nobody that we were aware of offered such an opportunity where we lived and soooooo…

Four Barrel: casual sophisitication

I was anxious and excited for the cupping at Four Barrel but circumspect, given the nature of the Stumptown experience. I found myself on the lookout for even the slightest bit of pretense right off the bat. I felt as if I found a slight bit of it at the img_0253counter when we inquired about the cupping schedule which put my guard up a little further. We were a little early so we left for a bit. Upon return, though, what I found was a relaxed and calm environment. There were few people: my girlfriend, two Four Barrel staffers (with one to come in later for a short time) and myself as well as an interested bystander that hovered around the edges for much of the time. I was a little surprised that the master of ceremonies (M.C.) did not invite him in. If you have ever been to Four Barrel, you know that the front of house has an amazing amount of space. Four Barrel has had, from the beginning, a dedicated table set up for this very purpose. Set well off from the ordering counter and most of the seating but at the front of the store, where there was plenty of light, the table felt nicely set apart but still concnected of the activity of the café. There was a casual, easy vibe about the entire process and the M.C. was very generous. “Please let me know if you have any questions”, she said. It was like the sort of low pressure sales environment that every car buyer hopes to encounter but never does. A nice mix of private contemplation and social interaction. Help, though, was never very far off.

Ritual Roasters: Q&A with the roaster

We had been aware of the cuppings at Ritual for a short time. Every friday. A goal, for sure but difficult, given our schedules, to effectively say when it might be possible for us to make it. Schedules. Always schedules. But with the end of school and with our schedules freed up, it was finally time.

img_0256The environment at Ritual Roasters is wholly different from that of Four Barrel. Where Four Barrel’s interior is an up-to-the-minute modern exposed wood industrial-chic design, Ritual’s pioneering Valencia Street location has some of the the lived-in feel of an established – but still hip – neighborhood café. Not that Four Barrel is stark and soulless but Ritual just feels a little more comfortably ad-hoc. It’s cozy. You’re not sitting in the midst of a design concept. You’re in a working café and roastery. It makes sense. In chronological terms, when Ritual began serving coffee out of their Valencia street location to the Mission kids and laptop gazing dot-com bubble gentrifiers, Blue Bottle as yet hadn’t developed their current image as the sophisticated arm of the San Francisco Bay Area “third wave” movement – no Mint Plaza, no Ferry Building indoor slot and certainly no art garden outpost at SFMOMA – and Four Barrel wasn’t even a glint in the eyes of its founders. And so while the cupping at Four Barrel had a quiet composed, somewhat contemplative feel about it, Ritual’s was a class in session full of inquisitive and engaged students with a wide variety of experiences but a common interest.

There were probably twelve participants on hand. It was looser and louder. The large banquet style table on which the cuppings are held is normally customer seating and has to be cleared of a fair number of leisurely sipping Ritual coffee drinkers before everything can be set up. The table is off to one side of the front section of the establishment much like Four Barrel’s but the situation is a bit more intimate. It’s very close to the front door. People are coming and going past the table. The music is on. You feel much more that you are still an active part of the goings on of the café, less separated from the action than at Four Barrel.

img_0257M.C. for the cupping was Steve Ford, the head roaster at Ritual. After introducing all of the coffees at the table, Mr. Ford led us through the entire cupping process, explaining the hows and whys of each step as he went along: why you smell the grinds (for the “fragrance”), the proper technique for breaking the crust of grinds that forms on top of each of the brewing cups of coffee (for the intense hit of aroma that you get from the practice) as well as the method and explanation for why you slurp (to spray the liquid over your entire palette).

One of the nice things about having the person who roasted the coffees right there with you during the cupping is that all the coffees lined up in front of you are that person’s babies (if you will). He knows all of them intimately (at least in terms of their flavor qualities as there was one “mystery coffee” that, while it’s origin was known – if only at first by the M.C. himself – not much else was). Investments of time and energy were made in getting to know the exact way to treat each coffee, at the roasting stage, to get them to the point where you would want to share them with the public, the point where you hope someone would want to put down their hard earned cash for a bag. He’s got a relationship with these coffees. If there is someone to which you would want to pose a question about anything at the table that day, this was that person. And there were a lot of questions. A lot of very good questions – questions about processing and handling, the origin’s influence on flavor, why some coffees are rated higher than others and how the ratings are formulated. And there were many more. Mr. Ford answered each one with an enthusiasm and humility that made everyone comfortable no matter what their experience level.

Coffee v3.0: exclusivity and openness

If you are curious about one of the elements that makes this “third wave” of coffee roasters so special – one of the things that separates it from specialty coffee’s seminal days at places like Peet’s – look no further than the public cupping. It’s interesting to note, that while I have had an interest in coffee for a long time now, it is only in recent years that I have had the opportunity to participate in anything resembling the involving process of a cupping outside of the professional realm. Also, it’s ironic that while the modern coffee scene can be marked, somewhat, by exclusive attitudes and a detached hipster vibe, it is also marked by an openness and an interest in sharing knowledge about the process behind the product. The public cupping is one of the best examples of that openness and if you are at all interested in coffee and its many and diverse flavors, there is no better place to start – or continue for that matter – your own personal odyssey into that world than a public cupping.

Info

  • The Stumptown Annex – 3356 SE Belmont Street, Portland, OR – holds public cuppings weekdays at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM. (503) 232-8889 (map).
  • Four Barrel holds cuppings every weekday at 1:00 PM at 375 Valencia St in San Francisco, CA(map) (415) 252-0800.
  • Ritual Roasters holds cuppings every friday at 1:00 PM at their Valencia St. location: 1026 Valencia St in San Francisco, CA (map) (415) 641-1024.

Always contact the store for latest hours and times.

Related:
“Cupping. A primer.” “Twelve Barrels” “There’s more than one way to roast a Wondo”
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1 comments (feel free to add your own). .

Second chances with Ritual’s Sumatra Sidikalang

A tasting note | May 29, 2009

I was given a bag of Ritual’s Sumatra Sidikalang a few months ago. It was bran-spankin’-new. Not even a label on the bag, just a scrawl in ball point. “I have something you should try”, he said. “It’s a Sumatra but it’s a little different. Let me know what you think.” And so I did. I brewed it up two ways, wrote down what my palette said to me and sent it off to him as soon as I had the opportunity. But it never ended up here. The rest of my life got in the way. Time passed and soon it seemed pointless to put something up on this blog that would be of no benefit to anyone but myself and my own nostalgia. Enough time had passed, I thought, that Ritual was probably out of the Sidikalang or at least very close to it.

A funny thing happened on my way to a cupping

Fast-forward a few months. It was a friday. M’lady and myself were reveling in a new-found freedom that finally allowed us the opportunity to take part in Ritual’s weekly – and open to the public – cupping (and if you are at all confused about what a cupping is, I have a couple posts for you to read). There were six coffees lined up on the table: a Colombian, an African, three different coffees from Brazil and a Sumatran. But not just any Sumatran. The very same Sumatra Sidikalang I failed to write about a couple months earlier. Not only was there still more to be had, it was being given the honor of being a representative coffee in a cupping hosted by the lead roaster himself. “Well I’ll be damned”, I thought. “There’s still time after all”.

A different kind of Sumatra, indeed

Sumatra is an earthy coffee. If there is nothing else Indonesian coffees are known for, it is for that quality. Much of it is in the processing. That earthiness comes from…well…earth: beans dried on the ground, an errant stick or leaf in contact with the beans during the process. From what I understand, it’s a unique region marked, partially, by difficulty in getting coffee from the source i.e. at the level of the farmers themselves. Beans from all over a given area are brought together into large batches for processing. Quality control is difficult. Apparently, this Sumatra has a different story, one that is notable for better quality control, more specific sourcing and a somewhat cleaner processing method. And that has made all the difference.

I have always enjoyed the aroma of Sumatra more than the flavor. Chile peppers. That’s what has always been, for me, the most alluring quality of whole bean or ground Sumatra. But there has never been much in the way of follow-through in the cup. Wine-y, sometimes, earthy, full-bodied and smooth to be sure but always a bit of a disconnect between what I smelled and what I tasted. It was, at once, both a unique and disappointing experience. Not the case with this Sumatra, though. This one was surprising.

First, there was the aroma of the whole beans which were true to my experience of the origin in that signature chili-pepper aroma. The grinds had a sweet melon fragrance which carried over nicely into the brewed cup and the aftertaste of the batch I made in the french press. Additional notes on the french press preparation were a hint of vanilla and a bit of toasted bread with some sweet tobacco in the aftertaste. This was bright for a Sumatra and wonderfully so. In fact this, finally, is where this Sumatra became not just a surprisingly complex Indonesian but, in fact, fulfilled the enigmatically aromatic promise of every whole bean Sumatran whose aroma has ever wafted up into my nasal passages. Chilies. Roasted chilies. Ahhhhhh, what a sweet, sweet fragrance. And there it was in the cup in the form of a fine and balanced acidity. A first. A fine cup of press-pot coffee but what about other preparations?

I also use a Chemex and I have become a fan, of late, of how miraculously different a coffee can taste when funneled through its dense paper filter. Instead of the dulling of flavors I ordinarily associate with the pour-over paper cone method, the Chemex possesses the ability to magnify certain flavors or even uncover some unavailable in other preparations. The Chemex also has the wonderful habit of giving off an intense aroma from the very first pour over the grinds (which is not the case with the press-pot) and so chilies were present from the first drop of water in the filter cone. The Chemex seemed to bring out a nutty, earthy aroma that was not present in the cup when I used the press-pot. It was full-bodied and sweet with less of the chilies and more melon in the acidity.

A few more things

Notable in both preparations was the tenacity of the acidity. The Sidikalang’s acidity, in its tenacity, reminds me of the Costa Ricas I have had. Here, it is more pleasent, though and I enjoyed it’s presence all the way through the cup. Sweetness, as well. The sweetness is very rich and fairly concentrated.

One of the more surprising aspects of both cups is the absence of the aspect that I, and I am sure many people, expect out of a Sumatra — or for that matter almost any indonesion — that of a pronounced and overriding earthy character. In the Sidikalang the earthiness of the cup was more than balanced out by the other aspects of the coffee and it was interesting to see what a Sumatra could taste like when it was subjected to a different processing method. It goes to show you how much of what I have come to expect out of many coffees has as much to do with the processing method as with any inherent quality of the bean itself.

Where to get it…

There are three places I know of to get Ritual’s coffees, two of which are sure to net you some of the Sumatra Sidikalang. The best place to pick some up is at any one of their retail locations (hmmmm…I sound like and ad). The fresher the better and, especially in the case of Ritual who roasts in-house in their Mission neighborhood café, that is where you are going to get it the freshest. Second, Ritual has an online store. Both of those are probably your best way to be sure to get a bag of the Sidikalang. There have also been sightings of Ritual’s beans in my local Whole Foods here in Oakland.

Related:
“What I Was Drinking Then: Panama Boquete” “Shine, Kenya, shine” “Ritual Refelction – 3”
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1 comments (feel free to add your own). .

Cupping. A primer.

An article on coffee | May 20, 2009
Cupping at Four Barrel

Cupping at Four Barrel

If you like coffee…I mean if you really love coffee, if you can’t wait to taste what a newly purchased bag of beans has in store for you behind those two bendy metal tabs, and if you spend any time at all savoring the taste experience of the brewed contents of said bag, then I highly recommend attending a cupping. It’s a wonderfully sensual affair (take that as you will).

Today, m’lady and I went to Four Barrel Coffee to participate in one of their daily weekday cuppings. It’s free and open to the public. Of course the folks at Four Barrel are not the only ones to offer free cuppings that are open to the public. On Friday, it’s off to Ritual and their 1 o’clock cupping to have more fun. If there are others, I would love to hear about it.

A what?

A cupping. Think of it as a tasting event for coffee lovers. In a cupping you get to taste coffee like the people who get paid good money to taste coffee, taste coffee: in a controlled, regimented process, under ideal brewing conditions, with many different coffees right next to one another and (this might be the most important) with other people. It was nice – and instructive – to taste coffee in a social environment, to experience the discovery of new flavors and aromas while not in the vacuum of my kitchen, alone in my own thoughts. It was great to share if, for nothing else, than to remind myself that I am not the only one that gets – at least some of – my kicks tasting specialty (god I really hate that term but what else to use?) coffees.

There is a bit of regimentation to the process. To the newcomer I think it can be a little off-putting, if not intimidating but sticking to the time-honored processes of the cupping ensures that each of the coffees gets its due. Following the process introduces you to the complete and distinct personality of each of the constituent coffees as you sample them both at every step of the brewing process – from ground to brewed – as well as side by side with other coffees.

Tasting different coffees side by side also prevents that recitation of that old response to tasting a coffee on its own: that “well, it tastes…like…coffee”. I’d wager there isn’t a single palette out there that can’t at least discern that, indeed, there are differences between different coffees when they are placed side by side with one another. Cuppings, for no other reason than that, deserve wider participation.

The point

For the customer, a cupping is an inexpensive opportunity to taste the wide variety of beans a roaster has on offer without going bag by bag all by yourself. It is also an opportunity to learn, to discover, to meet others who share your – dare I say it – passion and to ask questions.

For the roaster, a cupping represents an opportunity to bring the customer a little further into the process of how they go about selecting what ends up on their shelves. If done well, it adds a layer of approachability that many cafés lack and broadens the customers’ knowledge of what the roaster has on offer. It is a classic win-win situation.

The process

So, you’re interested. Excellent. If you have never been to a cupping, allow me to introduce you to the experience with a rather rudimentary outline of what you can expect. Upon arrival at the location, you will most likely be presented with a long or round table, strewn with a myriad of cups. Some of these are going to be for the coffees themselves, some of them will be used to hold the tasting spoons and others will be used for…well, we’ll just call it “the leftovers” for now.

You might also notice that sitting in and amongst the various cups are a collection of – usually blue – trays filled with whole coffee beans. These, most likely are going to be the beans you will be tasting. It is part of the entire comparative, holistic top-to-bottom process to be able to take a look at the whole bean as there are differences in size, shape, texture and roast. Each of these qualities can tell you one or two things about that coffee. Take a look at them. Compare what you see in one tray with what you see in the other trays. Ask questions.

The next step in the process is going to commence after the “master of ceremonies” grinds all of the beans and places them each in their own cup. Once he or she is finished grinding, take a sniff. Go ahead, get your nose in there. Pick the cup of grinds up and give it a shake. Give it another whiff. Notice the differences both before and after the shake. Do this with each example. Enjoy the aromas. Ask questions.

After everyone has gotten their nose dirty, water is added. Each of the cups of ground coffee, in quick succession, will be filled with water and timers will be set to either three or four minutes. At the sound of the beep it’s time to “break the crust”. After water is added to each of the cups, a “bloom” (basically a process of out-gassing of the beans) will form at the top. Think crème brûlée? Do you remember the feeling you had when you first broke through that crispy sugary top? Here, someone will take a spoon, get their nose close to the surface of the liquid in the cup and pull away the bloom just enough to get an intense hit of aroma. “Breaking the crust” can only happen once. The intensity of aroma cannot be duplicated by dipping your spoon in after the first “break” so if you have an opportunity, by all means, seize the moment and break. Having said that, even though there is no possible duplication of the initial break, go ahead and do your best anyway. Aroma. That’s what you are looking for now. One trick I have learned is to use the back of the spoon to catch the aroma. Dip your spoon in, pull it out, flip it over and bring your nose right down near the spoon. As the hot coffee evaporates off of the back of the spoon, the aroma is intensified. One thing not to do, at this point, is to scrape the bottom of the cup with your spoon. Doing that will stir up the grounds at the bottom of the cup. It’s going to change the flavor of the cup as stirring up the grounds will induce a further steeping. It may add some bitterness. Don’t do it. Keep you spoon at the top. Oh yeah, ask questions.

After every bloom is broken, the remaining grinds at the top of each cup will be removed by the master of ceremonies. It’s time to taste. Or, to be precise, it’s time to slurp. Yeah, slurp. This can be the most socially delicate moment of the entire process and is, traditionally, where some people have a moment of pause. “Slurp?! In public?! Not me.” But you’ve come this far. Don’t stop now. To do the coffee in front of you any justice at all, you are going to need to break down those inhibitions and do it: “sluuuuuuuuuurp”. Take a small spoonful of coffee into your spoon, set it juuuuust at your lips and go to town. Make some noise. Trust me: those looks you think you are going to get because your making an uncivilized racket are, in fact, only going to be shot your way if you don’t. Think of it as small, discrete vacation from what your Mother taught you about proper table manners. It’s an essential part of the process. Now, you are going to go down the line, just as you did when you were dipping your nose into the cups of grinds. Slurp all the way. Don’t feel as if you need to finish the entire spoon. That is what one of those cups are for. Pick one up.

In my opinion, this first run through should be done rather quickly. Don’t focus too much on each individual coffee’s flavor. Instead, focus on getting a sense of the differences between each coffee and that the differences exist in the first place. This is where the whole process gets more relaxed and free-form. Feel free, once you have made the first go-around, to go around again or to return to a favorite or one you simply found interesting. Don’t forget to slurp. Once again, ask questions and feel free to talk to the other participants about what you are tasting. Listen, as well. That’s just as important.

That’s it. Your first cupping. A wild success.

Where to go for your cupping fix

As far as I know public cuppings are a relatively rare event among roasters. Besides my initial public cupping at Stumptown’s Annex location in Portland, Four Barrel and Ritual are the only roasters I know of that are doing it (although, to be fair, it is nearly impossible to find any reference to these events anywhere but via small signs in the front windows of each establishment). It’s a shame, really, for all of the reasons I listed above. Know of another? Correct me in the comments.

Go forth and cup.

Related:
“A tale of three cuppings” “Twelve Barrels” “There’s more than one way to roast a Wondo”
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2 comments (feel free to add your own). .

My Birdhouse is a quiet place

A scrap | May 5, 2009

Much has been made of Birdhouse as a Tweet draft storehouse or “Twitter scratchpad”. The true genius of Birdhouse, though, is the quiet, unpressured space — like a painter’s studio or a writer’s cabin out in the woods — that it affords the tweeter. It’s liberating.

It is ironic that while Birdhouse’s claim to fame feature is the limitless amount of time that it gives you to perfect your 140 character missive, I was able to bust out my first Birdhouse mediated tweet in seconds. I felt more relaxed and more free to make mistakes. Birdhouse even double-checks that you really do want to press that “publish” button, simply by prompting you, once more, by adding a question mark: “publish?”. “Why yes, Birdhouse and thanks for asking”.

Related:
“Wait for it … Wait for it …” “UI Nightmare” “Twitter / Paul Kafasis: Attention email users: You …”
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Terminal Velocity

A scrap | April 30, 2009

In fluid dynamics an object is moving at its terminal velocity if its speed is constant due to the restraining force exerted by the air, water or other fluid through which it is moving.

– Wikipedia, Terminal Velocity

Watching these people fly through the air is nearly unbelievable. The risks are incredible; flying through the air at around 100mph, nearly “scraping your fingernails” on the sheer rock faces of the French Alps.

But what a high it must be.

They look a bit like flying squirrels, no?

Related:
“Ze @ TED” “The Vegetable Orchestra” “The Periodic Table of Videos”
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CSS Revolution?

A scrap | April 22, 2009

…so thinks @hotdogsladies of 43Folders.

“Blueprint”, the subject of @hotdogsladies tweet is what is called a “CSS framework”. A CSS framework is supposed to make a web site designer’s life easier, both by being a strong foundation on which to build the design of a site and by providing a relatively “plug & play” method of making sure that the design works the same across all of the major browsers that people use today (and yeah, that is a major problem).

I, myself, have never used one of the many frameworks that have been made available over the years (always afraid of the learning curve and the length of time it would take to adapt the framework to my own site’s design) but I may have to dive in some day, what with it being the future standard ‘n’ all(?).

Related:
“twistori” “A Designer Says Goodbye” “UI Nightmare”
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