Coffee Drinkers Anonymous

[Mattydv]

ferment is gross and should be kept in alcohol.

This made me lol.

She's been doing some pretty amazing work withing the coffee community. I'm a little out of the loop of the Australian scene but here in north America she's deveolped a bit of a cult following... Finca Tanzania was probably my favourite coffee of 2012 so I'm expecting some pretty great things!!

Yep, I bought one of her natural's from Axil a bit over a year ago - and can still vividly remember it. Not necessarily my favourite coffee of 2012, but incredible nonetheless. Still quite jealous of your trip Sockman!

 

[mcrae]

The ferment flavours shouldn't be overly present in the cup! What coffee was it anyway?

from one of the most notorious farmers in el sal my friend. ernesto menendez. we have bought from him for the past couple of years, he owns a few farms in el sal. im pretty positive the ferment flavours wouldnt be that prominent to anyone who hasnt been drinking clean coffees for the past 6 months. remember that your palate is only used to what it tastes regularly.

if you were to put the cleanest of clean natural coffees on a table of fully washed it would taste of ferment. buy some coffees and try it for yourself its pretty hilarious when you do it.

so basically prepare a set of say 5 cups of natural/pulp/honey whatever as long as they are not washed, after youve tried those, prepare a set of all washed coffees with one natural. see which one jumps out at you. did this with tim wendleboe when he was in aus last. he was saying that it was important to keep your tasting bias in check, and to always compare with similarities. ie roasting companies should be cupping other companies stuff to compare and see how what they are doing compares to your competition. not necessarily in reference to trying to "steal" their ideas. just to make sure you are in a similar area. or cupping from an area, like all kenyans on a table. dont cup 2 kenyans a brazil and a panama, you dont learn anything from that.

(shrugs) it was interesting for sure... one customer said it tasted like a blueberry milkshake

 

[sockman]

I get you now. No one here wants anything to do with anything but fully washed coffee. I've been only buying naturals and semi washed coffees for my own consumption where possible. Palate development is somehow not on anyone's list of things to do here.

Did a cupping with some of the Swiss water people a few weeks back and on a table of 5 Ethiopians we had 5 distinct coffees!

 

[mcrae]

I get you now. No one here wants anything to do with anything but fully washed coffee. I've been only buying naturals and semi washed coffees for my own consumption where possible. Palate development is somehow not on anyone's list of things to do here.

Did a cupping with some of the Swiss water people a few weeks back and on a table of 5 Ethiopians we had 5 distinct coffees!

yeah, its pretty crazy the differences.... sam was talking about the differences in cupping techniques between all the coffee companies in sydney alone. its surprising how we all think that its a set industry standard, but so many things come into play, water, temperature, brew time, time before tasting, grind settings. and then you bring in different companies ideas and policies, apparently the boys at tobys start sipping straight at 8 minutes after break and clean as part of company policy!

glad im not burning my mouth out with the big guns

 

[mcrae]

what is the scene like in newy? anyone got any ideas on how many cups/kg a good place would do in a day?

 

[Mattydv]

Still in need of development. I can count the number of places doing good coffee on half a hand. There's a new seven seeds account (with a strada), which on the days I've worked there has done under 3kg a day. Can't say specifics though sorry.
There's also a campos account that is alright, but I'm not sure how many kg's they'd go through a day. Maybe 4-5? Dunno, it's been a while since I've been in there.

The places that are doing well are roasting cheap coffees, dark.

But, a mate is in talks with Kris Wood about the possibility of an 'East Coast Clement', so we'll see if that eventuates.

 

[mcrae]

Still in need of development. I can count the number of places doing good coffee on half a hand. There's a new seven seeds account (with a strada), which on the days I've worked there has done under 3kg a day. Can't say specifics though sorry.
There's also a campos account that is alright, but I'm not sure how many kg's they'd go through a day. Maybe 4-5? Dunno, it's been a while since I've been in there.

The places that are doing well are roasting cheap coffees, dark.

But, a mate is in talks with Kris Wood about the possibility of an 'East Coast Clement', so we'll see if that eventuates.

interesting to see kris going for newcastle before syd... (shrugs) oh well. just curious i spose.

 

[mcrae]

nationals this weekend, any early calls for aussie champ?

i think perger is going to blow them out of the water

 

[sockman]

Hazel? II'm way out of the loop there... Are the guys from Ona decent?

 

[mcrae]

matt perger took it out, not sure how the rest went... gloria jeans worker took out cup tasting... :/

 

[Mattydv]

matt perger took it out, not sure how the rest went... gloria jeans worker took out cup tasting... :/

You called it! I read something about that Gloria Jeans person in Beanscene a while ago, surprised me as well. But then again, didn't we have a national champ from Donut King a few years back or something?

 

[leitch]

What's happening in Aus for the WACs? Are there heats or just a single national comp? The Uk comp had only 18 places and sold out in 4 hours... None of us at Prufrock got a spot. Lame.

 

[Mattydv]

What's happening in Aus for the WACs? Are there heats or just a single national comp? The Uk comp had only 18 places and sold out in 4 hours... None of us at Prufrock got a spot. Lame.

No idea, sorry.

Mcrae, do you have any idea what Perger's presentation on the 26th will be like? I'm considering making the trip down.

 

[mcrae]

No idea, sorry.

Mcrae, do you have any idea what Perger's presentation on the 26th will be like? I'm considering making the trip down.

no idea mate il ask sammy and see if i can pull you a spot for you, id say that it has a lot to do with extraction yields and recipes etc considering thats what kaminsky usually talks about and its the majority of what perger does in his routines. ill find out and let you know. its pretty expensive though...

 

[mcrae]

What's happening in Aus for the WACs? Are there heats or just a single national comp? The Uk comp had only 18 places and sold out in 4 hours... None of us at Prufrock got a spot. Lame.

i think theres just the national comp, there wasnt even a nsw brewers cup...

 

[Mattydv]

no idea mate il ask sammy and see if i can pull you a spot for you, id say that it has a lot to do with extraction yields and recipes etc considering thats what kaminsky usually talks about and its the majority of what perger does in his routines. ill find out and let you know. its pretty expensive though...

Yeah, that's what the link on the Barista Guild page suggested it would be. It's $45, but I hoped it would be informative enough to warrant it. Would really appreciate it if you could let me know, thanks.

 

[mcrae]

Yeah, that's what the link on the Barista Guild page suggested it would be. It's $45, but I hoped it would be informative enough to warrant it. Would really appreciate it if you could let me know, thanks.

all of that information is on the website apparently. it will be informative and the both of them are a wealth of knowledge on all things espresso and filter. ive been to talks from both of them and kaminsky can be a bit of a cunt if you dont use refractometers in every day work (shrugs) for $45 id be doing it fo sho.

 

[Mattydv]

Sorry Leitch, it only just clicked to me that you're already in the UK. How is Prufrock/the London scene? What's Gwilym like?

Edit: Ignore this.

 

[mcrae]

Great to see you and allister down here tonight mate I know it's not the easiest trip for you but glad you could make it. Those guys have some pretty wild ideas, but I agree with the back tracking to the old style, I just think its a little more advanced than a 14gm in 30ml out though

Hope you two got something out of it...

 

[Mattydv]

Great to see you and allister down here tonight mate I know it's not the easiest trip for you but glad you could make it. Those guys have some pretty wild ideas, but I agree with the back tracking to the old style, I just think its a little more advanced than a 14gm in 30ml out though

Hope you two got something out of it...

Yeah, was great seeing you again! Certainly thought provoking, which is what I think the intention was. I'm in no rush to throw out our Robur E's in exchange for some spice and pepper grinder, but I'll definitely try lowering some dosages/increasing extraction %'s and see what I can come up with.

Thanks again for the El Sal btw, really appreciated You should come up north sometime so I can return some hospitality.