This is some news from our wonderful coffee roaster Intelligentsia. Through it we learn a bit more about the human beings that grow the coffee we enjoy here at Everyday Joe's Coffee House.
"A little inspiration goes a long way.
I'm inspired by Jair Garcia. I want to hug the guy. He is one of the greatest coffee farmers I've ever known. For those who have not heard of him, Sr. Jair is a coffee farmer from El Tambo, Cauca in Colombia. He has a relatively small farm, just a few hectares, and produces coffee in a traditional way. "Rustic" might be the right word; he ferments his coffee in plastic sacks. And yet he has managed to produce the best tasting coffee (in my humble opinion) from his entire area of Colombia for three years in a row!
How can this be? How does it happen? Jair lacks many of the resource advantages that some of the other growers who contribute coffee to this project have at their disposal. And he's competing with hundreds of small growers every year. We cup the Tres Santos submissions blindly and probability alone would suggest that it is very unlikely he could manage to come up with the highest rated coffee three consecutive years. After all, this is agriculture, and there are so many small variables (some of them uncontrollable) that have an impact on final quality.
Take the Cup of Excellence competitions. There have been 25 held over the last seven years, and there have been exactly ZERO repeat winners, with only a handful of farmers managing consecutive top ten finishes! The fact that he has indeed accomplished what few farmers can is beyond impressive.
I find it thrilling and incredibly encouraging. It is the most powerful evidence I've seen in support of the notion that human effort is what makes the difference between a very good coffee and a truly spectacular one. It is tough for a coffee to crack that "90 point" threshold on the cupping table. Since there are a lot of things that get in your way, I like to think that it is about as tough as a football player returning a kick-off for a touchdown. I guess that this makes Sr. Garcia the Devin Hester of Specialty Coffee. (For those of you who don’t follow the Chicago Bears, this guy has returned lots of kick-offs for touchdowns.)"
~ Geoff WattsVP of Coffee
Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea
Wednesday, November 14
Wednesday, November 7
No Bombilla Required
I don't remember exactly when it started but at some point people start asking, "Do you have Mate Tea?" Until a few weeks ago the answer was, "No." But now the answer is , "Yes."
So what is Mate? Good question. Mate is an infusion made from the yerba mate plant. (Us yanks refer to it as "tea.") The plant is from South America and the drink is traditionaly served in a gourd and sipped through a special silver straw, or Bombilla.
Yes mate is caffienated.
And as legend would have it mate was given to the native people of South America by a goddess that came to earth who was attacked by a jaguar. An old man saved her and it return she gave him the gift of a yerba mate plant, telling him that with the plant he could prepare "the drink of friendship."
Here at Joe's we have the very American easy to brew, easy to serve, and easy to drink version. Our's is Pixie Mate, a company in Boulder, and the tea comes in a traditional tea bag. We have a few different flavors so give one a try next time your in the mood for a brewed infusion of a South American plant.
So what is Mate? Good question. Mate is an infusion made from the yerba mate plant. (Us yanks refer to it as "tea.") The plant is from South America and the drink is traditionaly served in a gourd and sipped through a special silver straw, or Bombilla.
Yes mate is caffienated.
And as legend would have it mate was given to the native people of South America by a goddess that came to earth who was attacked by a jaguar. An old man saved her and it return she gave him the gift of a yerba mate plant, telling him that with the plant he could prepare "the drink of friendship."
Here at Joe's we have the very American easy to brew, easy to serve, and easy to drink version. Our's is Pixie Mate, a company in Boulder, and the tea comes in a traditional tea bag. We have a few different flavors so give one a try next time your in the mood for a brewed infusion of a South American plant.
Wednesday, October 31
Pain in the Chai
Here at Everyday Joe's we believe in the lost art of craftsmanship. We live in a culture that is all about automation and manufactured products. Take chai for example. Most times when you order chai at a coffee shop it either comes from a powder mix or a carton containing liquid chai concentrate. We do it a little different.
Our chai is made right here at 144 s. Mason Street using a black tea base. We add sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla to that base. We then steep it, strain it, and refrigerate it. That creates our own liquid concentrate which is added to milk and steamed when an order is placed.
Writing it makes it sound so simple but it is really quite a long process with a lot of steps. And this time of year it is a constant battle to keep up with the demand for chai that cooler weather brings.
So next time you come to Everyday Joe's and order a chai that takes less than a minute to serve, know that a lot of work went into that cup of goodness before you even walked in the door.
Our chai is made right here at 144 s. Mason Street using a black tea base. We add sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla to that base. We then steep it, strain it, and refrigerate it. That creates our own liquid concentrate which is added to milk and steamed when an order is placed.
Writing it makes it sound so simple but it is really quite a long process with a lot of steps. And this time of year it is a constant battle to keep up with the demand for chai that cooler weather brings.
So next time you come to Everyday Joe's and order a chai that takes less than a minute to serve, know that a lot of work went into that cup of goodness before you even walked in the door.
Wednesday, October 24
Cider Season
Apple cider is back on the menu for the next couple of weeks. And as always the question comes up, what is the difference between apple cider and apple juice? Well here in the United States if you want to get legal about it, there is no difference, none, nadda. As far as the FDA is concerned apple juice and apple cider are the same thing.
That leaves it up to companies who offer the juice from apples to decide what they want to call it. It is a known practice for a company to change the apple juice label to apple cider in the fall because they know that cider sells more in the autumn, the only change is the label.
But there are some common beliefs as to the difference. Cider is considered to be less refined and not as filtered as juice. Cider is most often cloudy and juice clear. That is about it. Like so many things in our culture it comes down to marketing and appearance.
Here at Joe's we use 100% apple cider, not a sauce or concentrate which has become common place at coffee shops these days.
Find a coupon for Joe's apple cider here.
That leaves it up to companies who offer the juice from apples to decide what they want to call it. It is a known practice for a company to change the apple juice label to apple cider in the fall because they know that cider sells more in the autumn, the only change is the label.
But there are some common beliefs as to the difference. Cider is considered to be less refined and not as filtered as juice. Cider is most often cloudy and juice clear. That is about it. Like so many things in our culture it comes down to marketing and appearance.
Here at Joe's we use 100% apple cider, not a sauce or concentrate which has become common place at coffee shops these days.
Find a coupon for Joe's apple cider here.
Wednesday, October 17
How Direct Trade Starts
Geoff Watts is the VP of Coffee at our roaster Intelligentsia. In his latest post from his travels he tells of his journey to a village in Papua New Guinea and just what he is looking for when starting the Direct Trade process with a coffee grower. It is long but a very interesting read to see what goes into your morning cup of coffee.
Hola:
It's always a big time thrill to visit a country for the first time. The local languages; cultural views on human, ethical, and political topics; and details about traditional lifestyle are fascinating. You step off the plane not really knowing what to expect, and after a few days, you begin to feel like a sponge as you attempt to absorb as much as you can. I landed in Papua New Guinea earlier this week ostensibly to participate in a small coffee competition organized by the Federation of Coffee Growers, but really I'm here to scout and lay some groundwork for developing a Direct Trade program. This effort can take on many forms, and in every country it is different, yet the basics still apply.
The first thing I do is just observe. It is important to gain understanding about the way the local industry has been working (or not working) and who the players are. Learning about the history of the coffee sector is the first step towards preparing oneself to dig in and figure out how to create positive change. Part of this usually involves deciding who not to work with for reasons that can range from extreme apathy or overwhelming cynicism to the more serious obstacles like apparent corruption or historical misdeeds.
Once I've gotten a general lay of the land, I try to understand what the key quality hurdles are and where the problems reside. This means assessing processing traditions, looking at infrastructure deficiencies, and examining the chain of custody. Typically the greatest sources of quality loss come down to harvesting (cherry ripeness), wet milling logistics, and post-fermentation drying. Every scenario is different. In some places farmers deliver cherry to centralized wet mills while in others they sell dry or semi-dry parchment. Fermentation can take place in plastic sacks, in wooden boxes, in cement tanks or on patios; sometimes it is skipped altogether in favor of mechanical processes where the beans are scrubbed free of pulp using friction.
It also makes a big difference whether or not farmers have close access to mills. Those who are the farthest away tend to face bigger hurdles as transport of just-harvested cherry can present a lot of quality risks. In the ideal scenario, freshly picked coffee cherries are depulped and enter the fermentation process within 4 to 5 hours after harvest. The ability of a mill to separate lots and retain traceability to the farmgate is critical and often lacking. And steady, uniform drying is a huge challenge in many growing areas that receive sporadic rainfall throughout the picking season.
Once I've got a sense of how things typically work in a given place, I then focus on two things: finding the right environmental conditions that are especially favorable to quality potential and finding the right people to work with. The latter involves meeting with various farmer groups and millers and spending time together to see if our interests can align. I've found that it is critical to partner with farmer groups who have some degree of organizational stability. Most often it is the smallest groups that qualify since they all live together in a community and trust one another and know how to work together. The bigger a cooperative group gets the more likely it is that politics will interfere with progress.
Part of it comes down to the intangible… or just the vibe of the place. My vision is long-term. We hope to work with the same farmers for years or decades and to stay in close communication. So it is important that we like each other and are able to relate to a similar vision for the future. I've learned to trust instincts when it comes to these things, and over time I have gotten better at identifying red flags that might mean headaches or frustration down the road. No one wants to invest time, energy, and dollars in trying to build something only to realize that it isn't going to work. I've had one or to Sisyphus-like experiences where it seems that you could be battling the same issues over and over again perpetually. One of the most important measurables in Direct Trade is progress over time; if quality and farmer livelihoods do not improve in step and in some tangible ways, we have failed in our mission. One ingredient in success is ensuring that the preconditions exist to make it possible.
It's been a long time since I have had a day as exhilarating as yesterday. We set off in the morning to visit the Asuke cooperative, just north of Goroka. It was a quick 45 minute ride in the back of a pickup before we reached the end of the road. From there we disembarked and hiked for about an hour and half to get over the ridge into the adjacent valley where we encountered a fairly sizeable river. Fortunately there was a small raft that the farmers had constructed, so we stripped down and loaded our gear onto the raft and then swam across the river. It was invigorating…the hike had gotten us pretty heated up and the cool river was a wonderful antidote.
Once across the river, we entered the forest and were instantly immersed in a huge coffee garden. After about a 10 minute hike up the hill, we heard some high-pitched wailing, which our guide explained was a “cry of joy” at the arrival of visitors. Minutes later, as we continued through the lush forest, we were ambushed by a group of young boys wielding spears and bows and completely covered in oils that gave them a jet-black appearance. They had been hiding in the trees all around us, and in seconds we were completely surrounded. If they had wanted to take us out, it would have been no trouble at all. But of course they were just messing around.
Up at the village we met the growers and had a look around before heading out into the forest again to check out the coffees. I saw a mix of Typica, Bourbon, and Arusha varieties. It was completely gorgeous… forest coffee at its most lush and raw. After about two hours of walking up and down mountain slopes, we arrived back at the village where they had prepared some MuMu for lunch, amazing stuff. In the morning they dig a hole in the ground, fill it with some stones, and create a fire on top of it. Once the fire has died down to charcoal and the stones are hot, they put a layer of wet banana leaf on top and then proceed to stack sweet potato, yams, chicken, pig, greens, and bananas to form this big mound of food organized in such a way that the stuff that demands the most heat to cook is closest to the bottom. The whole thing is covered with more leaf and lots of dirt so that it appears as a 4 foot mound of earth. The heat from below evaporates moisture from the banana leaf and steams the food.
Hours later, the mound is uncovered and layer by layer the cooked food is removed. It was a feast, enough for 40 people or so. The whole village ate together and I had to marvel at the impressive communal feeling that is so lacking in many parts of the world. Being here is like traveling back in time, as the remote villages remain pretty untouched by the modern world. Most of the farmers don't get into town more than once a year or so, and rule of law is nonexistent. They live the way they've always lived, and it feels wonderful to witness a lifestyle where the stresses we encounter living in the material world don't really exist. For sure there are other types of stress, especially related to health maladies and climate conditions. But as far as mental well-being goes, it seems like a good enough trade off.
I was surprised to learn that the tribe still goes to war every now and then with neighboring tribes. Their bows and arrows and stealth attack tactics are not for show; they still face off with other tribes looking to take over their land, and even today fight battles from time to time to protect the land that they occupy. But no one seems worried about it. It's just a part of life. There are more than 700 tribes and languages in PNG, and they've been competing for land and resources for centuries.
Tomorrow we will finalize the coffee competition by holding a short awards ceremony, and then we head west towards Mt Hagen where we'll meet up with a cooperative group somewhere in between and spend the night. I'm looking forward to a good couple of days in the bush.
Cheers,
Geoff Watts
VP of Coffee
Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea
Wednesday, October 10
Buy Coffee, Feel Good
Hi again gang. Every week I get a nice email from our roaster, Intelligentsia, telling of their tales around the world. I thought maybe I would share this one with you. Mostly because it is exciting to see Direct Trade in action in Africa. This is indeed good news since a lot of coffee growers in Africa are not able to send their kids to school because the prices they are paid are so low. Intelligentsia is changing that. And by buying Intelligentsia roasted coffee beans Everyday Joe's is changing that. And by buying your coffee and lattes from Everyday Joe's you are changing that.
Now come down to Everyday Joe's, buy yourself a coffee, and feel good. Now on to the email:
Hola:
A warm 4 AM greeting to all who enjoy Intelligentsia Direct Trade Coffee. While international travel can be a wonderful experience, you may have experienced the costs in terms of a disrupted internal clock. I just returned to Los Angeles yesterday after traveling 27 straight hours from Addis Ababa Ethiopia, and now my body tells me that it’s time for an Injara lunch!
My week in Ethiopia was an enjoyable and challenging time spent working on contracts for two new Direct Trade coffees from Yirgacheffe (late spring and early summer 2008 releases). Both exporting providers were very enthusiastic in providing the first ever small-farmer, traceable coffees from Ethiopia. Normally the individual small-farmer lot is blended into anonymity and we just receive coffee that says "Yirgacheffe Grade 1".
In our Direct Trade model, we employ tracking systems with our providers that allow us to ensure that the individual farmer is economically rewarded for his stellar efforts at pre-agreed upon prices. While normally only the 37,500 pound container is tracked, in some instances our work could involve as little as 100 lbs of coffee. While this system seems simple at first, in actuality it becomes very complex. Most of our week was spent grappling with issues of system deployment. Once again the vital importance of having trustworthy trading partners at origin who are willing and able to partner in this sustainable trade was impressed upon me.
Don’t think that it was all work, however. I joyfully spent one day hiking up to the coffee village of Banko Okoto in Yirgacheffe. As is common in many coffee producing origins, there was a network of muddy paths leading up the mountain and splitting off to plots of land. The chilly damp trail was spotted with a few traditional grass roofed homes, coffee farms and lush natural forests. When we started hiking we were at 6400 feet, and the top of the ridge was 6927 feet! Staring from the top and checking my GPS, I realized that this is probably one of the highest-growing coffee regions in the world. Very few places in the world grow coffee at over 6,000 feet in elevation. Have you ever wondered why Yirgacheffe has this identifiable bright lemon grass flavor? I’m confident in saying that much of this flavor is the result of extremely high altitude coffee farming.
On our way down the hillside we came upon villagers who were hiking up the hillside on their way to the cemetery. They were carrying the casket of a five year old boy who died. When we asked what happened, they simply said he was sick. Without access to doctors, this is sadly about as specific as many coffee farmers can get to a diagnosis.
On the other hand, I was impressed at that moment because in their walking wake they were singing a lament the whole way up the trail, and it was obvious the casket was freshly hand-made. The thought hit me that these people "make" just about everything. They make their food from mini gardens to meals. They make their music from silence and create incredible harmony, drums and dancing. They make their adobe and grass roofed homes from materials at hand. They make their foot trails. They even make their own caskets. They truly live in a world of "makers".
I look forward to inviting you to make a cup of Direct Trade Ethiopian coffee this spring. For now, might I suggest our El Cuervo from Guatemala. This coffee is one of our most recent arrivals to our Roasting Works and the red fruit flavors are bursting from the cup.
Onward,
K.C. O'Keefe
Director of West Coast Operations
Green Coffee Buyer
Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea
Now come down to Everyday Joe's, buy yourself a coffee, and feel good. Now on to the email:
Hola:
A warm 4 AM greeting to all who enjoy Intelligentsia Direct Trade Coffee. While international travel can be a wonderful experience, you may have experienced the costs in terms of a disrupted internal clock. I just returned to Los Angeles yesterday after traveling 27 straight hours from Addis Ababa Ethiopia, and now my body tells me that it’s time for an Injara lunch!
My week in Ethiopia was an enjoyable and challenging time spent working on contracts for two new Direct Trade coffees from Yirgacheffe (late spring and early summer 2008 releases). Both exporting providers were very enthusiastic in providing the first ever small-farmer, traceable coffees from Ethiopia. Normally the individual small-farmer lot is blended into anonymity and we just receive coffee that says "Yirgacheffe Grade 1".
In our Direct Trade model, we employ tracking systems with our providers that allow us to ensure that the individual farmer is economically rewarded for his stellar efforts at pre-agreed upon prices. While normally only the 37,500 pound container is tracked, in some instances our work could involve as little as 100 lbs of coffee. While this system seems simple at first, in actuality it becomes very complex. Most of our week was spent grappling with issues of system deployment. Once again the vital importance of having trustworthy trading partners at origin who are willing and able to partner in this sustainable trade was impressed upon me.
Don’t think that it was all work, however. I joyfully spent one day hiking up to the coffee village of Banko Okoto in Yirgacheffe. As is common in many coffee producing origins, there was a network of muddy paths leading up the mountain and splitting off to plots of land. The chilly damp trail was spotted with a few traditional grass roofed homes, coffee farms and lush natural forests. When we started hiking we were at 6400 feet, and the top of the ridge was 6927 feet! Staring from the top and checking my GPS, I realized that this is probably one of the highest-growing coffee regions in the world. Very few places in the world grow coffee at over 6,000 feet in elevation. Have you ever wondered why Yirgacheffe has this identifiable bright lemon grass flavor? I’m confident in saying that much of this flavor is the result of extremely high altitude coffee farming.
On our way down the hillside we came upon villagers who were hiking up the hillside on their way to the cemetery. They were carrying the casket of a five year old boy who died. When we asked what happened, they simply said he was sick. Without access to doctors, this is sadly about as specific as many coffee farmers can get to a diagnosis.
On the other hand, I was impressed at that moment because in their walking wake they were singing a lament the whole way up the trail, and it was obvious the casket was freshly hand-made. The thought hit me that these people "make" just about everything. They make their food from mini gardens to meals. They make their music from silence and create incredible harmony, drums and dancing. They make their adobe and grass roofed homes from materials at hand. They make their foot trails. They even make their own caskets. They truly live in a world of "makers".
I look forward to inviting you to make a cup of Direct Trade Ethiopian coffee this spring. For now, might I suggest our El Cuervo from Guatemala. This coffee is one of our most recent arrivals to our Roasting Works and the red fruit flavors are bursting from the cup.
Onward,
K.C. O'Keefe
Director of West Coast Operations
Green Coffee Buyer
Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea
Wednesday, October 3
Direct Trade Video
Everyday Joe's believes that the coffee it buys from Intelligentsia and their Direct Trade model are helping people all over the world. Check out this 9 minute video to see exactly what we mean. Yes I know by internet standards the video is a bit long but it is so nice to be able to put a face on the coffee we buy.
Wednesday, September 26
More Q&A
A week or so ago Steve asked: "What's it like making so many people happy with their warm coffee drinks every single day? And what would you do if I hypothetically one day were to order an Irish Coffee?"
It is hard to describe what it is like. I do look forward to a solo shift on the bar because it is a chance to perfect my drink making skills. Summer is tough because so many people order iced drinks and there is not much art in that. I really like when someone orders a 12oz for here latte. Mostly because it gives me a chance to practice my latte art. And it is nice to see how something as simple as latte art can really add something to someone's day.
And I am thankful that I do get to make people happy via coffee drinks. I am continual amazed by the conversations and connections I make with people over that coffee bar. One day we will have bar stools to make that an even better experience.
On to the next question...
If you were to order an Irish Coffee I think I would make you a coffee and simply direct you next door to Dempsey's and let them hook you up with the Irish part.
It is hard to describe what it is like. I do look forward to a solo shift on the bar because it is a chance to perfect my drink making skills. Summer is tough because so many people order iced drinks and there is not much art in that. I really like when someone orders a 12oz for here latte. Mostly because it gives me a chance to practice my latte art. And it is nice to see how something as simple as latte art can really add something to someone's day.
And I am thankful that I do get to make people happy via coffee drinks. I am continual amazed by the conversations and connections I make with people over that coffee bar. One day we will have bar stools to make that an even better experience.
On to the next question...
If you were to order an Irish Coffee I think I would make you a coffee and simply direct you next door to Dempsey's and let them hook you up with the Irish part.
Wednesday, September 19
Turkish Coffee
So we had a reader inquire "Can Everyday Joe's serve Turkish Coffee?"
The logistics of preparing Turkish Coffee are what prevent Joe's and most shops from offering it. Traditionally it is heated using the desert sands of the Mediterranean, not on option. Most people not living in or near the Mediterranean region of the world use a gas stove instead. Everyday Joe's does not have a gas stove or anything similar. So Turkish Coffee is not an option here at 144 S. Mason.
Click here if you want to see how Turkish Coffee is brewed and why Joe's can not pull it off.
The logistics of preparing Turkish Coffee are what prevent Joe's and most shops from offering it. Traditionally it is heated using the desert sands of the Mediterranean, not on option. Most people not living in or near the Mediterranean region of the world use a gas stove instead. Everyday Joe's does not have a gas stove or anything similar. So Turkish Coffee is not an option here at 144 S. Mason.
Click here if you want to see how Turkish Coffee is brewed and why Joe's can not pull it off.
Wednesday, September 12
Iced Cappuccino
The Iced Cappuccino is a drink rich in history. No one is exactly sure when the formal meetings began but once a year, every year, there is a very important meeting in Atlantis. The guest list includes but is not limited to Big Foot, Santa Clause, The Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny, and honest politicians, just to name a few. They all gather and discuss the next years activities and the pros and cons of being fictional characters. The official drink of this important meeting is the Iced Cappuccino.
For you see there is no such drink as an Iced Cappuccino. Though there are many ideas and thoughts on what a true cappuccino is most agree it involves hot, foamed milk. When someone orders an iced cappuccino what they are really ordering is an iced latte.
For you see there is no such drink as an Iced Cappuccino. Though there are many ideas and thoughts on what a true cappuccino is most agree it involves hot, foamed milk. When someone orders an iced cappuccino what they are really ordering is an iced latte.
Wednesday, September 5
Wednesday, August 29
Joe's Gets a Ferrari
Ok not really.
But Joe's did get a machine that was hand built by Italians, a La Marzocco 3 Group Linea Espresso Machine.
It was probably about a year ago that we realized we needed a new espresso machine. The machine we have used for our first 4 years has served us well but was beginning to show its age. And keeping it running was starting to cost us more than we felt it was worth. So the quest for a new machine began. I even posted about it way back in April. And I find it funny that the picture of a machine I threw in that post is the brand and model we ended up with.
The Linea is known for its power and its simplicity. It has two boiler tanks so the group heads and the steam wands have their own separate source of power. This means better shots and better milk.
The construction of the machine is very simple which means we will be able to do more troubleshooting ourselves.
But Joe's did get a machine that was hand built by Italians, a La Marzocco 3 Group Linea Espresso Machine.
It was probably about a year ago that we realized we needed a new espresso machine. The machine we have used for our first 4 years has served us well but was beginning to show its age. And keeping it running was starting to cost us more than we felt it was worth. So the quest for a new machine began. I even posted about it way back in April. And I find it funny that the picture of a machine I threw in that post is the brand and model we ended up with.
The Linea is known for its power and its simplicity. It has two boiler tanks so the group heads and the steam wands have their own separate source of power. This means better shots and better milk.
The construction of the machine is very simple which means we will be able to do more troubleshooting ourselves.
Wednesday, August 22
Trivia Time Equals Free Stuff
Ok folks thought I would take a break from the usual posts to throw some trivia at you. And dare I say Google proof trivia.
The first person to email me or post the answers to the following 3 questions will receive a coupon for 1 menu item of your choice. Ready? Here goes...
1. Everyday Joe's uses two brands of syrups to flavor our drinks, what are they?
2. Everyday Joe's offers 28 different kinds of tea. Who is our tea supplier?
3. On the famous portrait wall at Everyday Joe's are there more guys or more girls?
You must answer all 3 correctly to win.
The first person to email me or post the answers to the following 3 questions will receive a coupon for 1 menu item of your choice. Ready? Here goes...
1. Everyday Joe's uses two brands of syrups to flavor our drinks, what are they?
2. Everyday Joe's offers 28 different kinds of tea. Who is our tea supplier?
3. On the famous portrait wall at Everyday Joe's are there more guys or more girls?
You must answer all 3 correctly to win.
Wednesday, August 15
Wednesday, August 8
Everyday Joe's R&D
(That is Research and Development for you non lab coat wearing folk.)
This week it has been trying out a new way to brew coffee. Cold brewing. The method involves slowly brewing coffee (12 hour brew time) using cold water to create a concentrate. This concentrate can then be used in many ways to create coffee drinks.
Why do this? This method is said to create a coffee that is free of oil and 67% less acid than most other coffee. People who like coffee but have heartburn issues seem to prefer this method since it removes the acid from the coffee. It also has less caffeine than more traditional methods of brewing coffee.
On the downside is the cost. It takes a lot of beans to make a carafe of concentrate. One pound of beans creates 48 ounces of concentrate. It is recommended to use a 1 ounce of concentrate to 3 ounces of water. Though in my testing that makes a weak cup of coffee. Seems a 1 to 1 is a better ratio.
So far I have tried just regular hot coffee. (3 ounces concentrate to 9 ounces hot water) And this morning tried a latte with it. (4 ounces concentrate to 8 ounces steamed milk.) The coffee was very smooth but leaning toward the bland side. Same goes for the latte. That is why I think the amounts need to be tweaked. Though I was still able to get good latte art out it even with no creme. (they say it can't be done.)
So if you stop by Joe's in the next couple of days and want to try a drink made from our cold brew experiment just let us know. We need some feedback to see if we want to make it part of the menu.
(you can read an article about the method here.)
This week it has been trying out a new way to brew coffee. Cold brewing. The method involves slowly brewing coffee (12 hour brew time) using cold water to create a concentrate. This concentrate can then be used in many ways to create coffee drinks.
Why do this? This method is said to create a coffee that is free of oil and 67% less acid than most other coffee. People who like coffee but have heartburn issues seem to prefer this method since it removes the acid from the coffee. It also has less caffeine than more traditional methods of brewing coffee.
On the downside is the cost. It takes a lot of beans to make a carafe of concentrate. One pound of beans creates 48 ounces of concentrate. It is recommended to use a 1 ounce of concentrate to 3 ounces of water. Though in my testing that makes a weak cup of coffee. Seems a 1 to 1 is a better ratio.
So far I have tried just regular hot coffee. (3 ounces concentrate to 9 ounces hot water) And this morning tried a latte with it. (4 ounces concentrate to 8 ounces steamed milk.) The coffee was very smooth but leaning toward the bland side. Same goes for the latte. That is why I think the amounts need to be tweaked. Though I was still able to get good latte art out it even with no creme. (they say it can't be done.)
So if you stop by Joe's in the next couple of days and want to try a drink made from our cold brew experiment just let us know. We need some feedback to see if we want to make it part of the menu.
(you can read an article about the method here.)
Wednesday, August 1
French Press
Here at Everyday Joe's we brew all of our house coffee using a press pot. Or a french press as many know it. We do this because it is considered the best way to brew coffee.
Most people are used to a drip brewer. Ground coffee is placed in a paper filter and hot water is dripped over those grounds, extracting the coffee from the grounds then passing through the paper filter. That is the problem. The paper filter not only stops the grounds from ending up in your coffee cup it also stops the full flavor of the coffee from ending up in your coffee cup. The paper soaks up the natural oils from the coffee and in those oils is where a lot of taste is found.
The french press method involves immersing the coffee grounds in near boiling water for 4 minutes. This allows all of the flavor and oils contained in those grounds to be extracted fully. Then when the coffee is poured out of the press it passes through a metal screen to filter out the grounds but not the flavor or oils. For some this is a problem.
Often times when someone begins to pump themselves a cup of our house coffee they think there is something wrong with the coffee because of how it looks. Our coffee is richer and darker than the average coffee drinker is used to. And some of the finer grounds make it through the metal filter of the french press. Grounds in your cup equal flavor in your cup.
I know many of you do appreciate the french press brewing method. And you understand why Everyday Joe's goes to all the trouble of brewing all of our house coffee with a french press. To everyone else I suggest giving french press a chance.
Most people are used to a drip brewer. Ground coffee is placed in a paper filter and hot water is dripped over those grounds, extracting the coffee from the grounds then passing through the paper filter. That is the problem. The paper filter not only stops the grounds from ending up in your coffee cup it also stops the full flavor of the coffee from ending up in your coffee cup. The paper soaks up the natural oils from the coffee and in those oils is where a lot of taste is found.
The french press method involves immersing the coffee grounds in near boiling water for 4 minutes. This allows all of the flavor and oils contained in those grounds to be extracted fully. Then when the coffee is poured out of the press it passes through a metal screen to filter out the grounds but not the flavor or oils. For some this is a problem.
Often times when someone begins to pump themselves a cup of our house coffee they think there is something wrong with the coffee because of how it looks. Our coffee is richer and darker than the average coffee drinker is used to. And some of the finer grounds make it through the metal filter of the french press. Grounds in your cup equal flavor in your cup.
I know many of you do appreciate the french press brewing method. And you understand why Everyday Joe's goes to all the trouble of brewing all of our house coffee with a french press. To everyone else I suggest giving french press a chance.
Wednesday, July 25
Summer Time
It sure is summer time. And if no one has told you it is pretty hot these days. I guess these are what they call the dog days of summer or caniculares dies if your Roman. I guess that is where we get the term dog days of summer. (Sorry after I wrote "dog days" I had to look up where it came from.) And I am right these are indeed the dog days of summer. It starts in early July and goes to mid August.
And as I man the helm of the ship that is known as Everyday Joe's I experience something in the summer I have never experienced before. I've lived a fair number of places around the country and I have never experienced the summer time attitude I experience here in Fort Collins. It seems people check out and use summer as the excuse. Over and over I hear "it's summer" with a shrug of the shoulder. Maybe because we have a university in town everyone want to live the college lifestyle.
Either you know exactly what I am talking about and I don't need to explain further, or you have no idea and I have lost you as a reader already.
Joe's is defiantly different in the summer. It is a challenge to keep our large space cool. We do have a large swamp cooler on the roof but it can only do so much. It usually loses the battle around 1PM or so. Shades for our four large sky lights would help a lot in reducing the amount of heat the building collects. But I have no idea the logistics of installing those. An air conditioner would also do the trick. I imagine we would need a big one with a big price tag.
So in the mean time we well wait it out. Serving lots of iced lattes and Thai coffees. After all, "It's summer."
And as I man the helm of the ship that is known as Everyday Joe's I experience something in the summer I have never experienced before. I've lived a fair number of places around the country and I have never experienced the summer time attitude I experience here in Fort Collins. It seems people check out and use summer as the excuse. Over and over I hear "it's summer" with a shrug of the shoulder. Maybe because we have a university in town everyone want to live the college lifestyle.
Either you know exactly what I am talking about and I don't need to explain further, or you have no idea and I have lost you as a reader already.
Joe's is defiantly different in the summer. It is a challenge to keep our large space cool. We do have a large swamp cooler on the roof but it can only do so much. It usually loses the battle around 1PM or so. Shades for our four large sky lights would help a lot in reducing the amount of heat the building collects. But I have no idea the logistics of installing those. An air conditioner would also do the trick. I imagine we would need a big one with a big price tag.
So in the mean time we well wait it out. Serving lots of iced lattes and Thai coffees. After all, "It's summer."
Wednesday, July 18
Google Ruined Trivia
Some of you readers know there has been mention of random trivia in the Joe's blog. I do want to do trivia but it is a challenge to find Google Proof trivia questions for a blog. If I put in a question all one needs to do is cut and paste it into your Google search bar and you will have the answer. Never fear though, I take this as a challenge. Google doesn't know everything. Not yet at least.
In other news... 144 S. Mason is sparkling! Last Saturday thanks to the help of many people who gave up their Saturday morning our building is nice and clean. Even the hanging lights and rafters got dusted. The bar area was completely emptied and cleaned. All the lights out front were replaced. (We've been having issues with them for some time.) Paint was touched up, cracks filled, couches scrubbed, carpet cleaned, and so much more was done. Thanks to everyone who helped!
In other news... 144 S. Mason is sparkling! Last Saturday thanks to the help of many people who gave up their Saturday morning our building is nice and clean. Even the hanging lights and rafters got dusted. The bar area was completely emptied and cleaned. All the lights out front were replaced. (We've been having issues with them for some time.) Paint was touched up, cracks filled, couches scrubbed, carpet cleaned, and so much more was done. Thanks to everyone who helped!
Wednesday, July 11
Waves of Coffee
In my last post I made mention of something called the 3rd Wave. Now I will attempt to address the theory. It can be applied to many things, not just coffee, though the industry is trying to make it it's own.
1st Wave is consumption. My dad spent his whole life in the 1st wave. Coffee is just coffee. Something warm and caffeinated that one drinks on a daily basis because that is what you do.
2nd Wave is about enjoyment. This is when we as consumers start to put a little more thought into our coffee. Mostly this begins with exploring espresso drinks and the like. Basically moving beyond cream and sugar.
3rd Wave is about taking it one step further. The consumer starts to learn about coffee origins, brewing processes, and maybe even crop harvest times. Coffee geek would probably sum it up pretty good.
Those are the basics, though there are varying opinions and interpretations out there.
Most of the United States is in the 2nd Wave. Though there has been slow advancement into the 3rd wave, mostly in the Northwest. Here at Everyday Joe's we do our best to learn as much about coffee as possible. Our goal is to serve you the best cup of coffee in Fort Collins so the more we know the closer we will get to that goal. Though our first love is people. And we are careful never to put coffee before humans. I admit that can be tough at times, I've yet to have a cup of coffee talk back.
1st Wave is consumption. My dad spent his whole life in the 1st wave. Coffee is just coffee. Something warm and caffeinated that one drinks on a daily basis because that is what you do.
2nd Wave is about enjoyment. This is when we as consumers start to put a little more thought into our coffee. Mostly this begins with exploring espresso drinks and the like. Basically moving beyond cream and sugar.
3rd Wave is about taking it one step further. The consumer starts to learn about coffee origins, brewing processes, and maybe even crop harvest times. Coffee geek would probably sum it up pretty good.
Those are the basics, though there are varying opinions and interpretations out there.
Most of the United States is in the 2nd Wave. Though there has been slow advancement into the 3rd wave, mostly in the Northwest. Here at Everyday Joe's we do our best to learn as much about coffee as possible. Our goal is to serve you the best cup of coffee in Fort Collins so the more we know the closer we will get to that goal. Though our first love is people. And we are careful never to put coffee before humans. I admit that can be tough at times, I've yet to have a cup of coffee talk back.
Wednesday, July 4
Good bye Portland, Hello Chicago
Since Everyday Joe's first opened we have been buying our coffee from Stumptown Coffee in Portland Oregon. Over the past month or so we have made the transition to a new roaster. Drum roll please...
Intelligentsia out of the great City of Chicago is Joe's new roaster!
Why the change is probably your first question. Well for many reasons. The biggest being support and vision alignment. I will now tell you how the two go together.
Stumptown's vision is for their coffee never to have to travel more than 45 minutes from its roaster. Those roasters are in Portland Oregon. There is no human way possible to get coffee from Portland to Fort Collins in less than 45 minutes. Joe's was the exception to their rule. Every week after they roasted it they would ship it to us via UPS ground. It would take 3 or 4 days to get here. And since we are all the way in Colorado we did not get much attention from them even though we bought coffee from them every single week for over 3 years. Stumptown is great, some of the best coffee on the planet but they simply do not desire to sell their coffee to anyone outside of Portland so they have not built a system to support anyone outside of Portland. I have done buying for a lot of companies in my life and not having support from such a big vendor of Joe's was very frustrating.
Currently Intelligentsia is the Roaster of the Year according to Roaster magazine. (Stumptown was 2006 Roaster of the Year.) That is what caused me to start talking with them. What I found in Intelligentsia is the same quality of coffee which a far superior support system. Intelligentsia is ready and willing to help a coffee retailer such as Joe's sell coffee and grow its business. And on top of that they ship their coffee via UPS 2nd Day Air. This means our coffee gets here faster and fresher. Not to mention a guarantee that UPS Ground does not offer.
All the past posts relating to Direct Trade are in relation to Intelligentsia. We will continue to educate you the coffee drinker on our new roaster, helping you move into the 3rd Wave.
3rd Wave? What the * is that? We'll get to that soon.
P.S. You have been drinking Intelligentsia Coffee for the past six weeks. And no one has said a word in relation to change in taste or quality.
Intelligentsia out of the great City of Chicago is Joe's new roaster!
Why the change is probably your first question. Well for many reasons. The biggest being support and vision alignment. I will now tell you how the two go together.
Stumptown's vision is for their coffee never to have to travel more than 45 minutes from its roaster. Those roasters are in Portland Oregon. There is no human way possible to get coffee from Portland to Fort Collins in less than 45 minutes. Joe's was the exception to their rule. Every week after they roasted it they would ship it to us via UPS ground. It would take 3 or 4 days to get here. And since we are all the way in Colorado we did not get much attention from them even though we bought coffee from them every single week for over 3 years. Stumptown is great, some of the best coffee on the planet but they simply do not desire to sell their coffee to anyone outside of Portland so they have not built a system to support anyone outside of Portland. I have done buying for a lot of companies in my life and not having support from such a big vendor of Joe's was very frustrating.
Currently Intelligentsia is the Roaster of the Year according to Roaster magazine. (Stumptown was 2006 Roaster of the Year.) That is what caused me to start talking with them. What I found in Intelligentsia is the same quality of coffee which a far superior support system. Intelligentsia is ready and willing to help a coffee retailer such as Joe's sell coffee and grow its business. And on top of that they ship their coffee via UPS 2nd Day Air. This means our coffee gets here faster and fresher. Not to mention a guarantee that UPS Ground does not offer.
All the past posts relating to Direct Trade are in relation to Intelligentsia. We will continue to educate you the coffee drinker on our new roaster, helping you move into the 3rd Wave.
3rd Wave? What the * is that? We'll get to that soon.
P.S. You have been drinking Intelligentsia Coffee for the past six weeks. And no one has said a word in relation to change in taste or quality.
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