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
Wednesday, October 10
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.
Thursday, June 28
Swiss Water
More changes coming from Everyday Joe's. This one is for our Decaf drinkers.
The most common way to remove caffeine from coffee is through the use of chemicals. Basically the beans are soaked in a chemical that absorbs the caffeine. Then the beans are removed from the chemical and the process starts again until about 99% of the caffeine is removed from the coffee bean. Methylene chloride or ethyl acetate are two of the common chemicals used.
Methylene chloride, also called dichloromethane, is a volatile, colorless liquid with a chloroform-like odor. Methylene chloride is used in various industrial processes, in many different industries including paint stripping, pharmaceutical manufacturing, paint remover manufacturing, and metal cleaning and degreasing. (Thanks OSHA) And some of you may know ethyl acetate is common in nail polish remover and it is also used in insect kill jars.
OK, before you freak out and throw that cup of decaf your drinking across the room in fear and disgust, know that it is safe. After the beans go through the decaffeinating process they are then roasted which is said to remove any remnants of the chemicals. And if that did not get every last molecule of chemicals out the coffee still needs to be brewed, which further "cleans" the coffee. So after the roasting and the brewing the coffee is considered safe for consumption. But there is a better way.
The most common name is "Swiss Water Processed" but others are "water processed" or "natural processed." Here is how it works... Green coffee beans are emerged in pure water that has been super saturated with coffee solids. The water naturally pulls the caffeine from the coffee beans. Then the water is passed through a carbon filter to remove the caffeine and the process is repeated. This is done for about 8 hours until the coffee is 99.9% caffeine free.
Like I mentioned before both methods are safe for consumption. But it is nice knowing that the decaf your drinking has only been through water and not chemicals. And it is also safer for the environment and the people who work to decaffeinate your coffee. That is why Everyday Joe's has decided to support the Swiss Water way of decaffeinating coffee.
The most common way to remove caffeine from coffee is through the use of chemicals. Basically the beans are soaked in a chemical that absorbs the caffeine. Then the beans are removed from the chemical and the process starts again until about 99% of the caffeine is removed from the coffee bean. Methylene chloride or ethyl acetate are two of the common chemicals used.
Methylene chloride, also called dichloromethane, is a volatile, colorless liquid with a chloroform-like odor. Methylene chloride is used in various industrial processes, in many different industries including paint stripping, pharmaceutical manufacturing, paint remover manufacturing, and metal cleaning and degreasing. (Thanks OSHA) And some of you may know ethyl acetate is common in nail polish remover and it is also used in insect kill jars.
OK, before you freak out and throw that cup of decaf your drinking across the room in fear and disgust, know that it is safe. After the beans go through the decaffeinating process they are then roasted which is said to remove any remnants of the chemicals. And if that did not get every last molecule of chemicals out the coffee still needs to be brewed, which further "cleans" the coffee. So after the roasting and the brewing the coffee is considered safe for consumption. But there is a better way.
The most common name is "Swiss Water Processed" but others are "water processed" or "natural processed." Here is how it works... Green coffee beans are emerged in pure water that has been super saturated with coffee solids. The water naturally pulls the caffeine from the coffee beans. Then the water is passed through a carbon filter to remove the caffeine and the process is repeated. This is done for about 8 hours until the coffee is 99.9% caffeine free.
Like I mentioned before both methods are safe for consumption. But it is nice knowing that the decaf your drinking has only been through water and not chemicals. And it is also safer for the environment and the people who work to decaffeinate your coffee. That is why Everyday Joe's has decided to support the Swiss Water way of decaffeinating coffee.
Wednesday, June 20
Sustainable Social Practices
The Direct Trade talk continues. Sustainable Social Practices are another requirement of Direct Trade. But what does that mean? Well here goes...
This can be distilled to a single essence—is everyone involved in the production of coffee on a Direct Trade farm benefiting? Again, every farm is different. The roaster works with small growers who may farm 2 hectares of coffee and do all the work themselves. The roaster also will work with farms that might employ 300 people during the year. What matters most is that there are good living conditions and the opportunity for measurable economic growth. The roaster avoids trying to determine for the farmer what this really means and prefers to let them tell how things are working. But there are some tangibles to look at. On an medium-sized or single farm the roaster must know what the pickers are being paid, how that wage compares to both the legislated minimums and the average in the region, and whether the workers feel it is a good deal. Are there health services provided? Are there other community services such as education that are financed by earnings from the sale of coffee? On a small farm, the key question is whether or not the farmer is making a living from coffee and earning enough to invest in the health and education of the family. Is there economic progress? There is a big difference between subsistence and development.
That is the jist of it. It is just another step in leveling the playing field in the global economy. Hopefully this will happen more and more in all industries where the 1st world buys from the 3rd world.
This is an exciting direction for Everyday Joe's. One that will help us be better stewards of the gifts we have, both as a coffee shop and as a culture.
This can be distilled to a single essence—is everyone involved in the production of coffee on a Direct Trade farm benefiting? Again, every farm is different. The roaster works with small growers who may farm 2 hectares of coffee and do all the work themselves. The roaster also will work with farms that might employ 300 people during the year. What matters most is that there are good living conditions and the opportunity for measurable economic growth. The roaster avoids trying to determine for the farmer what this really means and prefers to let them tell how things are working. But there are some tangibles to look at. On an medium-sized or single farm the roaster must know what the pickers are being paid, how that wage compares to both the legislated minimums and the average in the region, and whether the workers feel it is a good deal. Are there health services provided? Are there other community services such as education that are financed by earnings from the sale of coffee? On a small farm, the key question is whether or not the farmer is making a living from coffee and earning enough to invest in the health and education of the family. Is there economic progress? There is a big difference between subsistence and development.
That is the jist of it. It is just another step in leveling the playing field in the global economy. Hopefully this will happen more and more in all industries where the 1st world buys from the 3rd world.
This is an exciting direction for Everyday Joe's. One that will help us be better stewards of the gifts we have, both as a coffee shop and as a culture.
Friday, June 15
Healthy Environmental Practices
In our last post we talked about Direct Trade. One of the benefits mentioned about Direct Trade is the fact that farmers must use "Healthy Environmental Practices." So what exactly does that mean?
It means that the farmer is taking proactive measures to ensure the health of the ecosystem both on and around the farm. If the farm uses irrigation, are they recycling the water? What happens to the water used for de-pulping and fermentation? Is part of the farm being maintained as forest? If pesticide or herbicide is used at all, is it minimized and applied responsibly? These are the questions asked before a Direct Trade relationship is established with a grower. It is not dogmatic, because it is recognized that there are different realities on different farms, but it is essential that every Direct Trade farm is consciously following protocols that preserve the environment.
As mentioned before this is another example of how Direct Trade takes the idea of Fair Trade a bit further.
It means that the farmer is taking proactive measures to ensure the health of the ecosystem both on and around the farm. If the farm uses irrigation, are they recycling the water? What happens to the water used for de-pulping and fermentation? Is part of the farm being maintained as forest? If pesticide or herbicide is used at all, is it minimized and applied responsibly? These are the questions asked before a Direct Trade relationship is established with a grower. It is not dogmatic, because it is recognized that there are different realities on different farms, but it is essential that every Direct Trade farm is consciously following protocols that preserve the environment.
As mentioned before this is another example of how Direct Trade takes the idea of Fair Trade a bit further.
Wednesday, June 6
Direct Trade!
The few readers of this blog will be the first to hear about the new direction Everyday Joe's will be heading. Since we have been open we have been proud to carry Fair Trade coffee. Well we have found something that is better than Fair Trade, it is called Direct Trade.
First let us talk a bit about Fair Trade. Here is what the Fair Trade web site says, " TransFair USA is the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. It works with importers and manufacturers in this country to document business practices, providing a reliable consumer guarantee that indicates what coffees, teas and chocolates have been purchased from producers according to international Fair Trade criteria. These criteria are established by Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO), a consortium of Fair Trade groups in Japan, Canada, the US and 17 European countries. FLO makes annual inspection visits to producer groups on its Fair Trade Register to ensure that the benefits of Fair Trade relationships are reaching the farmers."
The basic idea is that the farmers get paid a fair price for their products and the buyer receives a high quality product. All this is done through a 3rd party between the seller and the buyer. You can read about until your heart's content at http://www.transfairusa.org/
Now we get to Direct Trade. With Direct Trade we take out the 3rd party and the transaction is between the grower and the roaster. This creates something that is better than Fair Trade. For example the price is set and paid to the farmer, not an exporter. And that price is at least 25% higher than fair trade prices.
The close relationship between the roaster and the grower holds the farmer even more accountable to healthy environmental practices and sustainable social practices.
The roaster visits with the farmer at least 3 times a year. Fair Trade on the other hand is only once a year. And with Direct Trade the roaster always visits at least once during harvest to insure quality. And all people involved in the trade must be open to transparent financial disclosure. So everyone knows what everyone is paying and being paid.
Everyday Joe's feels that Direct Trade is much better for everyone involved. And we will continue this discussion with our customers as we move in that direction. The bottom line is the coffee quality and taste will get better as well as the warm and fuzzy feeling we will have from knowing no one was exploited in the process.
Stay tuned. And as always feel free to ask questions.
First let us talk a bit about Fair Trade. Here is what the Fair Trade web site says, " TransFair USA is the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. It works with importers and manufacturers in this country to document business practices, providing a reliable consumer guarantee that indicates what coffees, teas and chocolates have been purchased from producers according to international Fair Trade criteria. These criteria are established by Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO), a consortium of Fair Trade groups in Japan, Canada, the US and 17 European countries. FLO makes annual inspection visits to producer groups on its Fair Trade Register to ensure that the benefits of Fair Trade relationships are reaching the farmers."
The basic idea is that the farmers get paid a fair price for their products and the buyer receives a high quality product. All this is done through a 3rd party between the seller and the buyer. You can read about until your heart's content at http://www.transfairusa.org/
Now we get to Direct Trade. With Direct Trade we take out the 3rd party and the transaction is between the grower and the roaster. This creates something that is better than Fair Trade. For example the price is set and paid to the farmer, not an exporter. And that price is at least 25% higher than fair trade prices.
The close relationship between the roaster and the grower holds the farmer even more accountable to healthy environmental practices and sustainable social practices.
The roaster visits with the farmer at least 3 times a year. Fair Trade on the other hand is only once a year. And with Direct Trade the roaster always visits at least once during harvest to insure quality. And all people involved in the trade must be open to transparent financial disclosure. So everyone knows what everyone is paying and being paid.
Everyday Joe's feels that Direct Trade is much better for everyone involved. And we will continue this discussion with our customers as we move in that direction. The bottom line is the coffee quality and taste will get better as well as the warm and fuzzy feeling we will have from knowing no one was exploited in the process.
Stay tuned. And as always feel free to ask questions.
Wednesday, May 30
Do we call it a grey area?
Hello again good people. I sometimes think how nice it would be if life was always black and white. But then again I now what happens when people try to deal with life in absolutes. Right now there is a discussion going on about 144 S. Mason. And the talk has to do with the bulletin board. In the tiny hallway that leads to our restrooms we have a bulletin board for the community to use. As of late the content of what goes up on that board as been in question.
The questions have to do with a coffee shop started by a Christian church having announcements about yoga, meditation, and the like up. As the steward of this space I take the questions very seriously and have not come to any conclusions yet. I also try my best to think objectively and not with my own personal beliefs.
But being that I am human and not a machine my personal ideas and beliefs are going to effect the thought process. I believe ignorance can be a huge factory in this area. And of course fear. The two almost always go together. I wonder if a person who is against yoga has ever taken a yoga class from one of the places that puts up a poster? What information are they basing their opinion of yoga on? The same questions could be applied to any of the posters that are up that often receive a knee jerk negative reaction.
Something else I have noticed here is that when people criticize the art or a poster it is always vague, rarely is it dealt with in specifics. So let me bring up a specific example. (If I dare.)
A few months ago we had an art show that had a painting of the Ying Yang. The main opponent of this piece claimed it should not hang because it is a Buddhist symbol. This is that ignorance thing I mentioned. The Ying Yang is not Buddhist, it is Taoism. Taoism is a form of Chinese philosophy. The Symbol represents the ancient Chinese understanding of how things work. The outer circle represents "everything", while the black and white shapes within the circle represent the interaction of two energies, called "yin" (black) and "yang" (white), which cause everything to happen. They are not completely black or white, just as things in life are not completely black or white, and they cannot exist without each other. And based on that the painting stayed up.
What about the rainbow? Readers of the Old Testament think it means something different than our culture thinks now. Can a church hang the colors of the rainbow?
I like the discussion and I like that people care enough to question what happens here. I just wish they would do their homework first. This is one topic I would love to have people chime in on.
The questions have to do with a coffee shop started by a Christian church having announcements about yoga, meditation, and the like up. As the steward of this space I take the questions very seriously and have not come to any conclusions yet. I also try my best to think objectively and not with my own personal beliefs.
But being that I am human and not a machine my personal ideas and beliefs are going to effect the thought process. I believe ignorance can be a huge factory in this area. And of course fear. The two almost always go together. I wonder if a person who is against yoga has ever taken a yoga class from one of the places that puts up a poster? What information are they basing their opinion of yoga on? The same questions could be applied to any of the posters that are up that often receive a knee jerk negative reaction.
Something else I have noticed here is that when people criticize the art or a poster it is always vague, rarely is it dealt with in specifics. So let me bring up a specific example. (If I dare.)
A few months ago we had an art show that had a painting of the Ying Yang. The main opponent of this piece claimed it should not hang because it is a Buddhist symbol. This is that ignorance thing I mentioned. The Ying Yang is not Buddhist, it is Taoism. Taoism is a form of Chinese philosophy. The Symbol represents the ancient Chinese understanding of how things work. The outer circle represents "everything", while the black and white shapes within the circle represent the interaction of two energies, called "yin" (black) and "yang" (white), which cause everything to happen. They are not completely black or white, just as things in life are not completely black or white, and they cannot exist without each other. And based on that the painting stayed up.
What about the rainbow? Readers of the Old Testament think it means something different than our culture thinks now. Can a church hang the colors of the rainbow?
I like the discussion and I like that people care enough to question what happens here. I just wish they would do their homework first. This is one topic I would love to have people chime in on.
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