6 Unmissable Products From SCA Global Coffee Expo 2017

Hundreds of stands. Thousands and thousands of attendees. Amazing coffee on every corner. Passionate coffee lovers, from producers to enthusiasts. A new US Barista Champion, Brewers Cup Champion, Roasting Champion, Cup Tasters Champion, and Latte Art Champion.

And lots of incredible new products.

SCA Global Coffee Expo 2017 was the place to be for all coffee lovers. But if you couldn’t make it, don’t worry – I’m here to tell you my personal favorite products from the show.

SEE ALSO: 6 Must-Try Coffee Products From The London Coffee Festival

Coffee everywhere! Credit: Ana Valencia

1. Steampunk & Sight – Alpha Dominche

Okay, okay, I’m cheating here: these are two products, not one. But these chemistry lab style brewers are simply beautiful. I’d heard about them, I’d watched videos of them – but seeing the real thing was something else!

Designed by Alpha Dominche, these are full immersion vacuum brewers. The Steampunk has been in the market for a while now, and is in around 500 shops in 35 countries. As for the Sight, a beta version was displayed at last year’s Expo, with pre-orders being taken late last year.

The creators took inspiration from multiple brewing methods, from the syphon to the French press and the pour over, and set out to combine the best aspects of them all. What’s more, the devices are controlled by an app that allows users to set the temperature, steep time, brewing time, agitation, and more.

I tried a 93-point Panama Geisha from Ninety Plus Coffee, brewed by Yoshikazu Iwase, on the Steampunk – a complex yet balanced cup full of flavor. It was simply amazing.

Originally these devices were intended just for coffee, but after some experimentation, they’re also being used to serve up tea – in fact, the company tells me that half their machines go to tea shops.

So what’s different about the Sight? Well, it’s a batch brewer: you can brew around 4 liters of coffee or tea with it. You choose whether you want full immersion or drip coffee; there’s a valve in the center that you can open or close during the brew. And once the coffee is brewed, a light will let you know when the coffee is no longer fresh.

And what’s more, it’s just as beautiful as the Steampunk. Since most people hide their batch brewers, the idea was to make a product people would be happy to leave in sight – hence the name. Their aim was to push technology, perimeter control, and presentation, and I think they nailed it.

The Sight, a batch brewer combining excellent technology with beautiful aesthetics. Credit: Ana Valencia

2. VERO Cortado Glasses – notNeutral

notNeutral introduced their new VERO collection at SCA: cortado glasses created for specialty coffee. They come in transparent or smoky grey versions and draw inspiration from whiskey glasses. And, most excitingly, the curved interior is designed to make cortado pours easier for baristas.

Talk about a smoking hot product.

The company also announced their new TINA collection, which – as the name suggests – is teaware. These products are all sharp lines and angled planes, with the occasional gentle curve. The result was a modern and even slightly cubist look. The range includes a porcelain teapot, handleless tasting cups, and teacup and saucer, all of which combined striking visuals with excellent functionality.

Additionally, they displayed some new colours for their LINO collection of coffee cups and mugs.

Barista-friendly VERO cortado glasses make a stunning impression. Credit: notNeutral

3. Behmor Connected Brewer + Amazon’s Alexa

Behmor’s always been an early adopter of smart technology – it’s the producer, after all, the world’s first SCA-certified smart brewer. And now the company have updated the software so you can simply ask your brewer to make you a coffee.

That’s right: there’s no need to press buttons, adjust settings, or do anything manually. All you have to do is talk to your coffee machine.

The brewer has an Amazon Alexa skill that means it’ll recognize phrases like “Alexa, start brewing my coffee” or “Alexa, make my favorite recipe.” (Those who don’t want to use Alexa can also just download an app on their smartphone.)

The Connected is more than a gimmick, however. It allows you to control brew temperature and pre-infusions, adjusts for altitude, and even offers pulse pours – meaning it mimics a barista’s pour. It’s specialty coffee made easy.

A batch brewer that listens to you. Credit: Behmor

4. 3-19 Coffee

It goes without saying that you could find good coffee on every corner of the expo. But 3–19 Coffee deserves a mention for their particular blend of coffee, community, and artwork.

When you buy 3–19 Coffee, it comes in a recyclable tin with a bamboo lid. And the label will have been designed by a local artist in San Francisco.

What’s more, they’ve paired up with Mayra Orellana-Powell of Royal Coffee to put a portion of the profits towards social projects in the communities they work with – from the US to the coffee origin. With the help of a Kickstarter campaign, they launched an art program in Santa Elena, Honduras. They also hold art workshops at a Youth Conference. In the past, this led to a community-designed mural painted by the town’s younger generation.

Because after all, coffee isn’t just coffee. It’s something that ties together a community.

Local San Franciscan artist Deb designed the tin on the left; the tin on the right depicts the community-created mural in Santa Elena, Honduras. Credit: Michael Vehar

5. Ground Control II Batch Brewer

We’ve covered the Ground Control II batch brewer before, so I was excited to see it for real at the Expo. And it lived up to all my expectations.

An immersion brewing device that, after a short infusion, removes the water from the grounds and re-infuses them with fresh water – it’s certainly not your everyday batch brewer. The number of infusion cycles can be set by the barista, and adjusted to different coffees.

CEO Eli Salomon offered me an Ethiopian coffee that had been “brewed” four times. Yes, four times! And it tasted great. It was a sweet, smooth, and consistent cup of coffee with no bitterness – something that Salomon assures me is characteristic of this brewer.

Ground Control II looks truly out of this world. Credit: Voga Coffee

6. Orion Bean Counter – Acaia

Acaia’s barista-proof scales have already made a splash (partly for their ability to take a splash without breaking) – and now they’re launching a dosing system designed for roasters and cafes.

It’s not just me who was impressed by this product: the Orion Bean Counter also won Best New Product in the Coffee Accessories category. It’s a dosing system designed to weigh out beans for retail bags and brews.

Designed in partnership with Khristian Bombeck from Saint Anthony Industries, this sleek aluminum dosing device has an interchangeable hopper with a 400g or 2kg capacity, high-speed dispensing (up to 15g per second), an industrial-grade dose-by-weight system, and easy-to-use controls. To top it off, it also has Bluetooth connectivity and comes with a dark grey anodized finish – meaning it’ll make your cafe look even more stylish.

Beautiful design, practical value: the Orion Bean Counter. Credit: Acaia.

The specialty coffee industry is an exciting one, full of constant innovations. Narrowing down my top six products wasn’t easy, and there were many more great products out there. It was encouraging to see the focus on scientific brewing and precision, as well as the growing movement towards user-friendly experiences. And style wasn’t far behind for any of these choices.

What do you think? Is there anything I left off my list?

Written by Ana Valencia.

Please note: Some of the above items may be produced or sold by sponsors of Perfect Daily Grind. This list was created by a Perfect Daily Grind staff member based on their personal preferences, and without any influence from sponsors.

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Introducing The Porcellana: 1 Innovative Take on The Moka Pot

Say hello to the Porcellana: a new kind of stove-top espresso maker. What’s so different about it? And how do you brew coffee with it? Find out in today’s curated video article.

How Does a Stove-Top Espresso Maker Work?

These compact devices allow you to make espresso-style coffee on your stove. They are made up of three chambers: a lower one, an upper one, and a third one that sits in the middle and functions as a filter.

To use it, place finely ground coffee in the filter and add water to the bottom chamber. Heat the espresso maker on the stove-top until pressure from the expanding air forces it up through the filter, where extraction will take place. The coffee is then forced up into the final chamber, while the grounds are left behind. Voilà, your morning coffee!

What’s Different About The Porcellana?

The Porcellana, however, is different to the traditional stove-top moka pot in one key way: the top chamber isn’t attached. In fact, instead of a metal chamber, you have a porcelain serving jug. Coffee is pushed along a wand into the jug, ready for you to pour yourself an espresso.

Discover more in this video guide from Aerolatte:

SEE ALSO: Learn How to Use 6 Brewing Methods in This 75-Second VIDEO

SEE ALSO: How to Prepare Milk-Based Coffees at Home: Your One-Stop VIDEO Guide

Feature photo credit: Aerolatte

Please note: Aerolatte is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind. They have not seen a copy of this article prior to publication.

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Espresso Making Skills: What’s Pre-Infusion?

Pre-infusion isn’t just for manual brewing. It’s also used by some baristas for making espresso. But what is it? Why would you use it? And how can you do it? Find out in today’s curated video article.

What’s Pre-Infusion?

Pre-infusion is a big topic, but there’s no need to jump straight in with the technical details. Instead, check out this basic guide to pre-infusion from Guide2Coffee:

SEE ALSO: Barista Skills: A VIDEO Guide to Tamping

Pre-Infusion: A Detailed Explanation

Looking for something a little more in depth? In this video from Seattle Coffee Gear, Bill Crossland gives a comprehensive explanation of why you might want to pre-infuse, why you might not want to pre-infuse, and how it will affect your recipe development. Time to start experimenting!

SEE ALSO: Pressure Profiling: The Key to Perfect Extraction

How to Pre-Infuse

Finally, Whole Latte Love provide this basic guide to pre-infusing coffee on an E61 Brew Group – and how that varies depending on whether you’re using a water tank or the machine is plugged into your plumbing.

SEE ALSO: Espresso-Making Skills: It’s Time to Rethink Coffee Distribution

Please note: Perfect Daily Grind does not own the rights to these videos and cannot be held accountable for their content.

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Dylan Siemens Of Onyx Coffee Lab Is The 2017 US Brewers Cup Champion

Mark Michaelson of Onyx Coffee Lab had just won the US Coffee Roasting Championship. Andrea Allen of Onyx Coffee Lab was a prohibitive favorite to win—or at very least place high—in the finals at the US Barista Championship. And in the middle of it all, a third Onyx competitor stepped up to put Arkansas on the coffee map in a huge way at this year’s US Coffee Champs events in Seattle. He is Dylan Siemens, and he is your 2017 US Brewers Cup Champion.

Siemens competed—and won!—using the same coffee as Allen, a co-owner at Onyx, who wound up placing a hard-fought second nationally in the 2017 US Barista Championship. That coffee is a Green Tip Geisha from the La Palma y El Tucan farm in Colombia’s Cundinamarca department. Siemens’ winning coffee underwent a Lactic fermentation process, in which the coffee sits in a cold water tank, sealed off from additional oxygen, so as to produce lactic acid in the tank over the course of 80 hours. “This results in a creamier mouthfeel, and winey acidity,” Siemens told the judges.

This year’s winning brewer employed a Kalita Wave as his coffee dripper of choice. “I’m here to express my passion for technical coffee brewing,” Siemens told the judges, and he brewed using a precise 1:14.8 ratio—25 grams of coffee total, 370 ML of water. Want more precision? Dylan Siemens used a probe thermometer in his routine to monitor the temperature of his brew bed, based on extensive testing he’d done prior to competing relating to temperature and extraction rates. “You know, basic thermodynamics,” he quipped, but he’s actually able to use temperature to better dial in his coffee on the fly, and can manipulate temperature to yield a tastier cup.

“How much control do I have over extraction rate, and how do I manipulate flavor?” This was more than just a rhetorical question—Dylan actually adjusted the temperature of his water throughout the routine for flavor purposes. Starting with a lower temp “for acidity” in the first part of the brew, Siemens cranked the temp up to 188 “for sweetness and body” as the brew went on. He then finished with a cooler water temperature as the filter drained, “minimizing additional extraction and increasing balance.”

Heaps of thought and intent in this routine, and plenty of script as well, made for that interplay of coffee dexterity and knowledge dropping that Brewers Cup prizes. It’s enormously impressive to watch a competitor give so much information and show a high degree of intentionality, all while managing temperature gauges and concentric brewing. In the end his La Palma y El Tucan Green Tip Geisha yielded aromas of jasmine tea and pomegranate, with flavors like ripe raspberry and more floral tea notes in the cup.

As he called time (with four seconds to spare), Dylan Siemens could not have know that victory would be his. And as his colleague Mark Michaelson took home the Roasting honors, with another colleague in the infamously difficult to reach finals at USBC, what must have been going through Siemens’ head? Did it feel like victory enough just to have made the finals? Did he know he was about to win? We asked him these questions in more in an upcoming episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, so stay tuned, but in the meantime—allow us to set aside the bigger queries and say simply, congratulations to Dylan Siemens and the team at Onyx Coffee Lab for their extraordinary showing at this year’s US Coffee Champs.

Jordan Michelman is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network.

Zac Cadwalader and Elizabeth Chai contributed to this reporting. 

Photos by Elizabeth Chai and Charlie Burt for Sprudge Media Network. 

Sprudge’s coverage of the 2017 US Barista Championship is made possible by Baratza, Cafe Imports, AeroPress, Pacific Natural Foods, Hario, and Swiss Water Decaf. All of our 2017 Barista Competition coverage worldwide is supported by Urnex Brands and Nuova Simonelli.

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Nice Package: Barista Parlor In Nashville

Barista Parlor out of Nashville has been roasting coffee for nearly two years. Last summer, the company unveiled new packaging for their coffee offerings held within a secret bag stashed in a stunning screw-top box. “The concealed inner bag is foil-lined, with a one-way valve to allow for off-gassing, and capped with a twist-off cap with a pull-tab for keeping the package air-tight and fully resealable,” says Director of Operations Tom Eisenbraun. We dig it. We spoke digitally with Tom Eisenbraun to learn more.

As told to Sprudge by Tom Eisenbraun.

When did this coffee packaging debut?

We released the BP Coffee Boxes into the wild last June.

Who designed the package?

The design for these was a joint effort between Andy Mumma, owner of Barista Parlor, and Bryce McCloud, owner of Nashville’s own Isle of Printing. These two have been responsible for the company’s design and branding from the start.

Tell us about the unique shape, look, and bottle-top design!

The coffee boxes took about two years to go from conception to holding the finished product in our hands. Initially, the idea was to craft something that felt good to hold in the hand, but that didn’t sacrifice on quality. The idea of an integrated bag-in-box design was there from the start. The concealed inner bag is foil-lined, with a one-way valve to allow for off-gassing, and capped with a twist-off cap with a pull-tab for keeping the package air-tight and fully resealable.

As for the artwork, these boxes were drawn up by Bryce, and subsequently letter-pressed by his crew at Isle of Printing. Our aim with Coffee Box was for it to be a piece of art that you hold in your hand. Much like the design experiences inside our cafes, the goal is the put art in our customers’ hands. It’s not just a first-of-its-kind coffee container, but it’s also a handmade piece of letterpress art!

What coffee information do you share on the package? What’s the motivation behind that?

We want to be as specific as we can be for traceability and transparency’s sake. We also worked to keep the presentation of those elements fairly minimal to keep the info tag clean and easy to approach. We’ve included origin details (country, region/town, farm name & farmer’s name or washing station/co-op if not from a single farmer), taste notes, varieties, processing method, altitude, and roast date & batch number.

Is the package recyclable/compostable?

The box itself is recyclable, though we do encourage creative reuse when possible! We’re currently researching earth-friendly options for future iterations of the inner bag.

Where is it currently available?

Our coffee boxes are currently available worldwide through our online store and locally in our Nashville stores.

Thank you!

Company: Barista Parlor
Location: Nashville
Country: United States
Design Date: 2016
Designer: Andy Mumma and Bryce McCloud

Nice Package is a feature series by Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge. Read more Nice Package here.

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5 Tiendas de Café de Especialidad para Visitar en Barcelona

Barcelona: una ciudad conocida por el fútbol, su comida, clima, cultura, arquitectura, pero aún no por su café de especialidad. Pero eso está por cambiar…

Existe una nueva generación de tostadores, baristas y consumidores que están cambiando radicalmente el escenario del café de la ciudad. Hemos estando explorando algunos de los mejores cafés bar a la vanguardia de la revolución de café de especialidad de Barcelona, y estamos aquí para decirte todo acerca de estos.

English Version: 5 Specialty Coffee Shops to Visit in Barcelona

Nømad Cøffee

Jordi Mestre, dos veces campeón como Barista español y propietario de  Nømad, regresó a  Barcelona 2013. ¿Su objetivo? Preparar y tostar el mismo café de alta calidad que encontró en Londres. Es seguro decir que ha sido capaz de hacerlo. Junto con la distribución de granos a ciertos establecimientos de alta calidad en Cataluña y España, Nømad tiene dos tiendas de café en Barcelona: su íntimo Cøffee Lab que abrió en 2013, mientras que su espacio para la tostadora de café, Roaster’s Home, abrió en mayo del año pasado.

Una reunión en el cielo de café en  Nømad

Direccion	Roaster’s Home  en  Carrer de Pujades, 95 y Cøffee Lab en Passatge Sert, 12
Estilo	Roaster’s Home es una tienda de café, es un espacio de enseñanza y torrefacción, mientras que Cøffee Lab es un bar interactivo de preparación.
Maquina de espresso	La Marzocco Strada
Molino	La Marzocco Vulcano
Oferta de café	Espresso y de filtrado, tostado por Nomad en Roaster’s Home.  V60, Kalita, AeroPress, Chemex y Moka están disponibles.
Tostadora	Diedrich, IR-12
Comida	Tortas y pastelería de Miquel Coulibaly
Ofertas	Bolsas de café de filtro por €13, espresso entre €8-€1. Café descafeinado también disponible. Catación por €12-€17 los viernes a las 4 pm.

Bolsas de #BloodyGoodCoffee para todos ustedes Nømads

SlowMov

Carmen Callizo, la fundadora de SlowMov, estaba trabajando en la industria de la tecnología cuando decidió que prefería pasar sus días cocinando y haciendo café artesanal. Entrenada en  Coutume Café en París por Antoine Netien, Carmen decidió abrir SlowMov en el taller de su abuelo en el barrio Gràcia. Ella mantiene una estrecha relación con Coutume, tostando y usando café provisto por el equipo parisino, pero se mezcla con productos locales. Parte de su misión es promover negocios locales ecológicos. También adoptó el lema “la prisa es mala consejera”

Toma del café de Coutume, fresco desde Francia, tostado por SlowMov

Direccion	Carrer de Luis Antúnez, 18, Gràcia
Estilo	SlowMov es una cafetería abierta al aire libre y interactiva y una tostadora en un taller antiguo.
Maquina de espresso	Kees van der Westen Mirage duette.
Bebidas	Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (Brasil) #484 espresso doble, Mpanga Natural v60.
Oferta de café	Comercio directo y selección de Coutume Café, todo tostado en SlowMov.
Tostadora	Giesen W6
Comida	Pastelería con ingredientes ecológicos y locales de Luna Limón & otras pastelerías locales. Y pan de trigo espelta con aceite. Venden mermelada, aceite, jugo, frutas, verduras, vino y cerveza artesanal.
Ofertas	Granos de café de  Coutume café tostados en SlowMov, al gusto del         cliente. También organizan eventos y catación, externamente e internamente, y proporcionan café al por mayor a una serie de cafeterías locales.

“La prisa es mala consejera”: Yo preparando y vertiendo en SlowMov.

La Cherry

La Cherry es un café bar nuevo en Barcelona. Dentro del espacio Colaborativo Makers Of Barcelona, el propietario/barista guatemalteco  Gianluca Buonafina, sirve café latinoamericano y comida deliciosa en su tienda.

¿Lindo letrero, huh? Es hora de hacer estallar esa cereza de café.

Direccion	MOB (Makers Of Barcelona), Carrer de Bailèn, 11
Estilo	Bar y esquina de café en un espacio colaborativo.
Maquina de espresso	La Marzocco GS3 AV
Molino	Compak E8 83mm flat burrs
Oferta de café	Los Pirineos (proceso Honey ) Tusell Tostadores, y filtro v60.
Bebidas	Acaban de abrir y aún están desarrollando su base de clientes; el doble espresso ¡es un as!
Comida	Tostadas, cereales, ensaladas, sándwiches y yogurts,
Ofertas	Bolsas disponibles de lo que se esté sirviendo en la tienda de  Tusell Tostadores

Oferta de comida en La Cherry…¡mmm!

Te Puede Interesar: Recorrido de Tiendas de Café de Especialidad en Guatemala

Satan’s Coffee Corner

Satan’s es algo así como una Meca hipster. Ubicada en el barrio gótico en Barcelona, pero solo a un paso de Ramblas y de la Plaça de Sant Jaume, Marcos Bartolomé y su equipo preparan los granos de los tostadores locales Right Side Coffee , junto con una excelente comida casera en una cocina abierta.

 Prepara un tormenta satánica en Satan’s Coffee Corner

Direccion	Carrer de l’Arc de Sant Ramon de la Calle, 11
Estilo	El lugar ideal para reunirse con alguien para hacer café y comida, ya que tiene un bar, asientos, y una cocina abierta. La clientela es internacional y diversa.
Maquina de espresso	La Marzocco GS3.
Molino	Compak K10
Oferta de café	Espresso y filtrados de Right Side Coffee; sin embargo, hay un cafes para filtros invitados. También en las tardes hay vino y cócteles.
Bebidas	Flat White- hasta ahora la bebida más popular. Los cocteles son grandiosos también
Comida	Pasteles, ensaladas frescas, y sándwiches (geniales opciones vegetarianas). El  desayuno japonés es muy recomendado.
Ofertas	Normalmente, los granos que se preparan en la tienda, junto con otras bolsas de los últimos tuestes de Right Side Coffee

Haciendo lo mejor para parecer Satan-ico con algo de comida deliciosa

Onna Coffee

El último lugar de mi lista de los cafés que hay que  visitar  en Barcelona obtiene, tuesta, y prepara sus granos desde Costa Rica. Su propietario Anahī Páez, ha estado en el negocio del café hace 10 años y está conectado en la escena del café de Costa Rica y en Barcelona.

Direccion	Carrer Santa Teresa 1, Gràcia, Barcelona
Estilo	Perfecto para un café o almuerzo
Maquina de espresso	Della Corte DC Pro
Oferta de café	Espresso y variedades de filtro, incluye AeroPress y v60.  Entre 2-4 orígenes únicos de Costa Rica.
Bebidas	Se recomiendan bebidas de filtro, así como todo el café es de origen Costa Rica.
Comida	Comida casera con opciones ligeras (ensalada de pasta, ensaladas, sopas)   tortas y pastelería.

Onna es todo sobre orígenes… Crafty Costa Rican coffee

Aquí tienes tu guía de tiendas de café de Barcelona ¿qué esperas?  Toma tu pasaporte, reserva esos vuelos y comienza a beber estos cafés.

Escrito por E. Palmer Babe

Traducido por Alejandra M Hernández y Editado por Karla Ly

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Toraja: The Origin That Will Make You Rethink Indonesian Coffee

What does a great Indonesian coffee taste like? Sweet with spicy notes, fruity, and clean.

I bet that’s not the answer you were expecting. In fact, not so long ago, I wouldn’t have expected it either: we’re more used to earthy, savoury Sumatrans.

But then I tasted the coffee for myself. It came from Toraja, Sulawesi, an island east of Borneo. And as I began to investigate further, I discovered that this tiny region of the world is known for an exceptional cup profile. Allow me to introduce it to you.

SEE ALSO: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Indonesia’s Specialty Cafés

Drinking coffee in the region it was produced: Toraja, Sulawesi. Credit: The Q Coffee Trading

Toraja, Sulawesi & S795 Coffee

With every delicious coffee, there is a wide range of variables that make it special: the location, varietal, processing method, altitude, and more. Toraja is a mountainous region populated by the Toraja ethnic group. Like most of Indonesia, it’s a wet and humid location.

Benji Salim of The Q Coffee Trading buys Torajan coffee via direct trade. He tells me, “Toraja is a special region where coffee is embedded within the Torajan culture.” It was brought by the Dutch in the mid-nineteenth century, and picked up in the 1970s. By the 1990s, the industry was flourishing. Today, it’s popular in Japan; Benji tells me, “Torajan specialty-grade coffee is mainly exported to Japan by Key Coffee”.

90% of coffee in Indonesia is Robusta, as a result of a devastating endemic of leaf rust in the 1900s. Yet, according to Café Imports, 95% of the coffee grown in Toraja is the sweeter, more complex Arabica.

You’ll frequently find the cultivar S795 (or “Jember”) here – one of the earliest Arabica strains to show resistance to leaf rust. It’s often described as having sweet notes, such as maple syrup or brown sugar.

Toraja microlots separated into P, A, and AA. Credit: The Q Coffee Trading

Strict Production & Processing Methods

Yet there’s more to good coffee than just the terroir and the varietal. You also have to consider the producer’s work.

The Japanese-Indonesian company Toarco Toraja has established strict production standards for producers it works with. These include selective picking, storage conditions, transportation, and moisture level requirements.

As for processing, the most common method in Indonesia is wet hulling. It’s a harsh process that’s prone to defects, but ensures the coffees do not ferment in the wet Indonesian climate.  However, Toarco Toraja are also testing horizontal dryers from Colombia.

Cupping coffees from Toraja, Sulawesi. Credit: The Q Coffee Trading

Toraja’s Taste Profile: Sweet & Spiced

So what impact does this have in the cup? Well, for a start, you can taste the S795 sweetness.

I spoke to Ralf Rueller, founder of The Barn Coffee Roasters in Berlin, about his experience with Torajan coffee. He only buys coffees that score 86 or above, and has been working with coffee from this region for the past four years.  

For him, this coffee has dark cherry and spicy notes, like nutmeg; the sweetness of sugar; and a big body. It still bears some similarities to traditional Indonesian coffees, however: Ralf says that when he and his team cupped it for the first time, they detected a savoury note. At first, they attributed it to a defect; later, they decided it was a characteristic of the taste profile.

He compares a Torajan coffee to a unconventionally attractive model: it’s not perfection, but there’s something interesting about it that keeps you returning to it.

Mauricio Murillo, an international cupping judge, has also tried Sulawesi coffee. He describes it as very fruity, but also very earthy.

And Prawira Adhiguna, a specialty coffee roaster in Bali, says that “Tojara Coffee has a special place in Japan, US and some European countries because the coffee kind of “bridges” the old-school coffee drinker who likes big body and syrupy mouthfeel, and more modern coffee drinker who likes a nice fruity flavor and clean cup.”

And as for Benji Salim, who buys the coffee to sell? He tells me, “The profile that I know is sweet nutty caramel, a smooth and velvety medium-bodied coffee, with acidity reminiscent of citrus fruits and passion fruit. Hints of cinnamon and cloves on the nose, with traces of cocoa in the aftertaste. An exceptionally clean and balanced cup.

Indonesian coffee cupping session. Credit: The Q Coffee Trading

Benji finishes by telling me that “this is a  cup of coffee that represents both specialty coffee and something truly Torajan.”

Indonesia has a lot to offer the coffee world. It’s not just wet-hulled earthy Robustas suited to dark roasts; like every other coffee origin, there are unique micro regions within it. And when producers work hard to ensure quality production and processing, we get to try exceptional and distinctive coffees.

Written by Angie Molina Ospina, with thanks to Benji Salim of Q Coffee Trading, Ralf Rueller of The Barn Coffee Roasters, Prawira Adhiguna, and Mauricio Murillo of Mr. Coffee.

Perfect Daily Grind is not affiliated with any of the individuals or bodies mentioned in this article, and cannot directly endorse them.

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Mazzer Goes Filter On The SCA Showfloor

Sometime in our twenties, we come to the conclusion that we cannot live off of beer and pizza alone and should probably add some salad to our diet. In the same spirit of doing what’s healthy for you, Mazzer— an Italian grinder brand best known for their work in the espresso realm—has expanded into manufacturing filter coffee grinders on a smaller scale, but with big possibilities. Showing out and looking fresh on the Global Coffee Expo floor were the new Mazzer Mini Filter, plus the Mazzer ZM, a grinder unlike anything Mazzer has put out to this point in design and functionality.

The Mini Filter, available now, looks almost exactly like a Mazzer Mini espresso grinder. It has the standard grind collar adjustment and touch settings to calculate dose based on time. What’s particularly special about the Mini Filter is that in comes in pretty colors! With shiny yellow and red options, it’ll match that KitchenAid stand mixer your boyfriend got you before he gave you that engagement ring. (I didn’t get one. My marriage is doomed.) Or it could match your flashy car. “They look like Ferraris!” chirped Marketing Manager Cristina Scarpa. “We are Italian.”

The ZM, which will start shipping in September, is named after a grinder that Mazzer used to manufacture in the 50s. Like the kid named after his grandfather, this new grinder gets the legacy name with all of the pressure of doing the family proud. It doesn’t look unlike a Mahlkonig EK43, but the clear difference here is the LCD display and programming options. You can program up to twenty settings and name them, while four settings can be programmed on buttons for frequent use. The retention, or lack thereof, is pretty sick. The chamber holds on to less than .45 grams of coffee. Toss one bean in there and get one ground bean out. Damn, girl.

The decision to start producing filter coffee grinders was one Mazzer took seriously from the outset. “We started from scratch,” Head of Global Sales Luca Maccatrozzo told me. “We asked SCAE to educate our palates and to show us how many brewing methods there are. Once we learned that, we started to design the grinder.” When I asked Maccatrozzo what inspired the nearly eighty year old company to shift gears and move toward filter coffee grinders, I expected some pre-programmed thoughtful answer about integrity, innovation, and the future. Instead, he smiled and simply answered, “Business.” That’s so real, Luca.

Eric J.Grimm is a Sprudge contributor based in New York. Read more Eric J. Grimm on Sprudge. 

Photos and .gifs by Lanny Huang for Sprudge Media Network. 

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Coffee Is A Dark Art At Almanegra’s Second Mexico City Cafe

Almanegra means “black soul.” The coffee shop opened its doors three years ago in the comfortable, familiar, and beautiful neighborhood of Narvarte in Mexico City. Its three co-founders picked the neighborhood because it was theirs—they bet on their home quartier because of its architecture, quality restaurants, and atmosphere.

Almanegra was the first cafe in Narvarte where the principle character was coffee. Now, after two successful years, it’s ready for a second act—this time in La Roma.

Almanegra’s is a minimalist design, where seasonally-changing coffee art hangs on the walls. It is a comfortable place to work, read, or have a nice chat. Octavio Ruiz, one of Almanegra’s owners, made sure the La Roma location would have the equipment to match his ambitions for quality—namely a La Marzocco GS3 for espresso drinks, and manual brewers including the Eva Solo, Chemex, Japanese syphon, and Hario V60. 

Almanegra also has cold brew two ways—made standard in a Bruer, and nitro. Those overwhelmed with choosing a drink won’t have to—you can “worship” all Almanegra’s coffees at once, a special order that includes a cold brew or manually-brewed coffee, an espresso, and a Gibraltar, placed side by side.

Almanegra serves a variety of roasters depending on what’s appealing at a given time, but always offers at least one national and one international option. For the gap between harvests, they use Finca Chelín from Oaxaca, because of its consistent quality and the company’s great storage ethic. Almanegra works hand in hand with the farm’s owner, Enrique Lopez, to produce coffee that’s later roasted by their main Mexican roaster, Querétaro’s Gas Up Master Coffee.

Almanegra has cultivated relationships with many roasters since their foundation, including Café Limón in Monterrey, Gas Up, and Impetus in Veracruz. Impetus works directly with producers from Veracruz, allowing them ample space to experiment with processing methods. They have made washed micro-lots with different lengths of fermentation, as well as natural and honey-processed coffees. 

Almanegra also serves international coffees including those by 575, which exclusively makes natural coffees in Colombia. They’ve also used coffee from Bar Nine, Dragonfly Coffee Roasters, Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters, Verve Coffee Roasters, and Sospeso, a Mexican firm in Tijuana that sources international coffee.

For the owners from Almanegra, growing the reach of coffee culture is important. The La Roma location features a coffee library of sorts, full of coffee books and magazines like Standart, Drift, and Caffeine Magazine, which they also sell.

Although they only just expanded, there are already plans to open a third Almanegra in San Miguel de Allende, a beautiful and trendy colonial city in Guanajuato. Despite the more tourist-heavy location, expect the new Almanegra to have the same old soul as its predecessors.

Almanegra is located at Calle Tonalá 53, Roma Norte, Mexico City. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Ximena Rubio is a coffee professional based in Mexico City. Read more Ximena Rubio on Sprudge.

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New Opportunities For Denver’s Homeless Youth At Purple Door’s Roastery

Purple Door Coffee in Denver has officially added a roastery. Like the namesake cafe in its fourth year of operation, the Purple Door roastery will employ people experiencing homelessness in an effort to empower them to reclaim their lives through supportive and meaningful employment in the specialty coffee industry.

Director of Organizational Direction Mark Smesrud acts as the non-profit’s head roaster and trainer for all things coffee, and is also the one connecting coffee to Purple Door’s greater mission in hopes that the organization’s model can incite sustainable change.

Mark Smesrud has a laugh at the Purple Door roastery

Of Purple Door’s 18 employees over the past four years, 17 have successfully exited homelessness. But despite this high rate, adapting to the life of a busy barista has left some staff members struggling. With that in mind, the intended roles for the roastery were clear—to roast quality coffee while creating work opportunities that are flexible in ways those available in a coffee shop cannot be.

“Overall, the roastery is just a better environment for our employees that are coming fresh off the streets to be able to get their feet wet with working, get used to working, and have a feeling of success in the workplace,” Smesrud says. “At the coffee shop, it’s kind of like we throw them in the deep end and they just figure it out. Because the shop’s been up and running for four years, some days it gets really busy. [At the roastery] it’s just a nice pace. It’s a good place for people to settle in.”

Production Assistant Dayna stands ready and able at the cupping table

Filling the 3,300-square-foot space are various brewing tools, a bag sealer, cupping equipment, grinders, and a brand new black and gold San Franciscan Roaster Company roaster. There are also plans to add a kitchen for baking pastries and sandwiches for the cafe.

With the ability to offer job training in and outside coffee, the expansion of Purple Door has the potential to help more people than ever permanently exit homelessness. While time management, learning routes to work, and adjusting to a full-time occupation might be skills taken for granted by many, Purple Door now has the luxury of teaching them, potentially for the first time in a person’s life, rather than simply hoping they are learned before a 6am opening shift.

“The roastery creates a little more flexibility with who we can hire,” Smesrud says. “So, maybe they’re staying in a shelter, and since the shifts start later, they can go to a place to make sure they get showered and cleaned, they’re good to work in a food production facility. It also creates more flexibility with [time management] and the ability to say, ‘Hey, you were 15 minutes late. I’m going to need you to stay 15 minutes longer so that we can get everything done.’ That’s not really an option in a retail setting. If they’re 15 minutes late, we’re still open—we have to serve the customers waiting.”

A production assistant role has been added to the year-long program employees enter upon hire, with curriculum covering emotional and physical wellness, financial management, and educational advancement opportunities. There are also plans to offer warehouse operations and Occupational Safety and Health Administration certifications, kitchen and bakery training, office management training, and even a partnership with a temp agency.

Smesrud admits the one-year program is still a flawed system. Not everyone coming through the program wishes to stay in coffee, or even could. Still, coffee is not the end game.

“Up to this point, our employees have felt like they’ve only been successful in a coffee shop setting in their entire lives,” Smesrud says. “From their perspective, they feel like they can only do coffee. We want to teach a lot of different skills so that eventually they’ll feel comfortable going into a whole array of different jobs. That’s the goal, to make sure they’re trained in a field they feel comfortable in and actually good at.”

The ability to hire more people that are even further away from stability will be a large indicator of success for Purple Door. After all, saying “yes” to someone experiencing homelessness and needing a job is why it’s here in the first place.

“This ability to scale up and create more jobs is huge for us,” Smesrud says. “We’re just excited to up those numbers. At the roastery, we’re able to meet real needs and do more in regard to mental health, really amp up our curriculum side of things, and diversify the training.”

In its history, only about six or seven Purple Door employees have been able to stay in retail long-term.

“So,” Smesrud says, “the fact that we can diversify the way we train—I think we will be able to increase our success rate and increase the number of folks we’re able to serve.”

Ben Wiese is a freelance journalist based in Denver. Read more Ben Wiese on Sprudge.

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