Geisha vs Bourbon: A Crash Course in Coffee Varieties

In wine, varieties reign supreme. Everybody knows what a Merlot is, or a Chardonnay. But in the coffee world, they’re less understood. You might know of Geisha, but do you know the difference between a Bourbon and a Typica? Or why that matters?

So today, I’m giving you a crash course in coffee varieties. Get ready to learn why they matter, what a variety actually is, and what some of the main varieties you should know are.

SEE ALSO: VIDEO: Introducing Liberica, a Lesser-Known Coffee Species

Yellow Bourbon ready to be planted. Credit: San Mateo Coffee

Why Are Coffee Varieties Important?

How important coffee varieties are depends on your role in the coffee supply chain: producer, barista, roaster, consumer…

If you’re a consumer, you might be wondering why you really need to learn another set of labels for your coffee. Is the variety really that important, compared to the country of origin, roast level, and processing method? And if it is important, why do only some coffee bags tell you about it?

The simple answer is that coffee varieties can affect the flavour of the coffee. Some, like Bourbon, are known for their sweet taste. Others, like Gesha/Geisha, are known for tea-like qualities.

But coffee flavour isn’t just about the variety: it’s also about the growing conditions, processing, and more. The uniqueness of a high-quality coffee is part of what makes this beverage so wonderful.

Cherries from different coffee varieties. Credit: Anthony Auger for Caravela Coffee

Roasters, you need to know about varieties because they don’t just affect the flavour profile – they also affect how you roast.

Different beans will have different sizes: Maragogype is famously large, while Mokka is tiny. And since roasting is a physical transformation, how heat is transferred throughout the bean is of key importance. You need to understand the physical makeup of your coffee (especially if you’re blending).

And producers, varieties are of critical importance to you. Your choice will affect the flavour profile and potential cup score, the hardiness of the plant and its resistance to disease, its productivity, which altitude and temperature it grows at best, and more.

Another reason to care about varieties is that Arabica coffee has a worryingly low genetic diversity. This means it is more susceptible to disease and climate change – and could even theoretically become extinct in the future. Creating and/or finding more genetic variety is of key importance right now.

Green to ripe coffee cherries

Species, Variety, Cultivar… What Do These All Mean?

Now we know why varieties are important, let’s take a step back and look at what they actually are.

There are many different species of coffee – over 100, according to World Coffee Research (WCR) – but the main three are Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Specialty coffee shops rarely sell anything but Arabica, shunning Robusta for its harsher, more bitter taste – although some shops are making the case for Fine Robustas. Liberica is usually only consumed in the Philippines.

The category below “species”, when describing plants, is “variety”. Varieties refer to different variations within the species. For example, Caturra is a variety of Arabica while Nganda is a variety of Robusta. As for a cultivar, that’s a coffee variety that has been created by humans in an agricultural setting.

Another point that confuses many people is the difference between varietal and variety. Simply put, “variety” is a noun and “varietal” is an adjective. However, because language is almost as complex as coffee genetics, it’s possible to use “varietal” in a way that acts as a noun when discussing the coffee product rather than the plant (something called nominalisation).

But this is an article about coffee, not linguistics: it’s enough to say that the differences between “varietal” and “variety” are just grammatical.

Libérica plant. Credit: Herbert Peñaloza for 575 Café

Some Coffee Varieties You Should Know

There are many coffee varieties around the world, and we couldn’t hope to cover all of them in just one article. However, we’re going to take a quick look at some of the most famous or noteworthy Arabica varieties.

Typica

Typica coffee is one of the earliest and most important coffee varieties, having been around for centuries and engendered numerous other varieties. Notable Typica varieties include Java, Maragogype, and Timor Hybrid (more on that last one in a little bit).

You’ll find Typica in Central America, Jamaica, and Asia. The WCR label it as low-yield, high-quality, and susceptible to rust and pests. It’s often described as having a clean, sweet acidity.

Bourbon

A natural mutation of Typica, Bourbon is a high-quality, medium-yield coffee known for its sweet taste. It has, however, low resistance to leaf rust, coffee berry borer, and other diseases and pests. It’s commonly grown in Burundi and Rwanda, as well as throughout Latin America.

Why should you know about Bourbon? For the same reasons why you should know about Typica: its early appearance in the “coffee variety tree” makes it a common variety that has also engendered numerous other varieties.

Bourbon cherries. Credit: Mapache Coffee

Ethiopian Heirloom

While most Arabica coffee varieties come from Typica or Bourbon, coffee originally comes from Ethiopia – and Kew Gardens have established that the country holds 95% of coffee’s genetic diversity.

You’ll often see “Ethiopian Heirloom” written on a bag of coffee; this indicates that it was probably grown wild or in a lightly cultivated garden.

Timor Hybrid

The Timor Hybrid is a controversial coffee, since it’s a (spontaneous) Arabica-Robusta hybrid. Robusta is a more, well, robust coffee species: it offers hardiness and resistance to coffee leaf rust in exchange for a less appealing flavour and aroma profile.  

As a result, this unique coffee has been used in many cultivars, particularly Catimors and Sarchimors. Catimors are a group of Caturra and Timor Hybrid crosses; Sarchimors a group of Villa Sarchi and Timor Hybrid crosses. Examples of these include Castillo, Colombia, and Marsellesa.

Specialty coffee buyers can be wary of any plant with a Timor Hybrid parentage – but some producers, especially those at lower altitudes, believe less risk is worth a potentially lower cup quality.

Castillo Variety from Cauca, Colombia. Credit: Finca La Julia

Gesha/Geisha

Gesha/Geisha originated in the village of Gesha, Ethiopia, but remained under the radar until 2003 in Panama. Since then, Panamanian Geisha has become the industry’s most-famous coffee. With most coffee championship finalists using it, and a recent green bean auction price of US $601/lb, it’s become a byword for excellence – and exclusivity.

It has a distinctive profile: tea-like with a jasmine aroma, orange blossom and bergamot notes, delicate florals…

As for the plant, it grows best at high altitudes (WCR recommend above 1,400 m.a.s.l.), is low-yielding, and can be delicate. While it has earned high prices at auction, there have been horror stories of producers growing it outside of Panama only to see their plants die in incompatible climates and soil.

SEE ALSO: Geisha Coffee According to a 4th Generation Panama Producer

Ripe coffee cherries

F1 Hybrids

F1 hybrids are varieties that have been produced in laboratories by WCR in an attempt to create high-quality, rust-resistant, and high-yielding options for producers. Notable F1 hybrids include Centroamericano, which has seen recent success in the Nicaraguan Cup of Excellence, and Starmaya.

One of the most important points about F1 hybrids, for producers, is that they are created in laboratories: their germinated seeds will not necessarily possess the same great qualities. For this reason, WCR advises that producers only buy from reputable nurseries.

For more information on F1 hybrids, read our in-depth article here.

Going from green to ripe 

Caturra

A natural Bourbon mutation, Caturra is a dwarf tree with an average yield, average quality, and average bean size – in fact, the WCR description of an average yield is “Caturra-like”. It is susceptible to rust and pests, and commonly grown throughout Brazil and Latin America. I’ve included it here because of how common it is.

Catuai

Catuai is a Mundo Novo and Caturra cross that shares many of the same characteristics as Caturra: average yield, average quality, average bean size, susceptibility to rust and pests, and dwarf status.

Green coffee cherries

This is only an introduction to the wonderful world of coffee varieties. There are many more that deserve attention: Pacas, Pacamara, Maracaturra, Rume Sudan, Laurina, SL-28, SL-34… The list goes on and on.

Producers, pick your coffee varieties carefully. Do your research: understand the demands of each one, and the risks that come with it. When planting a new variety, consider starting slowly, with only a small portion of your farm.

As for you, coffee lovers, take the time to taste as many varieties as possible. Pay attention to how they vary. Compare different varieties grown in the same region – or the same variety grown across different regions. As you start to learn more about how the variety can affect your cup, your appreciation of coffee will only grow.

Written by Tanya Newton.

Perfect Daily Grind

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Aerobie, Makers of AeroPress, Acquired By Canadian Toy Company

This just in: Aerobie has been acquired by Spin Master, a Canada-based toy company. This is Spin Master’s seventh major acquisition in two years. Aerobie, famous for its Guiness World Record breaking flying discs, is well known in the coffee world for its AeroPress coffee maker.

CBC News reports:

“Acquisitions such as Aerobie are a key part of our overall growth strategy,” Spin Master’s chief operating officer Ben Gadbois said in a release. “We will further innovate the Aerobie line using our global research and development network, and leverage Spin Master’s global sales and marketing infrastructure to grow sales internationally.”

Spin Master is known for its Meccano, Hatchimals, Air Hogs and Paw Patrol brands.

We reported back in November that Aerobie founder Alan Adler sought to sell his company. In the piece, Adler penned a letter to coffee community. “You are the nicest people in the world and we are very thankful for the privilege of working with you. Hopefully this is not goodbye but perhaps just a note that there are some changes in the wind,” Adler wrote.

It’s unclear what Spin Master, a “leading global, diversified, multi-platform and highly innovative children’s entertainment company”, plans to do with the Aerobie coffee maker.

We’ve reached out to Aerobie and Spin Master and will update this story if we receive comment. Watch this space!

Aerobie is an advertising partner on Sprudge.com.

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Out Now: Meister’s Caffeinated History Of Coffee In New York

Out today from Arcadia Publishing’s American Palate imprint, a new coffee book by Sprudgie Award winning columnist and coffee professional Erin Meister. It’s called New York City: A Caffeinated History, and we think it’s the coffee book of summer 2017, weaving together an interrelated narrative of New York City’s history and ever-changing landscape with the city’s undying love affair with coffee.

Sprudge co-founder Jordan Michelman had the chance to read an advance copy of Meister’s new book, and sat down with the author digitally to learn more about the book’s lessons and creative process. If you love New York, or love coffee—or heck, both—this book is for you.

Hello Meister, thanks so much for talking with Sprudge and a huge congrats on your new book.

I want to start by asking a question I typically ask anyone with a new project. Who is this book for? Who is the ideal reader or user of this book?

I asked myself this question a lot while I was first drawing up the proposal and working on the early research, because this was not a book I really ever would have imagined myself writing. A few months in to the work, I was taking the Staten Island Ferry back to Manhattan after interviewing an octogenarian coffee broker out in the middle of basically “nowhere” by New York standards, and I stood on the deck, getting whipped around by the wind, looking out on the downtown skyline at night, and I fell in love with the city all over again.

I decided right then: This book is a love letter. You love coffee and you’re an ultra geek about it? There’s probably something in here for you, but really this is for anyone who just plain loves coffee and who loves New York City. If you love coffee but have never been to New York, I hope you love the city when you’re done reading this thing. If you love New York but don’t know a thing about coffee, hey, this is for you too. But you’ve gotta be ready to be in love. Or at least listen to me be in love.

NYC is a city in flux. I’m curious—how much (if any?) of these coffee landmarks are still around? I know you can still visit the Porto Rico on Bleecker, but have most of these iconic cafes and diners gone away?

Part of the magic of NYC is that it’s basically impossible to predict what will stay and what will vanish: A lot of the oldest companies eventually close and become something totally run of the mill, like a nail salon; others somehow endure against all odds. Porto Rico is a great example: The number of shuttered businesses up and down Bleecker Street is incredible, it’s a tough strip to make a living because rent is so high. Thankfully Peter Longo owns the building his Porto Rico flagship store is in, and his son is also in the business, so there’s some built-in longevity. Gillies Coffee Co., on the other hand, also used to have retail locations not far from Porto Rico, and closed them in the 80s when business dried up.

Lots of the really historic spots don’t exist anymore—the original Tontine and Exchange Coffee Houses don’t even have plaques, though there is a Gregory’s Coffee location at almost the exact spot of one of them, and good luck finding the Coffee Exchange building—but I feel like there’s always a kind of echo that exists in a place like that, where something you care about happened. I’ve definitely tracked down old addresses (Alice Foote MacDougall’s childhood home, for instance) and just stood outside the totally average-looking building just kind of imagining what they might have been like. There’s a beauty in that experience, too, I think.

As part of the release-week celebrations, I’m putting on an NYC Coffee History walking tour that will visit her childhood home, actually, as well as Porto Rico, Caffè Reggio (which still has the old espresso machine on display), the original Joe, the new Kobrick cafe, Ninth Street‘s roasting facility, and a Café Grumpy—a kind of mix of old and new. There’s definitely still plenty to visit, and places that are practically ancient and still open, doing good business.

Do you think the NYC $1 cup culture will ever change? Should it?

I absolutely think that the $1 New York coffee should and will always exist. Obviously my feelings on this are super complicated, right?

On the one hand I am completely positive that no coffee anywhere should be so cheap that you could sell it for $1 a cup and still make a profit. On the other hand, when you look at the demographics of coffee consumers in the city, and you look at the majority of people who are relying on those $1 coffees, there’s a kind of parallel there: They’re probably overworked, underpaid, trying to get by, surviving by wits, you know? That’s New York. So there’s something about the kind of balance that creates. It’s not ideal by any stretch of the imagination—coffee farmers should make more money, and coffee drinkers should have it within their means to pay more money for coffee, that would be the perfect circle—but it does capture a lot of the spirit of the place and that coffee culture for me.

If you took away those cups of coffee, what would those New Yorkers drink, Coke? I mean, anybody on earth can drink a Coke. But to stand on a corner with a blue bodega cup and a stack of napkins and an egg-and-cheese sandwich in a piece of foil, that’s New York to me, in a way, you know?

How did you approach balancing more recent history—Gorilla, Joe, Ninth Street—with telling a longer kind of New York Coffee history?

From the moment I got the assignment, I realized, “Aw shit, I’m definitely going to work on this for a year and by the time it comes out there will be tons of outdated stuff in it.” You kind of have to look at everything in New York as though it were ancient history, in a way, even if it’s still up and running and thriving—because you really never know.

The other fantastic thing about those three companies in particular, and Café Grumpy and that whole “generation” of specialty coffee, is that they actually are as influential as some of the much more historical things that happened in the industry there—they made (and make) an impact that’s felt as deeply as the founding of the Green Coffee Association, in a way, or in the invention of the modern roaster.

All of these individual acts and moments and companies feeds this larger huge “culture” that has become so distinctly New York, and that is both constantly changing but also constantly kind of staying true to a legacy of itself.

You’re very kind to some of the traditions outlined in this book — I’m thinking about the “creme de menthe” part on Porto Rico specifically, from page 101, where you outline the shop’s tradition of selling coffee with slivers of roasted almonds, etc. None of this is particularly “third wave”—does that matter? Were you intentionally trying to be, let’s say “quality agnostic” in telling these stories?

If there is one thing that I learned from doing the work here, it’s that “quality” is absolutely relative. I lived and worked in specialty coffee, in third-wave coffee, in New York since 2004: I went through my entire bratty barista phase there, with the disgusting too-ristretto shots and the terrible customer-service and the “we don’t do it that way” thing. I also learned about the finest coffees in the world there, I cupped for the first time and then for the umpteenth time and then led cuppings myself; I consumed who knows how many single-origin espressos; I taught extraction classes and helped people open coffee shops that only have pour-over coffee and don’t offer milk and sugar.

And you know what? I never—in all of that time—had the mind or heart open enough to meet the people I met and interviewed for this book, and to a person—Donald Schoenholt, Scott Tauber, Stefanie Kyles, Steve Kobrick, Peter Longo, Saul Zabar, Sterling Gordon, every one of them and so many others—they have forgotten more about coffee than I have even learned yet. Two years ago if you had mentioned Porto Rico to me, I’d have shrugged it off—whatever, that’s flavored stuff. Today, I look at that place and I can see the customers going in there, and the incredible experience they have (it’s a truly magical place from a customer-service standpoint), and I see how happy that coffee makes people, and I realize I’ve learned a lot about what I think quality actually means. It doesn’t always mean high-altitude high-density single-origin 20% extraction in special hand-thrown pottery. Sometimes it simply means, “Does something about this coffee bring me joy?” It’s not that I can’t recognize actual objective sensory coffee quality on a cupping table, but it means I have changed my views about what quote-unquote QUALITY is in coffee, absolutely.

Do I still want to go to all the really interesting innovative new shops doing super far-out quality-obsessed things, and have my mouth exploded? Absolutely. But there’s New York Coffee and then there’s coffee in New York, to me, and I’m going at both of those experiences with totally different expectations, and whether that speaks to “quality” or not I’m not entirely sure anymore.

I’m curious, did you do most of the work for this book from Minneapolis, or was it written in New York?

For about a year, I joked that I was commuting between Minneapolis and New York for work. I spent a lot of time going back East to take interviews and to do research, and I also did a lot of work remotely in Minneapolis. The New York Public Library is almost an embarrassing resource if you’re doing research like this: I’m so glad I still have my library card, holy buckets. Did you know that you can access the entire archive of The New Yorker online if you have an NYPL card? Or JStor?? I couldn’t have done this work without that institution, no question. Shout out to the New York Public Library, hands in the air!

If you were to write another municipal coffee history book like this one, which city would you choose and why?

Oh wow, I feel like I will absolutely answer this wrong! Everyone would probably say Seattle, right? I think that would obviously be a great book, but I would be really interested in New Orleans and San Francisco, because they’re both also big port cities, with a lot of the industry side of stuff in their histories, and very diverse immigrant populations that color the coffee-drinking cultures.

If you could hold a kaffeeklatsch with five iconic New Yorkers, living or dead, whom would you pick and why?

The five New Yorkers I’d love to put into a room together, pour the Scotch, and then sit back and listen to would probably be Truman Capote to keep things funny and bitchy; Jane Jacobs for the scrappy activism; Amy Sedaris because I actually still really need to apologize to her for the bunny thing; Neil deGrasse Tyson for the mind-blowing wonderment; and Theodore Roosevelt for the grandiose personality and probably to challenge NdGT to a boxing match. Actually maybe he’d challenge Amy Sedaris to a boxing match, and then I’d have two things to apologize to her for.

Thank you. 

New York City Coffee: A Caffeinated History is out now from American Palate. 

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

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Cómo Hacer Para que Tus Baristas no Renuncien

Tu tienda de café no es exitosa por tu delicioso café, ni es por la ubicación perfecta que atrae a todos los consumidores sedientos. Ni si quiera es por el diseño cuidadosamente estudiado que da esa gran vibra: acogedor, de tendencia, cool, artístico…

Son tus baristas.

Ellos son los que aparecen todos los días y hacen que tus clientes se sientan como en casa.  Manejan las crisis, cubren los turnos de los compañeros de trabajo que se encuentran enfermos, y se ocupan de las largas filas. Ellos crean esa relación entre los clientes que los hace regresar nuevamente.

Lo mejor para tu tienda de café es evitar que tu personal renuncie. Estos son algunos consejos importantes para reducir la rotación baristas.

English Version: How to Keep Your Baristas From Quitting

Barista preparando café con un V60

Saber que Todas las Personas son Diferentes

Cada uno de tus baristas tiene una personalidad y valores diferentes, y esto significa que estarán motivados por diferentes cosas.

Numerosos estudios han demostrado que existe una amplia variedad de motivaciones de los empleados: el sentido de pertenencia, la relación con los directivos y el equipo, el respeto por la gerencia, propósito, los objetivos alcanzables, crecimiento profesional, el sentimiento de ser bueno en un trabajo, agradecimiento público del éxito, agradecimiento privado, salario, otros beneficios, flexibilidad, tiempo libre…

Ésta no es una lista completa, ni está en ningún orden en particular. Es más, para la mayoría de la gente, su motivación por lo general viene de una combinación de estos factores.

Una cosa es cierta: cada empleado necesita algo para motivarlo a permanecer en el trabajo. Y si quieres mantener a tus baristas, asegúrate de ser consciente de lo que personalmente los impulsa y cómo puedes proporcionar eso.

Anima a tus empleados a ser honestos sobre esto, y también sobre cómo se sienten actualmente. Lo que me lleva a mi siguiente punto…

Baristas en el trabajo. Crédito: Ana Valencia

Escucha la Retroalimentación de tus Baristas

No es fácil decirle al líder que tienes problemas en el trabajo. Algunos gerentes pueden reaccionar mal, hablarle duro al personal, elegir no promoverlos, o incluso decidir no renovar su contrato. Además, las mujeres y los grupos minoritarios suelen ser más reacios a discutir asuntos con la administración.

Esto significa que es tu trabajo crear espacios para la retroalimentación, escucharla  y
responder justamente.

En primer lugar, tómate el tiempo para preguntarles a tus baristas cómo están, en forma regular – al menos una vez cada quince días -. Habla con ellos aparte del resto del equipo. Averigua cómo se sienten con el trabajo, si tienen algún problema y cuáles son sus objetivos actuales.

Luego, cuando un barista te informe acerca de un problema, agradécele por informarte. Es posible que no puedas resolver el problema, pero al demostrar que estás abierto a esta retroalimentación, aumentas la lealtad y la motivación de tu personal.

A veces, un problema será fácil de arreglar; otras veces, será más difícil. Asegúrate de hacer un montón de preguntas para que puedas abordar la causa principal del problema.

Si no puedes proporcionar una solución, pero la solicitud de tu barista es razonable, reconoce el problema, explica por qué no puedes resolverlo y llega a un acuerdo. Por ejemplo, podrías decir, “Sé que has estado trabajando muchas horas extras este mes, más que cualquier otro miembro del equipo. Sin embargo, tenemos poco personal y tú eres la persona más experimentada del equipo. ¿Te ayudaría si te diera un día extra de vacaciones pagas para que lo tomes cuando tengamos al personal completo?”

Por otro lado, si la solicitud no es razonable, asegúrate de que tu barista entienda por qué.

Una barista vierte leche en una bebida para llevar. Crédito: Peixoto Coffee Roasters

Pon Atención a las Relaciones Interpersonales

Hay un dicho que dice que la gente no renuncia a los empleos, sino que renuncia  a los jefes. Esto es cierto, pero también hay un poco más en esta historia. Abandonan a los jefes y abandonan a los equipos.

No necesariamente harás clic con todos tus baristas, pero debes ser amistoso con ellos. Trata de construir relaciones incluso con el personal con el que tienes poco en común. Evita mostrar favoritismos.

Debes saber que, al igual que cada barista tiene diferentes motivaciones, también tienen una forma diferente de interactuar y aprender en el trabajo. Asegúrate de entender todos los estilos de trabajo, de comunicación y estilos preferidos de retroalimentación y, luego, acuerden en  un punto medio.

Algunas personas, por ejemplo, pueden preferir dominar una nueva habilidad a la vez, mientras que otras se sienten cómodas en muchas de ellas. Algunas personas pueden estar motivadas por situaciones de alta presión, mientras que otras están estresadas por estas. Tus baristas se desempeñarán mejor si trabajas con sus personalidades, en lugar que en contra ellas.

Por último, pero igualmente importante, crear un buen ambiente de trabajo. Construye el trabajo en equipo dentro de un sistema de retroalimentación. Asigna mentores para los nuevos miembros del personal. Organiza eventos de trabajo, incluso si es sólo bebidas el fin de semana.

En el 2013, El Instituto de Liderazgo y Gestión (ILM), encontró, que de 1.000 personas, más del 40% estaban motivados por la relación con sus colegas. Tú quieres que el personal se divierta, en lugar de que se estresen ellos mismos.

Equipo de baristas. Crédito:  Methodical Coffee

Muestra Aprecio

Si un barista se siente menospreciado, comenzará a sentir resentimiento – y poco después, buscarán un jefe diferente – .

Hay muchas maneras de mostrarle a tu personal lo mucho que lo aprecias, y como he dicho anteriormente, algunas personas prefieren diferentes métodos. El estudio 2013 de ILM, por ejemplo, encontró que sólo el 13% de las personas consideraría motivador  una bonificación – pero el 31% dijo “mejor trato de su empleador”, “más elogios”, y “un mayor sentido de ser valorado”. Nunca subestimes el poder de un simple “gracias”.

Demuestra aprecio regularmente, suena sincero. Y asegúrate de que tu cumplido signifique algo. No felicites a alguien por algo que encontró fácil y deja que los desafíos pasen desapercibidos.

Otro punto que vale la pena mencionar es la responsabilidades adicionales. Para algunas personas, esto puede significar aprecio. Pero a menos que dejes claro que esta responsabilidad se ha ganado, podría sentirse como si estuvieras tomando a tus baristas más trabajadores y más talentosos por sentado. Muestra  que está vinculado con tu confianza en ellos. Y, si estás otorgando a un miembro del personal tareas cada vez más desafiantes, asegúrate de que, tarde o temprano, sea seguido por un aumento de salario o una  promoción venga después.

Un barista en la máquina espresso. Crédito: The Little Black Cup

VER TAMBIÉN: Cómo Inspirar Pasión en los Baristas de Especialidad

Ofrece Oportunidades para el Desarrollo Profesional

Es importante entender los objetivos profesionales de tus baristas y cómo puedes ayudarlos a alcanzarlos. Incluso si los baristas se sienten apreciados, aman al equipo y tienen mucha motivación, la falta de oportunidades de desarrollo puede hacer que empiecen a buscar en  los clasificados por otras oportunidades

Ofrece oportunidades de capacitación, ya sea de arte latte, habilidades de gerencia o preparación de alimentos y diseño de menú. Escucha lo que quieren tus baristas y cómo puedes ofrecérselos. Acuérdate también, que, diferentes personas aprenden de diferentes maneras. Un barista puede desear tomar un curso formal; otro podría preferir 30 minutos de entrenamiento personalizado por ti u otro líder del equipo.

Asegúrate también de hablar con tus baristas sobre sus objetivos profesionales a largo plazo. Puedes estar preparando a un barista para un puesto de gestión de equipo cuando, en realidad, le gustaría moverse a café tostado. Aunque les estás ofreciendo desarrollo profesional, no es en el que ellos desean.

No siempre serás capaz de proporcionarle al personal el desarrollo profesional que desean, por supuesto. En estas situaciones, debes tratar de ofrecer tantas oportunidades relacionadas como puedas. También debe entender, sin embargo, que eventualmente ese miembro del personal probablemente buscará otro trabajo.

Una sesión de entrenamiento de catación para los baristas. Crédito: Monogram Coffee

La alta rotación  y cambios dde baristas puede ser una pesadilla para cualquier tienda de café. Se traduce en una menor satisfacción del cliente y una mayor inversión de tu tiempo  en términos de contratación y formación de nuevo personal.

Sin embargo, si te tomas el tiempo para entender lo que tus empleados quieren, escuchar sus problemas, crear un buen ambiente de trabajo, y mostrar que los aprecias, encontrarás que tus baristas se querrán quedar.

Escrito por Tanya Newton.

Traducido por Alejandra M Hernández

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Yes, You Can Still Drink Coffee While Driving In Washington

Washington state’s new distracted driving law took effect over the weekend, and it has many concerned that some of their favorite, nay necessary, mid-drive activities—like, say, drinking a cup of coffee—may result in a $99 fine. Meant to penalize those using electronic devices in particular while driving, the law was written to include “any activity not related to driving that interferes with the safe operation of a motor vehicle,” which could include eating, drinking, applying makeup, etc.

But fear not, Washingtonians, according to USA Today you won’t be penalized for drinking coffee while driving under the new distracted driving law. Unless drinking coffee was causing you to drive distracted.

Basically, you won’t be pulled over simply for driving while having a cup of coffee. But if you are pulled over for driving poorly and it is clear that you were paying more attention to your coffee than your task of safely maneuvering a two-ton death machine around other two-ton death machines, then you can probably expect a ticket.

Washington State Patrol Capt. Monica Alexander gave the following example in the article (the word “cheeseburger” has been changed to “coffee” to help Sprudge readers better understand the analogy):

“We would have to articulate how that cheeseburger [coffee] caused that collision…” Alexander corrected herself, so as not to blame an innocent cheeseburger  [coffee]. “Eating the cheeseburger [coffee],” she said. “The cheeseburger [coffee] didn’t do anything.”

The article notes that, like with other secondary offenses—like driving barefoot—officers factor in the “totality of circumstances” and have the discretion to not write a distracted driving ticket when it is not warranted.

It’s a pretty common sense law. No, you won’t get ticketed for drinking coffee while driving if it doesn’t impair your ability to operate a motor vehicle. Yes, you will be ticketed (or maybe even double ticketed) if you’re swerving around all willy nilly while trying to suck out that last little bit of whip cream on the top of your morning frappe. So don’t do that. No one wants to die over whip cream.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network.

*car image above via Stuffpoint

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Improving Balinese Coffee Quality With Tokyo’s Light Up Coffee

Yuma Kawano of Light Up Coffee in Ulian, Bali

Light Up Coffee has set some lofty goals for the future: though their current objective is spreading specialty coffee across Japan, their overall aim is to raise the standard of Asian coffee across the world. Along with running seminars and regular cupping events, Light Up Coffee has opened a second shop in Kyoto, and a dedicated roastery in Shimokitazawa.

But for all their work in Japan, it was the news that they’ve been traveling to Asia to collaborate with coffee plantations that had me most intrigued. Co-founder Yuma Kawano says he started seriously thinking about travel in 2015 and sees an untapped potential in Asian coffees.

“I always wanted to go to Costa Rica, or Ethiopia, or Kenya; all famous places for coffee. But places like Blue Bottle and Stumptown are already going there, so I decided to stay in Asia, and when I thought more about it, I realized people weren’t really going there.”

Kawano wondered what Asian coffee would taste like if the process was given more careful attention, and whether it would lead to flavors unique to the region.

“At the moment, people see Asian coffee as kind of earthy, bitter, and strong-bodied. It’s not really clean. I felt like that was a waste. I thought we could produce better coffee. So with some help, we started collecting samples from across Asia.”

Light Up Coffee ended up roasting and cupping some thirty different samples. In the haphazard mix of flavors were a few sparks of potential, and Kawano reached out to these coffee farms with the goal of paying up front for coffee on one condition; that the farms would work with them to improve each step of production.

This, eventually, brought them to a plantation called Ulian, located in the north of Bali, three hours by car, Kawano visited Ulian for the first time in 2015. He says it was a shock.

“The [farmers] just didn’t know [the process]. They tried the best they could, but they only knew how to make coffee the way they’d always made it. They were drying the coffee on the ground, and selling it before it had dried properly. They washed the coffee in dirty water; everything needed to be worked on.”

This appears to be a common theme in Kawano’s travels, which often involve helping farms to improve the production chain. He teaches each step as thoroughly as he can, and often on limited time. At Ulian, too, he says it was like a crash course seminar in picking, pulping, washing, and drying.

Pulping

After a time, the coffee improved, and Kawano received a small batch of coffee that opened his eyes to the potential.

“The batch we received was like a Costa Rican coffee. It was sweet, clean, and I really thought it was the best coffee I’d tasted in Indonesia. I was so surprised!“

Kawano was hopeful they could serve Ulian’s coffee this summer, but progress over the last year was one of minor gains among multiple setbacks, including stormy weather and mistakes in the production chain. Plans with Ulian eventually fell through, but the experience galvanized Kawano and pushed him to further exploration.

“The biggest takeaway [from this experience] is that we know you can grow good coffee in Asia now. It’s tough, but I’ve tasted really excellent coffee. If we can make that again, the farmers can sell their coffee at a much higher rate, and it will be a positive for both of us. There’s real potential there.”

And when I asked him what was next, he excitedly spoke of the Belantih plantation in Vietnam and the Pak Hendra plantation in the northern part of Sumatra; both are locations he’s been working closely with over the last year, with the intention of serving their coffee before the year’s end.

Drying bed

“At the moment, we’re making contacts, networking, and finding plantations that want to work together to produce better coffee. It’s going to require a lot of experimentation, and consistently great coffee might be two, three years away. But I want to develop a Cup of Excellence level coffee in Asia; I think that’s a really worthwhile goal.”

Kawano talks about his adventures with a great enthusiasm for the future, and it’s clear he’s dedicated to this new goal, however rocky the road ahead might be. And though the exact coffees they’ll serve in the near future, and when we’ll get them are still a mystery, it’s sure to be an ever more intriguing journey for the young roasters.

Hengtee Lim is a Sprudge staff writer based in Tokyo. Read more Hengtee Lim on Sprudge.

Photos courtesy of Light Up Coffee. 

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The Good Coffee Lover’s Guide to Montevideo, Uruguay

A few years ago, finding good coffee in Montevideo was an arduous task—if not an impossible one. Cafes in the Uruguayan capital were serving poor quality, burnt beans. Thankfully, the coffee waves have finally hit the city and a well-made cup is now attainable, whether slow-brewed or pulled from an espresso machine. One of the pioneers in Montevideo’s specialty community is MVD Roasters’ Alvaro Planzo.

Before opening MVD in 2014, Planzo studied with coffee professionals like World Barista Championship judge Juan Mario Carvajal and sought out SCA certifications. “Uruguayans are crazy about coffee,” Planzo said in a recent interview with Sprudge. “But they usually drink it with loads of sugar. This was something curious for me, as we are a country very familiar to bitter flavors, such as our yerba mate—a cultural tradition.”

Planzo is the supplier for a number of cafes and restaurants in Uruguay (such as Garzon, run by the famous chef Francis Mallmann), and also offers training to the professionals who work serving his coffees.

Recently, in partnership with the owners of La Madriguera and Nómade Café, Planzo created a school for local baristas that’s now in the process of acquiring credentials in order to provide students with SCA certifications.

“Our goal is to change the coffee culture in Montevideo,” Planzo says. “And I think we are succeeding, especially since last year, thanks to new professionals and coffee shops that are spreading throughout the city.”

Below are just some of what this burgeoning scene has to offer.

The Lab Coffee Roasters

Run by barista Verónica Leyton, The Lab, as its name suggests, is a place to experience multiple experimental brewing methods. Lab baristas give customers impromptu lessons on a range of topics, from the origin of coffees to why particular brewing or milling methods were used in their preparation. “It’s our way to serve more than a cup of coffee, as we can explain and somehow teach our clients about the coffee culture,” Leyton explains. At The Lab, Layton sources coffee from farmers in countries around the world, including Colombia, Costa Rica, Burundi, Kenya, and Indonesia.

The Lab Coffee Roasters is located at Av. Dr. Luis Alberto de Herrera 1057, 11300 Montevideo. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Escaramurza Libros y Café

A mixture of restaurant, bookstore, and coffee shop, this venue is run by the same crew in charge of La Huella, one of the best restaurants in Uruguay. Chef Alejandro Morales loves coffee and uses MVD as his supplier. Here, ristrettos and espressos are prepared with a Faema E61, and well-made cappuccinos pair well with sandwiches, cakes, and alfajores baked in-house. With a good cup of coffee in hand, you have a perfect excuse to peruse this cafe’s collection of rare books.

Escaramurza Libros y Café is located at Dr. Pablo de María 1185, 11200 Montevideo. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

La Madriguera

One of the first coffee shops to open in Montevideo, La Madriguera introduced Uruguayans to then-unprecedented brewing methods such as syphon, cold brew, and cold drip. This is also an MVD-supplied cafe, with the roastery a mere six blocks away. “We work together to sharpen our experience over roasting profiles and maintain a constant feedback to meet our baristas’ tastes and our customers’ needs,” Martin Chamyan, head barista and owner, says.

La Madriguera is located at Cambara, 11500 Montevideo. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Nómade Café

Nómade is the first mobile coffee business in Uruguay. It usually runs the streets of Montevideo, but during summer finds itself in Punta del Este, the hip and trendy coastal city in the southeast region of the country. Nómade began its life on the back of a Vespa, and now also hawks coffee with a Piaggio Ape tricycle and a bicycle, which is deployed to serve small events. Depending on the vehicle, Nómade serves espresso and brewed coffee, as well as iced coffee and bottled cold brew. Their house—or should we say house-less—espresso blend was recently put together by Nómade owner Nacho Gallo. It consisted of beans from Brazil, Ethiopia, and Sumatra. Gallo adds that although he’s a nomad now, his business will soon have a permanent address.

Follow Nómade Café on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Rooftop Café

In an elegant room with a great view of Montevideo, Rooftop Café is located in the Celebra Building, one of the most modern in the city. Expect to find businessmen here, but also good food, like salads and pies, and great coffee. From a Cimbali M27, Rooftop serves mochaccinos, macchiatos, lattes, and cortados. It’s a place to hold meetings or enjoy an espresso while looking to the city’s skyline.

Rooftop Café is located at Dept, 12200 Montevideo.

Rafael Tonon is a freelance journalist based in Brazil. Read more Rafael Tonon on Sprudge.

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A Specialty Coffee Shop Tour of Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux’s no longer just a destination for wine-lovers. It’s also a place where coffee aficionados can enjoy sipping on single origins in between strolling along the Garonne River and admiring the stunning architecture.

So if you’re planning a trip to this “City of Art and History”, or are lucky enough to live here, I’ve created a specialty coffee shop itinerary for you. Read on to discover five must-visit places.

SEE ALSO: Specialty Coffee in The Wine Region of Bordeaux

Baristas looking at new espresso machine. Credit: L’Alchimiste

Why These Five?

It’s difficult to pick the five “best” of anything, especially when specialty coffee shops all bring something so unique to the industry. However, I’ve created a list of my personal favorites from a trip I took to Bordeaux. Every one of them has great coffee, great stories, and great passion.

So, in no particular order, let’s begin.

Breakfast and coffee at Sip Coffee Bar. Credit: Five of December

1. L’Alchimiste

Quality, technicality, education, and enjoyment are the core of L’Alchimiste’s philosophy.

The brand is run by Arthur Audiburt and Yohan, and consists of both a roastery and a coffee shop. The roastery opened in 2014 in Darwin, an old military compound which has been turned into a hub for small startups, an organic market, and a modern restaurant.

As for their two-floor coffee shop, which opened in 2016, you will find it in the center of Bordeaux. It has an elegant and modern feel, helped by its use of wood and marble. Yohan, who staffs it, is focused on customer service, great brews, and cleanliness.

Arthur learned how to roast and source coffee from Antoine Netien in Coutume, Paris. He brings in truly exceptional beans, like the Finca Deborah Natural Geisha which Berg Wu used to win the 2016 World Barista Championship.

Driven by the concepts of sustainability and craft, Arthur wants to bring expertly roasted high-quality coffees to all of France. He has high hopes for the specialty coffee scene in Bordeaux.

Arthur Audiburt in the L’Alchimiste roastery. Credit: L’Alchimiste

Where	12 rue de la Vieille Tour
Vibe	Cool and elegant
Espresso Machine	Linea PB
Grinder	Mythos One
Coffee Offerings	Espresso: one blend and one single origin V60: two single origins
Must-Try Drink	The single origin espresso
Food & Other Drinks	Fresh pastries, fruit juice, hot chocolate, and teas from Theodor
Nearby Sights	Les Dunes Blanches, which is famous for its choux à la crèmes, and Place Gambetta, a pretty square with a park

 

L’Alchimiste. Credit: L’Alchimiste

2. SIP

Located near the center of Bordeaux, this two-floor coffee shop has spacious tables, cozy counters, and plenty of room. SIP’s relaxed atmosphere caters to students, friends, and coffee enthusiasts alike.

Julie Fauran, the Founder, opened SIP on April 20th 2016, but really her journey started long before.

Her career started as a high-quality jeweler, but after three years, she realized it wasn’t her passion. She moved to Australia, where she made French pastries for coffee shops and restaurants. It’s here that she fell in love with specialty coffee shops, their ambience, and their coffee-focused attitude. And that is what she wanted to bring back to France – which is exactly what she did, after a stint in Belgium where she connected with OR Coffee.

At SIP, Julie prioritises ethical and local sourcing. She buys from roasters who work directly with coffee producers. As for her other products, she buys from local producers and her brother is the pastry chef.

Julie tells me she loves the technicality of coffee – but she wants the enjoyment of coffee to be the focus.

Julie brews a pour over for a customer. Credit: Keith Pech

Where	69 bis rue des Trois Conils
Vibe	Relaxed, cozy
Espresso Machine	GB5 La Marzocco
Coffee Offerings	Espresso, V60, AeroPress, Chemex
Retail Offerings	Retail coffees
Food & Other Drinks	Lunch menu, homemade pastries, and many vegetarian options
Nearby Sights	Bordeaux Cathedral, Musée des Beaux-Arts, the Decorative Arts Museum, and the historic district of Saint Pierre

 

SIP Coffee Bar. Credit: Keith Pech

3. La Pelle Café

La Pelle Café is a roastery-café located in Chatron, a historic quarter known for housing wine merchants. It’s easy to lose track of time when trying one of La Pelle’s many coffee offerings, thanks to the cozy, home-like atmosphere.

Carlos Pereira, the Founder and Owner, is originally from Brazil and traces his coffee interest back to his parents’ coffee farm. However, his passion wasn’t ignited until a decade or so ago, when he began to dive into the specialty coffee movement.

Carlos wanted to create a place where people don’t just drink coffee, but instead learn about it. It’s important to him that his customers feel able to interact with the baristas, and that quality is prioritized at every stage.

Carlos Pereira of La Pelle Café. Credit: Keith Pech

Where	29 rue Notre Dame
Vibe	Minimalist
Espresso Machine	La Marzocco Linea PB
Coffee Offerings	Many: Kenya, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Honduras, Guatemala, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Brazil…
Must-Try Drink	Espresso or cold brew
Nearby Sights	The Cité du Vin museum, CAPC Musée de Art Contemporaine, the Public Garden/Jardin Public, the riverfront, and the Village Notre-Dame antique furniture store

 

La Pelle Café. Credit: Sapphire & Elm Bespoke Travel

4. KURO Espresso Bar

KURO, a new but cozy specialty coffee shop, is a great place for meeting friends thanks to its small outdoor patio and comfortable seating area.

You’ll find coffee roasted by La Fabrique Du Café, as well as great food (I recommend the quiche).

Pascal Gabard, the Founder, first began working in coffee in Montreal. When he moved to France, he decided it was time to move from being a barista to a third wave coffee shop owner. He tells me that Bordeaux’s coffee potential is still not fully realized, but that the French are open to learning more about coffee.

Pascal Gabard, Founder of KURO Espresso Bar. Credit: Keith Pech

Where	5 rue Mautrec
Vibe	Cozy and homely
Espresso Machine	La Marzocco GB5
Coffee Offerings	Espresso-based drinks and pour overs, hot or cold
Must-Try Drink	Pour over
Food & Other Drinks	Tea, homemade lemonade, fresh orange juice, local and artisanal soft drinks (no soda), homemade cookies, muffins, brownies, granola, quiches, tartines…
Nearby Sights	The Opera, Sainte Catherine street, Les Grands Hommes mall, the impressive Place des Quinconces square and the famous Place de la Bourse, the Old Town, the docks, and Gordon Ramsey’s restaurants

 

KURO Espresso Bar. Credit: Keith Pech

5. Black List Café

Black List Café is a snug spot near the center of Bordeaux that has been open for over three years. One of the early pioneers of Bordeaux’s specialty coffee scene, Owner and Founder Laurent-Pierre drew inspiration from Ten Bells and Belleville Brûlerie in Paris. After two years of training, he was ready to open shop.

Now, three years on, Black List is still growing. Laurent-Pierre is in the process of opening a new location that will blend the coffee shop and the wine bar. It will offer specialty coffee; fresh, high-quality, but accessible food; specialty teas; biodynamic wine; and craft beer.

Laurent-Pierre, the Founder and Owner of Black List Café. Credit: Keith Pech

Where	27 Place Pey Berland
Vibe	Warm and relaxed
Espresso Machine	La Marzocco Linea Classic
Coffee Offerings	V60, Chemex, Kalita, espresso, cortado, cappuccino, latte, and flat white
Must-Try Drink	Cappuccino or drip
Food & Other Drinks	Fresh, homemade breakfast and lunch food, matcha latte, chai latte, and fresh fruit juice
Nearby Sights	Bordeaux Cathedral and Pey-Berland Tower

 

Black List Café. Credit: Blacklist Café

Written by Keith Pech, Manager of Damarli Estate and certified Arabica Q Grader.

All views within this opinion piece belong to the guest writer, who is a local of Bordeaux, and do not reflect Perfect Daily Grind’s stance.

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