Working In Service While Trans: A Guide To Better Workplaces

Working as a barista while transgender comes with its own set of unique challenges, both logistical and emotional in nature. On top of the difficult customers and irregular wages cisgender baristas face, transgender baristas also cope with frequent microaggression or outright aggression from customers, not to mention the harassment and discrimination many face on their side of the bar. While there are challenges to working in service while trans, there are also many great trans coffee leaders working to construct healthy workplaces who have excellent solutions to offer the industry for mitigating problems they’ve faced. I talked to five transgender coffee professionals who present a vision for how a better cafe can operate; some of these recommendations are very small and readily feasible, some more ambitious, but the best part is that while these policies are designed by and for trans workers, they create positive systems for all cafe workers, and cisgender employees will find them just as valuable.

Harassment Policies and Clear Procedures

All of the coffee workers I interviewed said that in order for trans workers to have equity at the cafe level, it’s absolutely crucial to have a policy that not only bans harassment from both staff and customers, but also clearly defines it and outlines procedures for reporting it. These policies need to be accessible and equally applied to everyone.

Em Halpern, former quality controller and employee trainer at Function Coffee Labs, said that when coffee businesses don’t have a clear harassment policy, it’s not only unprofessional, it’s also a liability. They added that companies need to go further than just having a nominal policy in place: “If a policy outlines no actual steps to follow or protections for the employee, the employer is free to act how they see fit, leaving room for personal biases regardless of good intentions. In the worst case scenario, employees can be made to feel like their claim is invalid and end up further victimized.” Halpern also shared a great example of a clear, comprehensive policy, the one they experienced while working at Ultimo Coffee: “Any instance of discrimination or harassment by staff member, customer, or other person related to the business of Ultimo Coffee should be reported immediately to Aaron or Elizabeth Ultimo. The report will be handled in a swift and appropriate manner and will not result in any retaliation on the employee who made the complaint.” Being clear about how to file a complaint and about the fact that filing won’t result in retaliation allows workers a clear picture of the process they will actually go through when reporting harassment.

Important also to note in the policy is that harassment isn’t just something that can occur between employees; it can also be a problem with customers. Shannon, who works for a French bakery chain and does cafe consulting work on the side, used to work for a restaurant group that had a great policy stating that any worker experiencing harassment of any kind from a customer should immediately notify a manager, who would then take over and ask the customer to leave, preventing any further contact, a detail that he said generated a very positive response.

In general, on-paper policies that are clear and specific help create equitable treatment, but beyond that, they also help companies to scale. Policies that live in managers’ heads are much harder to disseminate consistently and fairly, and all workers benefit from clear avenues for communication and procedure, especially as small companies grow larger and need more employees and managers.

Sensitivity Training and Education

Part of the difficulty of working while trans is that not everyone has the education they need to engage appropriately with trans coworkers and customers, and trans employees usually end up carrying the burden of providing that education (usually for no extra pay).

Halpern wants to see employers and employees alike receive regular high-quality LGBTQ/GNC sensitivity trainings, as well as trainings on other forms of systemic oppression. They also hope that going forward, the Barista Guild or Specialty Coffee Association can team with a reputable institution to make those types of trainings readily available and affordable. Sid Ditson, barista at Coava, added that many cities have community education organizations that offer basic trainings. Ditson also thinks that new hire training and continued staff education need to include explanations of common microaggressions that transgender workers face (eg. misgendering, sexual harassment).

Sam Penix, owner of Everyman Espresso, said that asking for employee pronouns during the interview process and introducing new workers with the correct pronouns goes a long way toward creating a less presumptuous culture. He also said that employers and workers alike need to know that asking questions about the bodies or sex lives of trans coworkers is harassment, and that while it’s okay for trans workers to talk about their own gender identity, it’s not okay for workers to talk about their coworkers being trans (a practice called outing). On a customer service level, Halpern also wants workers to receive training on how to improve customer service by not gendering customers (eg. calling them sir/ma’am, using gendered pronouns to talk about them), as a means to avoid misgendering transgender customers. Those are all examples of things employers and workers would learn during sensitivity training.

Wage Transparency

Long-term wage data reveals that while white women make 79% of what men make over the course of their lives, that percentage dips lower for non-white women, dropping as low as 54% for Latinx women. Unsurprisingly, transgender workers—especially those who are women or nonbinary—also face a daunting wage gap. According to data collected by the Williams Institute and published by the Center for American Progress, “One study found that the earnings of female transgender workers fell by nearly one-third following their gender transitions. This research strongly indicates that in addition to facing significant workplace discrimination in hiring and firing based on their gender identity, transgender women experience significant gaps in pay largely attributable to their gender.” Because of pay disparities that tend to occur whenever pay rates are determined through standard new-hire negotiations, pay and wage transparency are excellent ways to ensure fiscal equity among cafe workers.

Halpern recommends establishing transparent wage systems that detail not only why an employee starts out at a specific rate, but also exactly how they can earn raises, how often raises should happen, and what those raises should look like. Ellan Kline, Retail Trainer at Ritual Coffee Roasters (and, full disclosure, my spouse) works within a model just like that: baristas all start at the same rate, undergoing a series of coffee tests that lead to preset raises, and eventually moving into a yearly review system with both clear time-based raises and extra raises that employees can earn by going above and beyond. These on-paper wage brackets help not only trans employees, but also cisgender female employees and workers of color, who know they’re being paid equitably; the transparency has a demonstrably positive effect on morale and retention at Ritual.

Support and Empowerment 

Emotional and professional support are valuable in helping trans workers thrive in coffee companies and in the larger coffee community. Mentorships programs at both a company level and industry level could go a long way toward helping transgender coffee workers find the same coffee community that cisgender coffee workers enjoy.

“Trans and gender-nonconforming folks are, like all marginalized groups, underrepresented in coffee leadership,” said Halpern, who wants to start a coalition of trans and gender-nonconforming service industry workers to mentor, empower, and advise on difficult professional situations and career-building. “Many of us carry the unique emotional burden of defending our gender and identity to customers, coworkers and employers; I want to help people to reduce that emotional burden they carry.”

“Support, empower, promote,” said Kline, talking about her responsibility as an advocate for bringing more trans people into coffee and helping them move up through the ranks if they so desire. Penix said that it’s important to prioritize hiring trans and gender-nonconforming workers as well as workers of color. “This doesn’t mean I exclusively hire trans people or POC,” he said. “It means that I am aware of hurdles that those communities face and seek to remove those challenges. I make statements when I hire to make sure I have a welcoming message free from ambiguity. I am willing to volunteer my own time to training those folks and sending them along with recommendations to other cafe owners.”

Trans coffee professionals in leadership positions like Halpern, Penix, and Kline are doing foundational work to let other trans coffee workers know that they can find comradery and support in the coffee community, and have seen more trans and nonbinary workers moving into cafes since public representation has increased.

Living Wage and Healthcare

Factors that affect all workers’ ability to be healthy and safe while working and coffee, especially pay and healthcare, are critical in supporting trans workers. All five of the coffee pros I spoke to cited paying a living wage and providing healthcare if possible as major factors in trans cafe worker wellbeing.

“Most baristas in this country don’t make a reasonable living wage,” said Halpern. “Most of us don’t get healthcare coverage with our jobs, so we have to rely on government assistance or out- of-pocket insurance plans. The minimum wage in Pennsylvania is $7.25 per hour; nobody can reasonably exist on this wage, nor should they have to struggle because they enjoy working in coffee.” Shannon pointed to Australia, a country where the average barista makes $20 per hour and have health insurance, as a successful and thriving model for where the US coffee industry should go over the next few years. While it’s not always possible for employers to offer affordable health insurance to workers, a lack of access to affordable care disproportionately affects trans workers, many of whom need to be able to access hormone therapy and psychological support in order to do their best work.

“I think getting rid of tipping culture by raising wages and upping prices to account for the amount people budget for tips is the biggest and easiest change to implement industry-wide,” said Kline, adding that tips encourage the idea that the customer is always right, enabling them to treat trans employees disrespectfully without repercussion. “If a customer is making up the gap between the minimum wage and a living wage, how comfortable are trans employees going to feel shutting down customer harassment?”

Providing a living wage and affordable health care within the narrow profit margins of a small coffee business isn’t always feasible; nevertheless, those are still critical success factors in trans worker support, so businesses should try to be cognizant of how that will affect their ability to support trans workers.

Next Steps

These strategies provide a model for cafes that want to be more supportive to transgender workers to gain traction and actualize that goal. Some of these strategies are expensive and take time to plan for, but many are low-cost or free and can even save money by reducing liability and worker turnover. While few coffee companies start out perfect, a little goes a long way, and the trans workers I talked to are excited that coffee businesses are starting to look at free and easy policy moves that lead to cultural shifts. Bringing new perspectives into leadership in the coffee community will allow for novel approaches to old problems that the industry will need to solve in order to move forward.

RJ Joseph (@RJ_Sproseph) is a Sprudge staff writer, the publisher of Queer Cup, and a coffee professional based in the Bay Area. Read more RJ Joseph on Sprudge Media Network.

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Santa Monica’s Bodega Wine Bar Adds Full Coffee Service To The List

Bodega Wine Bar has been a part of Santa Monica’s fabric since 2006. Originally a bar focusing on wine and beer, Bodega is a favorite happy hour spot for locals looking to get a drink and wind down after work. As of January of this year, the owners, Jason McEntee and Greg Seares, decided to expand the bar to house a full coffee program, thus turning Bodega into a cafe in the daytime.

Over the years, Santa Monica’s Silicon Beach, an area home to over 500 tech companies, has rapidly grown and transformed the beach-side city into an industrial hub. In response, businesses catering to tech companies have given Santa Monica a revival of sorts.

“When Bodega opened back in 2006, the neighborhood was fairly quiet,” Seares says. “There were a few retail businesses, a vacant lot, a car repair shop and a lot of apartments. In the past five years, Silicon Beach has become a thing, so the development of new living, retail, and office spaces has vastly increased the neighborhood foot traffic.”

McEntee and Seares decided that since they already had a space, they’d utilize it to offer good coffee in the area where there previously was none within walking distance. They looked to Canaan Vallejos to oversee the coffee program. Vallejos started his career in coffee 11 years ago in Colorado. After upping his barista skills, he landed a gig at Sightglass in San Francisco—as production supervisor where he worked closely with the roasters and green coffee buyer. From there, he transitioned into roasting with Andytown Coffee Roasters. Now, he is leading Bodega’s coffee undertaking.

Although the coffee came later at Bodega, it’s by no means secondary. Vallejos has really put his passion and coffee experience into the program. Starting with the water, the equipment at Bodega has been carefully selected. The water is filtered with Everpure’s MRS-600HE-II Reverse Osmosis System, giving the baristas full control of the water environment. The beans are ground on Mahlkönig‘s Guatemala 710 and Nuova Simonelli’s Mythos One Clima Pro grinders. For their drink of choice, visitors can opt for drip from a Fetco 2132 XTS Twin 3L brewer or espresso from La Marzocco’s 2-group Linea PB. There’s also nitro cold brew from Verve on tap, perfect for cooling down in the heat. The coffee will of course draw the crowds, but the sleek interior of the cafe is also inviting and novel.

The elements of the bar are elegantly lit by the LA sunshine coming in through the windows. Natural light in the space highlights the interior design with exposed brick, teak wood craftsmanship, and leather and wicker furniture. The seating area is furnished with long tables and stools—perfect for those looking for a place to work, along with couches paired with coffee tables. Coffee can be enjoyed until 5:00pm, but wine and beer are available all day long.

“It’s an exciting time in third wave specialty coffee, so though we launched with Verve Coffee Roasters, our long-term goal is to share wonderful coffee with people by featuring new and existing talent with rotating roasters,” Seares says, adding that Bodega also serves Sightglass and Kilogram Tea. They also offer pastries like classic croissants and monkey bread from nearby Larder Baking Co.

The cafe at Bodega has only been open for about half a year, but they’ve already gained a sizable following. It’s no surprise, since the nearby tech workers need their daily pick me up, after all. Soon, they may even be able to get their lunch there—Bodega has a cafe food menu in the works. Brunch in LA, anyone?

Bodega Wine Bar is located at 814 Broadway, Santa Monica. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Tatiana Ernst (@TatianaErnst) is a Sprudge staff writer based in Los Angeles. Read more Tatiana Ernst on Sprudge.

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A Guide to Growing Healthy Coffee Trees

Your coffee crop can only be as good as your coffee trees – but growing strong, healthy, and productive plants means paying attention to several critical variables. Whether you’re a producer looking to improve the quality and quantity of your cherries, or a roaster/coffee buyer working with producers, it’s important that you know these.

Fernando Farfan, an agronomist with the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation’s research centre Cenicafé, agreed to share his advice with me. Read on to discover his recommended practices.

SEE ALSO: Coffee Quality: Rethinking Seed Selection for Better Trees

Coffee flowers blossom while cherries ripen on the branch in Colombia. Credit: Café de Colombia

Location & Climate

Fernando tells me that location is the most important factor since it determines the best production system. “If the climate conditions, precipitation, temperature and sun intensity are of the optimum conditions for coffee farming,” he says, “then the coffee can be grown with complete sun exposure.”

The best climate conditions for the plant’s development and production are, according to Fernando, temperatures between 21°C and 22°C, 1,800 hours of sunshine annually, and a yearly rainfall between 1,500 and 2,000 mm.

Where there are temperatures greater than 25°C, more than 1,800 hours of solar brightness per year, little cloudiness, and annual rainfall of less than 1,500 mm, Fernando explains that water deficiency may become an issue.

“This produces adverse conditions for crop development, presenting us with water deficiency, meaning that there is not enough water for the coffee plantation, which affects the productive development of the coffee crop,” he says.

When this is the case, the best option is to grow coffee under shade trees. These will protect the crop from the sun during the dry season and lower temperatures. In Colombia, a significant portion of coffee trees is grown under shade – approximately 40%, according to the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation.

The view from a Colombian coffee farm; clouds will block the sun and prevent plant sunburn. Credit: Angie Molina

Shade Percentage

Fernando reminds me that coffee trees should receive no more than 1,800 hours of sunshine per year, and that this dictates how much shade should be used.

Take Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, a region in northern Colombia: it has 2,300 hours of sunshine each year. Fernando explains that studies have demonstrated that, because it has 500 hours more sunshine than the maximum, producers should use 42% shade coverage. Any more than that, however, would lead to too little sunshine. This would also limit productivity levels.

Yet other elements can also affect the calculation. Cauca, for example, has only 1,700 hours of sunshine a year but water scarcity can be an issue from July to September. As of such, Fernando recommends that producers in this region use 28–29% shade coverage.

Coffee grows under shade trees. Credit: Café de Colombia

Seeds & Seedlings

The next point to consider is what you’re planting. Fernando explains that, when it comes to seeds, traceability is crucial. “[If we don’t have traceability], we don’t know which substrates have been used, what size the bag is, and what the source of that seed is,” he says.

Seedlings that are grown in the wrong bag size risk poor development and root problems, he advises, recommending 17 cm x 23 cm as the ideal size. And when it comes to the soil, he suggests a substrate that is one-third organic material.

“This way, a good anchoring of the plant to the soil will be guaranteed, and it will allow a better absorption of the nutrients, better development, and better production,” he emphasises.

Young coffee seedlings with their first leaves. Credit: Café de Colombia

Planting Density

The number of trees you can plant in an area depends on the climate and soil conditions, Fernando tells me. Direct sun exposure generally allows for 8,000–10,000 plants per hectare. However, if you’re also planting shade trees, you’ll only be able to plant 6,000–8,000 per hectare.

Other aspects will also affect the planting density, including:

• Variety: If the coffee tree is small or a dwarf plant, such as Caturra or Cenicafé 1, you can plant more per hectare. On the other hand, if it’s a large tree, you will have to sow them with less density.
• Tree layout/spatial arrangement: The space between the coffee plants and the different paths between rows will affect how many plants you can grow per hectare.

What’s more, the planting density will affect factors like the crop’s rejuvenation cycle – more on that later!

Fernando tells me that it’ll often be twenty years until a plot is re-planted, so it’s important to get the location and density right.

Planting density should take climate and soil conditions into account. Credit: Café de Colombia

Soil Management

Soil management includes everything from nutrition and weed management to preventing diseases and fungi.

Cenicafé has published a guide to soil management (Fertilidad del suelo y nutición del café en Colombia) which recommends paying particular attention in the earlier stages. It’s important to prepare the soil before planting the seedling and to maintain it well during the first growing phase, as this will continue to impact the tree throughout its life.

Fernando tells me that one of the first things that producers should look at is the soil acidity. Too low an acidity (measured as units of Hydrogen potential or pH) signifies high concentration of free hydrogen in the soil, a condition that restricts the roots’ access to water and nutrients. The best soil acidity for coffee growth is between a pH of 5.0 and 5.5.

Cenicafé’s guide also recommends that coffee trees need nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as increased levels of potassium and magnesium during the reproductive phase (i.e. when the trees flower). Producers who wish to use fertiliser should do so one to two months after planting, and repeat this on average every four months (depending on the soil’s water content).

Additionally, producers should watch out for weeds – which will compete with the coffee for nutrients and water – and early signs of the coffee borer beetle and leaf rust.

A Colombian coffee plantation. Credit: Café de Colombia

The Rejuvenation Cycle

Coffee trees should be periodically pruned and stumped. To prune, producers should cut the secondary and tertiary branches from the tree, leaving more space for the primary ones to grow. To stump, they should cut the tree down to just 30 cm in height –  something that requires waiting for the coffee trees to regrow before they can produce cherries again.

Fernando tells me that the frequency of stumping should be linked to the planting density: if you want to plant more trees per hectare, you’ll need to stump more frequently.

“If there is a sowing density of 2,500 to 3,000 trees per hectare, the plantation’s production levels will start to decrease after 10 years. If there are 5,000 trees per hectare, then the plantation’s production will decrease after 7 years, and if there are 10,000 trees per hectare, this plantation’s production will decline between 4 to 5 years [after planting],” he explains.

What’s more, he recommends that rejuvenation should occur after four to five harvests (i.e. five to six years after planting), no matter if the coffee is grown in the shade or with direct sun exposure.

Producers should carefully balance their planting density, rejuvenation cycles, and shade percentages to find the best system for their crops.   

A producer works on a Colombian coffee farm. Credit: Café de Colombia

There are many variables to consider when planting and nurturing coffee trees. What’s more, best practices will vary from one farm to the next as the climate, variety, and soil conditions change. The additional support of an agronomist will always be helpful.

However, following the steps above can help producers to look after their trees’ health and productivity. Coffee buyers should also be aware of these points so they know what questions to ask during farm visits – and what recommendations to make, should they need to.

After all, it’s only through growing healthy trees that great coffee can be produced.

Written by Angie Molina. All quotes translated from Spanish by the author.

Please note: This article has been sponsored by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation.  

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Guía de Preparación de Té: Como la Calidad de Agua Afecta el Sabor y Claridad

Tu té solamente puede ser tan bueno como el agua que usas. Quizás seas alguien que quiera disfrutar de los sabores sutiles del matcha japonés o Yunnan Pu’erh. O tal vez seas el propietario de una tienda de café que busca aumentar sus ganancias (el té suele ser el margen de ganancia más alto de cualquier objeto del menú). No importa quién seas, si quieres obtener los mejores sabores, aromas y claridad de tu té, debes prestar atención al agua, su pureza, dureza, temperatura y más .

Abrí mi primer negocio de té de especialidad en 2004, y también gané el Global Tea Championship. Permítanme compartirles lo que he aprendido sobre la calidad del agua.

English Version: Tea Brew Guide: How Water Quality Affects Flavors & Clarity

Preparando té. Crédito: Crédito: Cafe YVR

La Preparación Ideal

Recuerdo llevar una de mis mezclas a Los Ángeles para un cliente, y fue un momento horrible cuando lo probé: el té carecía por completo de cualquier característica en la taza. ¿El problema? Lo adivinaste: el agua.

Agua potable no significa agua aceptable. Afortunadamente, una vez sepas con qué estás lidiando, existen muchas soluciones para el agua de mala calidad. Desde ese momento en Los Ángeles, cuando viajo siempre llevo una tira de prueba de agua en mi morral. Probar el agua me da una línea base desde la cual trabajar.

Estos son algunos estándares que puedes usar para clasificar la calidad del agua:

PH: Neutro (entre 6-8); la preparación de té será ligeramente más ácida, con un pH de 4.5-6.

Dureza: 1-4 granos es ideal. El agua dura puede reducir el sabor y opacar el té helado.

Total de sólidos disueltos (TDS): 50-150 ppm

Cloro: 0

Preparando té.

Agua Dura & Té Opaco

La dureza puede ser un verdadero problema para el té. Intenta prepararlo en San Antonio, o Minneapolis, donde los niveles de dureza llenan el agua con tanto calcio y magnesio que no hay espacio para que las hojas se infusionen.

VER TAMBIÉN: Introducción a la Catación de Té

Este es un problema particular con el té helado, que siempre debe quedar claro en el vaso. En los Estados Unidos, aproximadamente el 80% del té se sirve helado, de acuerdo con The Tea Association of the USA. Sin embargo, cuando la dureza del agua supera los siete granos, el té helado se vuelve turbio.

Té helado listo para tomar. Crédito: Matt Hoffman

Uno de mis clientes, una cadena de restaurantes de 200 tiendas, sirve en cada local el mismo té helado fresco. Sin embargo, durante la reciente sequía en el sur de California, los niveles de dureza excedieron los 24 granos. El té se veía (y sabía) como el río de L.A.

Después de probar el agua en varias ubicaciones, pude emplear suavizantes de agua y ajustar el sistema de filtración. La marca también invirtió en ósmosis inversa en algunos lugares, logrando eliminar la mayoría de los contaminantes, pero también necesitó de un sistema de seguimiento para reintroducir ciertos minerales deseados para el sabor.

Afortunadamente, es poco probable que experimentes una dureza de agua de 24 granos. Sin embargo, aún debes prestar atención a este detalle y, si tienes agua dura, invierte en sistemas y filtros para suavizarla.

¿Qué más puedes hacer con un agua dura? Bueno, en mi experiencia, los tés de China y Vietnam no se opacan tanto como otros tés con más taninos. Si no tienes un sistema de filtración (o se rompe), intenta elegir un té negro Yunnan. Tiene un buen sabor que no se opacará ni se abrumará. Pero, recuerda que esta es solo una solución rápida. La dureza del agua puede ocultar algunas de las notas más sutiles del té, especialmente si se trata de un oolong o té verde.

Otro consejo: la preparación en frío puede ayudarte a evitar que tu té se opaque. Mide 1/2 taza de té (promedio) por galón de agua y déjalo infusionar durante 8-16 horas en el refrigerador. Esto pone de manifiesto los niveles de teanina (L-γ-glutamiletilamida y N5-etil-L-glutamina) y el umami (sabor salado).

Mapa del agua dura de E.E.U.U.  Crédito: Public Domain

Agua de Mala Calidad Disminuye los Sabores

La dureza del agua no es lo único por lo que debes preocuparte. El agua puede estar contaminada por cloro, metales, pH y más. Incluso la temporada puede afectar esto, ya que las plantas de tratamiento de agua pueden cambiar los niveles de estos compuestos durante los meses más fríos. Y todos estos factores afectan el sabor, olor y proceso de infusión.

Desafortunadamente, incluso el mejor té puede tener sabor a tierra si el agua contiene contaminantes del depósito o de la planta local.

Los filtros de carbono son una excelente manera de eliminar los compuestos orgánicos volátiles, el parásito de Giardia, el cloro y cualquier cosa que pueda disminuir los buenos sabores. Recomiendo visitar otros restaurantes cercanos para ver qué sistemas usan. Prueba el agua, luego pregunta y aprende de los expertos en la hospitalidad local: gerentes de hoteles y restaurantes, empleados de cafés, etc.

Por supuesto, si no sabes lo que deberías de experimentar en la taza, saborear el té no será de mucha ayuda. Aquí hay algunas guías básicas. (Ten en cuenta que esta es una lista muy general, ya que hay miles variedades de té).

• Té blanco: pepino, madreselva y un perfil generalmente delicado
• Té verde: sabor a hierbas, grasoso, edamame, granos verdes y vegetal
• Jade oolong: orquídea, espinaca, gardenia, col rizada, mantequilla, melón
• Amber oolong: suave y dulce con notas de miel, albaricoque, madera, nuez, melocotón y rosa
• Darjeeling: fresco y limpio con notas de uva, cítricos y moscatel
• Ceilán: madera, fruta, mentol, pasas, malta, cítricos
• Assam: rico en notas de vino, cereales, madera, caramelo, trigo, cebada, miel y malta

Hojas de té oolong. Crédito: Ankori

Un Té Amargo para Beber

Una nota rápida: si el té tiene un sabor amargo, no culpes al agua tan rápido. El problema puede ser el uso de hojas de mala calidad o una infusión demasiado caliente o larga.

Objetivo de Temperaturas y Preparación de Té:

Té blanco: 76°C/169°F, 1-2 minutos de infusión

Té verde: 76-82°C/169-180°F, 1-3 minutos de infusión

Té Oolong: 90°C/194°F, 2-3 minutos de infusión

Té negro: 97-100°C/207-212°F, 3-5 minutos de infusión

Sirviendo té. Crédito: Lee Xian Jie

Entender a tu agua es tan importante como entender tu té. Invierte en equipo y tiras para probar el agua. Verifica los niveles locales de dureza del agua (aquí hay mapas para EE. UU. Y el Reino Unido). Busca consejos de filtración si es necesario.

No permitas que la mala calidad del agua impida que tú y a tus clientes disfruten de un té excepcional.

Escrito por Marshall Malone de Custom Tea Solutions, Birmingham, AL, EE. UU.

Traducido por Alejandra M Hernández y editado por Karla Boza.

Perfect Daily Grind

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Portland: Eat And Drink Coffee This Week To Help Puerto Rico

Though Puerto Rico has moved off the front pages of the news, the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria two months ago is nonetheless still very real citizens of the island, and many are still in major need of assistance. If you live in Portland, you can help aid your fellow Americans by taking part in Portland Feeds Puerto Rico, a weeklong pop-up series featuring Puerto Rican-based chefs and barista taking over the kitchens and espresso machines all around town. And the first coffee event takes place tomorrow with 2014 and 2015 Puerto Rico Latte Art Champion and owner of Santruce-based Café Comunión Abner Roldan taking over Water Avenue Coffee.

Roldan has been active over the past two months, trying to raise funds to reopen his cafe. Now that his GoFundMe has reached its $5,000 goal, Roldan continues to raise funds for others in Puerto Rico. Starting at Water Avenue tomorrow, Roldan is teaming up with Kali Solack—owner of Café Regina in Santruce—to serve coffee and chocolate-covered churros from Portalnd’s 180 Xurros, with the proceeds going to the Cosa Nuestra Relief Fund and the Animal Rescue relief fund.

Roldan and Solack will then move on to Foxy Coffee on Wednesday to serve coffee from Puerto Rico with games of dominoes, traditional Puerto Rican music, and more churros. On Friday, the duo will be taking over Stumptown Coffee’s downtown location for more coffee and more churros. Their last stop will be on Sunday, where they will join forces with visiting chefs Paxx Caraballo and Mario Pagan at Ataula Restaurant for a Puerto Rican brunch service.

Though not hosting Roldan or Solack, Upper Left Coffee Roasters is joining a handful of restaurants, cocktail bars, and wine spots featuring specials as part of the fundraising efforts. Just ask for the #PDX4PR special.

For more information on PDX Feeds Puerto Rico and to see a full list of participating locations, visit their official website. And if you are unable to attend but still want to help their cause, #PDX4PR is accepting donations directly through their website.

But I’d rather help out by drinking coffee and eating churros.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

*top image via PDX Feeds Puerto Rico

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Where To Drink Coffee In São Paulo’s Vila Madalena Neighborhood

In roughly 1.1 miles—or a 23-minute walk—you can find six specialty coffee shops in the Vila Madalena neighborhood in São Paulo. If you live in cities like London, New York, or Seoul, that might not astonish you, but in the most populous city in South America, specialty coffee shops are not that easy to find. There is a joke going on in the city: the city council will only allow new cafes or roasteries if they are located in the Pinheiros-Vila Madalena stretch. Truth or not, let us take you to our delicious little coffee walking guide in the Vila area.

Coffee Lab

Let’s start with the pioneer Isabela Raposeiras’ Coffee Lab. The coffee school is also home to a coffee shop, where baristas in colorful jumpsuits will take you through a comprehensive coffee experience. The coffee rituals that are listed on the menu are a fun way to discover her lineup of in-house roasted blends and single origins, as well as to try tasteful combinations (coffee paired with chocolate or cheese, for example).

Weekdays are always calmer to visit, as weekends tend to get busy. There is no table service; you choose your coffee—or ritual—from the menu and go to the barista station to order. I recommend one of the Espírito Santo beans on pour-over, and an arroz doce (rice pudding). You won’t be disappointed.

Coffee Lab is located at R. Fradique Coutinho, 1340 – Pinheiros, São Paulo. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Academia do Café

Bruno Souza, owner of Academia do Café, is also a celebrity in the Brazilian coffee scene. He opened Belo Horizonte’s Academia in 2011 first as a coffee school, and then in 2014 they inaugurated the coffee shop. They expanded to this São Paulo coffee shop in 2017, also bringing their SCA-certified courses to the city.

Academia works with coffee from farming and roasting to exporting/importing, so it is a reliable source of knowledge on any of those fronts. At the shop, all espresso orders are made with a double shot, their own Fazenda Esperança farm beans are served throughout the year, and cheese from Minas Gerais award-winning regions is served to pair with coffee. Souza is a genuine and accessible character; if you have the luck to find him there, don’t miss the opportunity to chat with him over some well-brewed coffee.

Academia do Café is located at R. Fradique Coutinho, 914 – Vila Madalena, São Paulo. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Takkø Café

Rodolfo Herrera, Flávio Seixlack, and Rogério Tarantino, the fine folks behind Takkø Café, finally opened their second location. The newest location is at the front of an art gallery managed by Flip (Felipe Yung), a well-known graffiti artist and also a friend of Takkø’s owners. This spot is a more compact operation, focusing on batch-brew offerings and to-go options. The idea is to have more accessible coffee available for the many people who work in the nearby offices.

The owners are rotating behind the counters at the two shops, but you will always find one of them at the Vila Madalena location. Takkø serves a top-notch cortado made with Wolff Café beans, and delicious pastries from local bakeries.

Takkø Café São Paulo is located at R. Fidalga, 98 – Vila Madalena, São Paulo. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram.

Nano Cafés Especiais

Robin Kimura and Lívia Scudeller started Nano Cafés Especiais as a coffee and pastries truck. Scudeller is famous for her cookies and coconut cake recipes, and Kimura is a skillful barista. They brought their coffee truck operation to the back of a spacious house in a Vila Madalena hilly street, which is also home to local handmade shops.

During São Paulo’s high-temperature wave, their baunilha ice coffee comes handy: a delicious concoction of sweetened condensed milk, cold milk, vanilla, spices, and a shot of espresso. And to eat, don’t even try to get away: order Scudeller’s world famous cookies.

Nano Cafés Especiais is located at R. Girassol, 481 – Vila Madalena, São Paulo. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Cupping Café

Less than two blocks from Nano, you will find our next stop. Gabriel Penteado’s Cupping Café is the result of a extensive project. Penteado, an architect who fell in love with coffee some years ago, designed the entire renovation of the front of his parents’ house so that it would accommodate the coffee shop of his dreams. On the shop walls, you will find a lot of information on coffee methods, and the menu always offers three brewing options (AeroPress, Hario, and French Press) besides espresso, along with a fourth rotating method each week.

The food menu has just been renovated and the best-selling items are the pão de queijo (cheese bread), the Belgian waffles, and the slow-fermentation bread toasts.

Cupping Café is located at R. Wisard, 171 – Vila Madalena, São Paulo. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Isso é Café

The next—and last—cafe is located downhill—which is a blessing: Vila Madalena’s hills can be incredibly steep. Isso é Café’s second São Paulo shop is located at the picturesque Beco do Batman, a graffiti-filled alley located at the end of our walking tour. Home to Brazil’s first Modbar, they share the space with Vivei.ro, a social innovation agency/coworking space.

Like Academia do Café, Isso é Café is also well-managed by people who master the many activities in the coffee chain, from farming to exporting. Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (FAF) is a model farm for many producers in the country and also acclaimed for its innovative and sustainable initiatives in the Mococa region (interior of São Paulo). Ask one of the skillful baristas at the coffee bar for a cappuccino and a croissant, while you sit down to digest this quick but intense coffee walk. From here, another walk shall begin, if I may suggest: the cocktail bar walk. But that is a subject for another article, I suppose.

Isso é Café is located at Tv. Alonso, 15 – Jardim das Bandeiras, São Paulo. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Juliana Ganan is a Brazilian coffee professional and journalist. Read more Juliana Ganan on Sprudge.

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The Perfect Daily Grind Christmas Gift Guide 2017

The decorations are up, the Christmas songs are playing in coffee shops, and some baristas are even pouring festive latte art. But if you’re struggling to buy presents for the coffee lovers in your life, have no fear: we’re here to help you out. Our gift guide caters for everyone from your second cousin’s great-aunt to your romantic partner (providing they drink coffee, that is). Let’s get started.

SEE ALSO: A VIDEO Guide to Making Festive Coffee Cocktails

 Christmastime coffee. Credit: Prima Coffee Equipment

Coffee

Sometimes, keeping it simple really is the best option. But there’s more than one way to give coffee.

• A Bag of Roasted Beans

There’s nothing better than spending Christmas morning sipping on a delicious brew with your loved ones. Whether you buy them a Christmas blend, their trusty favorite, or something new and exciting, you can’t go wrong with a bag of beans.

Price Range: Stocking filler

The Joyeux, a blend of Kenyan, Brazilian, and Honduran beans. Credit: Populace Coffee

• Chocolate & Coffee Pairing

It wouldn’t be the festive season without something sweet. Why not swap the cheap chocolate coins for some single origin chocolate combined (if you want!) with specialty coffee?

In the UK, the award-winning Cocoa Runners has a wide range of chocolate bars and gifts. In the US, Onyx Coffee Lab stocks fine chocolate bars from coffee-producing regions as part of their Terroir range. And, of course, you could always pop into a local chocolatier for something more personal.

Price Range: Stocking filler

• Coffee Subscription

One bag of coffee not quite enough to show your loved ones how much you care? Try a subscription. Companies like Mistobox offer gift packages ranging from one month to twelve months. Recipients can select the type of coffee they like to receive.

Price Range: From stocking filler to someone special

Great coffee all year long.  Credit: MistoBox

Home Brewing Tools

Combine these with a bag of coffee or give them as they are – either way, your recipient will be happy.

• The MeloDrip

This innovative tool sets out to alter how we think about agitation and cleanness. The Melodrip allows you greater control over your pour. In doing so, its creators say that it will keep out insolubles and give consumers a cleaner cup.

The team will launch their Kickstarter campaign in mid-December, so you might not be able to put it in a coffee-lover’s stocking. However, who wouldn’t appreciate a “voucher” for a brew tool that will transform their daily coffee?

Find out more about it in our video guide here.

Price Range: Unannounced (follow them on Facebook for their launch date)

Coffee being brewed using the Melo Drip. Credit: Aaron Moxley

• KRUVE Sifter

Want to improve your brewed coffee? Don’t overlook the importance of grind size. And it’s never been easier to manipulate this variable than with the KRUVE Sifter. This tool does for grind size and consistency what a scale does for brew ratio: first, you use two of their 15 sieves to create one of 105 grind size combinations. Second, you remove any fines or boulders to ensure consistency.

What’s more, with their Christmas sale, every Sifter set comes 46 liters’ worth of Third Wave Water. You’ll be drinking perfectly crafted coffee long after the holiday season has ended.

Price Range: Under the tree

Sieves for the KRUVE Sifter can be bought individually or in sets. Credits: KRUVE Inc

• Stagg Pour-Over Kettle

The Stagg Pour-Over Kettle demands your attention with its beautiful design, especially since it’s now optimizable with the new Stagg Wooden Handle and Lid (handcrafted in South Dakota by Artisans of Kingsbury). However, this is far more than just a pretty kettle. It has a built-in brew-range thermometer for the ultimate brewing control.

Price Range: Under the tree

Coffee being brewed on a Chemex using the Stagg kettle. Credit: Cafe Red Beard

Barista Tools

But let’s say you’re not just buying for a coffee-lover. You’re buying for a barista. Don’t worry: there are still plenty of options available for you.

• Push Tamper

Help your barista level up their tamper game with the PUSH Tamper. It’s adjustable and guarantees an incredible tamp for every user.

Price Range: Under the tree

The PUSH Tamper. Credit: Clockwork Espresso

• Milk Jug

A barista’s latte art can only be as good as their milk jug, so a state-of-the-art pitcher can be a great way to make someone’s Christmas morning. We’ve got two options for you:

Barista Hustle Precision Milk Pitcher: This milk jug boasts precise spout and handle alignment, making perfectly symmetrical latte art much easier. Find out more about it in our article here.

JibbiJug: With 11 different milk jug designs, you can choose the weight, spout shape, and handle placement best suited to the latte art you (or your recipient) want to pour.

Price Range: Under the tree

The Precision Milk Pitcher from Barista Hustle. Credit: Barista Hustle

Coffee Books

The holidays are the perfect time to sit down with a cup of coffee, a blanket, and a great book. So why not give someone one of these amazing coffee books? Whether they’re a barista, roaster, producer, or coffee aficionado, there’s something for everyone here.

• The Coffee Dictionary, by Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood

This beautifully illustrated book comes from the 2015 UK Barista Champion (not to mention owner of Colonna Coffee). It takes us through some of coffee’s both important terms, whether they’re related to brewing, production, or roasting. Read chapter one here.

Price Range: Under the tree

The Coffee Dictionary. Credit: Ryan Proctor

• Craft Coffee: A Manual, by Jessica Easton

There’s nothing quite like home brewing for sheer satisfaction. This book will help brewers to finesse their technique and select the best equipment.

Price Range: Under the tree

A manual for the home brewers. Credit: Craft Coffee: A Manual

• Coffeeography, by Stephen Leighton

Every cup of delicious coffee was originally crafted by a hard-working, knowledgeable coffee producer – and they are the protagonists of this book. A must-read for coffee lovers.

Price Range: Under the tree

• Modulating the Flavor Profile of Coffee: One Roaster’s Manifesto, by Rob Hoos

The roaster in your life is sure to thank you for this gift. No matter their roasting knowledge, Hoos’ manifesto is invaluable. Just check your recipient’s bookshelf first: they may already have this one.

Price Range: Under the tree

A book for coffee roasters. Credit: The Roasting Shed

• The Roaster’s Companion, by Scott Rao

Another must-have book for roasters, Rao shares wisdom gained from over 20 years of experience. Once again, check your recipient’s bookshelf first.

Price Range: Under the tree

• The Professional Barista’s Handbook, by Scott Rao

Written by one of the most respected names in the industry, all baristas should have a copy of this book.

Price Range: Under the tree

Three of Scott Rao’s books, from brewing to roasting. Credit: Jonny Hicks

Courses & Sample Packs

You may have cringed when your high school teacher said it, but there truly is no better gift than more knowledge. Cupping, home brewing, latte art, roasting… there’s a course for everything your friends, family, and partners want to know. Check with local coffee shops to find out your options.

Price Range: From under the tree to a gift for someone special

Pouring latte art during a Brew Lab Coffee masterclass. Credit: Brew Lab Coffee

Art, Apparel, & Accessories

Leave them with memories of Christmas long after the decorations come down – give them a piece of artwork or clothing.

• Frank Body Coffee Scrubs

When consuming coffee just isn’t enough… you can also use it as a body scrub! These vegan skincare products use ground coffee for exfoliation.

Price Range: Stocking filler

• Department of Brewology Print, Mug, or Clothing

Department of Brewology is one of third wave coffee’s most loved brands, and rightly so. Their range of artwork, clothing, mugs, and pins is a stunning homage to coffee. For limited periods, they will also donate a percentage of the profits from a particular collection to specific foundations and charities – check their website for more details.

Here are some of our favorite collections:

Filter Coffee, Not People: This political collection celebrates immigrants and refugees, but can also be applied to any minority group and/or equality issue. What’s more, the design work is beautiful.

Bloom: Brewing methods entwined with bouquets of flowers: this artwork reminds us of the sensory lushness of a great coffee.

Barista Merit Badges: Perfect for those who want a little bit of coffee artwork but don’t own their apartment.

Price Range: From stocking filler to under the tree

Some of Department of Brewology’s wide range of products. Credit: Department of Brewology

• Jon Norquist’s Coffee on Canvas Series

Spilt coffee has never looked so good. A piece from Jon Norquist’s Coffee on Canvas series will allow your loved ones to display their passion for coffee to the world.

Price Range: For someone special

Rich. Bold. Colombia Canvas. Credit: Jon Norquist

So there you have it: gifts for the coffee-lovers, baristas, and roasters in your life, whether you’re looking for a stocking filler or that special something. No matter what gift you get them, they’re bound to appreciate the effort you put into choosing a gift that speaks to their passion.

Written by Julio Guevara

Perfect Daily Grind

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