A Cup of Coffee to Hopefully Think About by Stephen

A place to read and chat about coffee with me, Stephen. I will post at my leisure.

[stevocoffeeblog]

What is Coffee?

Coffee is thrown around encompassing many different meanings and terms that it has its own vernacular to even extend has its own language.

Again, what is coffee?

Is it a bean or seed?

Is it a fruit?

Where does it come from? Where did it originate?

Is it a beverage?

Why is it brown?

Why is my drink black?

These are just some of the questions we as baristas start to answer and will continue to answer as we continue to learn by asking questions, doing research using a search engine, experimenting with the different applications and techniques of how to make any of the very different coffee drinks. A combination of practice/repetition and having an inquiring mind is a driving factor to get better at, in this case, making coffee.

Coffee is many things: a drink, a bean or seed. It can lead to other things: a job or career, a place that you can make memories and experiences.

We, as baristas or roasters,are guides and students. We should be able to provide a pathway to teach about, but continue learning about the same path.

What is your response to the question: "What is coffee?" How you answer it depends on who you are having the conversation and what is the context of the conversation.

What is coffee?

[stevocoffeeblog]

Where do you like to drink coffee?

When was the last time you went and sat at a cafe? or Do you prefer to stay at home and brew your coffee yourself?

What did you do while you were at the cafe?

What did you drink? How did you take it?

By remembering the experience, as a barista, you should aim to emulate how you want to be served.

At the cafe, how was the service? what was playing on their stereo? how was your drink served to you? what style beverage did you drink? what vessal was the drink served in? how did it taste?

While you were at home, what coffee brew method did you use to make the coffee? was your coffee preground or do you have a grinder? what vessal did you serve from or what mug did you use?

[stevocoffeeblog]

This blog turned one back in February

I orignally started this blog for work, but I feel like nobody from there reads here.

A big thank you to those who stumble upon this blog and welcome(e komo mai, I live in Hawaii by the way, I am not Hawaiian) if you just stumbled here.

For a little background: My name is Stephen. I have worked in coffee for a decade plus at different coffee shops. I started at Starbucks worked there for close to five years. I then, worked at Seattle's Best for roughly 9 months. There was a good amount of time when I focuse on school between that last big chain and the current company I am at now. I have been with my current company almost nine years.

Coffee is life. I have a whole "welcome to hell" speech that I am writing. It probably will evetually be posted here.

If you do see this blog, enjoy the time

[stevocoffeeblog]

Where did you see that trend?

Do not be afraid to try what is trending.

By following coffee content creators: Baristas or Cafes with their own social media pages; Instagram, Youtube, or Tiktok etc.

In Summer of 2023, the aero-cano was one such trending drink. I could not help, but see all over the social medias.

The aero-cano or aerated americano: is an americano, right after the shots are extracted are poured over ice, then steamed to add air until the ice is melted, then poured over more ice in your desired cup.

That summer, the aero-cano was the drink special at different cafes.

I was not the biggest fan of this drink. From a cafe standpoint, I have a few questions when executed: the espresso is poured over ice, then more ice is added. This dilutes the espresso, both when aerating the inital ice, then with the additional ice. Assuming the cafe has multiple sizes, how would you standardize the drink? Would you price it as an americano or would you change it because of how it can change the flow when on the line (especially at a high capacity cafe)?

The Aero-cano is an example of something that was trending. As barista that works in a cafe, multiple people I work with asked me if I have tried the drink around a three month period.

Of course I tried it. I will say, it was not bad. The extra water from both the ice and the aeration, lighten the espresso you are drinking. This is an easily customizable drink.

There will be more similar post eventually.

[stevocoffeeblog]

Short update;I keep forgetting to share new coffee content. This blog is sitting here gathering dust. How will I “revive” this? I’m thinking about redesigning and supplementing it some way somehow.

I hope people actually read this. It was for work, but they’re not funding this.

[stevocoffeeblog]

Fika

Sometimes we need to take a moment.

The Swedish take 15 minutes for coffee.

This custom is both: social and ritual interactions.

Fika as a ritual, a 15 minute period for coffee, or other beverages with a snack to accompany it. Children are not excluded from Fika, to accomdate them juice or non-coffee beverages can be served.

Fika is a chance to socialize while drinking coffee. It is a chance to take a break to have a moment away from whatever it is you were mindlessly doing.

I usually take a moment to just make a cup of coffee for myself, occasionally I will share.

When you do take that coffee break, what will you drink? how will you drink? what will be served?

Take that coffee break. Find out about what is Fika.

[stevocoffeeblog]

Standart Magazine

Standart magazine is a great resource for the coffee professional to find out about coffee professionals: both in the realm of coffee and outside.

Articles can include in the world of coffee featured: cafes, baristas, coffee roasters, and growers/producers.

Standart also showcases Barista written: Poetry, short stories, op-ed, art, photography, and more.

Every issue comes with a sample of coffee.

Standart - Independent Coffee Magazine

Love coffee? Read Standart, a climate-neutral print magazine about specialty coffee and the people that surround it. Awarded 2019, 2018 and

Standart Magazine comes out quarterly.

This publication is a great example of how coffee can coexist with life outside the realm of coffee. Something we, as baristas, should figure out a balance for in our daily lives.

[stevocoffeeblog]

A way to find what is trending in Coffee

In any industry, there are ways to read what is going on in the industry , such as coffee.

Sprudge is a great resource to find out what is going on in the world of coffee. It is not the only resource.

There are other uses on this site: Where, Who, and What to buy; What and how to brew, Guides for specific cities and their cafes, etc.

I utilize sprudge for generalize coffee knowledge when applicable.

Here is the link:

Sprudge Coffee News, Travel & Buying Guides

Quality coffee news, guides, and recommendations from trusted coffee experts.

There are many other resources to find out what is going on in the coffee (or any) industry.

[stevocoffeeblog]

Not Decaffinated Coffee, More Like Low Caffine Coffee

I avoid decaf coffee.

If a barista gave it to me when I said, "Surprise me". I probably could not tell if it is caffinated or not.

There are such things a natural less caffinated coffee varietal: Laurina.

For a less anectotal explaination visit:

What Is Laurina Coffee? | Sprudge Coffee

We take a look at the naturally low caffeine Laurina coffee.

I had a chance to try and enjoy some Laurina by Momos Coffee, roasting from Busan, South Korea.

When I tasted this Anaerobic Natural Laurina from Colombia El Turpial: it has a light body, and it reminded me of raisins or a chocolate covered raisins with maybe a hint of floral tea.

If you need an alternative to decaf coffee, but still wanting coffee, try the Varietal: Laurina.

[stevocoffeeblog]

White Coffee? Really? Yes.

What is White Coffee?

No, it is not your regular roasted coffee with extra cream to make it white. Not similar to white tea, as drank by most western tea drinking cultures (I am looking at you Austrailians, one of many things I learned serving aussies in a cafe).

I heard a little about White coffee recently, because people I work with have sampled it.

I still have no idea what it is or how it tastes or how it is processed.

I am still quite curious of it, even before someone who works a cafe I am part of has mentioned it. I heard nor have seen little about white coffee.

So here is a link to Sprudge to learn about White Coffee.

What is White Coffee? | Sprudge Coffee

All about the very very very light roasted coffee.

If you have a chance to try, please do.

I never stray away from trying different coffees, especially Kopi Luwak. Have you tried white coffee?

[stevocoffeeblog]

How well do you know the menu?

Do you know the menu? Can you recite the milk alternatives in alphabetical order? What would you recommend if someone is on a low carbohydrate diet? What can you recommend if your cafe does not offer that a customer would normally drink at their regular spot?

These are just some of the questions that you as a barista can answer when asked.

Here are some tips to help you, the barista:

1)Know your standard:

Do you have the standard recipe for everything memorized? As a barista in a cafe, there should be a book that has all standards for drinks and/or food. For the customer, please try the drink to standard or ask how much is the standard, unless you are allergic or for dietery reasons. Cafes have different standards for their drinks, most cafes should not be afraid to say how much syrup they put into a drink.

2)Be able to improvise:

Be able to recommend anything to everyone or be able to make substitutions. Someone is lactose intolerent? Our oat milk is similar in texture to whole milk. Teaching latte art, but you want to make it challenging? Macadamia nut milk has less sugar and fat in comparison to other milk alternatives.

3)Remember what is in your inventory:

Are you out of any mik? Does the cafe have nuts in the banana bread? Do you have enough banana bread before you can suggestive sell it? Be able to recite what you have or be able to improvise.

4)Be able to effectively communicate:

Are you out of something? What can you recommend for the undecided? Did anybody say if the cafe is missing anything? Did you ask any questions or did you assume someone is going to tell you everything?

Do you know your menu standard? Are you able to improvise when the situation needs it? Are you looking at what you have? Are you able to communicate the questions?

[stevocoffeeblog]

Process:Honey

Honey process coffee is the inbetween of Natural and washed processed coffee, but can be so much more different. Honey refers to how the seeds look when the skin is removed and the mucilage starts to ferment and liquify while it is drying. The skin is removed from the coffee cherry, but the mucilage is kept on the seed. From that point, the honey process starts and can go through different stages:yellow, red, and black. These stages are the colors that mucilage go through as the coffee dries in the sun.

The additional time helps develope the sugars and the fermentation will change the way the coffee will roast and the way it tastes.

Honey processed coffees can have flavor notes that range from wine or whiskey and fruity with floral notes.

Please read for a more detailed look at honey processed coffee:

What is Honey Processed Coffee? | Sprudge Coffee

What goes into the honey processing method?

Opinion: I love what the honey process does for coffee. A few of my favorite coffees have gone through this process or at an addtional part with the honey process.

What Honey processed coffees have you tried?

[stevocoffeeblog]

Process:Natural

Natural processed Coffee is when the ripe coffee cherry is left whole and left in the sun to dry, before going through the washed process to remove the skin and mucilage.

The natural process changes the coffee's flavors because of what can happen during the drying phase, because the coffee cherry is left whole, and can develope sugars and possibly ferment.

Have you had a natural processed coffee?

For more details, please follow the link:

What Is Natural Process Coffee? | Sprudge Coffee

You've probably heard of naturally process coffee, but what does it mean exactly?

Opinion: I have a bias towards natural process coffees. Some of my favorite natural coffees can have flavour notes that made it taste similar to wine or it brings out more of the fruit flavours.

[stevocoffeeblog]

Process:Washed

When your coffee goes through the washed process, it simply means right after the cherry is picked at the ripest, the skin and mucilage(flesh) are washed off, then the seed is left to dry under special coverings in the sun.

All coffee will go through the wash process at some point after being picked off the tree.

When tasting Washed process coffees, they probably will not taste like they have been fermented or ripen.

For a much more detailed explaination, please click on the link:

What Is "Washed" Process Coffee? | Sprudge Coffee

Looking into what makes a coffee "washed".

Opinion: I like all coffee. I do not gravitate towards washed process, because the flavor notes tend to feel muted or when they are roasted tend to be blended, unless it a small lot grown of some rare varietal of coffee. Even if a small lot of coffee is grown, the farm can or will process said lot differently for clients.

[stevocoffeeblog]

An Aspect of what makes Specialty Coffee

When measuring your coffee for whatever application how it is being made, one of the many aspects that make it specialty coffee are the numbers.

In cafes, from finding what ratios you will be brewing your coffee for your espresso or pour-overs and batch brew, to the amounts that go into the cup size, and a lot of what goes into the business.

The number we want to examine is, what makes the coffee, specialty coffee. There is a tool that examines all the particles in the liquid after the coffee is brewed. The Refractometer uses light to measure the particles that are in the liquid.

Watch this video for a more detailed explaination:

[stevocoffeeblog]

Become a Regular

Find your thrid place.

Go spend too much time at that place. Cafes are as comfortable as you make it.

Do not learn how that place runs. Have an idea of how a cafe is ran, but be able to know when to join in the conversation.

Be able to have a conversation. You do not have to start the conversation, but be able to end it if you need to.

Do not be afraid to admit you do not know it all. We learn from each other. Do not hesitate to set a boundary.

Being social helps, but it is not required. There is such a thing as over staying your welcome at a place.

It is possible to learn how to be social with strangers at a spot that makes you feel comfortable enough.

Have a conversations with strangers. Meet new people. It is a chance to learn how to see and feel for social cues to be sociable.

It is a chance to be part and learn the aspects of coffee culture. It can be a chance to learn about the coffee that cafe serves at that moment in time.

Finding your third place does not happen fast. It does take time. Take your time finding your third place.

[stevocoffeeblog]

Varietal: Gesha

Originally from Ethiopia. Gesha is a part of the Arabica family. It is grown all over the world. Gesha trees are coffee rust resistant.

It is a crossbreed of Robusta and Just like any varietal, Gesha will be used in any process.

It has set the record for being possibly the most expensive coffee in the world. In 2004, Hacienda La Esmeralda sold unroasted for $21 per pound. In 2019, a Gesha produced by Lamastus Family Estates nicknamed "Elida Natural Gesha 1029" sold for $1029 per pound. 100 pounds of this Gesha sold for $100,000.

Known for their Sweet floral notes that are almost tea like: jasmine or black teas, and even tropical fruit notes.

Examples of Gesha that you may have had or will try: I have sample roasted some gesha from Kona, or my favorite coffee grown by Letty Bermudez.

A lot of my current favorite coffees have been Gesha varietal. Multiple roasters sold Letty Bermudez: Manhattan Coffee Roasters from Rotterdamn, Netherlands and Hydrengea Coffee Roasters from Berkley, California. Both roast the coffee differently and have different flavor notes. I have yet to have a bad experience with this coffee. This just happens to be one of the varietals of coffee I have bought multiple bags.