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Coffee, Curiosity, and Effective Experimentation Methods
A Primer on Performing Meaningful Research Editor's note: A version of this post originally appeared on Perfect Daily Grind on April 19, 2017. Curiosity is among my favorite human instincts. It drives innovation, encourages thinking outside the box, and is spurred by such a simple question a...
ASOPCAFA – First Arrival from Huila
One of our first arrivals for this year’s Colombian main crop comes from a small cooperative in Huila known by its acronym ASOPCAFA, rather than its full name: Asociacion de Productores, Transformadores y Exportadores de Café del Municipio de Aipe – Huila. The coffee, much like the producing...
生豆分析：烘焙商、采购商和生产者 – 目数
在咖啡干燥处理厂的最后一个步骤就是根据咖啡的目数大小对咖啡生豆进行最后的分类，然后装袋出口。进行咖啡目数分类的机器非常大，分为若干层，每层均略微向下倾斜。当咖啡进入机器时，机器开始震动，通过重力作用不同目数的咖啡生豆就被筛选出来。工人们在机器的底端用麻袋盛接筛选出来的咖啡豆。通过多层的筛选，所筛选出来的咖啡豆目数更加准确，而且这些设备还可以进行手工的调整。我曾经有机会在赞比亚和当地工人一起拆卸并重新组装这种机器。但是正赶上他所需要的部件缺货，所以我们不得不花了整个下午的时间来调整，以确保最大目数的孔层在最顶端。...
Passing the Q
Passing the Q Becoming a certified Q grader was a long time goal of mine, a way to prove to myself that I am a coffee sensory professional. Even though I have been cupping coffee five times a week for over a decade, I was still apprehensive to take the test, not to mention the price...
Producer Interview: Francisco Javier Montiel Valencia, 12th Place Finisher in the 2017 Mexico COE
I recently took the opportunity to interview Javier Montel Valencia, a coffee producer in Mexico whose coffee placed 12th in the 2017 Mexico Cup of Excellence (COE), where Jen Apodaca and Alex Mason participated as judges. Francisco’s winning lot was produced on a 6-acre farm located in the...
Sensory Classes & Roasting Courses Happening in the Bay Area
Our friends over at Bay Area CoRoasters are hosting us for some exciting upcoming events! Advanced Coffee Sensory Exercises - December 8th 9am - 12pm. Friday, December 8th: - Register here: $100 Advanced Exercises is a training session including tasting lessons designed to improve the skills of...
Load the Larders
Summer is fading fast, school is back in session, vacations are over and the workaday reality of our millstone existence stares us in the face. This is the season when the real coffee drinking begins, demand and consumption are high, yet as always it corresponds with a time of year when deliveries...
Ethiopia: A Disambiguation of the Nation
Editor's note: This article was updated on July 16th, 2020. To learn more about Ethiopia, check out our webinar, "What's Happening in Ethiopia?" with Max Nicholas-Fulmer, Caitlin McCarthy-Garcia, and Haile Andualem. Ethiopia is, arguably, the most important origin in specialty coffee. It appears...
She’s the Roaster
This article was originally published in Roast Magazine's Flamekeeper section, and was authored by Mandy Spirito. Spirito has been in the specialty coffee industry for 10 years, focusing on roasting and quality control. She is currently director of coffee at Halfwit Coffee Roasters in Chicago....
Crown Analysis: CJ1118C – 巴拿马Horqueta La Berlina庄园水洗瑰夏
Introduction by Chris Kornman 简介 La Berlina庄园位于Chiriqui省，波奎特地区的一个名叫Horqueta的地方，与哥斯达黎加相邻，La Amistad 国际公园的边上。La Berlina始建于20世纪初，由一个名叫Sgundo Diaz的哥伦比亚军人所建立，他由于巴拿马的独立而失业了，同时又因为与波奎特当地的一个女孩相恋，于是决定就在这里定居并建立La Berlina庄园。 当时，Diaz家族发现在波奎特山区周围有很多野生的咖啡树，于是开垦了约80亩的田地用于种植咖啡，后来Diaz的后代迫于压力不得不卖掉庄园，而买家就是Plinio...
直接贸易下的供应链
...或者供应链条将我们联系在一起 在2008年到2015年之间，我一直往返于巴西东非的各个咖啡农场之间，尝尝需要跨越几个时区。但这段时间的付出完全是值得的，让我有机会直接和专业的咖啡生产者们面对面的沟通，获得对于咖啡的第一手资料和知识。 这种面对面的沟通对于双方的相互了解非常有利，也更有利于建立贸易间的透明性。直到现在我还和那些咖啡种植者们保持着紧密的联系。 了解你的咖啡生产者，对于你来说有诸多优势和好处，比如能有效的掌控产品质量、有利于双方的互信和可持续发展、能够让交易变的更加透明和有保证。有效的管理供应链条是让交易双方都可以获利的方式。...
Producer Interview: Carlos Fernández Morera from Café de Altura
I recently took the opportunity to interview Carlos Fernández Morera, a coffee producer in Costa Rica who is using cutting edge experimentation to improve the quality of his coffee. Carlos owns Finca El Diamante and works with a coffee association called Café de Altura, which is located near San...
Roaster Village: A New Space to Explore at the Global Specialty Coffee Expo
A version of this article originally appeared in Roast Magazine Inspired by the Roaster Village at World of Coffee in Europe, a new Roaster Village debuted at the Global Specialty Coffee Expo this year in Seattle. The village is designed to be a more relaxed and casual environment than the Expo...
Crown Analysis: 38975C – 埃塞俄比亚西达摩 1 Chichu Lot 1 30kg GrainPro
Introduction by Chris Kornman 简介 我们即将开启新的大门，来到非洲的埃塞俄比亚，这里是全世界咖啡的故乡，这里的咖啡带有花香气的甜感，让人过口难忘，欲罢不能。 水洗处理厂坐落于耶加雪菲的Gedeo地区，属于西达摩大省。有600多户农民参与每年的种植和收获，该地区的收获季节从每年10月开始。这里气候凉爽，温度比较低，所以发酵时间也更长，最高可以达到48小时。干燥过程也在这里进行，大约需要两周多的时间，通过传统的架高方式进行晒干，在正午时段，由于温度较高需要遮阳保护，同时由于晚上的温度较低，也需要遮挡保温和防雨。 [infogram...
Mid-year Market Recap
Mid-year Market Recap Look up from your cupping table or your roaster’s cooling tray, take a walk outside and you’ll notice that the weather is warm, children are playing outdoors and skies are blue. It’s summer and the year is already halfway over. Somehow amid the flurry of activity with...