I'm Psyched... and info on the next Jam

The last jam at espresso smith was sweet. We had 30 or so participants (I never got an official number since people kept coming in and out), but more importantly 12 companies were represented. Matt from Fetco gave some interesting tips on brewing a better drip coffee, and many people got to pull shots on the different temp'd groups to taste the difference. Thanks to everyone who came and participated, lets keep this group growing.

Next Third Thursday is November 16 (before Thanksgiving) so it will still be on the Third Thursday even though I said differently before. The location is Calder's Coffee again, and here is what will be happening...

Competition Cappuccino - Learn what the standards are for making a cap during competition. We'll have appropriate cups and pitchers for everyone to play with, but if you want to bring your own please do. If you want a head start visit the SCAA and look under the "about SCAA" tab. There is a large amount of info on competitions, including score sheets, rules and regs, and so on. We'll be using this info to the best of our ability. Here is an excerpt on cappuccinos

2.1.2 Cappuccino:
A Cappuccino is a beverage of ratios, producing a harmonious balance of
espresso, steamed milk and frothed milk. A traditional cappuccino is a five- to
six-ounce beverage (150 to 180 ml.), served in a five- to six-ounce (150 to 180
ml.) porcelain cappuccino cup with a handle and a rounded interior base.
(Please note: For the purpose of the USBC cappuccinos should not be topped
with any additional spices and/or powered flavorings.)

there you go.

Of course there will be a friendly competition. The winner will be the first recipient of the Traveling Third Thursday Trophy and other sweet stuff, so you know you need to be there.

The time line:

6:00 - 6:45 open practice on the bar. Don't let Calder's finicky machine take you by surprise
6:45 - 7:00 demonstration Possibly by a person with real competition experience, otherwise it'll be Steve.
7:00 - 7:45 Show your skills This is the fun competition, with prizes and such. Exact rules will be made up by Steve as we go along.
7:45 - 8:00 Awards Serious schwag will be lined up for this. Be there.


If you want to get involved, shoot me an email. I hope to see 40+ at the November Jam.

-Steve

Last minute plans

Sorry for the lag on posting this, such is life lately. The plan for Thursday 9/19 is to meet at espresso smith around 6 p.m. Check out the workshop, look at all of Tal's beautiful equipment and build the community. Though Tal told me what he had planned, I'm a bit unclear due to self imposed work-haze. Something exciting along the lines of understanding the processes in brewed vs. espresso extractions. We might have a special guest from Fetco and Tal has lined up free schwag from Rancillio. So you better be there. There will be some good learnin and conversating. (I'm really tired).

Thanks to all who responded to my earlier post on community and passion. I know it is out there, lets keep it growing.

-Steve

PS if the link didn't work -
Espresso Smith
1925 S. Rosemary Street
Denver, CO 80231
Phone: (720) 280-1367
Email: info@espressosmith.com

Mileage, community and passion

A passion for coffee, something inexplicable, has taken hold of many people in the coffee industry. I am included in this. I gave up a career as a working musician to become a starving barista. crazy. But I do it for the passion, something intangible in the coffee that consumes my life. At times the passion leads to frustration. Frustration with the state of coffee in the metro area. There are days I dream of moving to a coffee centric town like Portland or Seattle where I can be a barista among baristas, and then there are days when I listen to the pf.net pod-cast with John Hornall (number 50) and believe that Denver (and the front range) can become a coffee town.

So today I'm in a state of coffee isolation. I have a customer who told me he lives equal distance from Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City and St. Louis. I decided to google it and yes, Mt. Pleasant IA is a 5-6 hr drive to any of these cities. On the other-hand, for me to get to any of these cities it is 10 - 16 hrs (or more). OK what are the cities near the Denver Metro area? Albuquerque 8 hours (though I did do it in 5.5 leaving at 2 a.m. and averaging 110 from Pueblo to NM). Salt Lake is about 9 hours. And neither of these cities are any closer to coffee than we are here. So a coffee waste land. But my eternal optimist always shines through. Let's make the Denver area a coffee mecca. Yeehaa. Yes there are some very passionate people in town, but when it comes to baristas it seems few want to put any effort forth.

This is a call to all baristas in the Denver area, in fact the whole Front Range, to step it up and create a coffee culture. If you feel the same passion for coffee and community that I feel let's work together to make this town known for killer coffee. If you haven't been to the jams, or if you only made one of them, show up to this next Jam on the 19th. (more info will be posted soon). Start talking up the jams to baristas at all the coffee shops around you. As for the jams, get involved. They are designed to be simple and free formed, but the require your input. If the jams don't work for you, get something going and invite me. Either way, lets build this community.

Colorado is my home. I don't want to have to move to Mt. Pleasant, IA.

feeling a little grumpy today,
-Steve

Calders Coffee on Friday Nights

So, I just wanted to let everybody know that Calders Coffee has been having live entertainment in the form of poetry, music, comedy, etc... on friday nights. I update the calender on our myspace account all the time with new dates and acts. Please look it up and come by sometime. Give me feedback too on what has worked and what hasn't at other shops around town. Thanks

www.myspace.com/calderscoffee