What if...

What if espresso was made by extracting UP instead of DOWN?

2009 USBC Exposed

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Golden Cup Espresso?

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Three things I've learned : Reflections from the 2009 USBC

1) The signature drinks are getting out of control!

A little math, shall we?

Espresso section: (Sensory: 62 points x 4) + (Technical: 17 x 2) = 282
cappuccino: (38 x 4) + (22 x 2) = 196
signature drink: (42 x 4) + (17 x 2) = 202

Creating a great signature drink taste experience is definitely important, but competition baristas need to spend just as much effort and energy on cappuccinos... and even MORE on the single espresso, as on the sig' drink.

Also, at this year's USBC, we saw signature drinks as elaborate as I've ever seen, but I can't think of one of those that really nailed it on the taste points. Taste of the signature drink is worth four-times the creativity points, but the former seems to be sacrificed in pursuit of the latter.

Competition baristas need to learn the scoresheets and prioritize based on what gets your the points. Of course, that's assuming they want to get as many points as they can.


2) Single-origin espresso is great for competition

A blend is, by definition, a more complex thing than (most) single-origin espressos. Baristas are identifying 4 or 5 taste-notes out of the dozen, sometimes dozens, that are present in a blend.

In a good single-origin espresso however, flavors tend to be a bit more simple--with a few key flavor descriptors being not only prominent, but present in a more consistent way. Being able to accurately communicate the taste and flavor experience is such a significant part of the taste scores that using a good (emphasis on "good") single-origin can present a fairly significant advantage. It can also help in the presentation and explanation of the coffee, having one origin, farm, etc. to focus on.

However, this leads to my last reflection:

3) We don't give the Robur enough credit.*

To my recollection, the Mazzer Robur has been used by every USBC Champion. That said, I believe that the Mazzer Robur is one of the most important elements in the development of the U.S. "competition-level" espresso flavor profile.

More relevant research needs to be done, but for now, it is my understanding that the Robur's burr design creates more fines (the finest particles) than any other grinder on the market, which conversely allows for the bulk of the particulate to be ground more coarsely to achieve the typical extraction time. Now there are more complex factors at hand, but focusing just on this one component, the grind profile of the Robur effectively tilts the extraction more towards under-extraction. The solubles that would be extracted if the particulate were ground finer are less expressed.

I believe that this has resulted in the improved performance of single-origin coffees as espresso in the U.S. This is especially true when it comes to fully washed coffees.

So hats-off to you, Mr. Robur (or is it Miss Robur? I dunno... the damn thing is too heavy to lift up to get a look at its private parts). You don't get enough credit out there. Every shop that aspires to pull competition-style viscous, sweet, flavorful shots should have a Robur. There are other grinders that allow for a similar profile (the Anfim Super Caimano and Compak K10 come to mind), but the Robur is still the King.

Or Queen.

* note- I'm intentionally limiting the scope of my comments on #3 to the U.S. Extraction profiles and what flavors and viscosity baristas are going for definitely varies from culture to culture.


Oh... and #4 in my three-part list:

4) Mike Phillips is my hero.

Good luck in Atlanta to Mike, and all of the National Barista Champions who are coming for the 10th annual World Barista Championship. May your drinks all be "Sixes!" (or at least Fives).

Open letter to espresso machine manufacturers:

I'm coming off reading the first hands-on critique of a newly developed espresso machine, and my mind is racing with thoughts... mostly frustrations.

Having had the opportunities to talk to many designers and engineers who have developed espresso machines in the past, I've observed a recurring issue where people seemed to be trying to build machines around a few key ideas that they had that they wanted to see realized, rather than really setting out to analyze how the resulting taste experience happens "in the puck," and then working backwards to design a machine to achieve 'perfection.' Frankly, this seems to ring true with every machine I can think of.

Since the temperature-stable P.I.D. controlled machines debuted in 2004, all we've seen are solutions that are looking for problems. Except, perhaps, for the teflon-type application to steam wands and portafilter innards, we're on our 5th year without anything I can think of that's truly helping to improve the taste experience.

What we really need is real work and development in portafilter baskets: geometry, hole patterns, hole sizes, etc. We need more attention paid to the ways that the showerhead delivers water to the puck, as well as overall group-head/shower-head design improvements. We need grinders that work with the baristas, not against them. We need better grind-profile development through burr designs. We need dosing mechanisms that provide (or help provide) a truly lateral-density-level dose. We need ways to help us measure things by mass, not by time or volume. We need group-head designs that keep the brewing-water-contact surfaces clean. Grind delivery mechanisms that leave little to no grinds behind. Grinder burr carriers that are designed to help keep the burrs cool (heat sinks or some other passive or active cooling), rather than keep the heat in (heat soak). The list goes on and on.

A fairly well-known espresso guru once told me many years ago that he believed that the obsession with brew water temperature stability stemmed from the fact that brew water temperature is something that is relatively easily measured and corrected. Much more difficult are things like managing the migration of fines (the finest grind particles) during extraction, which is a more significant variable than a couple of degrees of water temp, he told me. I think he's right.

It's time to start thinking outside the box. It's time to start attacking the difficult problems that have significant outcomes.

All said, the good news is that since 2004, rather than complaining about our brew water temperatures, baristas have been focusing on the coffees, getting to know the coffee itself and how everything relates to taste. Obviously, there's still a ton more to learn, but it's time for the espresso equipment industry (both big and small) to attack the real problems.

Oh yeah... dosers for lefties too. That's one for my favorite left-handed barista, Mr. Barack Obama.

the next big thing...

Thursday Night Throwdown from SpitCup.net

This is the Fourth-Wave of Coffee

The magic starts at about 25 seconds in.



Tonx, can I borrow your shoes? I have some practicin' to do!!!

untitled

I was at the Gimme Coffee roastery today, and was shocked to find two of the employees have a disgusting brown tongue disease. Beware of this; apparently it is highly contagious at roasteries and coffee shops.




Many people say the disease is incurable, although the Gimme folks showed me a machine that they claim somehow makes the suffering easier to bear:

Palate cleansing beverage?

stove top espresso with a portafilter

I've never seen anything like this before... I mean, a stove-top espresso-maker with a portafilter and a steam wand. Interesting!

Michelle Campbell

This is Michelle Campbell.

Today was her last day at the SCAA.

She was the Director of Community & Events.

She was the administrator of the US Barista Championship.

She was the administrator of the World Barista Championship.

She was the staff liaison of the Barista Guild of America.

For six years, she was a supporter, cheerleader, advocate, defender, enthusiast, admirer, and crusader for baristas all around the US and around the world.

She was a friend to all baristas.

The specialty coffee community owes her a debt of gratitude.

Thank you for your work, your dedication but most importantly your love.

Best of luck in your future endeavors.

We'll miss you!

We love you Michelle!