Business Logo and Business Cards of Coffee Shop

Once you have come up with a name for your coffee shop, you will want to develop a logo. A logo should include your store’s name and an image that represents it. Many shop owners use a sketch, drawing, or photo of the store itself. 

You will need to consider the font or typeface for the lettering and colors. Because this will be such an integral piece of your marketing, do not scrimp. Look into hiring a professional to design your logo. You will probably put the logo on every single piece of your marketing items, so you want this to look good!

Business Cards

Long before you open, you will want to design and produce your business cards. These can be a fairly inexpensive and convenient way to market your new shop. There are many good design programs out now so that you could try to design these by yourself. You do want to make sure these look professional, though, so even if you do most of the work yourself, you may want to employ a graphic design for artistic input. 

Whether you use a designer only as a consultant or for the whole project, there are many sources for finding these artistic individuals. If you have an area college with an art program, you might try contacting the school to see if anyone is interested in bulking up his or her portfolio. Many of these students are entirely capable of producing professional designs even though they have not had much on-the-job experience. 

Many designers also do freelance work. Contact one of the professional design organizations, such as the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), to see if they can provide you with a directory of freelancers. The AIGA can be contacted at: AIGA, 164 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10010, 212-807-1990, www.aiga.org. Also, look at www.sologig.com for freelancers. If you are designing your own business card, be sure to keep the following design principles in mind:

• Alignment 

• Contrast 

• Repetition 

• Proximit

Contrast needs to be obvious or it might look like a mistake. For instance, you can bold all your headers in a brochure and keep all the other text as regular text. You also can unify a design and create contrast with repeating graphic elements. Think about using bullet lists, for example. 

Alignment communicates connection between the elements of your design. When designing a business card or brochure (or any other promotional piece), think about the paper as a grid and place your elements on the grid, trying to balance them and create a pleasing design for the eye. Do not be too constricted by the grid; be bold and place some elements outside of it (angle a picture of your shop, for example) to create visual interest. Proximity creates a focus for your business card by creating relationships between elements. After you have designed a card, try the squint test. Hold the piece at about arm’s length. 

If all you see is gray, you need to work on proximity. Try to use these elements in all your graphic designs. Also, think about color. Two and four-color jobs are more expensive to print, while a nice, clean black and white design might serve just as well. Because a business card is so small, you want to make sure you do not try to include too much information, and it is very important for it to be eye-catching (otherwise the person you hand your card to is just going to throw it to the back of their desk drawer with all the other business cards in there). 

Remember, simplicity is often best. Use an image for the focal point of your card and make sure to include pertinent information such as the store’s name, address, phone numbers, website, and email addresses. Once you get all this information on the card, there is little room for anything else. While many people prefer the simplicity of a 1- by 2-inch card because it fits easily into cardholders, others prefer a folded card because it draws people’s attention and seems a little more sophisticated.

Coco Cowboy Coffee Recipe

 

Makes: 1 

Preparation Time: 5 mins 

Total Prep Time: 10 mins 

An indulgently thick coffee drink enhanced with the delicious pairing of coconut and chocolate.

Ingredient List: 

- 1 cup canned coconut milk (unsweetened) 

- 1 cup fresh strong brewed coffee 

- 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Instructions: 

1. Into a small saucepan, add the coconut milk, simmer while whisking until the mixture begins to foam and steam. Take off the heat. 

2. Pour the coffee into a mug and pour over the foamed milk. 

3. Drizzle with lots of chocolate syrup and enjoy.

How to Become a Genuine, Certified Roaster!

A GOOD ROASTING 

You don’t have to be a roaster to be a great barista, but knowing a bit about how your coffee is roasted can give you a new understanding of the power of the bean. You’ve probably been to a café where a huge coffee roaster is on display, churning away to its precise instructions (if you haven’t, you should—it’s pretty impressive). 

Like much of the coffee industry, this process was hidden for a long time but is now opening up to professionals and amateurs alike. Raw, green coffee beans, as you’ve probably figured out, aren’t much use (fad diets aside). 

They have to be roasted to make them consumable and to unlock all those delicious coffee flavors. As the roasting temperature increases, raw coffee is transformed (chemically and physiologically) and each tiny adjustment affects the final brew’s flavor. When it comes to specialty coffee, roasters meticulously control the process to tease out a spectrum of flavors— it’s about getting the most you can out of a bean.

Technically, you can become a specialty roaster by just roasting specialty coffee and selling it (a little like being a DJ—it’s impressive and all the cool kids are doing it, but there’s no certification process to go through before you can call yourself one). 

 There’s really no way to know a great roaster from a so-so roaster except by trying some of their coffee and seeing if you like it. That’s not to undermine those really talented roasters—it takes a great palate, a lot of practice, some bang-on intuition and a fair number of scorched batches of coffee to get the knack. 

The Roasters Guild, an official trade guild of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, has established a certification for roasters—both experienced and just starting out. Roasting is considered an art, rather than just an industrial process

The Roasting Process

It’s easier to monitor quality when you’re producing something in smaller batches, and small-scale “artisan” roasters are becoming more and more common, experimenting away in backyards and café storage rooms. 

Rob Forsyth, president of the Australian Specialty Coffee Association, has been in the business for around forty years and says he’s seen the number of cafés roasting their own beans—and offering them for retail sale—at least triple in the past five years, so there must be something in it. The roaster controls the transfer of heat to the beans by adjusting airflow, gas levels, drum speed, charge weight and the biggie, time. 

Each tiny adjustment can make a huge difference to the final flavor. Roasters use sight, sound and smell to judge how the coffee is coming along, watching it change color, listening out for the loud “cracks” (the sound the beans make as the heat causes them to release gases) and inhaling all that lovely (cough) coffee smoke

There are many ways to describe the roasting process, but it goes roughly along these lines: 

Drying: The beans steam, changing from green to a brownish yellow, and might start smelling a bit grassy, or like burlap or bread. 

First development: Beans start to give off that familiar coffee smell, turn light brown and begin to smoke. 

First crack: Beans make a loud crackling sound, the sign that the beans’ fibers are splitting and they’ve started to roast. 

Second development: From here, the beans start to expand and darken as they caramelize. Depending on taste, the roast can be stopped at any time after the first crack reaches its crescendo, and most single-origin roasts are best stopped between this stage and the first few rustles of the second crack. 

Second crack: The second crack is like a last warning, where timing becomes essential. It’s quieter than the first crack, more like the sound of crinkling paper. As the second crack gets louder and smoke fills the air, the beans become very dark. 

No! Stop! Too far!: The beans are burnt. Any coffee made from these will taste a bit like rubbery charcoal.

Ordering China, Glassware, Flatware,Utensils, and Miscellaneous Items

 

As a general guideline, you are likely to need 8-, 12- and 16-ounce sizes of coffee mugs; 8-ounce cappuccino cups with saucers; espresso cups and saucers; double espresso cups with plates; demitasse cups and saucers; other specialty coffee cups; bone china tea cups and saucers for serving tea; plus a range of different sized glasses for cold drinks and juices. 

If you also sell alcoholic beverages, you will need to serve them using the appropriate glassware, such as brandy and liqueur glasses and 0.5-, 1- and 1.5-ounce shot glasses. Additionally, you will need to purchase a range of matching china plates and bowls and silverware, in line with your side-snacks and dessert menus. 

Pay particular attention when choosing the design of the dessert plates, dishes, and parfait glasses. Remember, presentation often will result in impulse orders for an extra portion of dessert, so it pays not to scrimp on the purchase of eye-catching dessert-ware. Bear in mind that breakages will be highest for key items of chinaware, such as espresso cups and dessert plates; order extra stock accordingly. 

Also, keep in mind that dishwashers and other machines all work at different speeds and that not maintaining enough stock will slow down service. Too much stock, however, will cause you to store items in the shop, tying up cash. 

Figures will need to be adjusted depending on the menu and how many uses you can have for the same piece of China or flatware. Apart from standard flatware for serving snacks and desserts, you also will need to stock up on specialty flatware such as small espresso spoons, long latté spoons and large spoons for scooping foam. 

Do not overlook the importance of attractive containers for your countertop or refrigerated food displays. For example, if you are trying to promote your signature “hand-baked” pastries and muffins, you will need to invest in attractive 49 display chinaware, cake plates, or baskets. Other miscellaneous items and utensils you may need to purchase before opening your coffee, espresso, and tea shop include:

• Knockbox for used coffee grounds 

• Multi-level rack for syrups 

• Cinnamon and nutmeg shakers 

• Honey dispensers 

• Baskets for individual creams and sugars 

• Steam milk thermometers 

• Espresso pourers 

• Steaming pitchers (32- to 48-oz.) 

• Cream thermos 

• Muffin tongs 

• Dessert or cake servers 

• Cutting boards 

• Dry and wet measuring cups 

• Measuring spoons 

• Prep knives 

• Cookie flippers 

• Ice cream scoops 

• Chocolate graters 

• Plastic sealable containers 

• Bean blending containers 

• Steel scoops for green coffee 

• Individual teapots and tea cozies 

• Whipped cream dispenser (with extra chargers)

Worksheets 

The following worksheets, provided courtesy of the Small Business Administration, will aid the coffee and tea shop manager greatly in estimating start-up costs and expenses. 

How Much Money Do You Need? 

To help you estimate the amount of financing you will need to get your venture off the ground, use the following checklist. Keep in mind, however, that not every category applies to your specific business. Estimate monthly amount.

WHAT DO I CALL THIS ROAST LEVEL?

 

AS WE FIND OURSELVES CARING MORE AND MORE ABOUT COFFEE, WE REALIZE THE ROAST LEVEL OF THE COFFEE IS IMPORTANT TO US. SO, WHEN WE GO TO BUY COFFEE, HOW DO WE TELL THE SELLER EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT? UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS A BIT MORE COMPLICATED THAN ANYONE FEELS IT SHOULD BE.

Simply using light, medium, and dark doesn’t make sense because of the lack of agreement of what they mean; one person’s medium is another person’s light. Moreover, light can encompass quite a range of colors. Names like city, full city, French, and cinnamon are just as nondescript, as there’s no standard for what color they actually correlate with. 

Terms like strong, bold, deep, and heavy are even more egregious, as they either refer to the concentration of the brew (strength) or could possibly refer to its viscosity. Clever marketing brought us these terms and every coffee professional wishes these words would vanish from the roast level lexicon. Much to my dismay, I’ve never come across any terminology that works particularly well for describing roast levels. Is there a more objective method that could be used? Yes. In fact, there are several, all of which are imperfect and all of which are distant and somewhat meaningless to the typical coffee drinker. 

We can be referential to the stages of roasting, and talk about roast level as the time before or after first or second crack. To an experienced roaster and especially to one familiar with a particular coffee (different coffees roast differently, as you’d expect), this is a fairly useful method of communicating roast level. However, as the length of the roast and events within the roast are, by definition, dependent on the roast profile, using the cracks as reference points are only useful if there is some knowledge of the profile. 

Another method that is often used by scientists is weight loss. As the roast progresses, not only does the bean expand, nearly doubling in size by the end, but it loses a lot of weight as moisture evaporates and solid matter is converted into volatile compounds that leave the bean. 

Very light roasts will lose around 12 percent of their weight while very dark roasts can lose as much as 30 percent of their weight. The minor drawback to this system is that weight loss depends on initial weight, which is heavily influenced by moisture content. While most green coffees tend to be in the 9 to 12 percent moisture range, not all of them are, and if not stored well, their moisture content can change. A coffee with a higher moisture content will have a greater weight loss than one with a lower moisture content because more water (and the weight it added) will be driven off.

Did you know? The first webcam was built in 1991 by computer scientists to keep track of how much coffee was in the coffeepot in the Trojan Room, a computer lab at the University of Cambridge.

This is fairly minor problem for small roasters because even in the extreme case, the final weight loss between a high to low moisture content coffee will be pretty small. On the other hand, roasters who roast very large quantities of coffees or roast particularly dark may end the roast by quenching the coffee with a fine mist of water. 

While the expectation is that the water evaporates immediately, thereby cooling the coffee quickly, some water may remain and add weight back to the beans. In my opinion, the biggest problem with this as a tool is that training consumers to calibrate colors to weight loss may never be very successful; people just aren’t used to thinking of weight and color as parallel ideas. 

The last method that can be used to talk about roast color is the actual amount of lightness! More specifically, we can measure the amount of light reflected off the bean or grounds and assign an arbitrary number to that particular amount of reflectance. This is already a common practice in the coffee industry, and the arbitrary numerical scale already exists. 

All one needs to make sense of it is a spectrophotometer, a machine that measures the reflectance or transmittance of a specific wavelength of light, and the coding that translates the number to a color. The latter part is simple, as one can create and even buy already-made colored discs that correspond to the numbers. 

The hard part is that spectrophotometers are expensive machines and usually only larger companies purchase them. Just as tricky is the consumer side of things, much like with weight loss, few consumers are going to learn which number corresponds to which roast level. In the end, there is no perfect way of conveying roast level to someone else without showing them the bean. So, we’ll just continue as we always have, using the tools we have on hand. Hopefully, someone will come up with something better someday.

Caramel Macchiato Recipe

Makes: 1 

Preparation Time: 3 mins 

Total Prep Time: 8 mins

A totally delicious classic, as good as your barista would make.

Ingredient List: 

• - 16 ounces whole milk 
• - ½ tablespoons granulated sugar 
• - ½ teaspoons vanilla essence 
• - 2 ounces freshly brewed espresso 
• - Caramel sauce

Instructions: 

1. Into a small saucepan, add the milk and sugar, simmer while stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the vanilla essence. 

2. Take off the heat and whisk the mixture until foamy. Pour into a coffee mug. 20 

3. Slowly pour the espresso over the milk and finish with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce. 

4. Enjoy straight away.

Installation of Coffee- and Tea-Making and Related Equipment

The U.S. specialty coffee and tea industry is relatively young, and retailers of upmarket beverages are constantly having to familiarize themselves with the changing complexities of their business. The same applies to the suppliers and installers of specialty coffee- and tea-making equipment that also have to negotiate an ongoing learning curve. We recommend, therefore, that you build in extra lead time for the ordering and installation of your specialized equipment. 

Milk Dispensers/Ice Cream Freezers 

In the flurry of pre-opening activity, do not forget to organize any additional pieces of equipment necessary for the smooth running of your operation, such as milk dispensers and cream freezers. Many suppliers offer contracts for the use of equipment that are worth considering when you also guarantee to purchase their products exclusively. Ice cream freezers, milk dispensers, and various other kitchen equipment, such as water boilers, are available on contract. Your sales representative will have all the information about the necessary equipment. These arrangements may be very beneficial for small coffee and tea shops that have limited capital. Whatever your financial situation, do a thorough, careful investigation into the terms of the service contract. 

Organizing Public Utilities 

Notify public utility companies of your intention to be fully operational by a certain date. Allow plenty of lead time for completion. Some of these companies may require a deposit before they will provide service. Every company and city has different policies, so be sure to investigate yours thoroughly.

Phone Company 

Two external phone lines are recommended, with some sort of intercom, handheld radio system, and/or paging system throughout the shop so you can speak from your position to key areas for any information that you may need to communicate. A discussion with your local phone company business office about your needs will reveal your many options. You also may wish to consider the installation of a music intercom paging system. Above all, be sure to place local emergency numbers at all phones. 

Gas and Electric Companies 

All major items of equipment need special hook-ups that can only be completed by trained technicians of either the gas or electric company, or by authorized representatives. They should be contacted as early as possible to come and evaluate the amount of work required. In many cases, they will need to schedule the work several weeks ahead of time. 

Many gas and electric companies offer service contracts for purchase. If available, it is highly recommended that you purchase them. Equipment that is maintained to manufacturers’ specifications will last longer and operate more effectively and efficiently. Set up a loose-leaf binder to contain all the information on your equipment and its maintenance schedules. Included in this binder should be warranties, copies of receipts, brochures, equipment schematics, operating instructions, maintenance schedules, parts lists, order forms, past service records, manufacturers’ phone numbers, a chart showing which circuit breaker operates each piece of equipment, etc. Keep this manual up to date from the very beginning. Become aware of your equipment’s needs and act accordingly. Train your employees thoroughly in the proper use of all equipment, and it will serve the establishment well for many years. 

Water 

Running a specialty beverage operation means that you cannot take any risks with the standards of water supply to your brewing equipment; the quality and purity of the water that goes into your tea and coffee is of vital importance to the overall success of your business. Water is different in all parts of the country due to the type of chemical particles it contains. Water that has been subjected to a chemical treatment plant may contain a high level of chlorine. Bear in mind that the chemical particles in the water can have a particularly bad effect in the brewing of fresh coffee and tea. Your state’s department of natural resources can give you information concerning 44 the water’s chemical makeup in the local area. 

Several companies now have filtering devices on the market that attach directly to the water supply lines. Discuss your particular situation with your state’s department of natural resources and the sales representative for your coffee and tea suppliers. 

Securing Other Essential Services Locksmith 

A registered or certified locksmith must be contacted to change over the locks as soon as you occupy the shop building and at intervals thereafter. Also, ensure that the locksmith periodically changes safe combinations. 

Fire and Intrusion Alarms 

Every beverage and food outlet should have two separate alarm systems. A system for fire, smoke and heat detection, and one for intrusion and holdup. As a side note, the installation of an alarm system will increase the value of the property, and a 24-hour monitored system may make you eligible for a rate reduction of 5 to 10 percent with your insurance company on the insurance premium. 

Dishwasher Chemical Company 

Contact all the dishwasher chemical suppliers in the area and meet with their representatives. In most areas, four to five companies will be able to provide the dishwasher with the service it requires. Several of these companies will monitor the entire system, making sure the machine and staff are working together for maximum efficiency. Clean cups, saucers, and serving accessories are an absolute necessity for any beverage outlet. Do not gamble on the outcome by not using an expert. 

Sanitation Service 

In most counties, a private business must provide its own garbage pickup. Receive quotes from all the sanitation companies in the area. Prices may vary considerably depending upon who purchases the dumpsters. You may wish to get advice from your local health department to help you make your selection. 

Parking Lot Maintenance 

Parking lots will need periodic maintenance besides the daily duty of light  sweeping and picking up of any trash. Painting new lines for the parking spaces should be done annually. Blacktop surfaces will also require a sealant to be spread over the surface periodically. Winter climates will require snow removal and possibly salting and sanding of the lot. Most of these services may be purchased under contract.

Plumber 

A local plumber will be needed to handle any miscellaneous work and emergencies that may occur. The plumber must provide 24-hour emergency service. Make every effort possible to retain the plumber that did the original work on the building. 

Electrician 

As with the plumber, it would be a great advantage to retain the original electrician who worked on the premises. An electrician will be needed when equipment is installed or moved. If it has not been done already, the electrician should check and label all the circuits and breakers in the building. The electrician also should be on 24-hour emergency service. 

Refrigeration Service 

The most important consideration when choosing a refrigeration company is how fast they can respond to emergencies. The company must have 24-hour service. 

Exterminator 

Exterminators must be licensed professionals with references from other similar beverage outlets they service. You may wish to consult the health department for their recommendations. Exterminators can eliminate any pest-control problems such as rats, cockroaches, ants, termites, flies, etc. The company selected should be signed to a service contract as soon as possible. This is not an area to cut corners or try to do yourself; it will not pay in the long run. 

Plant Maintenance 

If your coffee, espresso, and tea shop contains large, expensive plants, you may need the services of a plant maintenance company. A professional plant-care person can provide all the necessary services to protect your investments: watering, pruning, transplanting, arranging, etc. Contact plant-care companies in the area to get their opinions, quotes, and references. They must be made aware that they are working in an environment where toxic sprays may be used only with the approval of the health department and, even then, very cautiously.

Pick a Bean, Any Bean

If you’re feeling a bit lost as to where to find your beans, the best place to start is at your favorite café. Ask for advice from your local barista or roaster: 

    they’ll have spent enough time with their beans to be able to give you a few hints, and might even supply you with some for tasting. You can also source your beans, whether roasted or green, from a variety of online stores. 

        Don’t Follow Price While specialty coffee is generally more expensive, and better quality, than commercial coffee, keep in mind that within the category of specialty coffee the pricier doesn’t always mean the better. 

        Island coffees, such as those from Jamaica and Hawaii, are generally more expensive, not because they taste better, but because production costs are higher and there are fewer of these beans available.

ask for advice from your local barista or roaster: they’ll have spent enough time with their beans to be able to give you a few hints

Know What You Want Specialty coffee tends to be sold either as an “espresso” or “filter” roast, so you should know how you’re going to brew your coffee before you pick the beans. Filter roasts are lighter and allow more complex flavors to shine through, perfect for the gentle process of filter brewing. 

Espresso roasts tend to be darker and richer, meaning flavors can survive the highpressure brewing process of an espresso machine. Remember, milk is not a friend of specialty single origins. It can drown out the more subtle flavors in a coffee, so for lattes and cappuccinos you’re better off with a robust blend, or at least a stronger, fuller single origin such as a Brazilian. Keep an Eye on Freshness When buying coffee, look for a roast date on the bag. 

There’s a lot of debate around when coffee is at its best, but the general consensus is that it needs to rest after roasting for anywhere between one and four days, that it reaches its flavor peak between five and ten days after roasting, and that it is okay for up to three weeks from the roast date. But as always, the only way to really know is to try—some coffees might peak earlier or later, so it’s more about the bean and the roast and the way you intend to brew it. 62 Buy Whole Beans Grinding your beans is like putting them into hyper flavor-release mode, which means they will peak and start to go stale extremely quickly— we’re talking a few hours. 

Within a day of grinding, the coffee will have lost much of its complexity; within a week you’ll have a pretty dull flavor. You’re most definitely better off buying a grinder and grinding as much coffee as you need for each cup. Still, if you really, really don’t want to bother with a grinder, just make sure you’re getting the freshest ground coffee possible. 

LOVE YOUR BEANS After going to such lengths to choose the right coffee beans, you really want to take care of them properly. Of course you can buy specialized coffee storage canisters, but it’s not essential, as long as the coffee is protected from air, heat and moisture. Buy only what you’ll use in one to two weeks and, ideally, store in an airtight glass or ceramic container in a dark and cool spot. 

Don’t keep coffee in the fridge or freezer, no matter what anyone says; the beans will absorb the moisture and smells of the fridge, ruining the flavor, and making your double ristretto taste just a bit like last Thursday’s pizza

White Chocolate Iced Mocha Recipe

 

Makes: 1 

Preparation Time: 3mins 

Total Prep Time: 3mins

Creamy, chocolatey and delicious, what more can you say!

Ingredient List: 

- 2 tablespoons white chocolate sauce 

- 2 tablespoons cold brewed coffee 

- 1 cup whole milk Ice Whipped cream (to serve) 

 Instructions: 

1. In a large jug, combine the chocolate sauce with the cold brewed coffee and milk. Stir to          combine. 

2. Add the ice. 

3. Pour into a mug and top with whipped cream.

So Where’s my coffee bean?

Knowing the origin of a coffee gives something of an (albeit, extremely broad) indication of what the flavor will be like, which is why most beans are sold with the beans’ origin written in big letters on the packaging. 

Each coffee-growing region, from Kenya to Colombia, is defined by its climate, the prevalent plant varieties, and the processing methods used—all elements that significantly affect the final flavor. 

Experts mostly agree that basic attributes can be pinned to certain regions, within which there are, of course, innumerable possibilities. So, here is your absolute basic guide to which regions produce which kinds of flavors. Don’t get too attached, though: the more you taste the more you’ll realize that there are plenty of flavor surprises to be found.

Central America 

As a group, Central American coffees are known for balance. Think cocoa flavors, a fruity background and a soft sweetness with varying levels of acidity. This area has been producing commercial coffee crops for a while, and reputations for quality vary from country to country. 

Guatemala: 

Guatemala is renowned for specialty coffee, consistently supplying top-notch beans with a wide range of flavors. Really good Guatemalan coffees have a moderate body and are bright, clean and powerful, with a taste range that includes chocolaty, spicy and smoky as well as delicate, floral and buttery. 

Mexico: 

Mexican coffee is known for being light-bodied and mild; it’s naturally sweet, so good for darker espresso roasts. There isn’t a particularly strong focus on specialty coffee in Mexico yet, so well-processed beans aren’t always easy to find. 

Panama: 

Somewhat ignored for a while, these days Panamanian coffee has a bit of a “next big thing” aura around it, with a lot of attention being given to the intensely floral “Geisha” variety of coffee bean produced there. Specialty coffee farms in Panama are known for having some of the more fair labor laws and wage standards in the region, producing bright coffees with strong fruit and floral notes. these days PanamaNIAN coffee has a bit of a “next big thing” aura around it. 

South America 

Long synonymous with the coffee industry, particularly the big-hitting Brazil, coffees from South America have been more generally described as having a clean mouthfeel and lively acidity, and for being slightly sweet. Though long the home of massive commercial coffee crops, there are plenty of smaller farms in South America shifting the focus to specialty. 

Bolivia: 

Bolivia is producing some wonderful specialty coffee that is often delicate, bright and sweet with subtle fruit flavors. They can also develop more nutty and chocolaty roast flavors. 

Brazil: 

Brazil is the biggest coffee-producing nation in the world, with huge commercial crops as well as some excellent, quality single origins. Top Brazilian beans are known for their power, subtle flavor variations and balance, so they’re great for blending and produce a mild, clear, lowacid coffee, with possible milk chocolate, cherry and sassafras flavors. 

Colombia: 

The Colombian coffee industry has been particularly well run for a long time, with a strong federation of growers (and excellent marketing). Because of this, their coffee is particularly consistent in quality and is, for the most part, very clean tasting, balanced and big-bodied, with a range of flavors that at its finest can be cane-sugar sweet with tropical fruit notes. 

Peru: 

Grown at high altitudes, Peru’s best coffees are notably bright. They’re clean and mostly wet-processed, acidic with touches of fruit or floral. These coffees are often lively and rounded, rather than overpowering. Though recently, some specialty coffee suppliers have struggled to find highquality beans in Peru

Africa and the Arabian Peninsula 

This region is coffee’s natural homeland, and thought to have some of the most exciting specialty coffees around. These distinctive beans have sweet flavors ranging from mellow and wine-like to zesty and citrusy. 

Ethiopia: 

Ethiopia, the home of Coffea arabica, has a special place in the coffee industry. Wet-processed Ethiopian beans tend towards clean, floral flavors, while the dry-processed beans are thicker and have a distinctively rich and complex flavor profile. Ethiopian beans are a particular favorite of many coffee-lovers, and knowing that some of this coffee comes from the oldest coffea trees in the world only adds to this country’s cred. 

Kenya: 

Kenyan coffee, known for its acidity, has an excellent reputation for both its industry practices and quality. At its best it produces a complex coffee that is particularly fruity, with berry tones, a sharp, full body and rich fragrance. Also, some spice, sweetness and wine-like qualities are possible. 

Rwanda: 

Rwanda has long been a large producer of coffee, but these days it’s an interesting case of a specialty coffee industry booming in the wake of huge (and tragic) cultural and industrial shifts. The top specialty coffee in Rwanda is more balanced and less fruity than Kenyan but still has an acidic kick, with floral characteristics and sometimes a tea-like finish. 

Yemen: 

If Ethiopia is the home of the coffee plant, Yemen is the home of the coffee industry. This is the country that brought coffee to the rest of the world, and its current crops are known to have a distinctly rustic, musklike sweetness. Unfortunately there isn’t an enormous amount of care taken in the coffee picking and processing here, so it can be a challenge to find a high-quality cup

Islands 

In the coffee world, the “island” category generally includes Hawaii and the Caribbean. Beans from this area are rich and full-bodied, with nutty and earthy flavors, smooth in acidity with a slightly dry finish. These coffees are often preceded by their reputation as being the best in flavor and quality, however as the coffee-tasting culture shifts towards more experimentation, good Hawaiian and Jamaican beans become just two of a wide range of interesting flavors on offer, rather than crowning the top of the list. 

Hawaii: 

The Kona coffee of Hawaii was just about considered the epitome of “good” coffee—though there’s some argument as to whether this is deserved. Our local brew enjoys excellent conditions—volcanic soil, afternoon shade, light and frequent showers. Beans are mostly mild, clean and balanced, but the really great ones can be rich, fragrant and fruittoned, occasionally with some vanilla flavors. 

Jamaica: 

You may have heard Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee pitched as the world’s best, above even Hawaiian Kona. Unfortunately, what some coffee producers sell as “Jamaican Blue Mountain” isn’t quite that; rather, trading on the trend, it might be just a small amount of Blue Mountain blended with cheaper beans. Jamaican beans are mild and full-bodied, complex but balanced. Considered glorious by some and flat by others, you’ll need to taste some and decide for yourself whether true Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee deserves its reputation—and hefty price tag

Asia and Australia 

As always, it’s hard to generalize about these completely different nations, but Asian coffees—from India to Indonesia—have a reputation for being dense, exotic and a little earthy. 

India: 

India’s first coffee crop came from beans smuggled out of Yemen in the late seventeenth century, and it now exports many wet- and dry processed coffees with a wide variety of flavors. One interesting variety is India’s “monsooned” coffee: the beans are stored in a warehouse open to the monsoonal winds, which causes the beans to double in size and develop a golden color. Known to have a strikingly musty, smoky, low-acid flavor, it’s worth trying if you’re after something quite different. 

Indonesia: 

These beans are known to be dark, rich and savory—almost meaty. They’re full-bodied with a mild acidity, but with long-standing, diverse growing styles used on different islands, flavors can range from fruity, earthy and musty to bright and floral. Here, there is also focus on semi-dried coffee, which makes for a uniquely clean, balanced cup. 

East Timor: 

Timorese coffees have a lot of feel-good benefits to them, since most of the sales directly benefit the organic farmers’ co-ops, rather than exporters. Beans are known to be rich and deep, often featuring notes of leather and tobacco. 

Australia: 

Australian coffee is generally quite mild, has a medium to low acidity and is sweet and chocolaty. Their beans aren’t really big in the specialty market right now and are sometimes accused of having a lack of complexity.

Banana Coffee Recipe

 

Makes: 1 

Preparation Time: 5mins 

Total Prep Time: 5mins

Dessert and a hot drink all in one cup, what’s not to love?

Ingredient List: 

- 1 tablespoon butter 

- ½ ripe banana (peeled, mashed) 

- ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 16 

- ¼ teaspoons vanilla 

- 1 cup hot strongly brewed coffee 

- ½ cup heavy cream 

- 1 tablespoon icing sugar

Instructions: 

1. First, melt the butter in a small saucepan. 

2. Add the mashed banana along with the cinnamon and vanilla and simmer for 60 seconds, while occasionally stirring. 

3. Remove from the heat. 

4. Add the brewed coffee, heavy cream and icing sugar to a food blender. Next, add the banana mixture and process until silky smooth. 

5. Serve immediately as this will not give it time to settle.

Single Origins & Blends

 

The term “single-origin coffee” might sound self explanatory, but the rules of what exactly defines a “single origin” are hazy and widely debated. Depending on who you’re talking to, it might mean a single farm, a collection of farms in one region, or a whole range of other possibilities. 

 Whatever the case, the idea is that it’s “pure” in that, depending on how it’s been handled, it represents the true terroir of the region from which it’s come. Often beans from several origins are blended, the idea being to combine the characteristics of various coffees to create a well-balanced and complex blending of flavors and body. 

Specialty coffee roasters often blend with a particular brew method in mind to create the ideal final cup flavor. If you’re just starting to become interested in specialty coffee, trying out a few different single origins can be a good way to develop your palate— you may be surprised at the range of flavors you begin to notice

Selecting Coffee and Tea Suppliers

The suppliers you choose can make or break your specialty beverage venture, so it is in your best interest to view them as your long-term business partners. 

The perishable nature of coffee and tea ingredients, more so than any other retail beverages, requires precision timing for deliveries in order to ensure optimum product quality. Coffee and tea retailers are highly dependent upon their chosen suppliers doing what they say they are going to do. 

The range of suppliers of renewable products as well as equipment will depend on the scope of your particular coffee and tea shop, but of primary concern will be the suppliers of your espresso equipment, including your espresso machine, grinder, brewer and tea-brewing equipment. 

Choosing the most reliable suppliers of coffee and tea-making equipment is, therefore, central to the future success of your business. Any delay in supplying the necessary machines and equipment, or in servicing malfunctioning equipment, can cost you dearly. So take time to source suppliers who will work with you; you need purveyors of both renewable products and equipment that are aware of the bigger picture. When making initial contact with potential suppliers, try to: 

• • Evaluate their response as soon as they answer the phone. Are they professional and friendly, and do they appear to take a personal interest in your business? 
• • Ask potential suppliers how they will add to the success of your specialty beverage operation, beyond just supplying products and services. For example, will they provide you with drinks recipes or perhaps give you a practical demonstration of how to get the best from your espresso machine? 
• • Assess whether they try to put pressure on you to make a decision or focus too heavily on price; both are telltale signs that they are not listening to your specific requirements. 

Approximately six to eight weeks before the scheduled opening date, it will be necessary to contact all the local suppliers and meet with their sales representatives. Make certain each sales representative understands that quality products are your top consideration. 

Competition is fierce among both sales representatives and suppliers. Let each know you are considering all companies equally. Never become locked into using only one purveyor. Shop around, and always be willing to talk with new sales representatives. Important points to consider when choosing coffee and tea suppliers include: 

• • Quality of products. Accept nothing but A-1. 
• • Reliability 
• • Delivery days. All deliveries should arrive at a designated time. 
• • Is the salesperson really interested in your business? 
• • Do they seem to believe in what  they are selling? 
• • Billing terms (interest, credit, etc.) 
• • Is the company local (for emergencies)? 
• • From the first meeting with the sales representative, you should obtain: 
• • Credit applications t o be filled out and returned 
• • Product lists or catalogs describing all the products 
• • References from the restaurants they are currently servicing in the area. Check them out! 

You should supply them with a list of the products you will be purchasing, with estimates as to the amount of each item you will be using every week. Emphasize to the sales representative that price is certainly an important consideration, but not your only one, when selecting a supplier. Point out to the sales representative the other concerns you have about using their company. Indicate that you do intend to compare prices among the various companies but would not necessarily switch suppliers due to a one-time price undercutting. 

Loyalty is important to sales representatives; they need to expect that order from you each week. But at the same time, let them know they must be on their toes in order to earn your business. Most companies offer a discount for bulk purchases. Keep this in mind when comparing prices and suppliers. Choosing a supplier is often a difficult task, with so many variable factors to consider. Begin to analyze these problems in terms of the overall picture, and your purchasing decisions will consistently become more accurate.

ARE YOU AFRAID OF DARK ROASTS?

 

STRONG. BOLD. DEEP. HEAVY. DARK. THESE ALL TEND TO MEAN ONE THING IN RELATION TO COFFEE: A DARK ROAST. THEY ARE PART OF OUR MODERN COFFEE LEXICON AND, OFTENTIMES, ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH GOURMET OR SPECIALTY COFFEE. 

YET, ALMOST EVERY COFFEE GEEK STAYS AS FAR AWAY FROM DARK-ROASTED COFFEES AS POSSIBLE. ARE THEY REALLY SO BAD WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO LIKE THEM?

We already know that roasting green coffee turns it into something we want to drink. We also know that how one roasts the coffee makes a difference. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, then, that the final color of the coffee is relevant to our experience. The final color is really a function of the roast profile, and it is best thought of in that way. However, just referencing the roast color can be valuable as it often correlates to some bean characteristics and sensory experiences. Beware, though, sometimes, the roast profile can have an influence that beguiles the expectation of a particular roast level. 

Coffee roasting is a function of temperature, as is cooking any food using heat. As the temperature of the bean increases and roasting progresses, some chemical reactions continue to occur while new ones come and go. The bean is continuously undergoing chemical changes. Thus, a lighter roast is chemically different than a darker roast; this is well researched by scientists and I’ll spare you the gory details. The only general category of reactions worth mentioning is the Maillard reaction. 

A Maillard reaction is one in which an amino acid (a component of protein) reacts with carbohydrates (often sugars). There isn’t a specific end product from this reaction, especially as the reactions continue to occur; compounds formed from the reaction can react with each other, creating a dizzying array of complex molecules. Maillard reactions are common in cooking and are responsible for much of the browning we’re familiar with. 

Think seared meat and the crust of bread. And of course, think brown in coffee. The brown compounds resulting from this reaction, called melanoidins, are significant in coffee; they can comprise some 25 percent of the solid material in a cup of coffee. They are also the likely source of any antioxidant behavior in coffee. While they likely contribute to the flavor of coffee in some way (no research exists on it), we can only guess at it in a roundabout way. Melanoidin content increases as roasts get darker (no surprise, there!). So, it isn’t unfair to guess they may contribute to our sense of the difference between lighter and darker roasts. 

Recent research on a compound called N-methylpyridinium (N-MP, a degradation product of trigonelline) is also worth mentioning. It seems to be a significant inhibitor of gastric acid secretion in the stomach, potentially preventing nausea or indigestion— something that happens to some unfortunate coffee drinkers. 

As its occurrence is directly related to the destruction of trigonelline, its concentration in coffee increases as roasting progresses. In other words, darker roasted coffees may make for fewer upset stomachs. For most of us, what we most want to understand about coffee roast levels is how 58 they differ in taste. Coffee geeks have strong feelings about the roast levels they think are best and consumers are no different. However, to anyone wanting to try something new, a little guidance might be helpful. The literature repeatedly shows that as the roast level darkens, acidity, fruity/citrus, grassy/green/herbal, and aromatic intensity decrease. Concurrently, roasted, ashy/sooty, burnt/smoky, bitter, chemical/medicinal, burnt/acrid, sour, and pungent flavors all increase. 

That’s a pretty grim picture but only because some of the research examined extreme roast cases. What must be realized is that these flavors occur on a continuum, with the intensity changing as the roast darkens. Underroasted coffee is not very coffeelike. It tastes leguminous, herby, and nutty. This taste happens just after first crack (see the section on coffee as a test tube) and lasts for a brief time. 

Once it is roasted just past that, all the coffee’s soul is laid out for the palate. All the nuance, complexity, and acidity that could be in the taste exist at this point. Very light roasts are like puppies—full of verve and energy and spunk and sometimes just as annoying. As the roast progresses, those flavors might disappear or mature or become tempered. 

Coffee has many faces between very light roasts and approximately second crack. When the second crack happens, the process of roast begins to creep in. Thus, roasted, woody, smoky flavors begin to develop. From there, the process of roast becomes more and more dominate, approaching an end result of a black, charred bean that closely resembles charcoal. There’s no right answer for how light or how dark any given coffee should be roasted. Ultimately, the person roasting gets to decide, and she’ll likely make that decision based on her personal belief of what best exemplifies the coffee in combination with what she thinks her market desires. Give the same coffee to ten roasters, and you’ll get ten somewhat different coffees.

Salted Caramel Mocha Latte Recipe

 Makes: 1 

Preparation Time: 5mins 

Total Prep Time: 10mins

Ingredient List: 

- 1-2 shots espresso 

- 6 ounces whole milk 

 - 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup + more for drizzling 

- 1 teaspoon caramel sauce + more for drizzling 

- Whipped cream (to serve) 

- Fleur de Sel (to garnish)

Instructions: 

1. First, make an espresso in the usual way. 

2. In a small pan heat the milk. 

3. Combine the warm milk, along with the chocolate syrup and caramel sauce. 

4. Add the espresso. 

5. When hot, pour into a coffee mug. 

6. Top with a dollop of whip cream, drizzle with additional chocolate syrup and caramel sauce      and garnish with fleur de Sel (sea salt). 

7. Serve.

WHY IS A COFFEE BEAN JUST A TINY TEST TUBE?

GREEN (UNROASTED) COFFEE IS NOTHING YOU’D EVER WANT TO CONSUME. IT IS HARD ENOUGH TO BREAK A TOOTH, AND ITS TASTE LEAVES AN AWFUL LOT TO BE DESIRED. IN ORDER FOR IT TO BECOME SOMETHING WE CAN GRIND AND BREW,

FIRST IT MUST BE ROASTED. ROASTING COFFEE, AS IT TURNS OUT, INVOLVES SOME PRETTY COMPLICATED CHEMISTRY.

When we visualize chemistry, it is quite common to picture a laboratory with test tubes and various pieces of equipment. 

Mix the contents of two test tubes together and bam! Something new is created! Rule number one about chemistry: 

if chemicals aren’t in the same space physically, then they can’t react with each other. Rule number two: sometimes, chemical reactions need a little help getting going and being sustained. 

This help can come from external energy (heat, typically) or an enzyme (a molecule that facilitates chemical reactions without being used up in the reaction and without requiring much, if any, energy to push the reaction forward). 

Roasting coffee satisfies both those rules. The bean itself is the laboratory and the cells that make up the bean are the test tubes. The cell walls and the material within the cells comprise the raw ingredients of all the chemical reactions that take place during roasting. 

Roasting provides the energy source that begins and sustains the chemical reactions. While there are enzymes of all sorts in the cells, their role in the creation of what we know of as coffee is poorly understood. Most likely, enzymatic reactions don’t play a significant role in producing the coffee we know and love.

Actually, a coffee cell is more than just a test tube—it is also a pressure cooker. Plant cell walls are thick and durable. Thus, when the contents strive to get out, they cannot do so easily. 

When the cell becomes heated up from roasting, some chemicals change from liquids to gases and some new gases are formed. These gases will take up more space than they did as liquids or solids, so they push against the cell walls, creating pressure, just like a pressure cooker. While the cell walls eventually break from the pressure (more on this later), the increased pressure conditions do help shape the roasting process.

Crème Brulee Coffee Recipe

 

Makes: 2 

Preparation Time: 5 mins 

Total Prep Time: 10 mins

A gourmet coffee made with caramel and brown sugar foamed milk and topped with whip cream. A beautifully fragrant and totally comforting coffee.

     Ingredient List: 

• - 1 cup whole milk 
• - 1 teaspoon light brown sugar 
• - ¼ cup caramel sauce 
• - 2 cup freshly strong brewed coffee 
• - Whip cream  

Instructions: 

1. Into a small saucepan, add the milk, brown sugar, and caramel sauce, simmer while stirring       until the mixture begins to foam and steam. 

2. Pour the hot coffee into two mugs and top each with equal amounts of foamed milk. 

3. Top both with a dollop of whip cream and serve immediately. 

Storing Your Coffee Beans

 

Since coffee is a perishable food item, it is important to store your coffee beans properly before using them, if you want to make the best cup of coffee possible with the beans that you have. 

In order to make the highest-quality cup of coffee, it is best to store your beans whole and grind them at home as you need them. Beans purchased in airtight (or vacuum-packed) bags will last for weeks or even months if unopened and stored at room temperature. Once the beans have been exposed to air, they should ideally be used within two weeks. Therefore, it is a good idea to buy your coffee on a regular basis, only as you need it. 

When a bag of beans has been opened (or if the beans were purchased from an open bin at a specialty coffee shop), it should be stored in the freezer in an airtight container. They will remain fresh for a month or more. You can then take two weeks’ worth of beans out of the freezer as you need them. 

These beans should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature, or at about 60°F. (In warmer climates, they should be stored in the refrigerator.) Ground coffee should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature (or in the refrigerator, depending on the climate), and for maximum freshness, it should be consumed within two weeks. 

There are two basic types of coffee that we will be using in this book: brewed coffee and espresso. Brewed coffee generally involves running hot water through coffee grounds, although it can be made using a coldwater process as well. Most brewed coffee is made with light- or medium-roast coffee, or with a dark roast like Viennese or French. 

Espresso coffee describes not only the darkest roast of coffee bean (which is most often used for making espresso), but also the technique for making this type of coffee. Making espresso generally involves running hot water rapidly through finely ground espresso beans. This produces a small cup (or demitasse) of extremely strong-tasting coffee that usually needs to be sweetened with at least a little bit of sugar.