V70, V60, .... What's Next?

Noticed last week I'm driving V70 and adore drinking V60's. What's going on with these V's?

New Anfim Super Caimano Barista Model

We've been very fond with the grinders Anfim has been delivering over the past 2 years.
With the delivery of the newest Barista model we didn't know that the best was yet to come.

People all over the world - count in a couple of world champions - have been modifying their Super Caimano with a timer.
It took a while, but finally the Anfim factory offered one by theirself.

This Super Caimano Barista is Anfims top model grinder. Ideal for higher volume locations.

Features include an Omron Digital timer. Omron are pretty much the best digital timers out there, easy to adjust time on the fly. Cooling Fan. Purge Button. and the new Anfim Adjustment collar.

The feeling of the hopper is even better then before and the accuracy unbelievable. With the 'old' grinder on demand we had a .25 gram varience. This new one is doing even better!

If you count in all these features, together with their Titanium Blades and rock solid engine, €1300 (excl VAT) is a very attractive price.

For those who need to pull single shots as well ; have a look at the 'old' SC On Demand, but with hopper. The build-in-timer is ok. This model doesn't have a cooling fan, so less attractive for big bars. € 1200 is off course very sharp.

Nice NY Bikers Bar

Kickstand Coffee from Brian W. Jones on Vimeo.

Barista CC Semi Finals Today

Today is preselection for the Belgian Barista Championships 2010, which will be held in October in Aartselaar.

Caffenation has one woman on the floor : Isabelle Verschraegen.

She's competing with the one and only Rwanda Musasa (Roasted by Knopes).

Go Isa Go!

(And Go Yvan Go Wednesday when this La Cita man is competing at the Latte Art competition with our coffee and equipment)

FOLLOW UP 6 HOURS LATER :
Give her a warm hand :
Isa through to the finals. High scores for all competitors. And October 19 on stage with Kathleen, Louis, Sonny and Kenny. Be there!

Jeff Goes To London

In London at the WBC slow bar there's a side event that's going to attract a lot of coffee lovers.

THE II WORLD AEROPRESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

And we keep all eyes on our own Jazzy Jeff (on the photo sniffing a Panama Geisha).

We were lucky that the organisation picked Jeff for one of the last tickets for the tournament.

This afternoon we already started to train with our light roast Yirgacheffe. A coffee probably very closeby the one SMCR is going to deliver us one of the days.
Very exciting!!!!

Good luck Jeff.
And a thorough follow up on this blog and our Twitter page.

Slow Bar Open Now

New menu in the shop.
Biggest change in our 7 years of existance is the opening of our Slow Bar. You can drink our Filter/Press coffee of the week on either V60 - 35cl at €3,4 or Aeropress - 30cl at €3,2.

To start with we offer this sublime Kenia Tinganga Estate. Recommanded on V60.

This Slow Bar also means the dead of the 'lungo', or the classic Belgian coffee.
It's going to be a tough task converting all those 'regular' coffee drinkers, but all taste comparisons of the same bean between a cup from the espresso machine or filter have been won by the filter coffee. Yes, all of them.

In fact, it's bloody simple. An espresso machine is developed to make espresso's. Still possible is to order Long Blacks, or 2 espresso's on top of hot water, but there it all ends.

For those curious about our newest brews, and hopefully all our regulars will be like that : first thing you see when entering the shop is our Slow Bar. Stop! Order your Filter or Press of the week. Sip it. Enjoy!
Thank you for your support dear coffee lover.

Bodum Travel Press

Fantastic product this one.

It's a French Press.
Travel Mug.
Double walled.
Stainless steel.
Nice colorful design.
Brews coffee's and tea's.
And only € 25!

Yes, of course it's selling fast.

Gwilym Davis Speaks

We should have heard more of him this year, but finally a small interview with the reigning world champion.
Click it.

(Flickr photo by Nick J Webb)

Barista Jam Utrecht

Probably our worst Latte art ever, but lots of fun

Finally Fresh Milk

It took a while.
7 years to be correct.

When we opened up the bar 7 years ago we didn't have the ambition to work with fresh milk.
Belgium is not a fanatic 'milk country' like The Netherlands f.e.. And the rare times we worked with organic and/or fresh milk the reactions we not so positive.

But our ambition to serve the best possible coffee forced us into fresh.

Price, availibility, taste and storage were 4 difficult mountains to climb, but we finally did it.

Hollebeekhoeve milk is fresh, tasty and local. Not totally organic unfortunately, but for all (milk) coffee amateurs around, this should be a big step forward.

So, I expect you guys in soon for a creamy and sweet cap or mac.
Cheers.

Yakup to Bogota!

My main man! Congrats.

Remember when we met (Dutch article underneath this link).
Backstage in Veenendaal 1 hour before your first stage appearance. I was helping you tamping and adjusting the grinder. Kenya Gentumbwini. Not my cup, but you just passed the selection. (my trainee Jochem didn't).
Since that day you became a Caffenation fan and I became a fan of you Yakup. Well deserved title for you.

We zien mekaar snel weer. En geniet er nog van.

intellivenice timelapse

intellivenice timelapse
Originally uploaded by tonx

One nice Tonx' Timelapse. (me likey the fixie, cupping and glanville's vac pot)

Sunopta buys Trabocca

Here you can read the article from the FD, Dutch Financial Times, in which they tell the story of Menno Simons and his company take over by the Canadian American Sunopta company.

We had a good connection with this Dutch green coffee trader. Menno is a man with a vision, good taste buds and a warm heart for the Ethiopian farmers.
Since I speak the same language and want to see myself the same way I admire this man and company.

Hopefully this ownership change won't do harm to the cup quality of the beans.

Also good read is this article I wrote after our Trabocca offices visit in Addis 2 years ago.

FOLLOW UP FOUR HOURS LATER : I CHECK THE STORY TONIGHT AND HEAR THESE ARE JUST RUMOURS. HOW CAN A PAPER PUBLISH THIS?
I THINK OF DELETING THIS POST TOMORROW.

Remember Leslie Buck

This is for me the most legendary coffee cup ever.
It's called the Anthora and this week in the news because of the death of the inventor : Leslie Buck.

It reminded me at a day in New York city. It was Saint Patricks day, almost day to day 7 years ago. I was strolling around in the city center, on my way to central park 5th avenue, for a good spot to see the parade.
I stopped at a small street booth nearby the park and ordered a coffee to go. I knew this kind of coffee's were mostly undrinkable, but I decided to give it a go anyhow.

The Anthora cup came up the counter and brought a smile on my face. 'This is a legend' I said to myself and then ..... burned my fingers (on the cup).

I think it's a fantastic looking cup with a big history, but without a kraft sleeve/jacket.....

The coffee was so hot that I was already walking on the heights of 72nd before I was able to take a sip without burning my tongue.
It's taste was a big dissapointment and all the effort of walking around with a boiling hot coffee was a waste of time.
But the cup is still in my memories. An icon.

May your soul rest in peace Leslie Buck.

SB Sumatra Clip