Mr. phelps Coffee Bean

morning coffee bean
Originally uploaded by Mr. phelps

Morning coffee bean from my favourite 'coffee photographer'. Click the photo for a better view and entrance to his other pictures.

Coffee Shop by Landon Pigg

Patience

How do you drink your coffee???

Me, with patience. That's what you need in a 3rd wave espresso bar. Every other week new coffees/beans come in and the first thing you want to do is testing it. By cupping or throwing it directly into a grinder for espresso or by press pot, filter, whatever.... But patience needs to be your friend. First of all the coffee beans need to breath out all the gasses from the roasting. Not for health issues, but for taste reasons.

You see the taste of a bean changing from day to day, but the biggest change is within the first week. Where the coffee tastes too heavy, perfumed, bitter and wild the first days, it all comes together between the 4th and 7th day (plus minus).

Sometimes we do already some cupping after day one, just to get a first impression and to see how it's changing over the first days. Mostly it's the Friday roast that's tested Monday and if we are really in need for a new bean/blend, we start pulling espresso's from Tuesday on. Then we notice a lot of changes within the first three weeks, after which the top tastes and details are out and everything is sold. But that's the maximum stretch we do. Normally we count on selling everything within the first two weeks, so people can drink it within the first three weeks and than a new one can take the place.

Last Saturday our new Brazil Daterra Bourbon Collection came in. Oh God, it was hard the first days, waiting for the bean to hit its top. Patience my friend, patience is your best friend.

Nice article about the subject is this one from Linus/Coffee Collective.

Oh yes ; the Daterra is, as always, devine.

Barista Bikini Girl Throws Boiling Water on Pervert

I'm questioning myself : If I would be serving coffee's in underwear and a girl passed the drive tru only wearing mens' underwear ; what would I do? Uhm, maybe give her a free cup?
What would you do?

Stok

This is a Stok (say 'Stowek') capsule. The Black Shot 200.
It's a caffeine add on to your personal drink. For an extra boost.

Actually I think it's a bit ridiculous, although the website is one of a kind.

We just advice people for an extra espresso shot if needed. The real stuff qua...

On the side thought : we have more and more people ordering a double shot cappuccino. Translated to a Latte, this would be equal to a quadruple shot Latte! Maybe we should put this one on the menu ; sounds cool.

Van Boon tot Barista

The Deprez Brothers Bart and Peter (Viva Sara) wrote the first serious book about the new coffee culture in Belgium.
The book is called (Van Boon tot Barista) and published by the Davidsfonds, Leuven.

It's about a lot of things ; from the history over processing, harvesting, blending, roasting, brewing techniques and recipes and health to finish with Barista knowledge.
Very complete with 14 pages about all different coffee country's as my personal highlight.
Except for the old fashioned idea about coffee dosing (7 grams for one and 14 for two espresso's !!??) I can find myself really well with the content and hope they can get a second, more specialised, book printed one day, and maybe with a 3rd wave espresso bar list....

Order via : http://www.nl.bol.com

Of te lezen te Caffenation, Hopland.

Starbucks Belgium

It's unbelievable, but it happened.
Starbucks came to Belgium. And not even behind transit zone, but just at the main departure hall at the Brussels airport in Zaventem.
Not that I recommend people to go there for a cup, but it's big new for us.

I wish em all the luck and think all together it's a good thing for the coffee industry in Belgium.

Here's a (dutch spoken) video post from Kanaal Z.:
Klik hier om deze video te bekijken.