Featured Espresso: Burundi

Spotted: Mercury Espresso
Address: 915 Queen Street East
Neighbourhood: Leslieville
@mercuryespresso

Espresso: Sogestal Mumira
Origin: Burundi
Roaster: George Howell Coffee / Terroir
Located: Acton, MA

My Thoughts: Thank you! I really enjoyed the mouthfeel and the juicy - mouth watering action, and LARGE body.

From the notebook of GH:

Creamy Orange | Caramelized Peaches | Cinnamon

Suggested extraction instructions:
Group head temperature: 197 F (91.7 C)
Espresso dose: 20 grams (We suggest a VST 20 gram basket.)
Pulling time: 25 - 28 seconds
Finished espresso: 28 liquid grams

USBC Crowned!

Heart Felt congratulations to Katie Carguilo of New York, from Counter Coffee Collective.
for her win at the US Barista Championship!!

She used two different washed Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee. (My favourite!)
Here are some write-ups:
NY Times - Mr. Oliver Strand
Sprudge - Chronological history of Kate
LA Weekly

Ever wonder how they're judged.. (scoresheets)
4 Sensory, 2 Tech judges. All eyes from the audience filled with your peers, and coffee enthuists from the LIVE stream.

Also competing in the Brewer's Cup:

Mr. Andy Sprenger becomes 2 time champion from newly rebranded Ceremony Coffee Roasters out of Annapolis, MA.

Such a great guy, so knowledgeable and humble, and really makes you feel lifted from the coffee experience. I Believe he used a Colombian coffee.

Up Next: Worlds!!!

Celebrating National Record Day

How are you celebrating national record day?


I'm spinning some NATIONAL, Feist and Drake... I know...


but check out smdlr: 
http://smdlr.com/gallery/coffee-culture-coffee-blog-national-record-store-day/

USBC 2012: Semi - Finals

click the link for full names of the 18 Semi-Finalist.


http://sprudge.com/usbc-semi-finalists-the-sweet-18.html


Here’s all 18 of your 2012 USBC finalists, in order of appearance for Semi-Finals Saturday.
All times PST:
1. 10:17 Trevor Corlett, MadCap Coffee Company, Grand Rapids, MI – @tjorlet @madcap
2. 10:36 Charles Babinski, Intelligenstia, Chicago - @charlesbabinski, @intelligentsia
3. 10:55 Katie Carguilo, Counter Culture Coffee, NYC – @katiecarguilo, @counter_culture
4. 11:14 Travis Beckett, Peregrine Espresso, DC – @peregrineDC, @juicegarden
5. 11:33 Devin Chapman, Coava Coffee, PDX – @devchap, @coavacoffee
6. 11:52 Lorenzo Perkins, Cuvee Coffee, Spicewood, Texas – @lorenzoperkins, @cuveecoffee
7. 12:11 Lem Butler, Counter Culture Coffee, Durham, NC – @sexyfoam, @counter_culture
8. 12:30 Chris Baca, Verve Coffee Roasters, Santa Cruz, CA – @trubaca, @vervecoffee
9. 12:49 Charlie Habegger, Intelligentsia, Chicago – @brainofcharlie, @intelligentsia
10. 1:18 Ryan Knapp, MadCap Coffee Company, Grand Rapids, MI – @knappMADcap, @madcap
11. 1:37 Tyler Stevens, Barista, PDX - @tyler_stevens
12. 1:56 Laila Ghambari, Stumptown Coffee, PDX – @lay_luh, @stumptowncoffee
13. 2:25 Lindsey Kiser, Peregrine Espresso, DC – @peregrinedc
14. 2:44 Robbie Britt, Espresso Parts, Morley, MO – @robbiebritt, @espressoparts_
15. 3:03 Jacque DesMarais, Kaldi’s Coffee, St. Louis, MO - @jacquedesmarais, @kaldis_coffee
16. 3:22 Jared Truby, Verve Coffee Roasters, Santa Cruz, CA – @jtrubaca, @vervecoffee
17. 3:41 Jordan Barber, Intelligentsia, NYC – @barber_jordan, @intelligentsia
18. 4:00 Courtney Marie Vaquera, MadCap Coffee Company, Grand Rapids, MI – @madcap

Loving this trend of the coffee community being on Twitter.

Featured Espresso: Diablo (Apr 2012 - Current blend)

Spotted at Fahrenheit Coffee

Espresso: Diablo
Contents: Single-Origin Brazil
Roasters: Te Aro Roasted
Located: Toronto, ON


Machine: Della Corta

Taste: Bold body with notes of milk chocolate, and peaches/stonefruit. Great chemistry on my tongue. pleasant lingering finish

If you've tasted it... what are your thoughts?

Where have I gone?

Sorry Readers,

I just needed a break from the interwebs. With this new tax structure... I've been keeping busy outside of the web, but I've been drinking some really good coffees and do want to share with you all.

Things I need to share:
-Te Aro Espresso Throwdown
-Gorilla and PTs reviews (I know so old, that you can't even get the coffee anymore)
-Thoughts & Photos
-Recent trip to NYC to visit smdlr and soak in Park Slope (Coffee Crawl)

Watching USBC competition!!!
25 competitors
Many many judges
Crown 1 Champ - TOUGH~~

BREWERS CUP!!!
COFFEE all around

* Nerding out on coffee all week long, seems appropriate*

Signed
Espresso Adventures

USBC: Streaming live

USBC are streaming live right now:


Go watch it!


http://www.usbaristachampionship.org/

Hot sauce:d

Last night I went out to the Drake Hotel for the #86d event...

Premise; hot sauce competition.

Yours truly won the amateur competition!!!

Dijon•jalapeño•deluxe
Secret ingredient: coffee

My entrance was 7... Got tossed in with the professional.
I held my own..... Got great comments.

I'll make sure you get a sample soon.

Happy espresso adventure

Etiquette... More to think about

So the grid has posted this interview with Deanna Zunde, from the 4 location chain: dark horse espresso bar.

She talks about etiquette in a cafe, when you should be re purchase a bevy, and why Internet abuse is not cool.

http://t.co/3b7P0pDi

Do you agree?

Also hot issue: tipping