Coffee

We’re celebrating the thrill of the build all summer long. Big or small, we love ’em all. And they don’t get much smaller than today’s build-out, Drip Coffee Makers in Brooklyn, New York. In a city of fast paces, Nigel Price is offering denizens of the Big Apple a chance to slow down and enjoy a cup of coffee with his brand new pour-over coffee cart.

Surrounded by what Price calls “a glut of grab and go cafes,” Drip is the counterpoint. Featuring a Mahlkönig EK43S and a host of lesser-known pour-over devices, Drip is the solar-powered slow pour cart last seen serving Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Currently, Price can be found offering a slice of the slow life at farmers markets and corporate events around NYC, so keep an eye out for Drip Coffee Roasters. If you see them, sidle up and see what they have brewing that day. And take it easy.

The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer is presented by Pacific Barista Series, notNeutral, KeepCup, and Mill City Roasters.

As told to Sprudge by Nigel Price.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

A pour-over coffee cart serving a rotating selection of the best single origins coffees from the country’s best roasters.

What’s your approach to coffee?

“Slow down and have a coffee.” Or “quality over quantity.”

There is a glut of quick grab and go cafes. Our goal is to recreate the traditional role of coffee houses.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

Kinto, Kurasu, and other lesser known pour designers rooted in Japanese traditions.

How is your project considering sustainability?

Cart is powered by solar panels (yeti/goal zero) and all cups and paper products are composted. Zero waste!

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

Currently working at farmers markets and corporate events in NYC.

Thank you!

Sayonara.

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Drip Coffee Makers In Brooklyn, NY appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

The frost that unexpectedly hit Brazil’s coffee farms last week took producers by surprise and caused the commodity C price to ripple briefly as concerns that it would affect the 2020 harvest were raised (and quickly deflated) by reports from within the country.

However, while most of the coverage from Reuters, Bloomberg, et al, was focused on the big commodity players (and, of course, the impact on investors), small specialty farmers were also in the cold front’s path, with fewer resources to cope with the sudden changes and more reliance on every last tree to produce.

Reached in Serra Negra, Brazil, agronomist and coffee consultant Jonas Ferraresso told Sprudge that nearly every farmer he spoke with had suffered some damage: “I received pictures and videos from many agronomists and farmers from different regions, and almost all reported frost damage.

“Even farms where the frost was not severe, the leaves were damaged by small fissures, which will increase [the risk of] disease spreading in the near future.”

Ferraresso said that, although this year’s harvest won’t be harmed, the effect on next year’s crop remains unpredictable as farmers will have to wait until the first rains in August to evaluate losses.

The cold snap hit just as industry leaders from around the world met in Campinas, Brazil, for the World Coffee Producers Forum, in part to address the global coffee price crisis. However, according to Ferraresso many of the small and medium farmers he has spoken with weren’t in attendance, with most unable to afford the admission price.

“We are in the middle of the harvest season in Brazil,” says Ferraresso, “so farmers are struggling to harvest their coffee in a not expansive way, and doing a lot of math to save money, and keep the farm running until next season.”

Fionn Pooler is a journalist based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the publisher of The Pourover. Read more Fionn Pooler on Sprudge.

Top image via Paranaíba Agora 

The post Unexpected Frost Brings Uncertainty To Brazilian Coffee Production appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Stratford Avenue marks the end of Colombo. It separates Sri Lanka’s capital city from it’s suburbs to the southeast—up and down, the short stretch of road is dotted with small shops and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and hums with faint chantings of a nearby Buddhist temple. Here is where Kopi Kade calls home.

Opened in 2016, the cafe stood out at the gate. A product of Nimeshan Namasivayam, Kopi Kade directly translates to “coffee shop” in both Sinhala and Tamil. It’s also the name of a long running and extremely famous soap opera. The show centered around the idea of a kopi kade as a community hub.

The unassuming facade of Namasivayam’s Kopi Kade gives way to a clean, former warehouse—designed by local architect Manju Wijeratne, the space is decorated with clean-cut teak tables and chairs, bronze light fixtures, and the work of artist Shaneea Mendis.

Before founding Kopi Kade, Namasivayam worked as a barista, coffee roaster, and a coffee taster for more 15 years in Australia, where he lived for most of his life.

“It’s more about ensuring consistency,” says Namasivayam of running a successful cafe. “We use very good water filtration systems and always fresh milk.” He’s also using Kopi Kade to build Colombo’s barista community, offering workshops to local restaurant staff and home baristas alike.

The menu here sees a constant change, with rotating single-origin coffees from Costa Rica to Ethiopia to Indonesia. “We change the coffee every three to four weeks, not just from different countries, but from different roasters,” Namasivayam says.

Kopi Kade also has its own 1kg Giesen abutting the back wall, on which Namasivayam trial roasts small lots of Sri Lankan coffee.

“We want to see if we can improve farming and processing techniques, which would result in a better cup of quality coffee,” Namasivayam says of his relationships with a few local smallholder coffee farmers. “There’s a lot of potential to produce good Sri Lankan coffee, as the terroir is perfect for coffee growing in the hill country.”

For espresso beverages, the cafe uses a two-group Victoria Arduino VA388 Black Eagle along with two Mythos One grinders. Brewed coffee is offered either on AeroPress or Hario V60 and ground with a Comandante hand grinder. There’s also a “Sri Lankan Style” cold brew made sweet to match Colombo’s palate—it’s a darker-roasted African coffee mixed with 40-percent milk.

Kopi Kade’s food menu is filled with modern takes on traditional Sri Lankan dishes, like spiced lamb and prawn sliders and the Coconut French Toast—fluffy, eggy, pani pol bread covered in caramelized coconut flakes and coffee-infused coconut sugar syrup, gently spiced with cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon.

At Kopi Kade, Namasivayam has built a community of regulars with whom he shares not just new coffees, but sizable doses of information about production, taste, brewing, and coffee culture. In doing so, he hopes his coffee shop can be more than just that. “It’s an experiential learning experience,” Nimeshan says, and one with the name recognition that just may draw the masses.

Zinara Rathnayake is a freelance journalist based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This is Zinara Rathnayake’s first feature for  Sprudge.

Photos by Nathan Mahendra

The post In Sri Lanka, Kopi Kade Brings Specialty Coffee To The Capital City appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

After five successful issues and as many parties harkening their publications, the Coffee People Zine is hitting the road. To celebrate the sixth issue, founder Kat Melheim is packing her bags and heading to Portland for a slew of parties plural between July 25th and 27th. Enlisting the help of over half a dozen coffee brands, Coffee People On Tour x Portland will be a three-day weekend of all manner of coffee good times.

Described by Melheim as “SXSW, but for the coffee industry,” Coffee People is throwing not one but “ALL THE PARTIES” wit the help of the Portland coffee community. Sponsored by Oatly, the weekend gets started a little early, on Thursday, with a Coffee People Zine Release Party at Buckman Coffee Factory. With beer from Modern Times, JuneShine, Dona Chai, and Brew Dr. Kombucha, proceeds from the release party will go to benefit p:ear Barista School.

But don’t get too hung over on all that hard kombucha, the next party starts bright and early in the AM (actually time TBA) with a Morning Coffee Crawl coordinated by Sustainable Harvest. Later that day, the conversation will shift with the Labor Rights Meet & Greet hosted alongside Coffee at Large.

Then on Saturday, Coffee People makes a stop at Guilder for an Ask Me About Coffee of Production Art Showcase. Featuring “multi-sensory art” and eats from Japanese comfort food pop-up Ippai, this event will dig deeper into “the true cost of food production.”

And that’s not all that’s in store. Melheim states that more parties are in the works for the weekend. For a full list of events as well as all corresponding details, visit the Coffee People Zine official website and follow them on Instagram for more updates as they are made available.

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image via Coffee People Zine

The post Coffee People Zine Heads To Portland For A Weekend Of Parties appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

It doesn’t get much more summery than a beach in Southern California, so it stands to reason that it doesn’t get much more Build-Outs of Summery than a cafe being built less than a quarter mile from a beach in Southern California. And that’s exactly what Barefoot Coffee Roasters is doing in Solana Beach.

Their new 1,300-square-foot cafe in the Cedros Design district will be Barefoot’s second retail location, with a third to follow shortly in Mountain View. Their Solana Beach location is still in mid-throes of the build-out process, but Barefoot is nonetheless shooting for an August open. That leaves more than enough time to quench your summer thirst with an oceanside coffee. To say that the living is easy at the new Barefoot Coffee Roasters would be a massive understatement.

The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer is presented by Pacific Barista Series, notNeutral, KeepCup, and Mill City Roasters.

As told to Sprudge by Jon Dolin.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Barefoot Coffee Roasters launched as a cafe and roaster in 2003. One of the pioneers of direct trade sourcing, we have developed relationships with top farms and importers to source high quality, sustainable beans which we roast in small batches. We have won numerous awards including: Top 4 Boutique Roaster (Food & Wine Magazine), Best Of Cold Brew (Imbibe Magazine, Brit.Co, Huff Post), Best Of Coffee House Barefoot Campbell (Metro Silicon Valley, South Bay Accent). While primarily focused on providing coffees to specialty markets, offices, cafes, and universities to date, by early 2020 we will have three cafes: our existing cafe in Campbell, Solana Beach, and Barefoot Coffee Mountain View currently under development.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

Barefoot Solana Beach is in the Cedros Design district, a top five retail street in Southern California populated with galleries, furniture stores, tap rooms, and the incredibly popular Belly Up music venue. Just two blocks from the beach, our 1,300-square-foot cafe will be accented with warm, reclaimed wood walls and countertops. Bi-fold doors lead to a 540-square-foot patio, which will feature umbrella seating and a fire table. Offerings will include hand-crafted coffees, Barefoot’s specialty creations such as the Mocha Borgia with orange and dark chocolate, cold brew (nitro and bottles), organic heirloom teas, craft ice cream, and an expanded food menu beyond the pastries and toast currently served at our Campbell location. In addition we are applying for a beer/wine license.

What’s your approach to coffee?

Our trademarked saying is “Serious Coffee | Happy People.” We take coffee very seriously: source from conscientious producers, meticulously roast in small batches, cup daily, and hand craft each drink to order. Yet we want our customers to be happy, which means offering a range of roast and flavor profiles, creating delicious specialty drinks and offering friendly, unpretentious interactions with our customers.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

EQUIPMENT: Slayer Steam; Mahlkönig EK43, PEAK, and E65S; Bonavita Pour-Over; Curtis G4 Brewer. COFFEES: a range of small farm single origins and more accessible blends. Pending our license: local craft beer on tap and in bottles.

How is your project considering sustainability?

We seek coffees from farms that promote sustainability from renewable energy (Hacienda Sonora Honey – Costa Rica) to composting and investing in health care (Guji – Ethiopia). Our cafe will feature reclaimed wood in various areas including the service counters and some of the walls. We are working with an LEED certified architect. We promote organic where feasible, including some of our beans, teas, craft chocolate bars, ingredients in baked goods. In addition, many of our vendors will be local to San Diego or within the state of California.

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

August 2019

Thank you!

Thank YOU for considering us!

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Barefoot Coffee Roasters In Solana Beach, CA appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News