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Honolulu Coffee Archives - Page 11 of 74 - The Curb Kaimuki

Study Finds New Way Coffee May Help You Burn Fat

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We here at Sprudge love you just the way you are; you come here to read about coffee news and culture with us, and we couldn’t ask for anything more. You don’t need to change, not for us, not for anyone. But, if you are looking to physically alter your appearance by shedding a few unwanted pounds—which is okay too, be your best self, whatever you deem that to be—coffee may be able to help you with that. New research suggests that coffee may have a “fat-busting effect.”

As reported by CNN, a study published by researchers at the University of Nottingham found that coffee may help stimulate brown fat cells, “which play a key role in how quickly we can burn calories.” According to the article, there are two different types of fat cells in the human body, brown fat and white fat, and they serve very different metabolic purposes. White fat cells store fat, which can then be harnessed as energy when needed. Brown fat cells generate heat, particularly by burning sugar and fat, per professor Michael Symonds, the study’s co-author. Brown fat has previously been known to exist in high levels in children, a recent discovery of the cells in adults has brown fat as a new subject of scientific research in hopes of finding a new means of fighting obesity.

For the study, University of Nottingham researchers asked five women and four men to drink coffee and then used thermal imaging to see if these individuals’ necks—where most brown fat is stored—showed signs of increasing heat in the brown fat cells. They found that there was indeed a heat increase in the thermal images, leading researchers to posit that coffee can activate brown fat cells and thus, their fat-burning properties.

The research is still in the early stages and researchers have yet to identify what exactly in coffee is having this effect on brown fat cells (the leading candidate is of course caffeine), but the results from the limited sample size appear to indicate that coffee, via the activation of brown fat cells, can help improve blood sugar control and blood lipid levels as well as burn extra calories that can help with weight loss.

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

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Source: Coffee News

Build-Outs Of Summer: Hopscotch Coffee & Records In Winchester, VA

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hopscotch coffee and vinyl winchester virginia

The Build-Outs of Summer rolls on, quite literally in this case, with the brand new outpost for Hopscotch Coffee & Records in Winchester, Virginia. With an already established brick-and-mortar cafe and record store, Hopscotch has decided to go on tour with their brand new mobile espresso bar inside a 1972 Dodge B300 camper van.

But this isn’t just some dude with a few bags of beans and an AeroPress calling himself a coffee bar, this moveable feast comes equipped with two of the brand new Modbar AV modules for some serious portable portafilter power. Though we can neither confirm nor deny, we assume the tape deck in the B300 is in full working order and will be blasting good tunes to round out the vintage Hopscotch vibe.

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

As told to Sprudge by Nate Rhodes.

hopscotch coffee and vinyl winchester virginia

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

Hopscotch Coffee & Records is an independent specialty coffee and vinyl only record shop located in Winchester, VA. We started as a small bar inside a local bakery Bonnie Blue in 2013 and expanded to our current location with the addition of the record shop the following year. We offer locally roasted coffee from our pals at Lone Oak Coffee Co. on espresso, slow bar, drip, and whole bean. While you enjoy your beverage you can relax in one of our many seated areas or flip through the new and used vinyl we have for sale.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

The new space is in the form of a 1972 Dodge B300 camper van that we will turn into a mobile espresso bar. We are looking to be able to take our amazing coffee and good vibes on the road, whether it’s for local events, markets, festivals, or private events and even on the open road to meet up and share with coffee drinkers all over the US.

What’s your approach to coffee?

Approachability, quality, and fun.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

We will be installing a two-group ModBar AV.

How is your project considering sustainability?

Since we have the main location as the destination spot with a solid following and not a lot of overhead in the van it should sustain itself well.

hopscotch coffee and vinyl winchester virginia

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

Summer of 2020.

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Working with Terry Ziniewicz of Caffewerks on water storage and filtration.
Eric Decker of Espresso Meccanica on the installation of the ModBar.
Matchstick at Custom Vanner Magazine on making the van solid and reliable.
All other work will be done in-house.

Thank you!

Thank you guys for what you do for the specialty coffee world!

hopscotch coffee and vinyl winchester virginia

Hopscotch Coffee & Records is located at 250 Millwood Ave, Winchester. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

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.

Photos courtesy of Davey Hess.

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Source: Coffee News

Citing A Toxic Work Environment, Baristas Walk Out At Seattle’s Slate Coffee

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CW: This story contains depictions and outlinks to graphic descriptions of offensive language.

Disclaimer: This story contains both direct statements and outlinks to first-person accounting of past events. Sprudge Media Network cannot independently verify the accuracy of this growing volume of claims.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, June 22nd, the Ballard location of Seattle’s Slate Coffee Roasters was unable to open for business. Instead of the hum of regular weekend commerce, guests to the cafe were met at the door with resignation letters from five now-former Slate employees—Jason Beutler, Samantha Capell, Rachel Hopke, Meri Novascone, and Felix Tran—as well as a letter explaining to customers the reasons for their decision to part ways with the company. In the letter, the coffee professionals (whose titles with Slate range from barista to manager) cited “a toxic work environment” leading to their resignations, including but not limited to “dishonesty, discrimination of many kinds, bullying and intimidation, late and unreceived pay, [and] disingenuous promises.”

The labor dispute boiled over into the digital world via @CoffeeAtLarge, an Instagram account created by the former Slate employees that in a few short days has amassed over 4,000 followers alongside hundreds of comments and shares. In a series of posts, the account detailed the chain of events leading to this weekend’s walkout.

The flashpoint appears to be the dismissal of Samantha Capell, a Retail Training Manager and Location Manager at Slate’s cafe in the Ballard neighborhood. Two days prior to the walkout, Capell submitted a letter of resignation citing “increasing toxicity of the upper management culture,” setting her final day over a month later. According to a letter from the company signed by the Director of Retail Nathan Patrick Wirrig (posted on the Ballard store window, and depicted on Instagram), Slate terminated her employment that same day, citing the reason as a “no call, no show on 18 June 2019.”

In the wake of the incident, Sprudge has reached out to Coffee At Large, individuals associated with Coffee At Large, and Slate Coffee Roasters ownership for comment and clarification. Using the Coffee At Large email account, Samantha Capell wrote us a detailed message elaborating on the situation that led to last weekend’s walkout.

Excerpted from Capell’s email below:

[On the issue of unreceived pay]

One employee was shorted 3 paychecks over January and February. This issue still has not been resolved 4 months later, even after numerous attempts on the employees end (as well as the then-manager) pressing them to pay.

I was missing a paycheck from January 4th and after following up every week or so I received it in the middle of March. (At the same time I was looking for my paycheck, I was following up on one from another former employee who came in once or twice a week for months.) Every time she or I would follow up, the management would say they’d be delivering it, and it wouldn’t be there.

[On the issue of late pay]

This is so frequent it’s comical. Yesterday, in fact, one of the employees had to go in and request a paycheck when some people got their direct deposits and some didn’t. But this happens every three or four pay periods. We wait for our Friday deposit, all try to follow up after receiving nothing and are told that due to “the roaster being broken” or “too many timecards needing adjusting” checks will be delivered to cafes within the next few days. (Sometimes to cafes people don’t work at.)

[On the issue of hostile work environment]

(One issue was) the inability to set up meetings or reviews with management regarding working conditions or promised pay reviews. I was reprimanded for not following expectations that were never communicated to me. My job description changed without my awareness and I was reprimanded for such. One employee notes that when she complained about mistreatment to her manager, her manager reported it to the person it was regarding, and he called her out for it in the middle of a staff meeting.

[On the issue of offensive and discriminatory language]

Two former employees can attest to a member of upper management calling the building manager the C-word; one manager asked an ethnic employee if they had their green card; one manager mentioned that an employee was awfully skinny for a Mexican; one asked a former Mexican employee if she knew any Mexicans who would work for cheap to fix the floors; finally, since my resignation/termination, every person above the level of barista at Slate Coffee is a cis-gendered Male (in a company that tends to draw minority/non-binary/queer etc people).

Capell and others associated with Coffee At Large describe a series of misogynstic, homophobic, transphobic, racist, and anti-immigrant statements allegedly attributed to the management and/or ownership of Slate Coffee Roasters. In the course of our reporting over the last 48 hours, additional accounts similar to the above claims by Capell have been published publicly by former Slate employees on Instagram, and the collective membership of Coffee At Large continues to grow.

Sprudge has reached out to Slate for comment on the events of last weekend and Coffee At Large. No comment has been received as of press time, but the company did post the following message on Instagram, reprinted here in full:

To our Coffee Community:

​​We are saddened by the recent event of five baristas walking out on their cafes because of their personal unhappiness with Slate. As a family-owned business, we understand that tough conversations can turn into constructive growth. We will continue to to work collaboratively with our staff though meetings and revised standards to allow for more communication so to better shape our ways of doing business. This is something that we have been striving for in the past.

As in the past and moving forward, we are committed to building a thriving culture for all workers and member of our community. Just as we value sourcing coffees in alignment with sustainable and equitable practices, we are committed to building a culture, internal practices, and safe work environment in line with those values.

We intend to work through and understand the details and concerns made by our former employees and do not take the matter lightly. It is our intention to hold space for a thoughtful dialogue.

For the moment, we have limited Instagram comments so that we may address all questions, comments, thoughts, and concerns through email at press@slatecoffee.com.

Many thanks to our supportive guests, employees, and coffee industry partners and friends during this difficult time.

​​Sincerely,
​​Lisanne Walker & Keenan Walker

This story is developing. 

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 At Large.

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Source: Coffee News

Amman, Jordan: The Sprudge Coffee Guide

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amman jordan coffee guide

Amman, Jordan’s capital and largest city, has gone by many names—‘Ain Ghazal in 7200 BCE, Ammon during the Ammonite Kingdom, and Philadelphia under the Roman Empire. Despite its long history, at the end of the 20th century the city consisted primarily of a small community of Circassian immigrants. However, after it became the capital in 1921, internal migration and waves of refugees from Palestine, Iraq, and Syria led to a population boom. These communities have left their mark on Amman, and today the city has a population of more than four million. Despite its size, Amman has been treated by many visitors as a city that lacks the “authenticity” of other regional capitals like Jerusalem and Damascus. But since its modern founding, Amman has been a religiously and ethnically diverse capital that has served as a space of refuge for migrants fleeing other parts of the Middle East.

Amman’s diversity is also reflected in its expanding coffee scene. Ammanis love coffee, but it was only recently that specialty coffee gained traction in Jordan. A significant part of this growth can be attributed to younger Jordanians traveling around the world, cultivating a desire to bring the coffee experiences that they’ve had abroad back home. The result is that coffee in Amman is no longer defined exclusively by roadside coffee stalls and late-night cafes. This guide is intended as a first foray into Amman’s coffee community, highlighting a selection of the cafes that can be found throughout the hills defining the cityscape. (And besides these featured, I’d also recommend checking out Bunni Coffee Roasters, which just opened in Weibdeh, as well as Kava Roasters in Abdoun.)

amman jordan coffee guide

The Coffee Room

If you ask Ammanis to tell you about the most historic areas of their city, Jabal al-Lweibdeh (Weibdeh) will inevitably be mentioned. As people expanded out of downtown in the 1920s, Weibdeh was one of the first places they went. Since then it has been home to prominent Jordanian writers, poets, and politicians. Over the last five years, Weibdeh has also become one of the most popular areas of the city. Located on Paris Square—the neighborhood’s central traffic circle—is The Coffee Room. Its small size and unassuming exterior are deceiving. The Coffee Room serves some of the best coffee that Amman has to offer.

Opened in 2016 and serving the United Kingdom’s Artisan Roast Coffee Roasters, The Coffee Room’s menu offers a full selection of espresso-based drinks, along with multiple manual- and cold-brew options. Its cozy size and brick interior oozes warmth and provides a welcoming spot to grab breakfast or a pastry, all of which are made in-house, while you enjoy your morning coffee. In the evening, seating spills onto the sidewalk outside and provides a chance to watch Weibdeh come alive.

The Coffee Room is located on Paris Square, Jabal al-Lweibdeh, Amman. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

 

amman jordan coffee guide

The Coffee Lab

Tucked away in the Jabal Amman neighborhood near the French Embassy, The Coffee Lab, which opened in 2018, is a recent addition to the city’s coffee community. The shop is located near Rainbow Street, a popular destination among visitors. However, it is far enough away from Rainbow that it isn’t affected by the area’s congestion and noise, which is particularly bad on weekend evenings. Ample seating also makes it a prime place for work, but in the middle of the day you might be hard pressed to find a spot, as doctors and lawyers from the surrounding neighborhood regularly make The Coffee Lab a destination for lunch and meetings.

The cafe’s sleek interior draws inspiration from coffee’s molecular structure, and also includes a tweaked periodic table of the elements that adorns the wall above their couch. The Coffee Lab takes what they do seriously, pairing a full menu of espresso and brewed drinks from illy with a robust food menu. All of their food is made in-house, including multiple pastries, sandwiches, and fresh fruit drinks. The Coffee Lab also sells most of the necessary tools to step up your home-brewing game, which can be hard to come by in Amman.

The Coffee Lab is located at Abu Feras Al-Hamadani Street. 24, Jabal Amman, Amman. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

 

amman jordan coffee guide

Dimitri’s Coffee Roasters

Dimitri’s Coffee Roasters has in many ways become the face of specialty coffee in Jordan. Founded by three brothers in 2014, there are currently four locations around Amman, including the newest location on al-Baouneyah Street in the Weibdeh neighborhood. Their locations also include a shop on The Boulevard, a massive pedestrian thoroughfare housed inside Amman’s $5-billion-dollar Abdali mega-development. Dimitri’s was also one of Jordan’s first specialty roasters, using a roaster that was designed by one of the brothers and built by local engineers in Jordan.

The Boulevard location features comfortable seating, including a large communal wood table. The shop also boasts a large outdoor patio area that provides a great spot to people-watch. Dimitri’s offers a number of single-origin roasts and blends that can be ordered on multiple manual brew methods. Their extensive manual brew options couple with their espresso menu, which offers everything from straight espresso to blended drinks. No matter what you’re looking for, you can find it at Dimitri’s. If you’re not planning on staying, they also offer retail beans and all of the home-brew equipment you could possibly need.

Dimitri’s is located on The Boulevard in the Abdali Project, Abdali, Amman. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

 

amman jordan coffee guide

Melange

Established in 2017, Melange is another new addition to Amman’s coffee scene. Situated on Fawzi Al Qaweqji Street in the affluent West Amman neighborhood of Abdoun, Melange is located around the corner from another well-known Ammani coffee destination—Kava Roasters. Their close proximity makes it easy to sample multiple shops in a single visit, but if you’re looking for a place to get some work done, Melange is a perfect spot.

When you enter Melange, you are greeted by a high bar and a menu of their daily single-origin offerings from Vienna’s CoffeePirates. In addition to their multiple pour-over offerings, Melange offers a full menu of espresso and cold brew. Melange is somewhat unique among Amman’s cafes, which are often defined by their small interior footprints, because of its comparatively vast seating area. The downstairs includes a collection of tables both inside and outside, as well as stool space at the bar. Upstairs, a large communal table is surrounded with additional seating. Both floors rely heavily on natural wood decor, which makes Melange particularly inviting during Amman’s short, but exceedingly wet, winters.

Melange is located at Fawzi Al Qaweqji Street 12, Abdoun, Amman. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

 

amman jordan coffee guide

Rumi Cafe

At the corner of Kulliyat Al-Sharee’ah and Jarir Streets in Weibdeh is one of Amman’s more well-known cafe destinations: Rumi Cafe. Sitting across the street from Patisserie Fayruz, Rumi’s interior is styled with white tile and natural wood elements. Floor-to-ceiling windows encase the shop, opening during warmer months to seamlessly connect Rumi’s interior to its large outdoor patio. Additional seating lines the sidewalk, stretching across the next door in the evenings when the neighboring post office closes its doors for the day. Rumi has become one of Amman’s most popular cafes, particularly among younger residents, artists, designers, and visitors.

Rumi serves illy coffees from early in the morning and late into the night. Their drink menu focuses on espresso-based beverages, cold brew, and an extensive tea selection with limited manual brew options. Rumi also offers house-made sweets and pastries, including a rotating selection of cakes, multiple different sandwiches, and a number of breakfast items. Seating is always pretty tight at Rumi because of how popular it is. That’s especially true on summer evenings when the patio and sidewalk fill up quickly. If you’re not up for a crowd, visiting in the morning means you can usually grab a seat.

William Cotter (@cotterw) is a freelance journalist based in Amman, Jordan. This is William Cotter’s first feature for Sprudge.

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Source: Coffee News

Get Hired And Wired At The World’s First Coffee Job Fair

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Now that the reboot of Tales of The City on Netflix has put the Bay Area back on the map we’re sure that folks across the country (and around the world) are clamoring to take a bite of that Golden Apple. Like Mary Ann Singleton in the go-go 70s, maybe it’s time to pack your bag and make the big move. Call your parents from the Buena Vista and say “sorry, mom, I’m not coming home!” Take a swig of that Irish Coffee and take a deep breath. This is your new life now! Well, that’s all well and good but you’ll need a job—and next week the folks at The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab & Tasting Room will be hosting five incredible Bay Area coffee companies for a Specialty Coffee Job Fair.

We reached out to Richard Sandlin of Royal Coffee to find out what’s really going down.

Give us the elevator pitch for this event:

The (possibly first ever) Specialty Coffee Job Fair elevator pitch is to help great people find great jobs at great companies. We have a chance to provide the space and be the physical bridge between the job seeker and the job provider. It’s a unique event, something we think the coffee industry has been asking for and didn’t know it needed.

As green coffee importers we have a birds-eye view on the entire industry. We are in contact with roasters from all over the country daily. Now, with our brand new space, The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab & Tasting Room, we have a new home where we get to meet all aspects of the industry. We keep hearing questions from amazing coffee professionals surrounding their next career move and we keep hearing from roasters wondering how to find their next great hire. The Specialty Coffee Job Fair is their chance to meet one another face to face.

You said Sprudge Jobs played a small role in the inspiration for this event. Tell us more!

I’ve been an avid reader of Sprudge since 2011. Since you launched the jobs page back in 2013 it’s one of my favorite places to check in on the industry. Sure, articles tell you about the movers and shakers, but that usually tells the story of what has already happened. The Sprudge Jobs page is a window into who is growing in the industry, which company has expanded to a new territory, which roaster’s wholesale game has gone to the next level, and what that new new is. I’m a believer in the idea that people make companies great and nothing tells that story more that a job opening.

We now have a chance to introduce the job seeker to their next big break. We can introduce them to the company they’ve been dying to meet. In a world going more and more digital, we have a chance to introduce people and shake hands.

How will the job fair be set up? Will it be like speed dating?

The Job Fair will take place in our Presentation Room at The Crown in Oakland from 10am to 2pm on Friday, June 28th. We’ve assembled an all star cast of roasters, Andytown Coffee, Blue Bottle, Equator Coffees, Highwire Coffee, and Red Bay Coffee to bring their hiring team, their leaders, and their coffee all to The Crown. Each roaster will be stationed at one of our cupping tables, offering tastes of their coffees and a chance to meet hiring managers one on one. Looking to cut through the noise of the online application process? Now is your chance to get noticed.

The Bay Area Coffee Community will host a panel discussion on key topics facing job seekers in the specialty coffee industry with representatives of each of the five roasting companies present during the event beginning at 12pm.

RSVPs are strongly encouraged. Please come in professional attire with printed resumes in hand.

What kinds of opportunities will be available?

We’ve placed all of the jobs available on our website, the Eventbrite page, and the Facebook Event page. These range from entry level positions like barista or production assistant all the way to leadership positions like cafe manager, wholesale sales, account executives, all the way to GM.

Is this open to coffee newbies and coffee olds alike?

This event is open to anyone interested in a career in coffee or growing their career in coffee. You’ll have a chance to meet hiring managers and CEOs of leading coffee companies to discuss real jobs you can apply for. This is unlike any other coffee event to date. The goal is to help attendees land their dream job.

Please come dressed to impress and with printed resumes in hand. Now is your chance to break away from the pack and get noticed. The coffee industry is hiring. Are you ready for your next great move?

Will there be snacks and coffee available to eat and/or drink?

Each roaster will offer free tastes of their coffee. We’ve gathered five of some of the Bay Area’s leading roasting companies—applicants are in for a real treat. The Crown’s Tasting Room will be open with drinks available for purchase as well.

Can I bring a friend?

Please!

What should participants bring with them?

Please come dressed in professional attire with printed resumes in hand. The hiring managers are highly motivated to meet with talented and informed applicants.

I would strongly encourage attendees to review the positions on our website and come with specific questions for the positions of interest.

If I wear vintage third wave coffee gear will my odds at getting a coffee job improve?

Great question. I think you should do whatever you need to do to get noticed. Professional attire is encouraged, but above all, dress to impress. Be you.

Is the accordion shop next door hiring?

You’d have to inquire. It turns out that the accordion shop next door, Smythe’s Accordion Center is the stuff of legend in the Accordion community. I don’t know much about music played on the Accordion but game respect game.

What incredible events are lined up this summer?

The Crown has a ton of great events coming up. Be sure to check out website for the full line up. We are soon launching Saturday Food Pop Ups, Donation Based Yoga supporting Grounds for Health, Q Classes, Roasting Classes, Public Tastings, and maybe the world’s greatest gathering of coffee ice cream. Big things are always happening at The Crown. If you aren’t following us on social, now is the time.

Thanks!

Visit the Royal Coffee website for more information.

Photos courtesy Royal Coffee by Evan Gilman.

Disclosure: Royal Coffee is an advertising partner on Sprudge.

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Source: Coffee News

Build-Outs of Summer: Southdown Coffee In Oyster Bay, NY

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southdown coffee oyster bay new york

The crashing summer waves, the waving evening breeze, the softly breaking dawn, they whisper. Can you hear it? It’s the thrill of the build! The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer season is back, and we’re kicking things off the way any sensible city dweller might: by heading to Long Island. Oyster Bay, to be specific, where Southdown Coffee are prepping a second location, fresh off owner/founder Marc Boccard’s top three finish at the 2019 US Roasters Championship. This is a stunning new opening in an historic converted farmhouse, and we can think of no better way to kick off our biggest and best Build-Outs of Summer Season yet.

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

As told to Sprudge by Mark Boccard.

southdown coffee oyster bay new york

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

We opened in 2014 with our shop in the “Southdown” neighborhood of Huntington, NY. Most of the businesses at this small intersection are called “Southdown Pizza, Southdown Laundry, Southdown Market, etc etc,” so that’s how we cooked up the name. Technically I’m the sole owner of Southdown Coffee, though I always say “we” since I still have many people who’ve been with the company since the beginning and it’s such a group effort.

When we opened we were roasting as members of Pulley Collective, eventually purchased an Diedrich IR-12, and are now installing a new 15KG Mill City in our new space in Glen Cove, NY, which will give us *LOTS* more space for production, training, and QC. This year I took home 3rd place at US Roasters Championship which has definitely helped to generate a lot of interest in what we’re doing. In our cafes, we are focused on presenting people with beautifully roasted coffees at high standards of preparation, and maintaining an inviting atmosphere for our guests.

southdown coffee oyster bay new york

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

The new space is in a historic homestead from 1810, which was recently purchased and is being heavily restored by the new owner. Much of the building was in disrepair and I think the general model of renovation was wise, gutting out tiny second floor spaces and creating cathedral ceilings to create a very open and fresh feeling, with plenty of original touches remaining so you still feel the age and character of the space.

Shortly after buying it, the owner reached out to lots of local (LI, NYC) graffiti artists and invited them to write on virtually every surface of the building. It caused a major uproar in the town, but ultimately started a great conversation about what to do with these historic treasures when they’re beyond repair. We’ve kept a few of the pieces and it definitely adds a very cool and unexpected layer of history to the space.

southdown coffee oyster bay new york

southdown coffee oyster bay new york

What’s your approach to coffee?

My approach starts with demanding progress from myself and my staff to make sure we’re always working harder at improving ourselves. My greatest failures have always turned into successes as long as I’ve been able to bury my ego and learn from my mistakes. So I guess the answer is that my approach is to keep learning and hope that the customers notice the hard work, which I believe they have!

Other than that, we’re probably not much different from most specialty companies these days, trying to bring in the nicest coffees we can afford, keeping things seasonally fresh and diverse for our customers. We serve pour-overs in the cafes and focus on single origins, though I’m having lots of fun playing with our new espresso blend as well. I start pretty much every day with a cup of batch brew.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

Kees van der Westen Mirage, Mahlkönig K-30s and an EK43, a FETCO, a built-in Marco Hot Water Tower for pour-overs, and Mill City 15KG roaster.

southdown coffee oyster bay new york

How is your project considering sustainability?

We currently use compostable cups, straws, and packaging in all of our cafes. I’ve been looking into potential parters for carbon offsets for our coffee roasting. We discount coffee purchased with a reusable cup.

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

August 1st, 2019

Thank you!

Thank you!

southdown coffee oyster bay new york

Southdown Coffee is located at 49 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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.

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Source: Coffee News

I Donut *Not* Want These Cafe Du Monde Beignet-Inspired Sneakers

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It wasn’t but four months ago that I said I was done—“DONE I TELL YOU,” I shouted like a teenager with a broken caps lock key—groveling at the feet of shoe companies for free coffee- (or avocado toast)-inspired sneakers. But like the Simone Biles of not-sticking-to-my-guns that I am, I’ve done a full-on tucked triple double flip-flop (and stuck the landing) thanks to these Café du Monde-inspired Sauconys. And I would like it very much if someone gave me a pair, thank you.

Designed by Sneaker Politics, a sneaker boutique based in New Orleans’ French Quarter not but a half mile from the world famous Café du Monde, the limited release shoe takes the Saucony Shadow 5000 and gives it a beignet-keover with two different colorways: “Beignet Brown” and “Powdered Sugar.” According to Hypebeast, the Beignet Brown “features a three-tone brown suede leather and mesh upper, detailed with white flecks mimicking the powdered sugar sitting atop the delicacy.” The Powdered Sugar features a white suede and mesh and a powdered tan upper. Both colorways receive a pop of color from the green soles, “a nod to Café du Monde’s iconic green and white awnings,” per NOLA.com, as well as the perfect green Café du Monde in green script on the tongue.

And if you needed just an extra just *mwah* chef’s kiss to really set the whole thing off, “the sneaker box looks like the goddamn beignet mix,” as one Sprudge editor so succinctly described it in our covetous Slack chat.

But if you were hoping to get your hands, or your feet I guess, on either version of the Café du Monde Shadow 5000, your ability to do so has a one-to-one relationship with your knack for being in New Orleans on June 22nd at precisely 11:00am CST. The extremely limited releases—like less than 200 of each colorway—will pretty much only be available at the New Orleans Sneaker Politics location. According to NOLA.com, “a few hundred will go out to stores nationwide,” but I wouldn’t hold out much hope of getting any of those.

The Saucony Café du Monde Shadow 5000 retail for $120 and $125 for the Beignet Brown and Powdered Sugar colorways, respectively, but you can go ahead and assume a significant multiplier will be added to that once these hit the secondary market.

So I’m just going to throw this out there one more time, should anyone want to send a pair of size 10 Saucony Café du Monde Shadow 5000s to me, preferably in Beignet Brown but I will gladly update my entire wardrobe to make the Powdered Sugars work too, I won’t say no.

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 Hypebeast

The post I Donut *Not* Want These Cafe Du Monde Beignet-Inspired Sneakers appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Cill Fisher: The Sprudge Twenty Interview

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Priscilla Fisher

Priscilla Fisher (Photo courtesy Priscilla Fisher)

Our coverage of the Sprudge Twenty interviews presented by Pacific Barista Series continues this week on Sprudge. Read more about the Sprudge Twenty and see all of our interviews here.

Nominated by Grant Gamble

Cill Fisher is the co-founder of Floozy Coffee, an Australian coffee roasting and retail company based in Newcastle, New South Wales.

More information about Cill from Floozy Coffee’s website:

“Cill has a background in economics and women’s advocacy, and recently earned her Master’s in Economic Development based on a systematic review of women’s land rights in the coffee sector. Cill was invited to be a guest speaker at Beanstock Coffee Festival in Canada in 2018 to discuss inclusivity in the sector and has since been featured as a speaker at a number of other industry events promoting the role of women in the industry.”

“Floozy was founded in 2017 as a response to male bias in the coffee sector. Coffee roasting is male-dominated worldwide, as is the entire coffee supply chain. Cill and Kmac work to highlight and support female producers at origin, encourage other women coffee roasters, promote and train female baristas and coffee shop owners, and contribute to future gender disaggregated research within the sector. Floozy’s goal is to promote and advance the women in coffee, showcase the talents of the ladies in the industry, and train up future generations of badass coffee chicks.”

Floozy is at the forefront of fusing specialty coffee culture with feminism and social enterprise. Proceeds from both retail and wholesale coffee sales at Floozy have supported a range of women-centric charities and groups in its two years of operation, including the IWCA, SameCup, the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and Carrie’s Place. Floozy’s coffee program highlights the work of emerging coffee producers worldwide, with a focus on women-owned coffee projects. Their coffee ships worldwide.

What issue in coffee do you care about most?

When my business partner Kmac and I decided to start Floozy, it was in response to the underrepresentation of women in coffee roasting. As we got deeper into our business, we discovered that gender inequality in the coffee sector was a major problem at all levels of the coffee supply chain, not just in roasting. At the core of my business and my academic work is the central theme of women’s empowerment. Floozy is focused around the empowerment of women in the coffee chain through purchasing and representation, and my research is concerned with understanding the tools and resources necessary for women in coffee to be able to empower themselves. Both of these aspects of my work contribute to a greater goal of achieving gender equality in the coffee sector.

What cause or element in coffee drives you?

My background is in women’s rights and economic development, so the persistent gender inequality at all levels of the coffee supply chain is definitely what gets me out of bed in the morning.

What issue in coffee do you think is critically overlooked?

Since writing my Master’s thesis on women’s land rights in the coffee sector, it has become really apparent to me just how little we know about the rights and roles of women in coffee producing countries. So much of what we “know” about women in coffee stems from some really outdated and statistically invalid reports. There is a dire need for some quality research into women’s contribution to the coffee sector to better inform the way we purchase and consume coffee.

What is the quality you like best about coffee?

For me, coffee has always been less about the actual drink and more about the people behind it. The people who make coffee are my favorite kind of people.

Did you experience a “god shot” or life-changing moment of coffee revelation early in your career?

Less “god-shot” more “god-barista” (if that makes sense which it probably totally doesn’t). First, my dear friend Clive in Armidale, who got me to cut down from a large skinny cap with two sugars to a large flat white. Then Kmac and Hal in Newcastle, who got me interested in the world of specialty coffee and trained me to order small flatties. And of course, Jacob and Peter at the Coffee Collective in Copenhagen, who introduced me to the magical world of filter coffee, tasting notes, brewing methods, and all that jazz.

What is your idea of coffee happiness?

Being able to spend time alone with a good book in a cafe that feels like home.

If you could have any job in the coffee industry, what would it be and why?

Obviously I love what I’m currently doing with Floozy, so that. I’d also love to get more involved with research, and will be kicking off a PhD next year.

Who are your coffee heroes?

When I first decided to be a coffee roaster, Talor Browne was the only female coffee roaster I knew of. I think she’s amazing and she has inspired me a lot on my journey, and I would totally say that she’s one of my heroes. Kmac is obviously one of my coffee heroes as well. She’s the one who sucked me into this industry in the first place! And of course my partner, Grant, whose passion for coffee is literally unparalleled (ask anybody).

If you could drink coffee with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Steffen Altmann, my behavioral economics professor from the University of Copenhagen. This man taught me the meaning of good research, and how to truly think critically. I’m sure I owe him a coffee or two.

If you didn’t get bit by the coffee bug, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

Before I accidentally became a coffee roaster, I was going down the path to be a behavioral labour economist. Sounds kinda boring in retrospect.

Do you have any coffee mentors?

I accidentally found myself a coffee mentor in Chris Tellez. We became besties when his cafe, Show & Tell (Kitchener, ON, Canada), bought our coffee. I flew over for a visit, we got matching tattoos, and now we chat almost every day about the struggles and triumphs of running a small business and everything in between. The first thing I see every morning when I wake up is a sign that reads “What Would Chris Tellez Do?”—powerful words to live by! Haha no but seriously the dude’s amazing and I look up to him a lot. That’s why I nominated him for the Sprudge 20!

What do you wish someone would’ve told you when you were first starting out in coffee?

I’m so stubborn that honestly it wouldn’t have mattered. I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way but had plenty of wins too. I think the most important thing is just not to take ourselves too seriously. And that excluding someone or looking down on them for not being Melbourne-enough is actually not that cool. We all belong in coffee, whether we know everything or nothing.

Name three coffee apparatuses you’d take into space with you.

If I can afford to go to space I can probably afford to commission a Kalita 155 in pink. And maybe my Loring. And a Nespresso machine for when things get desperate.

Best song to brew coffee to:

The Crazy Frog by Axel F or anything by the Dixie Chicks. Duh.

Look into the crystal ball—where do you see yourself in 20 years?

I haven’t even been in coffee for two years yet, so seriously, who knows!

What’d you eat for breakfast this morning?

I only eat breakfast on my days off, and they’re pretty rare, but it was super nice to actually have breakfast cooked for me by my boyfriend today! Otherwise it’s normally a flattie followed by too many cups of batch brew.

When did you last drink coffee?

Earlier today!

What was it?

First was a fun Colombian by our friends at Morgon Coffee Roasters in Sweden, and then a French press of Floozy Daddy Issues I found in the back of my cupboard that was roasted almost two months ago. (Side note: how many other coffee roasters out there forget to take coffee home with them?!)

Our coverage of the Sprudge Twenty interviews presented by Pacific Barista Series. Read more about the Sprudge Twenty and see all of our interviews here.

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge. 

The post Cill Fisher: The Sprudge Twenty Interview appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Help Puerto Rico’s Finca El Teatro Become A Working Farm Again

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Finca El Teatro is a 15-acre farm in Las Marias, Puerto Rico that grows coffee, bananas, plantains, yams, and malanga lila. Or at least it did until 2017, when Hurricane Maria devastated it. Because of the advancing age of farm owner Don Antonio Román, Finca El Teatro has sat dormant, unable to produce, with the 80-year old Don Antonio surviving on social security.

But now, a GoFundMe page has been created to help the Román family get the capital they need to return Finca El Teatro into a working farm.

The crowdfunding campaign was started by Belto Román Rodríguez, Don Antonio’s grandson, whose employment with the American Red Cross renders Finca El Teatro ineligible for aid from the organization due to a conflict of interest, per the GoFundMe page. This led Belto to search of other means to raise the funds needed for this grandfather’s farm.

With the GoFundMe, Belto is hoping to raise $60,000 that will go toward:

Home repair
Plow machine
Fix the load bus
Construction of fence for control of theft and wild pigs
Tools and light equipment
Tree crusher
Cleaning of trees for land preparation
Animal feed, fertilizer, and organic fertilizers

As of the time of publication, the campaign has raised just over $300 in two days. For more information on Finca El Teatro, visit their GoFundMe page.

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 the Finca El Teatro GoFundMe page

The post Help Puerto Rico’s Finca El Teatro Become A Working Farm Again appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Inside Regalia Roasting Collective, A Shared Roasting Space In Long Island City

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regalia roasting collective long island new york

In a city full of self-starters and go-getters, New York is an ongoing contributor to the growing sentiment that “everyone’s a roaster now.” This caffeine-fueled entrepreneurial jungle is continuously teeming with aspiring business owners, new cafes, and roasting companies despite the city’s continual crunch for real estate. It’s no wonder WeWork and other shared-facility co-working communities thrive in a landscape with a lack of affordable space. Paolo and Chisato Maliksi’s Regalia Roasting Collective is the next logical step in the coffee chain—it’s a shared roasting space and wholesale venture for both brand new coffee professionals and those venturing over from the restaurant world.

The Maliksis launched Regalia in a Long Island City in 2018, located below the owners’ own apartment. Their intention is to provide a welcoming space for aspiring roasters, but particularly those in the rest of the food and beverage world. Additionally, Maliksi wanted to give more creative and financial freedom to businesses outside of what coffee wholesale programs have to offer them.

regalia roasting collective long island new york

Paolo and Chisato Maliksi

“I pretty much think that every specialty coffee roaster provides an à la carte menu and makes you buy from that à la carte menu, and if we just think about it like that, there’s nothing really specialized about that,” Paolo Maliksi says. “It’s just like, ‘Here are my offerings. Please buy [them]. And we’ll do the best we can to ensure that you continue to make it taste good.’”

Regalia gives clients the power to take full reign of their own supply. They not only teach interested parties how to roast, but also how to source their own green coffee. The first taste is free: Regalia offers a complimentary introductory two-hour roasting session to get themselves familiarized with Regalia’s 15kg Mill City roaster, along with their QC accessories—a Decent DE1Pro, Mahlkönig EK43, FETCO CBS 1131 V+, refractometry equipment, moisture analyzer, cupping equipment, and various minerals for building water. They also offer climate-controlled green storage and green coffee pickup from New Jersey’s Continental Terminals—acting as “the Uber of Coffee,” as Maliksi says.

regalia roasting collective long island new york

“The mission is to lower the barrier into entry into roasting,” Maliksi says. “It used to be this secret, invite-only, you’re not ready for roasting kind of thing. But people can come in, they can go through the session. If they say it’s not for them, now they know about it. We are not just about renting the roaster to other people who want to start companies. We are out there to rent the roaster to cafes and bakeries.”

To hone his focus, Maliksi first studied current roasting collective operations worldwide, including Pulley Collective (with locations in Brooklyn and Oakland). Combining the cost of a dedicated roasting space, green coffee and storage, and workers’ hourly wages, Maliksi sees the shared Regalia space as a way for business owners to offer true specialty roasting experience at a fraction of the cost of starting a brand new facility. However, if the idea of roasting remains daunting despite the savings, Regalia offers “ghost roasting” toll services and private labeling, along with a subscription service of their own roasts. There’s also a traditional wholesale coffee program with outsourced tech support and weekend open houses for clients to showcase their offerings to the public.

On a regular weekday, a visit to Regalia shows one person roasting, and perhaps another one in the corner packaging their own offerings, while another is busy cupping their latest batches and trying to get feedback from you. With upcoming plans to bring in other complementary businesses to the space (e.g. graphic and interior designers), the Maliksis see Regalia becoming a bigger community moving forward—in step, it would seem, with coffee itself.

Regalia Roasting Collective is located at 39-02 Crescent St, Long Island City. Visit their official website and follow them on Instagram.

Katrina Yentch is a Sprudge contributor based in New York City and the online editor for Barista Magazine. Read more Katrina Yentch on Sprudge.

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Source: Coffee News