Coffee Questions
We enjoy talking about coffee just as much as we enjoy making it. From processing and origin to extraction and our favorite cup, we love hearing about what gets you excited about coffee and answering any questions you may have about drinks, the industry, or the coffee itself!
In our cultural moment, we spend a lot of time making decisions about how our habits affect others. We shop, dine, and drink local because we love our city and want to see our restaurateurs, small business owners, and service people thrive. We consider the ethical and environmental effects of where we live and work and how we get from one place to the other.
When’s the last time you thought about the coffee you drink? No, this isn’t some soapbox rant about why you should know the middle names of the farmer, importer, roaster, and barista of every coffee you drink, but think about it: what makes coffee different than the other purchases in your life?
For some, caffeine makes coffee a necessity. For others, it’s a casual hobby or study buddy. All of these are appropriate ways to think of coffee. We don’t elevate coffee above all other commodities, nor do we expect our friends, families, or customers to do so. Coffee can be just as interesting or complex as the craft beer or wine industries while being as approachable and simple as any other hobby.
Coffee is complex
As a drink, a great cup delicately balances acidity and bitterness with sweetness. As a commodity, coffee producers must battle leaf rust, increasing quality standards and with those standards, finding ways to subsidize advances and innovations in farming and processing practices. As an industry, baristas and roasters must balance the demands of an emerging craft industry with consumer demands in price, speed, and uniformity.
Coffee is simple
Given the proper equipment and a little bit of training, anyone can make a cup of outstanding coffee. The expanding specialty market is making it increasingly easier to obtain quality coffee in restaurants, grocery stores and even gas stations. As this market grows, passionate people with expertise and resources are working to partner with producers and farmers to solve the problems that threaten the livelihoods of so many.
Over the next couple weeks, we’ll try to answer some questions about espresso, coffee history, and other things coffee people might take for granted.
What do you wish you knew about coffee? Contact us here with a question, ask one of the team in the shop. And sign up here for our newsletter to be the first to hear about our next class!
