When developing a strategy for our new mainline blend, a lot of discussion and trials took place. After a year of exploration of different blending styles, single origins as espressos, playing with parameters and percentages of extraction, and just tasting what else is out there, we wrapped our heads around all the different versions, ideas and possibilities of espresso. It was a fascinating exploration of what espresso has been, is, and could be.

Southpaw is a well rounded expression of much of what we have come to enjoy and require of a house espresso.  Much of the challenge in creating a “balanced” daily use espresso is achieving a complex and sweet flavor profile in a straight shot that will manage to have enough body to punch through in milk based beverages (the majority of drinks sold in the US).  In Southpaw we have accomplished this.  It has a sparkling tangerine acidity, juicy cherry sweetness, all grounded with rich milk chocolate and cocoa notes.  The texture is syrupy and dense, lending itself well to combining with milk, creating a malty milk chocolate flavor.

The official launch of Southpaw is Friday, February 18th at CoffeeFest Chicago.  If you are planning on attending the show, stop by booth # 718-720 for a shot!  For those of you not attending CoffeeFest, the first orders will be sent out on Monday the 21st.

CoffeeFest is a great chance to meet some of the people from PT’s.  Account Representatives David Amos, Robin Seitz, and Kasey Klimes will all be in attendance as well as PT’s owners Jeff Taylor and Fred Polzin.

2006 Winner Cup of Excellence - Finca Las Mercedes - El Salvador 2011

What an exciting visit to Finca Mercedes last week, even if it was a little different than first anticipated. Normally we are eager just to see the quality of coffee this farm continues to produce. This year we got a little added excitement.

One member of our traveling party awoke early to the sound of gun shots fired. That’s a bit alarming and certainly not normal.

It was a topic of discussion at breakfast and we later learned Policia had arrested nearly 60 bandidos during the night attempting to steal coffee cherry from the trees in the section of the farm we buy our coffee, El Pepinal 1. This section of the farm produced the winning lot in the 2006 Cup of Excellence and we’ve been sharing it with our friends at Klatch Coffee ever since. So it’s understandable why some might want to steal these awesome cherries.

But that was just the beginning.

While walking the farm in this same section later that morning, we heard another gun shot. This time fired into the air by one of our guards as a warning shot to 10 more bandidos. Seven of the bandidos scrambled down the mountain to escape, but 3, remained behind and we’re cornered by guards.

Roberto Ortiz, son of the farms owner Don Roberto Ortiz Sr., hustled to where the bandidos were captured. After a short phone call with the policia, he decided not to turn the robbers in, but instead give them a stern lecture, re-claim the coffee cherry and send them on their way. Without the coffee! The idea, he told me later, is too avoid making enemies. Instead, he hoped to gain their trust and respect and possibly even hire them as employees, if they were willing to work (a big “if”). Many of the bandidos are very poor with very little education.

Bandido's captured

On the flip side, if he would have had them arrested, it’s possible, they would have been released in a day or so and returned to do more damage to his farm as revenge. Not a good solution for sure. The catch and release program in this case I agree was probably the best solution.

What an interesting first day at the farm! You can see how the high prices are affecting everything. The coffee cherry is now viewed as “gold” to some. Quick money, if they can steal it and not get caught. Thank goodness for security.

On a brighter note, Finca Las Mercedes, which is near to Santiago de Maria in the Usulatan region of El Salvador, has had exceptional weather patterns this year and the crop is looking to be large and hopefully of exceptional quality.

The farm has been growing, in part, thanks to our strong Direct Trade partnership we share with the family Ortiz.

In the past 3-years the farm has grown from 50 full-time employees, to nearly 150, and they are still growing and producing more coffee. Lucia Ortiz, wife of Roberto, manages the marketing and relationships for the farm. We’ve been working closely with her to make sure we can remain a strong partner for years to come. We’ve agreed to pricing of the coffee for several years so that we can remain competitive and still help the farm grow and be a support to the community.

Harvest time

Since we began buying coffee from Las Mercedes, PTs Coffee has designated $.10 for each pound of coffee we purchase be used for community support. To date it’s been helpful in supplying medicines for the local clinic, which is located on the farm grounds, and serves many nearby communities.

In previous years we’ve purchased soccer uniforms and balls that were passed out to local teams. It’s amazing how popular soccer is in Central America. If you want to win the hearts and minds of locals, support the soccer teams.

Everything is truly looking amazing at Finca Las Mercedes. I look forward to getting the coffee in stock sometime around June. I wish I could share it with you sooner, but good things come to those who wait.

We’ve  agreed to a 3-year contract with Las Mercedes that assures we’ll have this outstanding, 1st Place finishing coffee in the 2006 Cup of Excellence, for years to come.

A big thank you to to the family of Don Roberto Ortiz. It’s been a pleasure working with you and learning about coffee in El Salvador from you.

You might recognize the name “Don Roberto” as it was our Seasonal Espresso Blend in the fall. Comprised of 3 coffees all from Las Mercedes. You can look forward to it’s reappearance this fall.

Harvest of Ripe Cherry

PT's Cafe in Barrington Village is in the midst of a two-week silent auction to benefit barista Sara Englehardt, who recently relapsed with cancer. (Photography by Lauren Neuer and illustration provided by Food+Flicks)

PT’s rallies around barista

We are searching for an energetic student that specializes in Marketing and/or Graphic Design.

This is a Part-Time or Full-time internship that has a flexible schedule to work around class schedules.  This is a unique opportunity to diversify your experience and credentials.  There is potential for future employment in 2012.

Responsibilities:

1) Research - Graphic and Marketing concepts and proposals.

2) Graphic Design - Marketing material design and ongoing development, Photoshop/image editing, image design for website usage, brand imaging, product imaging, and customer support.

3) Marketing Strategy - Managing current email databases for focused utilization and brainstorming new ideas to help build sales online and offline

4) Office/Administrative Assistance - Assist the office staff with handling file work, organization and shipping

5) Potential for international travel

This is an unpaid internship with real potential for growth opportunities and employment.  We have hired interns in the past.  Interested applicants can contact us by phone or email.

The internship is located at our roasting facility and office at 929 University Blvd., in the Forbes Industrial Park in Topeka, KS.  For more information regarding this opportunity contact Steven at 1-785-862-5282.

A printable application form can be found here.

PT’S COFFEE ROASTING CO. TEAMS WITH TORAÑO FAMILY CIGAR COMPANY

For “Single Region Tour”

(Topeka, Kansas) Specialty coffee roaster, PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. is proud to announce their partnership with the Toraño Family Cigar Company. The two quality-driven companies are launching the Single Region Tour to kick off the new year. The Tour will feature one of the Toraño Family’s newest blends, Single Region-Serie Jalapa, and also highlight some of PT’s award-winning single-origin coffees. The partnership, and this unique new tour, will kick off officially on January 19, 2011, at Havana Connection in Richmond, VA.

Within any given region and farm, micro-climates create a unique character and special quality due to soil, shade, temperature and other natural occurring conditions. For years, specialty coffees have highlighted the distinctive flavors that come from these unique micro-lots. With Single Region Serie-Jalapa, cigar smokers can now experience the same high quality flavor by smoking a cigar where the blend originates from tobacco grown entirely from one region and one farm. The blend is made from tobacco grown exclusively from a small farm called “El Estero” in the northern-most region of Nicaragua called Jalapa. This farm has been irrigated by a natural stream, which has run through the property for centuries. The water from this stream, together with rich soil (composed of sand and red clay) has enabled this farm to grow some of the finest and most aromatic tobacco in the world.

PT’s will be sampling a few of their newest single-origin arrivals. Some of those will be the Carmen Estate 1750 Reserve of Panama, accomplished finalists in the Best of Panama competition, Finca El Socorro Maracaturra of Guatemala, a former Cup of Excellence winner, and Finca Los Planes Pacamara Variety of El Salvador, which has a 93 rating on Coffee Review and recorded a 2^nd place finish in a previous Cup of Excellence competition.

“The zeal of highlighting regional flavors made the collaboration between Torano and PT’s Coffee a natural one”, stated Charlie Toraño, president of Toraño Family Cigar Company. “The events will offer great tasting cigars paired with French-pressed micro-lot coffees that will complement and enhance the flavor of both products.” The story of how each product was made will serve as a captivating lesson to connoisseurs of cigars and coffee alike. Jeff Taylor, co-owner of PT’s Coffee, supports that opinion and says, “The story and relationships with the growing regions are also another value in us working together for cigar and coffee fans. It’s a terrific pairing.”

The Single Region Tour will visit cigar stores across the country. Supporters and aficionados can log onto the Toraño and PT’s websites or their Facebook pages for a full list of dates and locations. These dates will also be sent out via Twitter.

PTs Coffee Roasting Co. roasts over 100 tons of specialty coffee annually and is among the leading roasters reviewed by industry resource Coffee Review, receiving the guide’s highest ever rating of 97 points. PT’s Coffee was also featured in Roast Magazine as “Roaster of the Year” in 2009.

PT’s Coffee Roasting Company, based in Topeka, KS, can be found at fine coffee shops and restaurants nationwide and in select Whole Foods locations. For more information: www.ptscoffee.com.  PT’s is also on Facebook: PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. and Twitter: @PTsCoffee.

A leader in the cigar industry, Toraño Family Cigar Company is a four-generation company currently based in Miami, FL. It enjoys a rich heritage and history in tobacco growing and manufacturing. For more information: www.torano.com. Toraño is also on Facebook: Toraño A family Cigar Company and Twitter: @TORANOFAMCIGARS.

Media Contact:

Jason Burton    816.679.2474

LAB5702@gmail.com

LAB 5702 – Representing PT’s Coffee

Jeff Taylor        785. 221.4121

Jeff@Ptscoffee.com

PT’s Coffee

***Photos and interviews upon request***

###

The New Year is upon us and we thought it would be a great time for a review of the past years coffee’s, with an update of what’s to come in 2011.  Last year was an exciting year for us at PT’s Coffee Roasting Co..  We made new coffee discoveries, in Brazil and Guatemala, and received great reviews for coffees that have become favorites for many.  The New Year brings an new excitement of new-found coffee discoveries and fresh harvests. We’ll continue our outstanding relationships with the current Direct Trade Farms and develop a few new relationships that we hope will become just as rewarding.

The Year In Review - 2010

In January our classic offering, Moka-Java Organic Blend, received a 90-point review.  And that was just the beginning of what would become our all-new Organic Line of Coffees.  If you haven’t checked these coffees out yet, you’re missing some wonderful Single Origin Organic and Blended Organic coffees.

One of our goals last year came to fruition around mid-year when some of our blends took on a new look and others got new names.  The Moka-Java Organic Blend is now called “OLD 93″ in honor of our company founding February 3^rd, 1993.  Another popular blend, Kansas Sunrise, became an immediate hit with its new name – Farm Girl Blend.  And Rolling Thunder changed to Thunder Road.  Same great coffees, just some updated branding.

In March, another of our 2010 discoveries, Ethiopia Sidama – Ardi, received a 92-point review from Ken Davids of Coffee Review.  We also developed the Ardi as a Single Origin Espresso and Robin Seitz featured it in the Midwest Regional Barista Competition and United States Barista Competitions.

2010 was a good year for espresso as well.  Through dogged determination, experimentation and discovery, we launched Flying Monkey Espresso. With a flavor profile that is gently fruit-filled and an undercurrent of licorice and aromatic wood, Flying Monkey Espresso has become extremely popular in it’s first year. In addition to Flying Monkey, Jeff Taylor, co-founder and coffee buyer for PT’s, and Holly Bastin, staff Barista Trainer, developed our first Seasonal Espresso Offering - Don Roberto Espresso Reserve from Finca Las Mercedes, El Salvador. This blend features coffees from three different Micro-Lots on the same farm, Don Roberto Espresso Reserve was a huge hit and didn’t last as long as we originally hoped it might. Boasting of two Honeyed Micro-Lot coffees and one fully washed coffee, Don Roberto introduced an all-new flavor profile to our line-up of espresso blends.

It was a slow year for us on Coffee Review as we only scored four other coffees that received 90+ reviews, unfortunately, as we transition through harvest seasons, some of them are no longer available.  Panama Elida Natural received a 93 and Guatemala Finca El Socorro Maracaturra received a 92, both are still available.  Burundi Mwurire and Colombia Los Naranjos San Agustin received 90+ reviews, but are no longer available.

Last but not least, as we rounded out the year, a unique find, and the only Kona coffee we’ve purchased in a number of years from Hawaii, scored a 94-point review.  Hawaii Isla Kona Mauka was the result of three pickers, including our friend Miguel Meza, who was sent to one of the highest farms in Kona, near 3200 feet, and close to the town of Holualoa.  We paid a premium to the pickers for only the ripest cherries and to process this coffee just for us to provide for you during the holidays. The resulting cup is remarkable and worth the effort. There is still a very small amount of this coffee available, but you’ll want to order soon as it won’t last. Jeff is working to process some more of this coffee, but we don’t have an arrival date yet.

2011 New Year Offerings

With so many exciting things happening in 2010, we are really looking forward to a great 2011.  

Introducing our newest Direct Trade Farm - Guatemala El Socorro Bourbon Espresso. This is our January Single Origin Espresso offering.  Holly believes this is the most balanced Single Origin Espresso she has seen since our offering of Ethiopia Sidama Ardi as an Espresso last spring.  This espresso has notes of Bing Cherry, Clementine Orange, and Bittersweet Cocoa.

We are anticipating the arrival of another new offering from South America very soon.  Brazil - Pocos de Caldas - Yellow Bourbon – Pulped Natural.  This coffee is produced and blended from 3 small farms in the region of Mogiana.  Pocos de Caldas is a volcanic crater, and these farms are located around the rim of the crater.  This coffee almost elevated itself off of the cupping table and insisted we purchase it last week. Keep your eyes open for this one.

The year 2011 is shaping up to be monumental in terms of quality for PT’s, but the high price of coffee is going to be an issue. Demand for Specialty Coffee worldwide is at an all-time high. So the climatic weather conditions that caused the loss of untold amounts of coffee in growing regions of Colombia, Brazil and many other coffee origins couldn’t have come at a worse time.  With demand sky high and supply at all time lows, the price is already at a 15-year high on the New York “C” market. This is the commodity market that sets the base price for coffee.  So we are very sorry to tell you our prices too will be rising in the near future. We’re doing everything we can to hold the line of prices, but this market is out of our control and it’s going to affect everyone. You’ll see prices for coffee going up everywhere, not just for PT’s coffee.  Stick with us and we’ll make it through this market and continue to provide you with the best coffees the world has to offer.

Because as we are often heard to say: “Without the love, it’s just coffee!”

The holidays are coming fast, and if you still haven’t found that special gift for that special someone, we have some ideas that take the pain and work out of last minute shopping.  We have launched two new Coffee Clubs.  Some of you may be familiar with these from the last couple of years.

Our Espresso Club takes the work out of having great espresso delivered to your door every month.  We will automatically ship one pound of La Bella Vita, Flying Monkey, or Gizmo Espresso once or twice a month for three, six, or twelve months.

Our Single Origin tour features one of our Single Origin coffees, selected by Green Coffee Buyer, Jeff Taylor, each month.  The single origin tour will eventually cover all of the coffee growin regions and eventually take you on a journey through the coffee world.

These clubs are wonderful gifts that keep giving throughout the year.  In addition to these two clubs, we have created an ongoing club order system through our webpage that allows you to schedule your coffee orders for automatic shipments.  Using your club order queue, you can automatically adjust exactly what coffee gets sent to you, and you will never have to worry about placing orders again.  Check out the new recurring order system here!.

We know that holiday shopping can be hectic, so in an effort to minimize the stress a little bit, we did some research on different shipping policies during the busy holiday season. Here are some simple guidelines to make sure that you receive your order before December 25th.  Orders placed via UPS should be placed before Friday, December 17th to garuntee their delivery before the holiday.  Orders placed via USPS will need to be placed before midnight on Sunday, December 19th.  UPS transit times depend on your location relative to us.  Please refer to the UPS shipping map above to calculate the exact time in transit to your location.  It is possible to expedite and request UPS 2-Day to ensure your orders arrival on short notice. Hopefully this information will help make sure that your coffees arrive in time for the holiday festivities! And as always, if you have any questions or special requests give us a call, 1-888-678-JAVA, and we will be more than happy to help find the shipping method that will best fit your needs.

We very proud of  Jannicke M. Johansen, a Norwegian Barista.  She received second place in an International Espresso Blend Barista Battle. The event was held in Oslo, Norway, and was co-hosted by Solberg & Hansen, and Tim Wendelboe.

The event featured 5 American Roasters and 5 Norwegian Baristas.  Our Seasonal Espresso was put head to head against: Intelligentsia’s Black Cat Espresso,  Heart Coffee Roasters’ Guatemala Puerta Verde, Ecco’s Guatemala El Tambor, and Ritual’s Sweet Tooth Espresso Guama, Kenya. Jannicke featured our Finca Las Mercedes Don Roberto Espresso Reserve from El Salvador in her second place finish.   You can read all about the event on the Solberg & Hansen Blog or by following this link  http://blog.sh.no/index.php?a=79 .

The most important factor to a great cup of coffee, is the extraction.  Ideal extraction is achieved by using a proper dose, accurate volume of water, accurate time of extraction, and appropriate grind for the brew method you are using.  Even if you use the proper dose, volume, and time the extraction properly, the coffee can still taste bitter or over/under extracted if you do not have a proper grind.   Consistency is key to a great brew.

Blade grinders will limit your ability to develop a consistent/even grind.  The blade moves in a circular chopping motion, and even though some blade grinders have settings that allow you to choose your preferable grind, they have a tendency to leave an uneven result.  As a result, blade grinders are virtually non-existent in a cafe setting, and are only used for at home, non-commercial use.

Burr grinders are important for great results.  The rotating burrs deliver a grind that is even all the way throughout with no inconsistencies.  This allows you to take the time to dial in the proper grind for ideal extraction.  Burr grinders also give you the capability to make very subtle adjustments to develop the perfect flavor profile for your brew method.

We offer a variety of burr grinders that give you amazing, professional quality coffee, right at home.  These deliver the same great results as commercial grinders, at a fraction of the cost.  These grinders may not be ideal for volumes and volumes of customers, but for you and your family, they deliver perfect results.

Available Burr Grinders

Barazta Maestro, Maestro Plus, and Vario

We have three Baratza Grinders available.  The Baratza Grinders are some of the most eye pleasing grinders on the market.  The beauty isn’t skin deep though, on the inside is the heart of a great grinder.  These grinders include an increased range of adjustment, an innovative calibration system, a powerful DC motor, and other improvements.  Baratza grinders are exceptional at producing consistent grinds.  The grind is adjustable by rotating the hopper between 40 different grind settings on the Maestro and Maestro Plus, allowing you to accurately dial in the grind for your brew method.  The Maestro Plus model has an innovative 60 second timer implemented into the switch, a front mounted pulse button, and a brushed-satin metal base.  The increased weight of the Maestro Plus gives it increased stability.   If you have an espresso machine, you will enjoy the convenience of being able to insert your portafilter directly under the dispensing chute to collect coffee as it is dispensed.

The Baratza Vario offers a sleek contemporary design, small footprint, and adjustablity for any style coffee.  We are incredibly impressed with the versatility of this grinder.  The macro/micro grind adjustment has over 230 different settings and programmable grind time allowing you to grind on demand the amount coffee you require.  The right hand lever lets you choose the type of grind you want, and the left lever lets you fine tune your grind within the range you’ve selected for a perfect grind.

Hario Mini Mill Slim

These small grinders are perfect for people on the go, or anyone who doesn’t want to listen to those noisy motorized grinders in the morning.  The ceramic burrs on the Mini Mill are durable and easy to maintain.  These small grinders are fully adjustable and deliver great results.

-
(more…)

As a coffee trainer I have dealt with everything from long term baristas to completely new baristas, sometimes in the same sitting.  The base knowledge of each trainee coming in can vary and there is a lot of conflicting information out there about coffee so it got me thinking about what every barista should know. I think this will end up turning into an ongoing list but I think these are some of the fundamentals that have been commonly misrepresented. If you have further questions, please feel free to call us or write us!

1. What espresso is and isn’t

What espresso is-

Definition- When a restricted amount of pressurized hot water is forced through fine ground coffee the water extracts proteins sugars and oils into a delicious couple of ounces of thick caramel colored liquid.

Espresso more refers to a method of brewing that will result in a small concentrated coffee beverage. The consistency is syrupy and dense and, if properly aged and prepared, should have a thick head of rusty golden colored crema.

What espresso is not-

-E’x’presso

-a specific kind of coffee bean

-a specific roast profile (usually expected to be dark)

-always a blend

2. Quiet milk is happy milk

There are a variety of ways to steam milk poorly, but they typically fall into two categories. While they have different visual and tactile results, they share a common trait- they are both pretty noisy. The best result lies in between. It shouldn’t be completely silent, but you should only hear occasional bursts of air for the first half of the steaming process and then it should become more and more quiet. The result? Silky microfoam!

3. Grind size is everything

The wrong grind size could be compared to a great many things, but I think tuning a stringed instrument is one of the best analogies for it. You can have the best technique in the world as a musician, but if your strings aren’t set to the right pitch, then none of that matters-it will still end up a little bit off. Also, humidity, temperature and barometric pressure can cause the wood of the instrument to swell and shrink throughout a sitting which means that the strings will stretch and slacken minutely causing the pitch to shift around, needing to be chased.

The same is just as true for espresso, factoring in climate, pressure, age, blend, roast profile etc. On any given day it’s normal to have to make over a dozen small changes to your grind setting to keep the coffee in its ideal flavor range. Even if you are positive you are dosing the same, distributing properly, and tamping level and at the same pressure, if the grind is off so is the flavor. The best solution? Start tasting a lot of espresso and getting to know the telltale signs of over and under extraction.

-Holly Bastin

Coffee Trainer for PT’s Coffee Roasting Co.

For more information on training click here