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.

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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

Our Hunapu comes from a highland valley near the colonial city of Antigua, one of Guatemala’s premier tourist attractions due to its heritage and scenery.  Antigua is situated between three impressive volcanoes, Agua, Acatenango, and Fuego. The unique dry climate, magnificent landscape, and excellent volcanic soil  provide optimal conditions to produce some of the best coffees in the world.

Hunapu is a name established by Beneficio Bella Vista for a group of small producers that got together to separate their Bourbon varietal cherries and offer one of the best Antigua coffees available. The name Hunapu derived from the natives name for the Agua volcano.

The Hunapu Bourbon is the result of the hard work to separate 100% Bourbon varietal fully ripe cherries and deliver them to Beneficio Bella Vista, where the traditional washed process is used during the wet stage and fully sundried to bring out the best of the Antigua Bourbon profile.

The Hunapu has strong chocolate notes, a fine complex acidity with a tender orange aftertaste and a unique roundness characteristic of a high altitude Bourbon.

Due to fluctuation in the commodities market, pricing has risen to it’s highest point in 12 years, and weather patterns that have caused substantial reduction in crops in Central and South America, PTs Coffee Roasting Co. will have a price adjustment at the wholesale and retail level effective immediately. We regret that this step is necessary.

Regards

Fred Polzin and Jeff Taylor

PTs Coffee Roasting Co.

Fazenda Ipanema in Sul de Minas is located near the cities of Alfenas & Machado. It has become one of the premier sources of all preparations of Brazilian Coffee in both Europe and the United States. One of the Ipanema coffees received the Cup of Excellence Award in the 2002 Cup of Excellence competition.

The Farm was established in 1970 and has embraced old growing techniques and modern quality controls, which have resulted in an excellent and consistent coffee. The Furnas Reservoir on the farm provides the coffee with a thermal protection from some of the potential damage of frost.

Fazenda Ipanema gained UtzKapeh certification for its environmental and social practices. Utzkapeh Certification certifies that the farm maintains the environment, food safety standards, education and training for the workers and their families as well as health care and cultural diversity on the farm. These criteria are in place for seasonal as well as permanent workers.

Prepared with washed, semi-washed, and natural coffees, this blend was trial run for three years before it reached its current make-up. When perfectly roasted and ground its low acidity, accentuated body and sweetness comes across due to the balance achieved by using the three coffee components, having an extremely pleasant aftertaste.  With distinct acidity, its creamy and velvety body brings you a pronounced orange honey finish.

Obituary for Jonathan J. Kaspar

Visitation:

Monday, June 07, 2010 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Christ the King Catholic Church
Service:
Tuesday, June 08, 2010 10:15 AM
Christ the King Catholic Church

Jonathan Jeffrey Kaspar, 20, Topeka, passed away on Friday, June 4, 2010 as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Jonathan was born September 17, 1989 in Topeka, the son of Jeffrey and Susan Kaspar. He attended Christ the King grade school and graduated from Hayden High School in 2008. He had just completed his sophomore year at Washburn University.
He was employed as a barista at PT’s Coffee Co.
He was a member of Christ the King Catholic Church and Prodigy Soccer Club with the Topeka Blitz, and had been a volunteer with Meals on Wheels.
Survivors include his parents; sister, Jennifer Kaspar, all of Topeka; grandparents, Robert and Betty Hazzard, Meriden, Raymond and Peggy Kaspar, Topeka; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at Christ the King Catholic Church. Private family inurnment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Monday evening at the church. Penwell-Gabel Southwest Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to Meals on Wheels, 1500 SW 10th, Topeka, Kansas 66604.
Jonathan’s family wishes to express their appreciation to the PT’s Coffee family for their care and concern during this time of tragedy.

So why does Topeka, Kansas rank as the 10th best city in the country? In part, because of PT’s Coffee of course! In the July issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, they chose Topeka, Kansas as the 10th best city in the United States. In addition to Topeka’s growing economy and low cost of living, being the home of PT’s Coffee is listed as one of the reasons why Topeka is such a great place to live. Can’t really argue with that! You can check out the article here, and taste why PT’s makes the difference here!

Given the announcement yesterday of our change in leadership at PT’s Barrington Village, some of you are probably wondering what’s going on with the previous manager, Robin Seitz. No worries- only good things! Robin has accepted the role of Account Manager for our US accounts west of Kansas City. Starting June 1, 2010, he will be busy getting to know our wholesale clients, answering their questions and helping them find the coffees and products that best fit their tastes and concept.

In the nearly 8 years that he has worked for us Robin has shown a perpetually growing interest in coffee, in all its forms and flavor nuances (prior to his employment with PT’s he had been a daily die-hard regular for another 7 years). His continuous curiosity has led him to pursue a variety of activities and opportunities such as retail management, coffee catering, trade show barista, barista competitor, barista champion, coffee trainer…and the list could go on. Needless to say, he has had a lot of exposure to different perspectives and ideas, and we feel that this experience will translate well to helping our retail partners. Keep on the look out for a Robin sighting near you!