U.S. Barista Championships attract those passionate about coffee

CHARLES ODUM

Associated Press

ATLANTA - Heather Perry probably can brew an espresso faster than she can describe what motivates her to make a perfect drink.

"This is an art," Perry begins, before correcting herself to say "It's a craft."

Finally, Perry concludes: "It's a passion."

Perry's passion brought her from San Dimas, Calif., to Atlanta to defend her 2003 title in the United States Barista Championships. The event promotes the skill of espresso beverage preparation, and each of the 33 baristi in the event won qualifying competitions to reach Atlanta.

Twelve semifinalists, including Perry, advanced to Sunday's round, and the finals are scheduled for Monday.

So why all the fuss about a cup of coffee?

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What's Special About Specialty Coffee?

The term "specialty coffee" refers to the highest-quality green coffee beans roasted to their greatest flavor potential by true craftspeople and then properly brewed to well-established standards. Specialty coffee is not defined by a brewing method, such as the use of an espresso machine.

The definition of specialty coffee begins at the origin of coffee, the planting of a particular varietal into a particular growing region of the world. But the definition cannot stop there. The concept of specialty includes the care given to the plant through harvest and preparation for export.

Specialty coffee in the green bean phase can be defined as a coffee that has no defects and has a distinctive character in the cup. It is not only that the coffee doesn't taste bad; to be considered specialty it must be notably good.

The next phase is roasting, and there is a lot of opportunity here to continually define specialty. Every coffee in combination with every roaster has a potential to express itself in a way that will be most satisfying for every customer. Bringing out a coffee's distinctive character is the roastmaster's challenge and if they come close to succeeding then it is still specialty if it started out in the green form as specialty.

In roasted coffee, most agree freshness is part of the definition for specialty. If the coffee is not highly aromatic then it no longer deserves to be called “specialty.”

Then there is the brewing phase. There are many different methods, and all are capable of brewing beverages that can qualify as specialty coffee, but only if done correctly. The right recipe of coffee to water, the right grind suited to the method and the coffee's physical characteristics, the proper water temperature and contact time, a good preparation of the coffee "bed" or "cake" are all fundamentals that must be satisfied to produce a specialty cup of coffee.

Specialty coffee is, in the end, defined in the cup. It takes many steps to deliver that cup into the customers' hands. Each of those steps can uphold the classification of specialty if quality has been maintained throughout all the preceding steps.

SCAA.org

Great Coffee in Avon-By-The-Sea, New Jersey

I travel around New Jersey almost every day, and when I see a coffee shop I usually stop and give it a try. I seldom order espresso because it's almost always awful. If I can watch espresso being made and they seem to know what they're doing, then I will order it.

I had heard about a good shop in Avon-By-The-Sea, so I looked for it the next time I was near. The shop is Coffees and Teas of Yesteryear, and is owned and operated by Bob Peters. It was hard to find, but well worth the search.

Ths shop is small, about the size of your living room, and is about half filled with his 1974 Sivetz roaster. There's not much room to sit or stand, since the roaster and bags of coffee fill most of the floor space. He uses a beautiful 1950 Gaggia hand pump espresso machine, and he really knows how to use it. The machine is copper and brass and Bob says he has become very good at keeping it running over the years.

I had the best espresso I have ever had in a coffee shop. He used an Australian coffee and it was very smooth and good tasting. Bob is a real coffee man and I enjoyed talking coffee with him. He has lots of coffee stories to tell and maybe one day I'll get him to put one on this website.

If you're ever on the Garden State Parkway near exit 100, take a short trip to see Bob. Be sure to order espresso, and as his sign says, "Order espresso and you will love it, and you will love me."

Get onto Route 71, and turn east on Lincoln in Avon, Turn left at the first alley and the shop is on the left. Call ahead (732 500-7377) because he's not open all day. His website is Coffees and Teas of Yesteryear for more information.

Brazil maps arabica coffee genome to improve quality

Reuters, 04.20.04, 11:31 AM ET

By Peter Blackburn

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazilian scientists finished mapping the arabica coffee genome with the aim of raising the tree's resistance to disease and harsh weather and improving quality, a research leader said on Tuesday.

A coffee genome is made up of 11 chromosomes which are packed with genes and form a blueprint for the beverage's taste, texture, flavor and other qualities.

During the past two years, scientists from Brazil, the world's biggest coffee grower and exporter, produced 200,000 genetic sequences from which 35,000 genes were identified. Many of the genes recur in roots, branches and leaves of coffee trees.

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Coffee Technologies International, Inc. Announces waveRoaster(TM) Coffee Roasting System

ATLANTA, April 20 /PRNewswire/ --

Spokane, Washington-based Coffee Technologies International, after six years of development, announced the launch of its revolutionary waveRoast(TM) coffee roaster system for home and commercial applications at the Specialty Coffee Association of America's (SCAA) annual trade show. The waveRoaster(TM) is an easy-to-use countertop appliance that roasts green coffee beans automatically to perfection.

The waveRoast unit is controlled by sophisticated software pre-programmed with a selection of 12 proprietary roasting "profiles." The raw green coffee beans are packaged in a patent-pending sealed single-use cartridge that is placed inside the waverRoaster(TM). Each cartridge includes a recommended roast profile to achieve an optimum roast as suggested by our team of professional cuppers and roasters. The waveRoaster gives the ultimate coffee experience because the system, in all aspects, is user friendly. The roasting chamber for the waveRoaster(TM) is a specially engineered cartridge and is constructed and assembled in a manner that completely captures the smoky particulate within the body of the cartridge. Smoky emissions are eliminated leaving only the aroma of fresh roasted coffee.

The inventor and developer Glen Poss stated, "The system was developed in two phases. In the first phase, we created a technology for perfectly roasting green coffee in a microwave oven with an emphasis on even roast and smoke control. In the second phase, we created a process for creating an expert system that captures the know-how of expert tasters and roasters while at the same time allowing users to tailor the roast to suit their personal tastes. The result of this work is the waveRoaster(TM), a system that provides timeless quality and flavor with modern convenience."

The waveRoaster(TM) has been tested at the workbench, by the consumer, and against other new products. In the fall of 2003, Procter & Gamble sponsored the "Hunt for the Next Hot New Consumer Product," a competition that is run by the United Inventors Association (UIA). The waveRoaster tied for second in the event and feedback from the competition was used to make the final improvements in the user interface -- the key to ease of operation. The ease of operation and quality with a smoke-free operation combine to create a system not previously seen in the home roaster market.

The company is currently in discussions with several firms interested in licensing the technology or participating in joint marketing efforts. The company expects to have the product available to consumers and businesses at the end of the third quarter of 2004.

The waveRoaster(TM) can be seen during the SCAA show at Ken David's presentation on home roasters on Monday, April 26th. For a private advanced look you can make appointment to visit us in the Azalea suite in the CNN Omni hotel during the SCAA trade show April 24th through the 26th 2004.

Contact:
Glen Poss
(509) 599-5518


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Source: Coffee Technologies Inc.

SCAA Coffee Conference & Exhibition to Take Place April 23 -- 26, Atlanta

Specialty Coffee Association of America Hosts Largest Worldwide Event Devoted
to Coffee, April 23 -- 26; U.S. Barista Championships to Uncover the Leader in
the Art of Espresso Coffee-Drink Making

LONG BEACH, Calif., April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The Specialty Coffee
Association of America (SCAA) will hold its 16th Annual Conference &
Exhibition at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, April 23 -- 26,
2004. The conference and exhibition is the largest worldwide gathering of
coffee professionals and enthusiasts. More than 8,000 attendees will discover
some 800 booths featuring coffee goods and equipment, espresso machines, new
product launches, tastings, and supplies.
The exhibition is open: Saturday, 12:30 -- 6 p.m.; Sunday,
11 a.m. -- 5 p.m.; and Monday, 10:30 a.m. -- 3:30 p.m. More than 200 hours of
educational sessions are presented throughout the conference, April 23 -- 26.

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United Nations Wakes Up to Sustainable Coffee

Source: GreenBiz.com

NEW YORK, April 19, 2004 - Cafeterias and coffee shops throughout the United Nations offices in New York are now serving sustainable coffee to the delegates, diplomats, and visitors who walk its prestigious halls.

Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee, acclaimed both for its gourmet taste and its assurances for protection of workers and the environment, will be supplied by Java City, a specialty coffee roaster, wholesaler and retailer.

“When you serve coffee at the United Nations, you are serving it to the world. And all of the coffee-growing countries around the globe are among the 192 UN member nations,” said Dr. Noel Brown, former head of United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and Rainforest Alliance Board member.

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Global 2005 Coffee Output to Extend Decline, ICO Says

April 19 (Bloomberg) -- Global coffee production may fall for a second straight year in the 2004-2005 agricultural year as declining prices hamper farmers' efforts to grow the crop, the International Coffee Organization said.

Output for the 2003-2004 crop year ending in September will drop 15 percent to 101.38 million bags, the London-based ICO said in an e-mailed copy of its monthly report. It's the first year in five that the harvest is below consumption levels.

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