This is a list of "some" of the others sites/projects we have at Has Bean we like to call the "Has Bean Empire" please take a look give us some feedback on the other things we do.
"So I've been asked for a while about twitter and who the people you should follow"
Lots of you will know I’ve been sucked into the twitter world. At the time of writing I’ve posted over 6000 tweets with 1300 followers and a whole new circle of friends made through the social media revolution(corny).
So I’ve been asked for a while about twitter and who the people you should follow.
So I made one full of friends and hero’s in the industry (in many cases both) but I think it makes up a great list. Of course I didn’t include my wonderful self (j/k) but you can still follow me @hasbean or http://www.twitter.com/hasbean
This is in no way a comprehensive list and I may re visit it once this is thrown out there. Also feel free to use the comments to make suggestions for the folks I’ve missed. If I have missed you I am very sorry, please still like me and comment with your twitter name and link below. A twitter directory if you will.
"To create a blend it is necessary think of individual beans, how they might compliment each other and what they can bring to the blend, primarily in terms of taste."
I often get asked how we build espresso blends here at Has Bean. I wrote an article on the subject many moons ago though I think the process of blending has moved on a bit since then, so now seems like a good time for a re-write.
The first part of the process to produce any blend takes place in the mind and on paper. Before any coffee is tasted or anything is brewed, it is crucial to have some aims and objectives for the coffee. These can be diverse aspirations or simply seeking specific flavours within the blend. There is also the basic question of what proportion of acidity, sweetness and body is required. Next, with these answers in mind, it’s time for me to think about the Has Bean coffee inventory, and this is where I feel we have an advantage over many. We taste and cup lots of coffees, and have numerous beans available to us at any given time. I like to think we always have all the bases covered in terms of options and diversity.
To create a blend it is necessary think of individual beans, how they might compliment each other and what they can bring to the blend, primarily in terms of taste, but also in respect of mouthfeel, viscosity, aroma and complexity of flavours. Putting a complex, busy coffee in a blend alongside a wallflower of a bean may not be good, though two complex coffees can also just end up as a car crash of flavours. Read the rest of this entry »
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to meet one of my heros in internet land, Mr Gary Veynerchuk.
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to meet one of my heros in internet land, Mr Gary Veynerchuk. One of the greatest things to happen to me professionally and I had a chance to do a one of his wine library tv episodes with him.
For those who haven’t watched an episode before a lot of in my mug is inspired from Gary. He’s a legend and a great man and this is well worth watching (for me).
I hope you enjoy I hope you watch it and would love to hear your thoughts. I had the best time I hope you can see this in the video.
This weekend I spent the weekend at a chocolate factory. Rather a famous one, as its been on the TV a few times.
Willie Harcourt-Cooze owns both a cocoa farm and a chocolate business based in Devon. Willie has a passion for chocolate. He was followed a few months ago filming a program getting the business of the ground, truly taking seed to bar to a new level. There was also a follow up seris where he decided to take a 70% bar to market.
I am a huge fan of the program and the product, so when a friend (Aramndo a guy who brings in the Cafe Ita we sell)said he knew this guy called Willie who likes the cafe ita, I said I wanted to meet him big time.
He then went to tell me Willie wanted to try roasting coffee in his cocoa roaster, but I insisted I must help
It so happened when we arrived Willie JUST took delivery of his latest container from Venezuela with some from his farm too in there.
Working like dogs we got the container unloaded. We then got to meet all Willies family from the TV who were as lovely as they appeared on the box.
Treated to some amazing food at a country pub it was back to the factory to brew as many brewing methods as we could.
We had vac pot, french press, eva solo, ibrik, chemex, and a presso.
I also found a new way to insult me, just ask me for a decaf soy chai latte extra hot.
Keep with me on this one it is a coffee post. Last weekend I went to Glastonbury Music festival held in the south west of England over three days that is as famous for the mud as it is the music.
I went along to work, to go back to my first real interaction with coffee and become a barista again. Most people don’t know, but we used to own a coffee shop in stafford, here we used to serve coffee sandwiches etc. This was/is my roots in coffee. I knew so little then but I was a bar barista and I think I can always have it on my CV.
On saying this I wasn’t such a good bar barista and many many roasts have passed under the bridge since then, so to say I was a little out of practice would be accurate.
Things I learnt about my Barista skills were
1. I really enjoy pulling espresso, its a strange routine I got into but it was fun and I liked it a lot.
2. I cant do latte Art. I did some great texturing but my art sucks and blows all at the same time.
3. I enjoy running bar when your customers are the headline acts at the Pyramid stage, this does make it much more fun.
4. I like working bar with great fellow baristas, this makes it so much easier.
We managed to chew through around 22kg of coffee in three days on our stand and lots and lots of milk. We actually ran out but luckily on our customers was on site also serving coffee so Sam helped us out
I would have some photographic evidence of me working but because we were back stage (pyramid stage) we were not allowed to take any photos but you can see my in my mug I recorded here
I also found a new way to insult me, just ask me for a decaf soy chai latte extra hot.
Big thank you to Joe from Ristretto who’s gig it was, thanks pal for the invite and the chance to remind myself I should stick to roasting. Also thanks to Jamie, Chris, Loz and David for putting up with my rubbish skills.
A lot of the reason I’ve been not so active blogging (I know I’m in fits and spurts) is I’ve ben working on a new video project. Different from the In My Mug programs I’ve been doing this is a collaboration with the Irish Barista Champion 2009 and WBC finalist Colin Harmon.
Once a month we hope to pump out an episode (and beware they will be long) on all things coffee. A little bit of industry a little bit of fun, a little bit of learning (mainly for us).
Its a little raw, and we do plan to change it improve it, but we thought lets throw an episode out there for people to rip apart, so please do.
Mostly its about two mate’s getting together and talking coffee, good fun and your invited to watch in. Please let us know what you think.
I'm happily married to Sarah and we have a son, who both help in the world called Has Bean Coffee
In My Mug Videos
Every week I review and taste a new coffee, you can watch the videos here or at www.inmmug.com, we also do a subscription so you can taste them with me too
The videos I record just for the blog can be watched here, some product reviews, a few features and best of all interviews with great coffee people
Has Bean iPhone App
We have just launched the first version of our iPhone application, it allows you to keep you to date with Has Blog, In My Mug, Has Bean Twitter and more. Give it a spin and download it now
