Sorry I’ve been quite for a while, but I kind of thought you may have got bored of me with my flurry of posts over the past weeks.

Its been busy in the world of has bean. My new sample roasters arrived very big, very lovely

I’ve also agreed to be the bean/roaster sponsor for the 2nd UK barista Jam, and I also have to give a talk/presentation on all things roasting, that will be …… different. For more info about the event, and all those who want to attend contact La Spaziale UK for more details or ask here in the comments, and I’ll get them forwarded.

I’ve also spent some time just enjoying coffee. Strange to hear me say that but it has been pleasurable. My good friend Joel Pollock at Stumptown roasters sent me some goodies to drink and a cool T short for me and my good lady.

I’ve heard a lot about Hairbender their espresso blend so that was nice to see in there. My opinion is 12 months ago I would have hated this coffee, but my tastes and appreciation for fine espresso has grown and now it was fantastic. Not for everybody and on the wrong machine this wouldn’t be good at all, but when you pull the sweet spot its good. The heart warming thing for me was with all there reputation and staff  and resources they have and there background my coffee can stand side by side in this kind of company, and it would come down to personal taste.

So I said enjoy and I think this was because of one reason. When you do all the effort, and when you know the coffee and the blends so well (trust me I know our coffees inside out) its great sometimes for someone else to do the work (selecting, roasting preparation) and for me to just do the drinking. A good friend of mine was saying the same to me. He home roasts and enjoys his coffee, but there is a little something else when someone else’s time effort and love goes into the coffee.

The other was a wild Ethiopian Lima which was really wild and I’ll try and compose some thoughts on it after a few more cups, as at the moment I’m not sure what to think.

It seems fashionable to post about the strange ways people find blogs, so I thought I would share with you in the self gratifying way. Number one must go to Jim Hoffman the most searched for Barista in the world 🙂 . SO if I mention James hoffmans name some more then I may get some more James hoffman James hoffman traffic on my website.

The others I’ve picked out are just funny. My most favorite was Pot Noodle Vending Machine Prices,  HOW WHY WHO? I’ve tried to find it myself and I couldn’t do it in google.

Home Brew wine stop fermenting was another, and we seem to be getting a lot for kenco. A funny one was how to brew coffee on the Steve (note Steve not stove) made me laugh outloud.

But truly the best of them all on a google search for weirdest place we come up third.

I told you all back on the 12th of September that El Salvador is the next big thing in espresso, and now others think so.

Nicholas Cho also agree’s. Now I know how much preparation goes into developing a blend for competition so I’m not trying to get any credit for his 100% El Salvador blend at the SE regional barista competition in the USA. But it just goes to show that Nick and Counter Culture (the guys who helped him blend and roast it) also believe that El Salvador is rocking espresso. I doubt if he will ever read this but wWell done to Nick for winning the SE regional, permission to sit back and look smug 🙂
I’ve been working on blends for a while, so be prepared to see a flurry of new ones over the next week. But on the above topic we have a 100% El Salvador creation I’m sure you will love.

I’m also pleased to offer the Cup of Excellence blend mk2, which has been in the making for a while. We ran out of the El Salvador San Roberto, and the plan was to use our new El Salvador COE as a replacement. Early blending attempts left it wanting a little, so I had to re construct the blend, which has taken a few weeks but now I am happy.

Its amazing, I talk to people who I don’t know or kind of know but not very well, the conversation comes around to professions. They tell me there a secretary or an admin assistant or something like that (just an example). I find writing and office tasks mind numbingly boring, but to be polite I respond with some interest and ask further questions but not letting on I’ve no interest in there profession at all, they are welcome to it. Then they ask me what’s your job, “I’m a coffee roaster”, and as soon as I utter those words within 10 seconds I know if they like or don’t like coffee. Sometimes it can be in a rude or very forthright way.

I’ve done some other wacky jobs in my time but never had to share peoples opinions on them in such a passionate way.

I particularly love it when they tell me they don’t like the taste of coffee. It’s a bit like saying I don’t like vegetables. I believe there is a coffee and a vegetable for us all out there, its just vegetables are far more accessible and we found them a lot quicker. Coffee for most people has been restricted to instant or maybe some stale old pre ground (no frozen or tinned like vegetables).

EDIT: Where did the vegetable analogy come from? For the record mines Asparagus 🙂

There have been a lot of things going on in my mind recently about the world of coffee. Sometimes in my own little world (in my head) I think we are progressing and moving forward and there is an appreciation of fine specialty coffee. Then something will land on my lap and I realise I’m wrong.

The latest is the approaches from green beans importers who think its fine to talk about green beans in commodity prices. Their belief that the markets (coffee commodity markets) have any place in my business and the coffee I buy. I’m astounded at their shear ignorance that I’ll buy x amount of coffee without tasting it, and more so I’ll have to buy it because its cheaper.

Now I’m all for good deals for my customers but I don’t think it is a good deal to sell commodity grade coffee, that I have no idea of what it tastes like. My experiences of “that” type of coffee is that its dish water (ready to be proved wrong any time).

The lack of research of approaching a micro roaster with these offerings amazes me. It makes me wonder if where progressing at all. One step forward, one step back?

We get some really wacky orders sometimes. Our coffee has been drunk all over the world is some of the most beautiful countries to some of the most hostile. Has Bean has a clutch of regular service men and women who order roasted coffee to be sent to conflict area’s.

Our most recent order was for an Hearthware I roast to be sent to an American service man who wanted to roast coffee on 220-240v out there. We were happy to help out, but this is real dedication to coffee roasting.

What ever your thoughts on the current conflicts (and a coffee web blog is not the place to discuss the merits of this), I’m very proud of the people who go out to these countries under the orders of their country to defend and do their best putting life on the line. I’m immensely proud that the coffee might make life a little more bearable for these folks and remind them of some of the finer things back home.