March

WOW what a month loads and I mean loads going on. This was the month the Varietal project started (which does remind me time to do another), and one of the funniest finds in a coffee sack in a pair of glasses.

It was a time where we had quite a few guests on In My Mug, and another of my all time favorites was with my friends Andrew Wilson And Rupert from Old School wines, my local wine shop that feeds my love of wine.

Episode 17 In My Mug from Stephen Leighton on Vimeo.

But the highlight was the northern meet up where this time we had another 35 odd people come and watch me record a live in my mug and drink some coffee with me a Gordon. Good time had with all, and I need to start these up (as I said in the Feb review)

Day two of the blog marathon on the past twelve months, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks Emil for your kind comment on January’s entry

February

This was a very cool month for me, with the first ever Meet Up Group. We had over 35 people come to the roastery for a coffee and chat and look around and much fun was had by all (I think me enjoying it the most).

I’m often surprised and blessed at how wonderful my customer/friends are. All we did was drink coffee chat did a little but a tour of our small roastery In the cold of February, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. Its not lost on me I need to do another very soon. Maybe as soon as the weather gets warmer.

This was also the first time I got to meet David Walsh my good friend from www.theotherblackstuff.ie and he brought along some guy who had won the irish barista championships. Little would I know that both of these guys would have such a huge influence on my life at has bean. Without this meet up there would have been no Atlanta (to come) and no Tamper Tantrum (also to come)

Good times spent with good friend in a good month. Starts to heat up in the next couple of months with some big events for me and Has Bean.

So I’ve decided to do a Yearly review but instead of a big long post I’m going to do each month one day at a time. I think this will make it much more readable and easier for me to put together. I promise to try and finish it before the end of this January

January

January was a tough start to the year, with a complete overhaul of the website Has Bean. Lots of sweat and tears to get it there, but I think it was the right move as the old site began to groan under the strain. Even worth the losing the customer database. Thank you to every ones patience throguh this.

But the big part of January was the trip to Guatemala, mainly Antigua and a return to Amatitalan which was amazing. No matter how many time I go back to that farm its always a joy to meet up with the brothers and see how they have progressed. If you haven’t you should go back and watch the video of the brothers of La Perla and the videos of me on the farm with Francisco from El Bosque (see below), for me some of my best work: )

In My Mug El Bosque special from Stephen Leighton on Vimeo.

A great month, part of a great year, with another installment out tomorrow. Hope you enjoy

Its been a while since my last audioboo time to get back on that horse

So I’ve been thinking quality in coffee, and quality in wine and if we can share and learn things. This is an audioboo I’ve done about that very subject.

I think we have lots to learn from wine, and I think the yield culture that has surrounded coffee for many years, needs to be looked at and investigated if this hampers quality

Every now and again things come along that stop you in your tracks. Yesterday I was hit with a HUGE sledgehammer of how lucky I am, living the dream as they say.

As lots of you know that I came back from Brazil with more than a memory. I got bitten by a beastie that got infected, and for the first time since I’ve worked at Has Bean got knocked off my feet literally.

So imagine my surprise when I received the parcel below

This was a lovely gift from my friend David Dunlop (I’m sure he will hate me outing him but he deserves it).

Because I was feeling all sorry for myself he took the time to select three wines (all wines that I am very excited about) that match my kind of tastes to a tee.

David has never met me, only spoke to me on email and goes to all that trouble.

David, you have made me so happy, like amazingly touched by your kind warm thoughts and wonderfully conciderate card and warm kind words. When I first decided that we were going have a run at the dream called Has Bean I never believed I would have such great customers and friends (I’m not sure what the difference is anymore).

So wanted to share how lucky I am, time to count those lucky stars.Thank you David, I don’t deserve a great friend like you, your wine will be drank with every glass raised in your honor.