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Following the coffee
I know it’s been a while since my last post, but the truth is we have barely had a moments rest this past week. We spent a solid two full days of cupping, Panamanian, Costa Rican and Guatemalan coffees in San Jose. It was exhausting but equally exhilarating as we purposely left our schedule open to visit our fav’s. We snapped up a huge variety of micro lots from these three countries including some delicious naturals, Pacamaras, Geishas etc … The hard part is only really going to be waiting for these to land in Australia.
Post cupping we decided our next stop was Panama, we had some great results from Hortigal, Lerieda and Don Pepe and so we made arrangements to drive with our new friend Rumi from Natures Best Coffees to Panama. It’s a beautiful drive through the misty mountainside and via the famous Terrazu region. We spent the first night in Volcan visiting some great farms Los Cantones, Hartmanns and Bambito … from there we drove through the mountains to the other side of the Baru Volcano and into the stunning Boquete region.
We spent the next two days staying at Lerieda and visiting our favourite farms. Don Pepe and Hortigal were both overly organised and amazing hosts, they have fantastic properties with some of the higher coffee growing altitudes of this region. All of their coffees are immaculate and super organised, the mills are clean as a whistle and so it was clear why these farms stood out on the cupping table.
We also visited Don Pachi and tasted his famous Geisha cherries right from the tree … we’ve been fortunate to taste many geisha cherries on this trip, from Guatemala to Panama and both Nolan and I have been gobsmacked by how sweet and distinctly tropical fruit, peach, mango they have been. For me, it’s a testament to how much impact a variety in the right growing conditions can have.
We cupped and cupped and cupped some more which was awesome and totally what we came for. So it’s with little sleep and lots of coffee that we find ourselves about to board a flight for Honduras. This is our last stop in Central America and we’ll be here until Thursday. We have not yet really tasted anything from Honduras and we are keen to see what’s on tap!
I’ll keep you posted.
Geisha cherries
Nolan, myself and Don Pepe
So much going on in Guatemala!
Our first stop was Guatemala and we’ve left feeling like our finger is on the pulse. We visited a number of farms, but most importantly, we cupped coffees, lots of coffees! Table after table of freshly harvested and available Guatemalan coffees, from micro’s to full lots, we were able to narrow down the masses of great stuff, to a select few. From here, we send samples home to our lab to be cupped on Aussie soil (ensuring I’m not just getting caught up in the moment) and we’ll make our final decisions. In my opinion, the selected profiles are all great options and it’s more about the complete package, who do we want to work with and what will benefit our clients most. We managed to jam so much into our short five day trip and I can’t say enough great things about all the people who went out of their way to ensure we were well looked after. We nibbled on the sweetest organic geisha cherries (Mango, pineapple, passionfruit!!!) at Santa Felisa in Acetenango, we four wheel drove up Santa Clara, we soaked up Antigua, we saw our way around the city, we visited some of the producers of La Travesia, and we met and spent time with lots of new and exciting contacts. Coffee passion is in the air here, all sorts of things to be excited about in Guatemala in the present and in years to come. Guatemala is a stunning country, once this is all said and done, my next visit here will hopefully be a vacation. Time to hop on the bus and head to El Salvador.
More tomorrow …
The slopes of Santa Clara
To Central America
I’m sitting on a plane on the first leg of a coffee buying trip to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. As the harvest has just been completed, this trip in many ways is all about business with very little sightseeing. The coffees selected on this trip will represent us for all of next season and so first and foremost I need to make sure the quality is there and also that the flavour profiles are dynamic and versatile. Premiums above market, often significant ones are always paid for these types of coffees. This means that we (as well as most specialty buyers) happily pay above Fairtrade premiums on a regular basis if not 100% of the time at farm door just because we actually want the coffee and recognise its quality and value. This is without any sort of relationship, expensive certifications, audits etc. The farmer is recompensed for their experience and hard work and we are equally rewarded with increased value reflected in quality. I’m not saying that relationships are unnecessary, but instead, I’m saying that just because their is no relationship or certificate, it’s best not to assume the farmer didn’t get a great deal or that the coffee is not of really high quality. In fact, farmers who are experienced in selling to these types buyers know that if they can produce something of a certain caliber, not only will it get sold, the more distinction and/or unique character it displays, the more potential they have for multiple buyers driving the price up. This type of trading has been a real catalyst in driving quality as well as experimental processing for the sole purpose of creating new flavour profiles. Where processing was once just a means of taking the skin and mucilage off the beans and prepping for end usage, it is now a valuable tool for those that know how to use it.
The question is, if this type of buying is so successful and mutually beneficial why would we bother trying to build long term relationships? I guess it’s a matter of personal preference, do you invest in a conservative portfolio or a high risk one? The answer for most people is neither one nor the other, the most attractive solution is to diversify … don’t put all your eggs in one basket. So when we are talking real relationships in coffee, we are talking about weathering the storm together, riding out the ebbs and flows with an element of stability and longer term predictability. The test of a true relationship as we all known is not about how many smiling pictures you have arm in arm, but rather how each party reacts when the balance shifts a little in or out of their favor. What do I mean by this? Let’s assume a perfect harvest, quality crop and a solid market price. The buyer pays a good premium for the added value, the farmer has no trouble selling all his crop at the desired price and everyone is happy, that would be best case scenario. There are number of potential risks for each party that can easily skew this balance, hence a strong relationship can become very valuable. For the farmers, unpredictable weather, coffee tree diseases and pests, foreign exchange as well as large swings in the commodities market have the potential to have a big impact of their bottom line. For the buyer, a lot of the fluctuations lie in the commodities market and the foreign exchange, both of which have been very unstable in the last couple of years. In a solid relationship, buyer and seller can agree to not trade based on the fluctuating market value. It can be as easy as agreeing on how much cost of production is as well as negotiating a fair profit for the farmer that is affordable for the buyer. Stick to that each year while slowly increasing with inflation and taking into account any changing circumstances. Buyers are also not bound to paying in USD, they can pay in local currency if it means that is a better option. The end result is that when the market dips, farmers can enjoy very high premiums without having to sacrifice profits. While at the same time, should the market rise dramatically, these same farmers need to be willing to accept lower premiums while buyers enjoy the benefits of being cushioned from the the market. The bottom line is premiums go up and down, but the actual $ per kg paid remains the same which seems sensible as far long term business planning goes. This requires a lot of trust as well as a sturdy handshake to make sure either party doesn’t jump ship when it’s in their favor. It could be considered as a long steady return on an investment. This is just one example of why diversifying your portfolio and entering some longer terms relationships for both the buyer and seller can be a sound strategy.
While this is just a very small snapshot of some of the dynamics of coffee buying, it’s on my mind as I near Central America. The goal of this trip is to get of hold of some fantastic coffees for our customers but also keep an eye out for at least one new group the we can start building an ongoing relationship with into the future.
Jen and Ben in Guatemala in 2009
Serving coffees to engaged foodies
Melbourne is buzzing with excitement and the weather has been surprisingly beautiful this weekend as the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival rolls into its 20th year. For the third year running Five Senses is stepping up as the coffee partner for the festival and in particular at the star event, the Langham Masterclass.
We’re having some great experiences serving coffees out to a group of open minded, engaged foodies and chefs. After helping to finish the meal at The Worlds Longest Lunch last Friday (500m of dining table on the banks of the Yarra!) we’ve been serving out some delicious brews at the Masterclass event, spread across the grand ballrooms of the Langham Hotel on Southbank and the amphitheatres of the MCEC. Some of the culinary masters gracing the presentations include David Chang (Momofuku – New York/Sydney), Rene Redzepi (Noma – Denmark), Corey Lee (Benu – San Francisco) and some of our locally grown stars like Ben Shewry (Attica – Melbourne) and Dan Hunter (The Royal Mail – Grampians). While there’s some amazing knowledge of produce, technique and history being displayed, the personalities and passion is really what grabs people — it’s obvious that it’s not just great technique that elevates these professionals to this level but also their magnetic drive. Like Trinh Dien Vy, from Vietnam: her humour and insight into the cultural differences had us all laughing and glued with intrigued.
The Five Senses stand looks amazing at both sites and hosts a full brew bar and map of the world, with different coffee tasting regions around the globe. It’s really interesting to see just how many people now are more comfortable exploring single origin and brewed coffee. This year you can opt to try our Dark Horse Blend or try a specially selected micro lot coffee for your espresso or milk coffee. At the brew bar you can try one of six brews from a clever dripper. Simply look at the map, pick a region, match the coffee and off you go on your world journey of coffee tasting! Want something cold? … well there’s cold drip as well.
There is a class A team on and we have help from NSW, QLD and SA! (Thanks Anthony, Ian and Dean). Although we are getting slammed in session break outs, the vibe is really chilled and relaxing and we have the vinyl spinning all day long. It’s a great event to be part of, you are surrounded by people that are passionate about produce and really interested in the different tastes of coffee. Aside from that it’s just great to hangin with the Five Senses crew.
Our brew bar at the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
Anthony mans the alternate brew station
The crew hard at work
You down with ODP?
I’m back in Singapore and tonight I’m catching up with good friends Harry Grover (Australian native and creator of 40 Hands Coffee) and Cynthia Chua. Cynthia is Managing Director of Singapore’s Spa Esprit Group which founded the legendary waxing parlour “Strip” and concept restaurants and bars such as House, Tippling Club and Skinny Pizza. We’re meeting at their new venue called ODP (Open Door Policy). Opening the doors (no pun intended) in October last year, ODP is Harry and Cynthia’s latest bistro concept — focusing on great food, unique wines and, you guessed it, delicious Five Senses Coffee!
Situated in the quaint little neighbourhood of Tiong Bahru, tucked away on Yong Siak St, ODP is literally across the road from 40 Hands, a specialty coffee venue that the “dynamic duo” created a year ago, setting the standard for speciality coffee in Singapore and turning a tired Yong Siak St into a funky little strip, which is now, thanks to 40 Hands and ODP, a high demand property hotspot …
Still not accustomed to the Singapore culture of being fashionably late, I found myself at the bar with some time to kill. Fortunately I was greeted by ODP’s bar manager, Jay, a young 40 Hands barista I had met on my last visit to Singapore. It had been a long day and I was craving a good espresso. Jay decided that what I really needed was an Espresso Martini. I couldn’t argue with that — so Jay got to work, throwing all the usual suspects into his Boston Shaker and adding a touch of Agave Syrup and a sweet, pressure profiled double espresso, pulled from their Generation 2 Synesso Hydra. All I can say is that it was a good start to a great night!
Halfway through one of the best Espresso Martinis I have ever experienced, Harry and Cynthia arrived and we were quickly seated at our table. I knew I was in for a treat as the menu was written by Tippling Club’s very own Ryan Clift, an award winning chef who has worked with some of the world’s greatest chefs including Marco Pierre White, Peter Gordon, Emmanuel Renaut, Raymond Capaldi and, of course, Shannon Bennett, where Ryan excelled as the Head Chef of Vue de Monde.
Food-wise, the menu is centred around modern bistro fare with a rustic twist. I decided to leave the ordering in the capable hands of Harry and Cynthia who ordered a plethora of food to share, including crispy chicken wings with curry, yogurt and cucumber salad, haloumi cheese with olives, white anchovies and crusty bread, flamed tuna carpaccio with radish and yuzu salad, papaduck pappadum with crusted duck fillets and mint yoghurt dip. We also hoed into jamon with sliced baguette, crushed tomato, garlic and extra virgin olive oil and my favourite steak tartare with truffle mayo and potato chips. Combined with a beautiful 2007 bottle of Viu Manent – malbec from the Colchagua valley in Chile, it was probably enough food. However Cynthia suggested I should also try the 48 hour cooked braised beef cheek with mochi potatoes, carrot puree and snow pea tendrils. How could I say no? I didn’t, and I enjoyed every mouth-watering bite of the most tender beef cheek that has ever been put in front of me. It was so good, that if I was in the comfort of my own home, I would have been obliged to carry out the only ritual that would truly give the dish the respect it deserved — and LICK the plate! Yes, that would have been the right thing to do …
As I loosened my belt, which is generally a good indicator that it’s time to stop, Harry and Cynthia ordered one final course — the ice cream “why just Sunday?” and white chocolate mousse with a raspberry headache. As delicious as those two dishes were, it was just too much and I couldn’t bring myself to finish dessert. Strangely enough, I did start to feel a little headache come on, but somehow I don’t think it was from the raspberry …
Jay mixing me up an espresso martini ... yum!
My awesome meal
More of my awesome meal
Women eager to be on the speciality map
I’ve been invited to represent Five Senses at a short IWCA (International Women’s Coffee Alliance) workshop in Burundi, East Africa. Not only was I representing Five Senses as a roaster, but I have the honour of representing women in coffee. The Burundi chapter of IWCA, an association where women collaborate with peers to establish good growing and production practices, signed their charter only one year ago. I am joined at the workshop by a fellow roaster from Korea, a lab and development specialist from India, representatives from USAID stationed in Burundi, and numerous female growers, processors and marketers, just to name a few.
The first day consisted of a lot of presentations and discussions. Various topics included the importance of meticulous picking and processing, cupping as an invaluable tool, how roasters choose what green beans to buy, how sustainable direct relationships are formed, the importance of education for children in coffee, and a bit of exposure to the resources available to the women of IWCA Burundi.
After the conclusion of the presentations, roundtable discussions took place and the members of IWCA Burundi wasted no time in establishing their initiatives. For a country with growing conditions that rival Rwanda, Kenya and Ethiopia, Burundi has a lot to be excited about. These women mean business and are eager to learn. They are intelligent and ambitious, and until recently, the Burundian government had control over all aspects of the country’s coffee. As the country’s industry begins the shift begins toward privatisation, it is clear that these women intend to solidify Burundi as a spot on the map of speciality coffee exporters.
Day two of the trip involved visiting various farms, all operated by women, and a washing station recently purchased by a Burundian woman for the first time in the country’s history. Harvest in Burundi isn’t until June and July, but due to some unseasonable weather this station was already in operation. We also witnessed a new dry mill under construction which will aim to focus on speciality grade coffee.
Tomorrow I will head back toward Perth, of course wishing I could spend more time in this beautiful East African country, but grateful to have met many amazing women growers, exporters, and every role in between, as well as the people who are supporting their efforts to achieve great things at this special coffee origin.
Women from the International Women's Coffee Alliance, including, Sunalini Menon, the founder of Coffeelab in India.
Off to a Flying Start
It’s no secret to any of you loyal readers that I have a bit of a thing for Bali. Over the last five years we have developed a wonderful partnership with the coffee farmers of Kintamani. By paying them a great price for their coffee and helping them fund some special projects it’s fair to say we’ve made a solid contribution to the relationship. However I’ve always wondered how we can make a deeper impact on the whole community, not just the main group of farmers we predominantly deal with.
After a probing conversation with my friend Iwa with lots of ideas bouncing around (information doesn’t flow quite so freely in Bali!!), the concept of sponsoring an English teacher for the Ulian Murni school was floated. This seemed to hit the mark and Iwa raised the idea with his father who is the village head, who quickly agreed.
What makes the idea even better is the new English teacher is our good friend Komang Sukarasana who has helped us out with our coffee projects for the last couple of years. Komang is an experienced Biology teacher who is very interested in continuing to develop his English skills. Perfect!! (or should that be Sempurna!!)
In an economy dominated by tourism the ability to speak English is critical to get a good job. It’s great to know the kids at Ulian Murni are off to a flying start.
Komang translating for us on an earlier trip
The Precision Shot Brewer
I’ve been spending quite few hours testing and evaluating various burrs and baskets recently and I have come to realise that a purpose built, highly stable shot brewer would be a useful tool. It may be my metrology background but I am always looking for ways to remove uncertainties and subjectivity from my test procedures so a Precision Shot Brewer is now top of my wish list.
The machine will be, in essence an espresso machine without any facility for producing steam or hot water. It will of course need to be very stable in terms of brew water temperature and water pressure and it must also have the ability to replicate the pressure profile of the Synesso Hydra as found in many of our clients cafes. I think I should also have the ability to collect and digitise temperature, pressure and flow rate data for analysis and lastly but very importantly, it must look cool …
For a base to build it all on I am chopping up a chassis from a new three group Synesso Cyncra that had been dropped from the back of a truck and written off. My stainless steel welding skills are best described as ‘amateur hobbyist’ but with enough tries and plenty of grinding I manage to get something to hold together. The overall plan is to have everything from the hydraulic system to the electronic circuit boards fully out in the open or behind perspex guards so we can be mesmerised by the blinking LEDs while we wait for our espresso shot.
If you want to see ALL the pics, check them out at our Five Senses Flickr Site …
Precision Shot Brewer - where's it's up to now
COE winners are grinners … off to Sul de Minas Gerais
The Brazilian COE has only just come to an end, it was a busy week and most certainly a very intense last couple of days. It’s exciting, draining and lots and lots of work for everyone involved, but most importantly, an invaluable experience and program for producers, buyers and consumers the world over. I’ve always had a soft spot for Brazilian coffees and it’s probably the reason why I originally chose Brazil as a jury I wanted to be on. I’m not sure if it’s because I find them often misunderstood as I often hear “I really don’t like Brazilian coffees” from speciality coffee buyers, drinkers etc. Being here, learning and tasting super fresh Brazilian coffees has proven to me once again, that Brazil has a lot to offer the speciality world, especially (but not exclusively) the espresso market. Caramel, juicy, fruity, clean, sweet, spicey, chocolately, malty, citric … need I go on.
Jules (Juliana Nobre) and I have packed our bags once again and are now in Sul de Minas Gerais (South of the state of Minas) … a very well known coffee growing region in Brazil. We are surrounded by rolling hills of coffee and spending the next couple of days of the Santo Antonio Estates, where for the first time this year, our fresh crop Brazils are coming from. In fact, they are due to land in Australia just around the corner in early December. We are also spending time on some of the estates we get our micro lots from, Samambaia, Villa Boa, Pinhal as well as some new ones. The air is fresh, the coffee is sweet and those warm cheesy buns straight out of the oven are absolute heaven!!
We saw two Toucan’s yesterday … I couldn’t believe my eyes!!
The final days in Brazil
Zee best of zee best!
We’ve spent the last two days further narrowing down the original 60 coffees … things are starting to get really tight and it’s like comparing lots of great apples with apples but we’re still trying to pick out the best apples in the process! Today is the finale, a nice reward for a week of hard / fun work … I’m about to run down to the lab to taste our top ten picks, some 90+ coffees (in my opinion) so this is going to be a real treat.
More news soon …
Check out this vid for some thrilling cupping action:
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