Coping With University Burnout : Strategies for Achieving Balance

Being a university student can be an exciting and transformative time in your life. However, the pressures of academic responsibilities, part-time work, and personal commitments can quickly lead to burnout. Just like parents, university students face their own unique challenges that can take a toll on their mental and physical well-being. This blog will provide practical strategies for coping with university burnout and strategies to help focus on maintaining a healthy work/life balance and leveraging the benefits of coffee to stay alert and productive.

University Student

Understanding University Burnout

University burnout is a state of physical and emotional exhaustion resulting from prolonged periods of high stress and overwhelming demands. It can manifest in various ways, such as feeling drained, experiencing a lack of motivation, and having difficulty concentrating on academic tasks. Here are some common contributing factors to university burnout:

The Importance of Work/Life Balance

Maintaining a healthy work/life balance is crucial for managing university burnout effectively. It involves allocating time and energy not only to academic pursuits but also to activities that promote relaxation, social connections, and personal growth. Here are some practical ways to achieve work/life balance:

Student drinking coffee

The Role of Coffee in Coping with University Burnout

Coffee can be a valuable tool for university students to stay alert, focused, and manage burnout effectively. However, it's essential to use it mindfully and in moderation. Here are some ways coffee can be helpful:

Fratello Coffee offers a variety of coffee brewing gear which can be used on the go, in school or at your home.  A common coffee brewer to bring in your backpack would be AEROPRRESS coffee maker. 

AeroPress Coffee

Practical Strategies to Cope with University Burnout

University burnout is a common challenge that many students face, but it can be managed effectively through practical strategies and a balanced approach to life. By prioritizing self-care, setting boundaries, and leveraging the benefits of coffee in moderation, students can navigate their academic journey with increased focus, productivity, and well-being. Remember, you are not alone in this journey, and seeking support from friends, family, or university resources can make a significant difference in coping with university burnout. Embrace the journey, stay mindful, and take it one step at a time. You've got this!

Ethiopia Misty Valley : Specialty Coffee from the Yirgacheffe Region

In the world of coffee, Ethiopia is a land of unparalleled diversity, offering a rich tapestry of flavors and profiles. Among its treasures, the Ethiopia Misty Valley. Come Explore the Distinctive Flavors of the Yirgacheffe region and find out why their specialty coffee stands as a remarkable example of innovative processing and exceptional taste. Let's delve into the details of what makes this coffee so special and how it captures the essence of Yirgacheffe's uniqueness.  Read more to see why Fratello Coffee is so excited to introduce this truly expectational coffee.  Try it for yourself and visit our store now. 

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Coffee

Ethiopia's Coffee Gem: Yirgacheffe

 

Yirgacheffe's Coffee Heritage

Yirgacheffe, nestled within the broader coffee-producing area of Gedio, Ethiopia, is celebrated for its exquisite coffee beans. These beans are renowned for their delicate aromatics and clean citrus flavors when processed using the traditional washed method. However, in a quest for distinctiveness, Gedio's producers have ventured into uncharted territory by experimenting with the natural processing method.

Natural Process Innovation

While Yirgacheffe's washed coffees are prized, the Gedio region's experimentation with the natural process adds a new dimension to the coffee landscape. The natural process involves drying the coffee cherries with the fruit's flesh intact. This method has been embraced by forward-thinkers like Abdullah Bagersh, resulting in an exciting profile that deviates from the familiar washed coffees of Yirgacheffe.

Ethiopia Natural Processed Coffee

Abdullah Bagersh's Misty Valley Coffee: A Journey of Excellence

 

The Art of Care

Abdullah Bagersh's Misty Valley coffee embodies meticulous care right from the start. The journey begins when the coffee cherries arrive at the mill for drying on raised African beds. During the crucial first 48 hours, the cherries are vigilantly turned day and night. This attention ensures even moisture evaporation, fostering consistency and a pristine cup profile. While the natural process presents challenges like mold and uneven airflow, Bagersh's mastery transforms these hurdles into triumphs, producing a coffee that magnificently displays the potential of Natural Yirgacheffe beans.

Crafting Coffee Perfection

After meticulous drying, the coffee cherries undergo meticulous processing. The removal of skin, mucilage, and parchment is executed with precision. What emerges are beans that have been carefully sorted, setting the stage for the Misty Valley coffee's next chapter. Designated as a Grade 1 Yirgacheffe, this classification underscores the coffee's exceptional quality.

Yirgacheffe region

Savoring the Ethiopia Misty Valley Experience

 

Aromas of Enchantment

As you embark on the journey of savoring Misty Valley coffee, an aromatic symphony unfolds. The aroma, reminiscent of blooming flowers, enchants the senses, inviting you to explore further.

Flavors of Complexity

The flavor profile of Misty Valley is a captivating exploration of the senses:

Like a bountiful fruit basket, the coffee offers an array of fruity notes that dance harmoniously on the palate. These flavors, thoughtfully orchestrated, merge seamlessly, showcasing the coffee's complexity.

Ethiopia Misty Valley

 

A Foundation of Harmony

Misty Valley's milky body lays the foundation for the orchestra of fruitiness and aromatics. This balance elevates the cup, creating a harmonious experience that lingers on the palate.

Embracing the Experience

As you conclude your encounter with Misty Valley coffee, a lingering and gratifying mouthfeel adds a final touch to the experience, leaving you with a sense of fulfillment.

Ethiopia Misty Valley Coffee

 

The Epitome of Yirgacheffe's Excellence

In the diverse realm of Ethiopian coffee, the Misty Valley coffee from Gedio emerges as a beacon of innovation and quality. By venturing into the realm of natural processing and upholding meticulous care, Abdullah Bagersh has created a coffee that captures the essence of Yirgacheffe's uniqueness. From its perfumed aroma to its harmonious flavor profile, Misty Valley coffee stands as a testament to the boundless possibilities that lie within Ethiopia's coffee heritage. It is a distinctive gem that beckons coffee enthusiasts to embrace its journey of flavors and aromas.

Unlocking Profitability : The Ultimate Guide to Cafe Financial KPIs

In the bustling world of the food and beverage industry, particularly in cafes, unlocking profitability is a critical aspect that can make or break your business. At Fratello Coffee Roasters, we've observed what makes cafes successful over the past 38 years of helping cafes open and run their businesses. Understanding and effectively managing key financial KPIs can provide you with a clear picture of your cafe's financial health and guide your decision-making process. This ultimate guide to cafe financial KPI's will delve into the essential KPIs that every cafe owner should monitor and how to use them to drive your business towards success.

Pact Coffee

Key Financial KPIs for Cafes

There are several key financial KPIs that you should monitor while managing a cafe. These include:

Fratello Coffee

By tracking these KPIs, you'll be able to better understand the financial health of your cafe and make informed decisions about how to grow and improve your business.

Managing Employee Costs

One of the significant components of cafe operating costs is employee costs. Here are some strategies to help manage your employee costs:

By tracking and managing these KPIs, you'll be better equipped to control your employee costs and make informed decisions about how to allocate your resources.

Fratello Coffee Roasters

Effectively Scheduling Employees

As a business owner, you know your most important asset is your employees. However, you also know that they can be your most expensive expense. That’s why it’s important to make sure you know how to schedule employees effectively and efficiently.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

managing food costs

Conclusion

Managing cafe finances is a complex task, but with a clear understanding of your financial KPIs, you can make strategic decisions that drive cafe revenue growth. Remember, the goal is not just to increase sales but also to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty, which in turn increases the customer lifetime value. By focusing on these KPIs and using them to guide your decision-making process, you can ensure the long-term success and profitability of your cafe.

Remember, the key to successful financial management in your cafe is understanding your numbers, making data-driven decisions, and continually adapting to the changing business environment. So, start tracking these KPIs today and take control of your cafe's financial future.

The Rise of Home Coffee Brewing: Essential Tools for Making Great Coffee

In recent years, the world has seen a significant rise in home coffee brewing. More and more coffee lovers are taking their passion for a good cup of joe into their own hands, literally. There are some essential tools for making great coffee at home.  With the right tools and a bit of knowledge, anyone can create a coffee experience at home that rivals their favorite cafe. At Fratello Coffee, we offer a range of brewing gear that can help you on this journey.

Hario V60 pour over

The Art of Coffee Making at Home

Home brewing is not just about making coffee. It's about the joy of learning, experimenting, and mastering a craft. It's about the satisfaction of knowing that you've created something delicious with your own hands. And most importantly, it's about the love of coffee.

Remember, the key to a great cup of coffee is not just the beans, but also the love and care you put into brewing it.  So why not join the home brewing revolution? Explore our range of brewing gear today and start your journey towards coffee perfection.

Coffee at home

Essential Tools for Home Brewing

  1. Aeropress

The Aeropress is a popular coffee brewing method known for its versatility and ease of use. It's a favorite among both beginners and professional baristas due to its forgiving nature and consistency in making great coffee. It's also perfect for camping and travel. The Aeropress uses a rapid, total immersion brewing process to make smooth, full-flavored coffee without bitterness and with very low acidity.

  1. Chemex

One of our most popular items is the Chemex® Three Cup Classic. This elegant coffee maker, designed in 1941, has stood the test of time. Its non-porous, heat-resistant glass construction, combined with scientifically designed filters, produces coffee with clarity and complexity. The Chemex® is not just a coffee maker, but a piece of art that adds a touch of sophistication to any kitchen.

Chemex coffee maker

  1. Hario V60 Pour Over

The Hario V60 is a cone-shaped pour-over coffee maker that allows you to brew clean, flavorful, and complex coffee. The name V60 comes from the dripper's design: the cone is angled at 60 degrees which allows water to flow towards the center, extending the amount of time the water is in contact with the coffee grounds.

  1. Hario Kettle

The Hario Kettle is known for its functionality and beautiful design. Its slim spout allows for precise pour-over brewing. The flat bottom allows for gas or electric heating and its stainless steel body provides durability.

Hario Kettle

  1. Syphon Brewer

The Syphon Brewer, also known as a vacuum pot, provides a brewing experience like no other. It uses a heat source to create pressure and generate a vacuum to brew coffee. This method is known for producing a clean, delicious cup of coffee.

  1. Brew Tea Infuser

A Brew Tea Infuser is a simple and effective way to brew loose leaf tea. It allows the tea leaves to expand and release their full flavor. It's reusable, easy to clean, and perfect for brewing a single cup or a whole pot.

  1. Porlex Grinder

The Porlex Grinder is a compact, portable hand grinder known for its durability and consistency. It's perfect for those who want freshly ground coffee on the go. Its ceramic burrs provide a precise grind, and its stainless steel body makes it a sturdy travel companion.

  1. Hario Ceramic Octo Coffee Mill

The Hario Ceramic Octo Coffee Mill is a hand grinder that combines style, functionality, and precision. Its ceramic burrs provide a consistent grind, and its wooden body gives it a classic look. It's perfect for those who appreciate theart of hand-grinding their coffee beans.

Syphon coffee maker

The Science Behind Brewing the Best Coffee at Home

Understanding the science behind brewing can enhance your coffee experience. Let's delve into the fascinating world of coffee brewing science.  We go much deeper into the details about dialing in your coffee recipes in an older post HERE.

The Role of Water

Water plays a crucial role in the brewing process. It's the solvent that extracts the flavors from the coffee grounds. The temperature of the water can significantly affect the taste of your coffee. Too hot, and you risk over-extraction, leading to a bitter taste. Too cold, and you may under-extract, resulting in a weak, underwhelming brew. The optimal temperature range is between 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The Importance of Grind Size

The size of your coffee grind also plays a significant role in the taste of your coffee. A finer grind will result in a stronger, more robust flavor, while a coarser grind will produce a lighter, more delicate taste. The grind size also affects the brewing time. A finer grind requires less brewing time than a coarser grind.

The Art of Extraction

Extraction is the process of dissolving the desirable flavors from the coffee grounds into the water. The goal is to achieve a balanced extraction, where the right amount of flavors are extracted to create a well-rounded and flavorful cup of coffee. Over-extraction can result in a bitter taste, while under-extraction can lead to a sour, acidic taste.

Aeropress Coffee Maker

The Joy of Experimentation

One of the joys of home brewing is the ability to experiment with different brewing methods, grind sizes, and brewing times to find your perfect cup of coffee. Don't be afraid to try different techniques and tweak the variables to suit your taste. Remember, the best cup of coffee is the one that tastes best to you.

The Community of Home Brewers

Joining the home brewing revolution means becoming part of a vibrant and passionate community of coffee lovers. There are numerous online forums, social media groups, and local meetups where you can share your experiences, learn from others, and even participate in home brewing competitions. It's a great way to connect with like-minded individuals and deepen your appreciation for the art of coffee brewing.

Conclusion

Home brewing is a rewarding and fulfilling hobby that can transform your daily coffee routine into a meaningful ritual. With the right tools and a bit of knowledge, you can create a coffee experience at home that rivals your favorite cafe. So why wait? Start your home brewing journey today and discover the joy of making your own perfect cup of coffee. Happy brewing!

Dry Milling Green Coffee and Its Significance on Quality

As coffee connoisseurs and enthusiasts, we understand the value of sourcing premium beans, acknowledging the farm's cultivation conditions, and appreciating the initial stages of processing. However, the significance of dry milling green coffee is an often overlooked yet crucial part of the coffee supply chain.  This stage, known as dry milling in green coffee production, significantly influences the final quality of our beans. Let's embark on a journey to explore this less charted territory to better understand its significance on quality.

Understanding Dry Milling in the Coffee Industry

Dry milling is a pivotal stage in the coffee processing chain that takes place after coffee producers have picked and dried their coffee using several unique processing techniques.  At this stage, the parchment coffee (coffee beans still encased in a protective husk) undergoes hulling, grading, and sorting before export.

This process typically takes place in a facility separate from the coffee farm, known as a dry mill. It's an essential step that bridges the gap between the coffee farms and the roasters, ensuring that only the highest quality beans make it through. The dry mill is where the final touches are put on the coffee beans before exporting to coffee roasters all of the world, refining them into the product that will eventually be roasted, ground, and brewed.

Density sorting machines

By understanding the importance of dry milling in the coffee industry, we can better appreciate the journey that each coffee bean takes from the farm to our cup, and the many steps along the way that contribute to the final quality and flavor of our coffee.

Dry Milling's Impact on Our Roasting

As coffee roasters, the quality of our final product significantly depends on the dry milling process.

Green coffee defect chart

 

The Indispensable Role of Dry Milling in the Coffee Supply Chain

Dry milling might seem like a routine, mechanized process, but it's much more than that. It's the last opportunity to ensure only the best beans make it to our roastery.

Removing Defects: The Human Touch and Advanced Technology in Dry Milling

Even with the best harvesting and wet milling practices, defective beans can sometimes make it through to the dry milling stage. These defects can include beans that are too small, cracked, or discolored, among other defects and issues.

One of the most traditional methods for removing these defective beans is manual sorting. In many dry mills, workers stand by a conveyor belt, meticulously inspecting the beans as they pass by. These skilled workers can quickly identify and remove defective beans, ensuring that only the highest quality beans make it to the roasting stage.

Optical sorting machine

However, manual sorting is not the only method used in modern dry mills. Advances in technology have led to the development of automated sorting machines that can quickly and accurately identify and remove defective beans. These machines use a variety of methods, including color sorting technology, which uses cameras and optical sensors to detect discolored or otherwise defective beans.

These technologies, combined with the skilled eye of a human sorter, ensure that only the highest quality, defect-free beans make it to the roasting stage. This rigorous defect removal process is a testament to the importance of dry milling in the production of high-quality coffee.

Another technology used is size grading machines, which separate beans based on their size. This is important because smaller beans can roast faster than larger ones, leading to an uneven roast if not properly sorted.

Density sorting machines

Ensuring Uniformity: The Role of Oliver Gravity Separators in Dry Milling

Uniformity in coffee beans is a critical factor in achieving a consistent and high-quality roast. This uniformity is achieved through grading the beans based on their size and density, a process that takes place during dry milling.

One of the machines commonly used in this process is the Oliver Gravity Separator. This machine separates coffee beans based on their density, a property that is directly related to the quality and flavor potential of the beans.

The Oliver Gravity Separator works by creating a fluidized bed of coffee beans. The denser beans sink to the bottom of this bed, while the less dense beans rise to the top. This separation allows for the removal of less dense, potentially lower-quality beans, ensuring that only the best beans make it to the roasting stage.

The importance of this process cannot be overstated. Beans of different densities roast at different rates. If a batch of coffee includes beans of varying densities, the result can be an uneven roast, with some beans over-roasted and others under-roasted. This inconsistency can lead to a final product with a mix of flavors, detracting from the overall quality of the coffee. By ensuring uniformity in bean density, we can achieve a more consistent roast and, therefore, a more consistent flavor profile.

green coffee screens

The Role of Screen Size in Dry Milling

Screen size is another crucial aspect of the dry milling process.  Evan after all of the above work, the coffee beans are passed over a series of screens with different sized holes. These screens effectively sort the beans based on their size, a process known as screen sizing. Screen sizing is important for several reasons:

green coffee hand sorting

Incorporating screen sizing into the dry milling process is another way we ensure the quality and consistency of our coffee. By paying attention to every detail, from the size and density of the beans to the removal of defects, we can deliver the ultimate coffee experience to our customers.

Dry Milling - The Unsung Hero of Coffee Production

The dry mill might be the unsung hero in the coffee supply chain. It plays a vital role in maintaining quality and consistency in every cup of coffee. As coffee roasters, understanding and recognizing the value of this step ensures we can source the best beans, roast them to perfection, and deliver the ultimate coffee experience to our customers. By shedding light on the importance of dry milling, we hope to elevate the appreciation for this critical stage in coffee production.

Bolivian Buena Vista: A Journey of Quality and Sustainability

Embark on a journey to the heart of Bolivia and discover a journey of quality and sustainability, and learn more about why we love with our Bolivian Buena Vista coffee offering. This narrative takes you through the intricate processes of coffee production, from the nurturing of coffee plants to the meticulous processing of coffee beans. It's a story of dedication, hard work, and a deep commitment to quality and sustainability, a story that brings to life the rich flavors and aromas of Bolivian coffee.  Try it for yourself now. 

Bolivian Coffee Farm

The Sol De La Mañana Program

The Sol De La Mañana program is a remarkable initiative that aims to elevate the Bolivian coffee culture and diversify its offerings. This program is designed as a comprehensive school for local coffee producers, taking them on a 7-year journey to graduate as skilled coffee farmers. Taste this coffee for yourself and discover 

The curriculum of this program is extensive, covering every aspect of coffee farming. It starts with the basics of setting up a nursery, moves on to planting, and then guides the producers through the stages of harvesting, pest prevention, and pruning. But it doesn't stop at farming techniques. The program also imparts crucial knowledge about financial management, enabling the producers to run their farms as successful businesses.

The Sol De La Mañana program is a collaborative effort. Leveraging the knowledge acquired through Fincas Los Rodriguez, the program works with around 100 producers, helping them enhance the quality and quantity of their farms. This not only improves the coffee production but also contributes to a better life for the producers and their families in the long term.

Bolivian Coffee Producer

The Journey of Bolivian Coffee

Caranavi is the processing hub where most of the coffee processing work is done. Every evening, their wet mill buzzes with deliveries from their farms and the producers' farms. Each bag of coffee cherries gets weighed and processed immediately. The processing involves washing, fermenting, or moving the cherries to dry as naturals. They use raised beds and machine drying to dry the beans on site before sending them to their dry mill for quality control, packing, and exportation. Quality is checked at every step of the way, and each processed lot gets cupped on site to ensure it meets their standards.

Russ Prefontaine

Bolivia Buena Vista Coffee Mill

The Buena Vista Mill, located in Caranavi in the region of La Paz, is where they receive coffee from their own farms, Sol De La Mañana farms, as well as different farmers in the area. This year, they are excited to announce their collaboration with Agricafe.  Agricafe works with around 500 different farmers to collect coffee from all over Bolivia and bring it to their wet mill in Caranavi in cherry form. This is the best of Bolivian Coffee.

The coffee makes the trek from up to 4 hours away down the mountains to Caranavi every evening by taxi. Agritcafe pays top dollar for only the finest coffee coming from the farms and also pays for the transport by taxi so that there are no additional expenses incurred by the farmers. Once at the Wet Mill, it is then sorted by hand to ensure only the best cherries get through. This is on top of the meticulous sorting that the farmers have done before it is ever put in the taxi.

Raised African Drying Beds

Bolivia Agricafe Processing and Quality Control

One of the most interesting things about this wet mill is how many options they have to process the coffee. They have 6 fermentation tanks, 3 mechanical driers, a concrete patio, African raised beds, and Covered African raised beds. This helps ensure that each coffee is processed exactly the best way to bring out the flavors that their customers request.

After processing and drying, the coffee is stored in Caranavi in a temperature-controlled room for 2 months before being shipped to the dry mill at El Alto. The dry mill is mostly a typical dry mill, where they remove the parchment, run the coffee through density shakers, and finally, it is hand sorted to make sure no damaged beans get through. The unique feature of this dry mill is the black light sorting it goes through. As it is being hand sorted, it passes through these black light tents where imperfections that are previously invisible to the eye are shown as little white dots. Although not a-defect in the coffee, this coffee is removed, which increases the clarity of the cup, making the flavors of each particular coffee pop out more and become more exciting.

At every step of the process, the coffee is cupped to ensure that the product is still what was agreed upon at the time of purchase.

Covered coffee drying beds

Overcoming Challenges

One of the biggest challenges in sourcing good Bolivian coffee is the small size of the farms. With most farms being 3 to 8 hectares, it becomes difficult to find quality coffee in the quantity needed by just dealing with individual farms. This is where Agritcafe comes in. With the ability to work with over 500 farms and find the best coffee from all of those and then pass on this quality, it makes it significantly easier.

For instance, this year they will be buying from 5 different farms that Agricafe works with and has a good standing relationship with already. So instead of hunting down these farms from all over Bolivia, they now have it much easier because of Agricafe. They are looking forward to working with Agricafe in the coming years; it is their hope that next trip down to Bolivia the farms that they are buying from this year will continue to be as good or better so that they can develop more of a relationship with the farmer. If they can find this kind of consistency, they can then start playing with processing types to create the best and most interesting coffee for their customers. They believe they have already found the best Bolivia has to offer and through their continuous improvements in milling and experimenting, they expect it to get even better.

Agricafe drywall

The journey of Bolivian Buena Vista coffee is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and commitment to quality and sustainability of the local producers and the teams at Agricafe and the dedication of the Rodriguez family. It is a story of passion for coffee, respect for the land, and a deep commitment to improving the lives of the local farming community. As customers sip their cup of Buena Vista coffee, they not only enjoy the rich flavors and aromas but also become a part of this beautiful journey.

bolivia buena vista bag

New Colombian Bolivar Coffee: A Gem from Antioquia

Colombia has long been synonymous with world-class coffee, and the Colombian Bolivar coffee is no exception. Sourced from the verdant region of Antioquia and the picturesque municipality of Ciudad Bolívar, this extraordinary coffee embodies the rich history, culture, and fertile landscape of the area. In this introduction, we'll explore the unique qualities of the Bolivar coffee, taking you on a journey through the lush terrain of Antioquia, and delving into the factors that make this region perfect for coffee cultivation.

Fratello Coffee's Partnership with Racafe: Pursuing Sustainability and Excellence

Collaboration between Fratello Coffee and renowned Colombian coffee exporter Racafe demonstrates a common dedication to quality, sustainability, and solid ties with regional coffee growers. Through their relationship, they not only ensure the finest coffee, but also support coffee production that is environmentally friendly.

Racafe Colombia

 

Why Fratello Coffee Chose Racafe

Colombia Bolivar Coffee Cup Profile

Experience the exquisite taste of Bolivar coffee, defined by its remarkable sensory attributes:

 

Colombia Antioquia

 

Ecological Data: The Foundations of Bolivar Coffee's Quality

The outstanding cup profile of Bolivar coffee is a product of its exceptional agro-ecological conditions:

The Enchanting Landscape of Antioquia and Ciudad Bolívar

Nestled in the heart of Colombia's mountainous terrain, the region of Antioquia and its municipality of Ciudad Bolívar boast an array of natural wonders that make it an ideal location for coffee cultivation.

Colombian Coffee Producer

 

Bolívar: A Picturesque Municipality

The Art of Coffee Cultivation in Bolívar

The people of Ciudad Bolívar have successfully positioned their municipality as a crucial center for both urban and rural development, thanks to their dedication to agriculture and commerce. Their expertise in coffee cultivation is evident in the following areas:

The Antioquia and Ciudad Bolivar region's remarkable agro-ecological conditions and Fratello Coffee's relationship with Racafe make the Bolivar coffee a promise of a delicious and sustainable sensory experience. Enjoy the complex flavour of this Colombian treasure and allow it to serve as a constant reminder of the passion and hard work that goes into each cup.

Try a bag now!

Fratello Colombia Bolivar

 

New Spring Beverages: Recipes using Giffard Coffee Syrups

Creating the perfect flavoured coffee beverage is an art that goes beyond simply brewing a cup of joe. It requires a deep understanding of the flavour dynamics of both coffee and the syrups used to enhance its taste. At Fratello Coffee, we believe that every sip should be a delightful experience, which is why we wanted to help create a few new spring beverages and outline some recipes using Giffard Coffee Syrups.

With their exceptional range of flavours, these syrups are carefully crafted to add a touch of sweetness, sophistication, and pure indulgence to your favorite coffee creations. In this blog post, we will delve into the key aspects of flavor balance, complementary pairings, and texture to help you elevate your coffee game. Get ready to embark on a journey of irresistible aromas and taste sensations that will redefine your coffee experience.

Understanding Flavour Dynamics of Coffee and Syrups

Creating the perfect coffee beverage requires an understanding of the flavour dynamics of both coffee and the syrups used to enhance its taste. Here are some key things to keep in mind when creating coffee beverages with flavoured syrups:

Giffard Syrups

 

Introducing Our New Line of Giffard Syrups

Our new line of Giffard syrups offers a range of flavours that are perfect for spring. Here are some of the syrups that we offer:

Giffard Coffee Syrups

 

7 Delicious Drinks to Make with Our Line of Giffard Coffee Syrups

At Fratello Coffee, we are thrilled to introduce our new line of Giffard coffee syrups. These syrups are perfect for adding a touch of sweetness and flavour to your favourite coffee beverages. Here are seven delicious drinks you can make with our syrups:

  1. Caramel Latte

  1. Almond Mocha

  1. Hazelnut Cappuccino

  1. Vanilla Iced Coffee

  1. Cane Sugar Espresso

  1. Chocolate Caramel Frappuccino

  1. Almond Joy Latte

Fratello Coffee and Giffard Syrups

Our new line of Giffard coffee syrups offers a wide range of flavours that can take your favourite coffee beverages to the next level. From the classic vanilla latte to the indulgent almond joy latte, our syrups are perfect for adding a touch of magic to your daily cup of coffee. 

Talk to us about custom orders from their entire line of flavours which we can bring in an offer you.

Why Chefs Should Consider Coffee and Food Pairings

Why should chefs consider coffee and food pairings? You understand as a chef how important it is to pair food and wine to produce a satisfying dining experience. Have you thought about the potential for coffee to elevate your meals, though? A carefully designed coffee program may set your restaurant apart from the competition and provide your customers a truly exceptional dining experience.

Chairmans Steakhouse

Benefits of Coffee Programs in Restaurants

By developing a coffee program, you can:

Adding a New Dimension to Your Menu

With the help of a coffee programme, you may provide a variety of tastes and textures to go along with your meals, giving your customers a whole sensory experience. Like wine and food, coffee and meal combinations can bring out the best in both the coffee and the dish. Coffee can be consumed as a beverage or as a food element, and it goes well with dessert, breakfast, and even as a palette cleanser in between courses.

A coffee programme might also let you highlight various roasts and brewing techniques. You may accentuate the distinctive flavours and qualities of each coffee by providing a choice of brewing techniques, such as drip coffee, pour-over, or French press as well as either hot or cold coffee options could be incorporated.

Alforno Restaurant

Increasing Revenue

Coffee is a high-profit product that can help you increase your revenue. If you have a good coffee programme, you can upsell to customers who want a full meal experience. Providing excellent coffee selections that go well with your food can entice customers to indulge in an extra cup or perhaps try a different coffee beverage.

Also, by gaining a reputation for serving superior coffee, you might draw in new clients who are searching for a whole dining experience that includes outstanding coffee.

Creating a Unique Identity

It can be difficult to establish a distinctive identity among the various restaurants available nowadays. But, a coffee programme can help distinguish your restaurant from the competition and develop a devoted clientele of diners who value the care and dedication to quality.

You can demonstrate your dedication to quality and attention to detail by concentrating on a carefully designed coffee programme. In the busy restaurant industry, this can assist you in developing a distinctive character.

Alforno Restaurant coffee and food pairings

Coffee and Food Pairings

One way to create a truly unique coffee program is by incorporating coffee and food pairings. By offering coffee options that complement your dishes, you can take your dining experience to the next level.

Here are three coffee and food pairings to consider:

  1. Light Roast Coffee with Seafood

The subtle flavors of light roast coffee make it an excellent pairing for seafood dishes. The lightness of the roast allows the flavors of the coffee to complement the delicate flavors of the seafood.

Pairing Suggestions:

  1. Medium Roast Coffee with Savoury Dishes

Medium roast coffee has a balance of acidity and body, making it a versatile pairing for a variety of savory dishes. The medium roast coffee can enhance the flavors of dishes such as burgers, steaks, and roasted vegetables.

Pairing Suggestions:

  1. Dark Roast Coffee with Chocolate Desserts

Dark roast coffee has a bold and rich flavor that pairs well with chocolate desserts. The strong flavor of the coffee complements the sweetness of chocolate, creating a harmonious balance.

Pairing Suggestions:

  1. Espresso and Cappuccino Pairings

Espresso and cappuccino are two popular coffee options that can add a new dimension to your menu.

Pairing Suggestions:

Pairing Suggestions:

coffee and food pairings

A coffee program can add value to your restaurant's products by giving your menu a new depth and giving it a distinctive personality. You can elevate your dining experience and provide your customers a genuinely memorable dining experience by introducing coffee and food pairings. So think about creating a coffee program that goes well with your meals and makes your business stand out from the comp

Building Process Documents for Your Cafe: The Importance Coffee Shop Operations

Every organization, large or small, needs process documents to make sure everything performs as it should. Cafe owners in particular benefit from documenting the processes so it aids in teaching staff how to prepare coffee, including espresso techniques, opening/closing procedures, managing cash and greeting customers.   It offers clarification, aids in avoiding errors, and makes sure everyone is aware of what must be done to succeed in their positions and ensure they are meeting their direct report’s needs.  

This blog post will discuss how to build a process document, why it's important to document the process, and how a cafe owner may use it to train staff members. We'll also take cues from the E Myth, a book that emphasizes how critical systems are to the success of any firm.

Training document review

Why is Documenting a Process so Important?

Documenting the process is crucial because it provides a clear path forward, helps avoid mistakes, and ensures everyone is on the same page. Here's why:

Provides a Clear Path Forward 

The process documentation's most obvious advantage is that it provides your team with a resource to consult when there are issues regarding how something should be carried out or who should do what next. Instead of wasting time repeatedly answering those inquiries, just direct them to your documentation!

Helps Avoid Mistakes

Since everyone has access to the same information about how things are supposed to work within their department or division (or even across departments), there's less room for confusion about who does what when something goes wrong. Fewer opportunities for someone else's mistake costing you money down the road because nobody knows where things went wrong in order for them not being able--or willing--to own up until after damage has been done.

presentation

Ensures Everyone is on the Same Page 

A well-documented process enables you to achieve consistent outcomes. This is because documented processes can be repeated, and by following the same steps each time, they become predictable. Clear instructions that specify each task and its purpose, who is responsible for it, and when it should be done, are accessible to everyone involved in the project. This results in less workload because there is no ambiguity about what needs to be done next or why certain steps must be completed before others.

What Does a Process Document Include?

 

Here's How You Can Create One.

A process document is a written description of how to perform a particular task or activity. It can be used to describe the steps and procedures involved in any given activity, for any position or task with any company.  Think about training new barista on steaming the perfect milk, tamping and pulling a consistent espresso shot, or helping your management team with scheduling hours. The main points to go within a process document is as follows:

Description of What Needs to be Done

Making a process begins with writing out the steps. A straightforward text editor or even Microsoft Word might be used for this. Make sure that every tool you use is simple to operate as well as customizable so that you may add to your notes and make adjustments as you carry out the activity.

reviewing training documents

How it's Done 

After you've listed all of your steps, consider how much time and effort each one requires to complete. If a task appears like it would take too long or be too difficult, perhaps it could be streamlined or simplified so that things go more smoothly the next time.

Who Does It and When They Do It

It's important to assign roles and responsibilities to ensure that everyone knows what they need to do and when they need to do it. Assign the following roles:

Creating a Template for Tasks

Further streamlining your process involves developing templates for the various jobs. This template should be a thorough, well-organized checklist outlining each action that must be taken. This checklist can be used as a reference and training guide for each stage, ensuring that nothing is missed or forgotten.

pouring latte art

Here are some key points to consider when creating your template:

  1. Be specific: List out each individual step involved in the process, making sure to be as specific as possible. This will ensure that no detail is missed and that each step is carried out properly.
  2. Assign roles and responsibilities: As was already discussed, it's crucial to specify who will be responsible for what at each stage of the process. To ensure that everyone is aware of who is in charge of what, make sure to include this information in your template.
  3. Incorporate deadlines: Establish time schedule for every stage of the procedure, taking into consideration any interconnections or potential setbacks. This will assist in keeping the procedure organized and on time.
  4. Make it adaptable: Your template ought to be adaptable enough to take into account modifications or upgrades to the procedure. To keep the template current and relevant, make sure you check and update it frequently.  After implementation, pay attention to the feedback provided by the individuals carrying out the task regularly. They might find a more effective approach to get the same outcomes.
  5. Consider various teaching styles: Not everyone learns and adapts to new process techniques in the same way. To help ensure the activity is being carried out as you had anticipated, be willing to share your notes, as well as to add images, videos, and hands-on teaching.
  6. Follow-up: It often takes a person 2–4 weeks of practice before they fully comprehend and can perform it consistently. Following up, redirecting and frequent mentoring will help this process become a new everyday activity.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, documenting your processes is vital to running a successful cafe. It offers clarity, helps avoid errors, and ensures that everyone is aware of what has to be done when it's time to start their shifts. By following the procedures provided in this article, you may develop a well-documented process that is repeatable and predictable.  Whether you're creating a new product or service, training new employees, or just trying to streamline your daily operations, having a documented process in place can help you achieve your goals more efficiently and effectively. 

 

Discover a Classic Offering: Costa Rica El Poeta

The arrival of Fresh crop coffee from Central American coffees is something that the team at Fratello Coffee, as well as coffee aficionados everywhere, look forward to every year. This year, we're concentrating on the traditional and in-demand products from Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras.  Costa Rica El Poeta stands out among them as a genuine tribute to the great quality and varied flavour profile of Central American coffee.  As a business that takes pleasure in locating and roasting the best coffee beans from across the globe, we are happy to provide our esteemed customers with more details on the iconic Fratello Coffee offering, Costa Rica El Poeta.

Costa Rican Micro-Mill

Some of the best coffee in Costa Rica is produced in the West Central Valley area, which is found in the Alajuela province close to San Ramon. This area, dubbed the "Land of the Poets," gets its name from San Ramon, a city with a lengthy political and cultural past. This area is well known for its spectacular landscapes, which include lowland marshes, lush tropical rainforests, active volcanoes, and breathtaking waterfalls.

Costa Rican Map

Can you Describe Costa Rica El Poeta? 

El Poeta coffee is a silky, smooth blend with pronounced citrus fruit and mixed nut undertones. This coffee is manufactured from the finest beans and is produced by the knowledgeable coffee producers Julia Vega Rodrguez, Olman Cruz Vega, Ricardo Chávez Garita, and Juan Bautista Mejia Rojas in the San Rafael area of Alajuela.

This coffee's flavour profile is clean and consistent as a result of the fully washed procedure used to make it, making for a genuinely memorable and pleasurable cup of coffee.  This coffee is blended with their best Catuai and Caturra beans, produced at an elevation of 1200-1500 metres. Smallholder farmers process and harvest the coffee, which is then delivered to Cafe de Altura de San Ramon, a cutting-edge Micro-mill that meticulously oversees every step of the coffee-producing process. This strategy not only ensures the best coffee, but also offers technical assistance and promotes sustainable agricultural methods, enhancing the farmers' standard of living and income from coffee sales.

Costa Rican Coffee Farmer

How is Costa Rican El Poeta Processed? 

A sophisticated Micro-mill is used by Cafe de Altura de San Ramon to process cherries from several small farms and create a well-balanced regional blend. Using a recycling water system, the cherries are first sorted and depulped before being washed to get rid of any pollutants. Using a combination of forced air and a number of dryers, the washed beans are dried, bringing the moisture level down to 11% in just over 5 days. The coffee is processed for export after at least a month of resting in silos (to maintain stable water activity in the beans).

The green beans are dehulled and sorted by weight and colour on a number of machines before the coffee is processed for export. With every detail of the post-harvest operation carefully managed, producers can concentrate on sustainable farm management practices and produce coffee with special intensity and rhythmic precision. This process results in the pure poetry of El Poeta coffee.

Costa Rican El Poeta Coffee Farm

What Makes Costa Rican Coffee So Special? 

Costa Rican coffee is known for its exceptional quality and unique flavor profile. This is due to several factors, including the country's ideal climate, rich volcanic soil, and the passion and expertise of its coffee growers. The warm and humid conditions, combined with the high elevations at which the coffee is grown, produce a coffee with bright acidity, balanced sweetness, and a smooth, clean finish.

In addition to the favorable growing conditions, Costa Rican coffee producers place a strong emphasis on sustainable and responsible farming practices. This not only contributes to environmental protection but also ensures the industry's long-term profitability. The nation's strict quality control procedures and cutting-edge many micro-milling facilities are further factors in the excellent calibre of its coffee.

Coffee nursery

Overall, Costa Rican coffee is a very unique and sought-after product due to a unique combination of excellent growing circumstances, environmentally friendly farming methods, and a dedication to quality control.

Shade Grown Coffee and Its Role in Coffee Production

One of the most popular beverages worldwide is coffee, which boasts a distinctive and complex flavour profile. But many coffee drinkers might not be aware that a variety of environmental elements, such as elevation and longitude, have an impact on the quality of the coffee they enjoy. The interaction of these elements may significantly affect the development, maturation, and general quality of the coffee beans. Understanding the relationship between elevation, longitude, and shade grown coffee is important when simply looking at these terms exclusively alone.

Shade Grown Coffee

Why is the Elevation of Coffee Farms Important?

Elevation and longitude have a significant impact on the quality of coffee. Elevation affects the temperature and other environmental factors that influence the growth of coffee plants. Coffee plants grow best at specific temperatures, and too much heat or too much cold can negatively impact the quality of the coffee beans. At higher elevations, temperatures are typically cooler, making high elevation coffee-growing regions ideal for growing high-quality coffee.

Coffee farms located near the equator are often located at elevations of over 1500 meters, while coffee farms further away from the equator, such as in Central America, are typically located at elevations of around 1100 meters. This difference in elevation is due to a combination of factors including tectonic activity, global weather patterns, and the intense solar radiation at the equator. We go deeper into this conversation about High Altitude Coffees in an older blog post “High Altitude Coffee : What’s The Big Deal

Why is Shade Grown Coffee Important?

Cloud cover, which offers natural shade and aids in temperature regulation, frequently benefits coffee farms located at higher elevations nearer the equator, thus negating the need for shade trees. This cloud cover is caused by moist air rising from the nearby lowlands coming into contact with the chilly, high-altitude air and condensing into clouds. In contrast, coffee plantations farther from the equator and at higher elevations, like those in Central America, may require the utilization of shade trees to control the temperature and provide a better environment for coffee growth.

It is crucial to remember that while shade and temperature regulation are crucial for coffee quality, other elements like soil quality, the local microclimate, and coffee varietal also affect how best to grow coffee. It depends on the exact region and its particular environmental elements whether shade trees are required or not. Depending on the region, several things are considered "high elevation" for coffee region.

natural cloud coffee on coffee farm

The regulation of temperature and shade are essential factors in determining the quality of coffee. At higher elevations, coffee plants are exposed to cooler temperatures and more moderate climate conditions. The coffee cherries may grow slower and mature over a longer length of time as a result, giving the coffee beans more time to develop their intricate flavour and aroma characteristics. The general temperature of the farm trees would be too cold to grow coffee if these places also have shade trees.

However, excessive sun exposure can result in overheating of the coffee plants, which can harm the coffee beans and lower the quality of the resulting brew. Additionally, because coffee plants require a constant temperature to survive, excessive temperature variation can stress plants, which lowers the coffee's overall quality. Shade trees are used in some areas to help control temperature, lessening the effects of heat stress on coffee plants.

Shade Grown Coffee

The use of shade trees in coffee production has other benefits as well. Shade trees provide habitat for beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife, which can help to maintain a healthy ecosystem in the coffee growing region. They also help to conserve soil moisture and improve soil fertility, further improving the overall quality of the coffee.

In conclusion, the use of shade trees in coffee cultivation aids in temperature regulation and guards against overheating, minimizing the effects of heat stress on the coffee beans and enhancing their quality. In addition to offering shelter for wildlife, shade trees preserve soil moisture and fertility, which benefits the ecosystem's ability to grow coffee.

Coffee farm

Maximizing a Cafe's Success : Choosing the Right Coffee Partner

Your business strategy should include selecting the ideal coffee brand to partner with. A good collaboration can direct and mentor your planning and choices, accelerating your own and your team's learning curve. However, a bad collaboration can result in contradictions, broken promises, and poor quality goods. If you are looking to maximizing a cafe's success, choosing the right coffee partner is as important, as finding the right location.

Creating your own brand is an alternative to collaborating with a coffee roaster's brand. While creating your own brand has advantages, it also entails additional costs, potential distractions, and a longer period of time to gain awareness and trust.

Fratello Coffee branded cup

At Fratello Coffee Roasters, we provide both tiers of service because they both have many benefits.

The power of two brands working together will be explored and highlighted in the information that follows.

What are the benefits to partnering with an established coffee roaster brand vs trying to create your own brand when running a cafe?

Partnering with an established coffee roaster brand when running a coffee shop can provide several benefits, such as:

  1. Consistency and Quality: Established coffee roaster brands often have a reputation for providing consistent and high-quality coffee beans, which can help attract and retain customers.
  2. Sourcing and Traceability: Reputable roaster brands often have direct relationships with farmers and know exactly where their beans come from and how they were grown, harvested, and processed. This can give the shop owner and customers the peace of mind that their beans are ethically and sustainably sourced.
  3. Brand recognition: By using a well-known and reputable brand of coffee beans, you can benefit from their established reputation, which can help attract customers who are familiar with and trust the brand.
  4. Marketing and Promotion: Established coffee roaster brands often have marketing campaigns, which can help generate buzz and attract customers to your coffee shop.
  5. Supply chain: A well-established roaster brand will have well-established supply chains and distribution channels that can save time and money for the business owner when it comes to sourcing beans.

However, similar to partnering with a brand for running a coffee shop, partnering with established roaster also comes with certain restrictions and often requires following strict guidelines. Additionally, It may limit the shop owner's flexibility in terms of experimenting with different blends and origins.

Fratello Coffee in a restaurant

What considerations should I have when choosing a coffee roaster brand to work with?

When choosing a coffee roaster brand to work with, there are several key considerations to keep in mind:

  1. Quality: The quality of the coffee beans is of the utmost importance. It is essential to try the coffee from different brands and choose a roaster that consistently provides high-quality beans.
  2. Ethical buying practices: It is important to consider the sourcing and traceability of the beans. Look for roasters that have direct relationships with farmers and can ensure that the beans are ethically and sustainably sourced.
  3. Brand alignment: It is important to work with a brand that aligns with your values and mission as a coffee shop. This will not only help attract customers but also help you maintain a sense of pride in the products you're selling.

Enjoying Fratello Coffee

  1. Support and communication: Consider the level of support and communication that the roaster offers. Look for a roaster that is willing to work closely with you and provide you with the resources and assistance you need to succeed.
  2. Availability and Logistics: Check if the roaster has a good distribution network in your location. Check if they can deliver beans on a regular basis and if they can provide fresh beans when needed.
  3. Cost: Consider the cost of the beans and compare prices from different roasters. Keep in mind that the cheapest option may not always be the best choice in terms of quality or alignment with your values.  The lower price of beans can quickly be lost in the price you are able to charge per cup, and lost opportunity.
  4. Reputation: Research the reputation of the roaster, check if they are well-known and respected in the industry. Read reviews and testimonials, and ask other coffee shop owners in your area for their opinions and recommendations.

Choosing the best coffee roaster brand is ultimately a critical choice that can greatly affect the success of your coffee shop. Finding a company that shares your beliefs and can offer the superior beans, assistance, and resources you require to thrive requires rigorous investigation and evaluation of several choices.

cobranding coffee

What are the advantages of collaborating with another brand instead of solely promoting your own?

Working together with another brand can be beneficial in several ways:

  1. Increased reach and visibility: By partnering with another brand, you can tap into their customer base and increase the reach and visibility of your own brand. This can help attract new customers and drive sales.
  2. Shared resources and expertise:Together, the two businesses may pool their resources and knowledge to increase the potency of their marketing and promotional initiatives. For instance, a coffee shop and pastry business could collaborate to provide a package deal, reaching a larger audience and bringing in more consumers.
  3. Cross-promotion: Both brands can cross-promote each other, which can help increase brand awareness and drive sales for both parties.
  4. Synergy: The two brands' combined efforts may have a synergistic effect, where the whole is larger than the sum of the parts. In order to showcase the coffee shop's specialised drinks, for instance, the coffee shop and pastry shop collaboration may take advantage of the pastry shop's reputation for producing visually appealing meals.
  5. Brand enhancement: Partnering with a complementary brand can also enhance the overall perception of your brand. By associating with reputable or complementary brand, your own brand may also be perceived as more reputable or valuable.

Beano House Blend

However, it's important to note that a partnership is a two-way street.  Both brands should have a clear understanding of what each party is contributing and what they hope to achieve.  Additionally, it's important to make sure that the partnership aligns with the brand's mission and values to ensure a smooth collaboration.

How to Schedule Employees Effectively

As a business owner, you know your most important asset is your employees. However, you also know that they can be your most expensive expense. That’s why it’s important to make sure you know how to schedule employees effectively and efficiently.  But how and where do you begin, when thinking about your overall schedule?

Doing so effectively according to your sales budget is a complex task, as you need to take into account the needs of your business, the availability of your employees, and any relevant labor laws.

happy employees

Here are a few tips to help you get started

  1. Determine your staffing needs: Think about how many employees you need during each shift and what tasks they will be responsible for. Make sure to consider factors such as the expected level of customer traffic and any special events or promotions you have planned.
  2. Communicate with your employees: Clearly communicate your schedule to your employees in advance and ask for their availability. This will help you create a schedule that works for everyone.
  3. Use scheduling software: Scheduling software can make it easier to create and manage employee schedules. There are many options available, ranging from free and basic to paid and feature-rich.  With 6 Analog Coffee locations, we had great experience utilizing Seven Shifts as a way to have open communication with team members on when we required coverage, and when they would have time available.  Depending on your POS System, you could have scheduling software already included in their services.  
  4. Consider labor laws: Be aware of any labor laws that apply to your business, such as minimum wage and overtime rules. Make sure you are complying with these laws when creating your schedules.
  5. Be flexible: Finally, be willing to be flexible and make changes to the schedule as needed. Things like unexpected employee absences or a sudden increase in customer traffic may require you to make adjustments on the fly.

Pact Coffee

It is generally not advisable to schedule your employees based on a percentage of sales. Scheduling based on sales projections can be unpredictable and can lead to understaffing or overstaffing, which can negatively impact your business and your employees.

Instead, it is generally better to base your staffing levels on the needs of your business. This may include factors such as the expected level of customer traffic, the tasks that need to be completed during each shift, and any special events or promotions you have planned.

Know Your Labor Laws

It is also important to consider any relevant labor laws, such as minimum wage and overtime rules. Make sure you have enough staff to meet the needs of your business, while also complying with labor laws and treating your employees fairly.

This being said, having a targeted employee costs, including management, of 30% or less of your sales is attainable and should be considered as a bench mark to guide whoever is in charge of scheduling.   The key is utilizing the right amount of staff, during your peak hours of operation, and less staff scheduled during the slower times.  This is easier to achieve when you have a roster of both full-time and hourly employees on your team.

barista training

What can employees do while it is slow and in the evenings? 

There are many things that employees can do during slow times in a cafe:

Clean and restock:

Employees can clean the cafe and restock supplies, such as coffee beans, cups, napkins, and pastries.  Creating an evening closing check list will aid in keeping team members accountable for daily/weekly cleaning and maintenance needed on your coffee equipment.   View one of our past blogs for tips on How to Clean and Maintain Your Espresso Machine.   These should be incorporated to routine jobs every week. 

Organize the cafe:

Employees can take the opportunity to reorganize the cafe.  Rearranging the seating or changing the layout of the display case.  Keeping your display case organized (according to the time of day), can really help increase food sales and increase your average transactions. Our past blog about The Importance of Food Programs in your Cafe discuss this topic.

condiment station

Train new employees:

Slow times can be a good opportunity to train new employees or review procedures with existing staff.  Working on advanced barista skills is best taught during slow times as it is much less intimidating for new employees.  Have them practice Barista Worthy Steamed Milk, how to properly make and AeroPress and working on their distribution methods so they Tamp Like a Champ are all going to help elevate the beverage experience for your clients.  There are many training videos available on YouTube and other social media which cover several topics. 

Update menus or specials:

Employees can work on updating the cafe's menu or creating new specials to attract customers.  Reach out to your local bakery partners and food distributors to see if they can meet with your team during these slow times to give tastings and educational presentations to further the food knowledge of your team.  

nachos

Plan events or promotions:

Slow times can be a good opportunity to plan events or promotions to bring in more business.  Have your employees ever walked around to personally introduce them selves and your cafe to the neighbouring businesses around you?  Drop off a few coffees or a coupon and personally invite them to come visit your cafe.

Take a break:

Employees can also use slow times to take a break, as long as there is enough coverage to handle any customers who may come in.  A rested employee is better able to handle the stresses of long line ups and clients who might be upset much easier than an employee who is exhausted and frustrated. 

Do paperwork:

Employees can catch up on paperwork or other administrative tasks that might not be possible during busier times.  You might be surprised that you have people on your team that are looking to assist you in different ways, which help alleviate administrative stress that burdens many entrepreneurs each week.   

happy customer

Utilizing your team in ways which free you up to work on growing your business should be your priority.  Being "stuck" in the day to day work inside your cafe, make it difficult to find times for marketing, sales growth, branding and networking opportunities.   Free yourself up and give your team ways that they can contribute to the health and success of your business.  

 

Why Are Food Programs in your Cafe SO Important?

Running a successful coffee shop is more than just serving great coffee.  Well thought through food programs could be the key to bring in new customers, as well as current customers more frequently. However, doing this is harder than you might think.

Our experiences working with cafes, as well as running our own cafe locations showed us that implementing a food program is often the most difficult task a cafe owner has.   

Cafe food programs

Food programs can be an important aspect of a café's business, as they can help to attract and retain customers. A well-thought-out food program can also help to differentiate a café from its competitors and provide a unique experience for customers. 

Some examples of food and beverage programs that a café should include:

 

The first things is the specialty coffee and tea programs:

These programs focus on offering a variety of high-quality, specialty coffee and tea drinks. This can include sourcing beans from specific regions or roasters, offering a range of brewing methods, and providing detailed information about each coffee or tea variety.

selection of pastries

Food menus:

A café's food menu can be an important part of its overall food program. This might include offering a range of breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, and other light meals. It's important for a café to consider the preferences of its target market and offer items that will appeal to them.

Local and sustainable sourcing:

Some cafés focus on sourcing their food and drink items locally and sustainably. This can help to support the local community and reduce the café's environmental impact.

Special events and promotions:

Cafés may also offer special events or promotions as part of their food program. This might include hosting tastings or pairing events, offering discounts or promotions on certain items, or hosting live music or other entertainment.  Catering events, and having easy to carry platter for parties can create unique marketing opportunities. 

Pastries and baking

Should a food program change throughout the day?

It's not necessarily necessary to change a café's food program throughout the day, but it can be a good idea to offer a variety of options to suit different times of day and customer needs. For example, a café might offer a selection of breakfast items in the morning, such as pastries, oatmeal, and breakfast sandwiches, and then transition to a lunch menu featuring sandwiches, salads, and soups later in the day.

Depending on the café's target market and location, it may also make sense to offer different options at different times of day to suit the needs of different customers. For example, a café located near an office building might offer more grab-and-go items for lunchtime customers, while a café in a residential area might focus on offering more sit-down meals for dinner.   If you are working with food distributors such as Sysco or GFS, they will often have services with their in-house chefs to help create these menus. 

construction site

It's also worth considering whether to offer any daily specials or rotating menu items as part of the food program. This can help to keep the menu fresh and interesting for regular customers, and can also provide an opportunity to test out new items and get customer feedback.

Your Customers Buy Food with Their Eyes

We often suggest to clients, that changing your display case, show casing different foods, for different parts of the day can help sell extra items to your customers.  Increasing your average transaction with your current clientele is the fastest way to grow your top line sales….and much easier than trying to attract new customers.   Local wholesale bakeries such as Al Forno, could often make recommendations on what to offer throughout your day. 

Overall, the key is to offer a range of options that will appeal to the café's target market and suit the needs of different times of day. By doing this, a café can create a successful and engaging food program that helps to attract and retain customers.   

baking in bakery

Is making your own food a better decision than buying from local food providers?

Baking/Creating your own food program offers many benefits, however, also brings many complexities that need consideration.   Extra labor, food safety concerns, additional storage and specialized kitchen equipment are simply a few.  

When creating a food program, it's important to consider the target cost of goods (COGS), which is the total cost of all the ingredients and supplies needed to produce the food and drinks offered by the café. This includes things like the cost of raw ingredients, packaging, and any other supplies needed to prepare and serve the items.

The target COGS will depend on a number of factors, including the type of food and drinks being offered, the cost of ingredients and supplies in the local market, and the desired profit margin for the business. In general, it's important to strike a balance between keeping COGS as low as possible and offering high-quality, appealing products that will attract and retain customers.

One way to determine a target COGS is to conduct a cost analysis of the food and drinks being offered. This involves calculating the cost of all the ingredients and supplies needed to produce each item, and then determining the percentage of the selling price that these costs represent. For example, if the cost of ingredients and supplies for a particular item is $3 and the item is being sold for $10, the COGS would be 30% of the selling price.

fresh made pastries

When you are making your own food, It's generally recommended that a café's COGS be in the range of 30-35% of the selling price for food when items and 20-30% for drink items.   When ordering in prepared foods from outside vendors, its generally recommended that your COGS be in the range of 45-55% of the selling price of food.

This will vary depending on the specific circumstances of the business, but keeping COGS within these ranges can help to ensure that the business is profitable while still offering high-quality products.

Overall, the importance of a food program in a café will depend on the specific goals and target market of the business. By carefully considering these factors, a café can create a successful and engaging food program that helps to attract and retain customers.

 

 

Coffee Processing Methods Explained : Natural, Anaerobic, Honey, Oh My!

Are you starting to get serious about specialty coffee? It’s essential that you learn about all the different coffee processing methods.

You know when you look at a bag of coffee and see “black honey” or “anaerobic natural”? Our aim is to help you end this head-scratchery so you can be confident about your coffee knowledge.

We did a previous blog about coffee processing before, but we wanted to revisit it more in-depth and add some newer processes to the mix. Understanding how your coffee was processed helps you understand why it tastes the way it does.

Natural Processed Coffee

What is coffee processing?

In a nutshell, coffee processing is what gets done to the coffee cherry after it’s been picked off the tree and sorted. After harvesting and picking the ripest cherries, the producer needs to decide what to do with the cherries.

Coffee is the seed inside of a cherry. Sure, you could simply remove the cherry and discard it immediately. That is a coffee processing method in itself (more on that later). But the cherry itself is sweet and fruity, and it can add some very interesting, complex flavours to the green beans.

In most forms of processing, a certain amount of the cherry pulp is left on the bean to ferment. Fermentation is a tricky task which can go terribly wrong and result in spoilage, but if done right, it can be magical. It requires getting the right temperature, pH level, and fermentation time.

Layers of a coffee bean

 

The anatomy of a coffee cherry

Let’s run through the anatomy of a coffee cherry so that when we throw around terms like “mucilage” and “skin,” you know what we’re talking about.

The skin or the “cascara” of the cherry is the outermost layer of the fruit.

The pulp refers to the overall flesh of the fruit, just under the skin.

The mucilage is a very specific part of the pulp–it’s the sticky, slippery layer that covers the seed.

The parchment is the papery layer of the seed that covers and protects the seed. It comes off naturally while being roasted.

The seed of the coffee cherry is essentially the green bean.

To better visualize the anatomy of a coffee cherry, check out this resource

Let’s run through the most popular coffee processing methods.

fully washed coffee

Wet process coffee

Wet process coffee, or “washed” process, is a process where the pulp and mucilage are removed from the seed as quickly as possible. 

First, the coffee cherries are placed in a de-pulping machine. Second, the seeds ferment briefly to soften the mucilage just enough to facilitate easy removal. Third, the seeds are soaked in water and agitated to remove the sticky mucilage layer. Finally, the seeds are laid flat on beds to sun-dry completely before being packed and shipped.

This is a very popular method of processing because it lends a very clean taste that allows the natural acidity to shine.

honey processed coffee

 

Honey process coffee

In the honey process, the skin and pulp are removed from the seed, but the mucilage is left on the seed during fermentation.

There are 3 different levels of honey process coffee: yellow, red, and black. The darker the colour, the longer the fermentation, and the stronger the flavour. Let’s explore these sub-processes more in-depth.

The mucilage is left on the seed, and the beans are laid out on large mats to sun dry. Yellow honey process coffee is lightly sweet and fruity with a clean profile, similar to wet process, but fruitier.

The mucilage-covered seeds are fermented slightly. The seeds are piled on top of each other to facilitate fermentation, and then raked into a flat layer to dry. Red honey coffee tastes sweet and fruity.

In this process, the mucilage-covered seeds are fermented the longest. The beans are piled on top of each other, with a longer fermentation than red honey. Black honey process coffee tastes winey and boozy thanks to the longer fermentation, with ripe fruit notes. 

 

natural processed coffee

Natural process coffee

Natural process coffee is where the whole cherry is left intact on the seed during fermentation. This includes the skin, pulp, and mucilage–nothing is removed. 

The beans lie in the sun on raised beds, while constantly being turned. This prevents rotting and spoiling the entire batch of coffee. Once the beans are fully dried, the dried cherries are hulled off to extract the green beans.

Natural process coffee has a very fruity, molasses-y flavour that a lot of people are drawn to. It’s common to taste fruity notes like blueberry, strawberry, and raspberry, with a pleasant acidity.

The natural process is popular in coffee-growing countries where clean water isn’t an abundant resource. You’ll tend to see natural process coffee from countries like Ethiopia where there isn’t a huge supply of clean water.

Anaerobic process coffee

The anaerobic process is a newer process that’s quite tricky and time-consuming. When done properly, it can have incredibly exciting, exotic flavours like tropical fruit and spice.

Anaerobic means “oxygen deprived.” The intact coffee cherries are placed in large barrels with water and sealed from oxygen for 48 to 72 hours. They ferment without oxygen, which imparts  a completely different flavour from natural or honey processing. After fermentation, the pulp and mucilage are removed and the beans are laid to dry completely in the sun.

Raised African Drying Beds

Wet hull process

Not to be confused with “wet process,” the wet hull process is a less common type of coffee processing. Also known as “giling basah,” this coffee process method is mainly practised in Indonesia. In this process, the parchment is removed from the seed before the bean dries completely.

Coffee that’s been wet hulled tends to have rich earthy, smokey, dirty flavours, with little to no sweetness or acidity. These coffees tend to taste good when roasted dark, which eliminates some of their unpleasant flavours. This allows the desirable flavours, like earth and smoke, to shine. 

Trust the process

Coffee processing methods have a huge impact on the flavour of your coffee. If you’re a coffee lover and want to learn more about coffee, it is essential that you learn about coffee processing methods. It can help you understand why your coffee tastes the way it does.

Want to experience coffee processes for yourself? Shop our Kenya Fully Washed, our West Coast Honey Processed, or our Gunsmoke Fully Washed & Wet Hulled coffees now!

 

How to Begin Planning a Budget to Build your Cafe


One of the first questions we are often asked when people are beginning to plan their dreams of building their own coffee shop Is “
What would be the average total cost to build a 1500 square-foot coffee shop?In this article we explore some things to consider, and hidden costs you might not have thought about when planning a budget for your cafe. 

cafe blueprints

 

It's difficult to provide an average total cost to build a 1500 square-foot coffee shop, as the cost will depend on a wide range of factors such as location, equipment, and finishes. In general, you can expect to pay anywhere from $350,000 to $450,000 or more to build a 1500 square-foot coffee shop. This estimate includes the cost of rent or purchasing a space, as well as the cost of equipment, supplies, labor, and other expenses.

It's important to keep in mind that these estimates are just rough estimates, and the actual cost of building a coffee shop will depend on your specific circumstances and location. It's a good idea to work with a professional, such as a contractor or an architect, to get a more accurate estimate of the cost to build a coffee shop. They will be able to take into account the specific features and finishes you want for your coffee shop and provide a more detailed cost estimate.

Demolition of old space

 

What are things you should consider when planning a budget to build a coffee shop?

There are several things to consider when planning a budget to build a coffee shop:

  1. Location: The cost of rent or purchasing a space will vary depending on the location of the coffee shop. It's important to consider the cost of real estate in the area where you want to open your coffee shop.
  2. Equipment: You'll need to purchase or lease coffee-making equipment, as well as other items such as tables, chairs, and display cases. Make sure to budget for these expenses.
  3. Labor: You'll need to hire employees to work in your coffee shop, and you'll need to budget for their salaries and any benefits you offer.
  4. Supplies: You'll need to purchase supplies such as coffee beans, cups, and other consumables on a regular basis. Make sure to budget for these ongoing expenses.
  5. Marketing: It's important to promote your coffee shop to attract customers. You'll need to budget for marketing efforts such as advertising, social media, and events.
  6. Legal and professional fees: There may be legal and professional fees associated with setting up a business, such as fees for incorporating or registering your business, as well as any consulting fees.
  7. Contingency: It's a good idea to budget for unexpected expenses that may come up as you're setting up and running your coffee shop. This could include things like repairs or unexpected increases in the cost of supplies.

Construction project

What are other hidden costs you might not be considering when planning your budget?

Here are some other hidden costs that you might not be considering when planning a budget for your coffee shop:

  1. Permits and licenses: You'll likely need to obtain various permits and licenses to operate your coffee shop, such as a business license and a food service permit.
  2. Insurance: It's important to have insurance to protect your business in case of accidents or other unexpected events. You may need liability insurance, as well as insurance for your equipment and supplies.
  3. Rent or mortgage payments: If you're leasing or purchasing a space for your coffee shop, you'll need to budget for rent or mortgage payments. These costs may be higher than you expect, especially if you're in an expensive location.
  4. Utilities: You'll need to pay for utilities such as electricity, water, and gas to operate your coffee shop. These costs can add up, so make sure to budget for them.
  5. Maintenance and repairs: Your coffee shop equipment and facilities will need regular maintenance and may need repairs from time to time. Make sure to budget for these costs.
  6. Taxes: You'll need to pay taxes on your business, including income tax and sales tax. Make sure to budget for these expenses.
  7. Professional services: You may need to hire professionals such as lawyers, accountants, or consultants to help you set up and run your coffee shop. Make sure to budget for these services.

Electrical work

Once your café is built, what is the average amount of time to expect your full ROI?

It's difficult to provide an average amount of time to expect a full return on investment (ROI) for a coffee shop, as it will depend on a wide range of factors such as location, pricing, and competition. In general, it can take several years to recoup the initial investment in a coffee shop. 

There are several factors that can impact the time it takes to see a full ROI on a coffee shop:

  1. Location: The location of your coffee shop can have a big impact on its success. A prime location with high foot traffic can help your coffee shop generate more sales, which can in turn help you see a quicker ROI.
  2. Pricing: Setting your prices too low can make it difficult to generate enough profit to see a full ROI. On the other hand, setting your prices too high can drive customers away. It's important to find a pricing strategy that strikes a balance between attracting customers and generating a profit.
  3. Competition: The level of competition in your area can also impact your ROI. If there are many other coffee shops in the area, it may be harder to attract and retain customers.

Fratello Coffee

It's important to keep in mind that it may take some time to build a customer base and establish a successful coffee shop. It may take several years to see a full ROI, but with careful planning and hard work, it is possible to achieve success.

Reach out to our team here at Fratello Coffee Roasters to dig in further to this topic.  Our coffee consulting can help you think through topics like this, and others. 

 

 

High Altitude Coffee : What’s The Big Deal?

Have you ever wondered what elevation has to do with the cup of coffee you’re drinking? If you’ve ever looked at your bag of coffee and been baffled by “5200 ft”, you’re not alone. High altitude coffee is the kind of coffee you want to seek out, and elevation is one of the most important flavour factors.

Steep mountain range

Even in hot countries near the equator, pieces of land at high altitudes have cooler temperatures. A piece of land high up in the mountains will be much cooler than the land closer to sea level. Coffee trees are happiest in these lower temperatures, and that’s why you’ll find almost exclusively high elevation coffee in the specialty coffee sphere. 

In this article, we’ll help you understand why high altitude coffee is so sought-after.

What is high altitude coffee?

High altitude coffee is coffee that’s been grown at a high elevation of 4000-5500 ft above sea level. High altitudes have lower temperatures, which is why many mountainous regions in hot climates tend to feel cooler than ground levels.

Growing coffee is a very long process, and it needs a consistent temperature. Coffee mainly grows in hot countries near the equator, like Ethiopia, Kenya, El Salvador and Colombia. 

Ironically, coffee trees don’t like intense heat. Arabica coffee is a delicate plant. Coffee trees like the kind of weather that you and I like–20 degrees C with some shade. Comfortably warm, without the scorching sun on our skin. 

In order to facilitate this paradise-like microclimate for coffee trees, producers like to grow coffee at high elevations, like in the mountains. 

High Altitude coffee farms

 

Why is high altitude coffee desirable?

High altitude coffee tends to have better, more complex flavour than low altitude coffee. The cooler temperatures of the high altitudes allow the coffee trees to grow slowly. This allows them to mature slower and develop complex flavours. When it comes to specialty coffee, high altitude is key.

Coffee does also grow closer to sea level. This is called low elevation coffee, and it’s widely commercially available because it’s cheap and in high supply. In general, the lower the altitude, the lower the quality of the coffee.

What is low altitude coffee?

Low altitude coffee is coffee that’s grown at an altitude of between 600 and 2500 ft above sea level. Most commercially available coffee sold around the world is low altitude coffee. It’s cheaper to produce, it grows quickly, and it has a massive yield.

However, arabica coffee (the only subspecies of coffee you’ll find in specialty coffee) doesn’t grow well in heat and direct sun. Robusta, on the other hand, loves heat and sun. That’s why most low altitude coffee is robusta.

“Sun grown coffee” is another related term that means coffee that’s grown directly in the sun. When the sun hits the coffee trees, they grow very quickly. A lot of low elevation coffee is also sun grown coffee. Direct sunlight makes the coffee grow even faster. 

Low altitude and sun grown coffee are widely grown because they’re much easier to cultivate than high altitude coffee. High altitude coffee requires a lot more hard work and knowledge to produce.

Green coffee beans

Physical differences between high and low altitude coffee

An expert will be able to quickly spot the difference between high and low altitude green coffee beans. However, there are some general tell-tale signs.

High altitude coffee physical characteristics

High altitude coffee beans are harder and denser than low elevation coffee. The beans are hard because they’ve grown slowly and have had time to mature. The fissure (ie. that little line that runs down the coffee bean) says a lot about the coffee. High elevation coffee will have a fine fissure line, which is sometimes zig-zagged or askew.

Low altitude coffee physical characteristics

Low altitude coffee is a softer, less dense coffee bean. Because it grows so quickly, it doesn’t grow compactly. It has a wider fissure line than high altitude coffee, and the line is usually straight.

Chemex coffee maker

The difference in flavour

High altitude coffee has complex flavour and acidity. You’ll taste a lot of things going on at once, like sweetness, fruit, spices, acidity, body, bitterness, and more.

Medium altitude coffee will have some sweetness, with little to no acidity. Medium elevation coffee is somewhere between 2500 ft and 4000 ft above sea level.

Low altitude coffee will have no acidity, no sweetness, and taste bland and vegetal. People drink this coffee just to get their caffeine fix, and it tastes bearable if you like tons of sugar and cream in your coffee!

Check out Perfect Daily Grind’s elevation coffee chart to see where your coffee lies!

Can low altitude coffee be good?

In some cases, low altitude coffee can be excellent. Altitude is relative–some coffees won’t do well with high altitudes in parts of the world with already cool temperatures. Take Kona, Hawaii, for example. This low altitude coffee region produces some of the best coffee in the world. The higher altitudes in Kona would be too cold, and likely kill the coffee trees. 

While high altitude coffee is certainly praised in the specialty coffee world, there’s no saying that low altitude coffee is “bad.” Specialty coffee has its own distinct culture, with its own grading system. To rate low elevation, sun grown, or robusta coffee by specialty coffee standards can often be simplistic.

Robusta coffee, which thrives in low elevations, heat, and sun, has its own culture that’s separate from specialty coffee. It’s a different subspecies of coffee, with a completely different flavour profile, making up 40% of the world’s coffee production. 

There is a lot of love for robusta coffee, which contains more caffeine and is enjoyed in smaller quantities. Robusta coffee is very popular in countries like the Philippines and Vietnam, which have a huge coffee culture.  

However, it’s safe to say that most commercially available coffee that’s low altitude coffee is lower quality.

coffee cupping at home

Tasting the difference

If you want to find the best specialty coffee, look for coffee that’s been grown at an elevation of at least 4500 ft. To further explore the flavours of high altitude coffee, check out our previous article on coffee cupping at home.

Looking for a true elevation coffee experience? Try our high altitude coffees. Our Nicaragua is clean and creamy with notes of jasmine and black tea. Our Colombia is sweet and citrusy, with notes of caramel and honey.

 

Ring in the New Year with Alternative Lattes!

Get your new year off to a good start, and stock your cupboard with delicious healthy latte options. It’s a great ritual to pair with a new health routine, and it keeps your actions consistent, which will help you stay on track to hit your goals.

If you’re pairing your superfood latte routine with a new self-care routine, make sure to read our previous blog post about starting a gratitude journal.

Idle Tea Alternative Lattes

Our superfood latte powders are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are great for health. And let’s face it–we all have to go off of coffee sometimes. These caffeine free lattes (with the exception of green tea matcha) will keep you balanced and alert. 

What are alternative lattes?

Alternative lattes are a healthy, nutritious coffee-free latte. They come in a powder form, which you mix with a splash of water and top with hot milk or a non-dairy alternative. 

Alternative latte powders are rich in vitamins and antioxidants to promote better health. Vitamins help our bodies carry out various functions to stay healthy, and antioxidants reduce oxidative stress on the body, which can cause illness in the long run. 

One of the main draws of the superfood latte is the colour. It’s an exciting novelty to see lattes in unusual colours, like pink, red, green, and yellow.

Alternative lattes are a great solution for when you’re craving a frothy treat like a latte, cappuccino, or hot chocolate. The superfood latte powders are slightly sweetened with coconut sugar for a mildly sweet latte that makes the perfect healthy treat. It lets you have your latte and drink it, too!

Our very own Idle Tea line offers 4 alternative lattes variations. Let’s take a look at them all and explore their health benefits.

Idle Tea Beetroot latte

Beetroot latte

The Idle Beetroot Latte powder contains dried and ground beetroot, which gives the powder that rich magenta hue and earthy flavour. The hint of ginger gives it a pleasant spice and warmth.

Beetroot is a superfood because it contains a long list of vitamins and minerals with very few calories. It’s rich in folate, which helps with development and growth, and lowers blood sugar. It also contains manganese, a mineral that helps with bone strength and brain health. It also contains trace amounts of copper, which is also lauded for its brain health benefits. Beetroot is high in fibre, which aids in gut health and digestion.

This latte powder also contains butterfly pea powder, which is rich in antioxidants called anthocyanins, which relieve inflammation. Butterfly pea powder is also known for its beautiful blue colour, and it is used as an all-natural dye for textiles and in many tea recipes. 

Idle Tea Matcha Latte

Matcha latte

The green tea matcha latte is famous for that beautiful bright green colour, and its subtle, grassy, sweet flavour. Green tea matcha powder is filled with antioxidants called catechins that reduce oxidative stress on the body, and may have anti-cancer properties. 

While matcha does contain caffeine, it releases slowly and contains much less than a cup of coffee. It also contains L-theanine, a compound that keeps you alert, focused, and calm. Many people who get jitters from coffee prefer to drink green tea matcha.

Matcha doesn’t have to be enjoyed with milk, and is delicious on its own. Simply whisk the powder with a few tablespoons of hot water with a chasen (wooden whisk) to get a beautiful frothy matcha tea. To learn more about the benefits of green tea matcha, read our previous blog post about matcha powder

Green tea matcha latte

Rooibos matcha latte

A rooibos matcha latte is simply rooibos tea that’s finely ground into a powder and prepared without straining. It has that signature sweet, mellow vanilla-like flavour. It’s sweetened with a touch of coconut sugar that’s just the right level of sweetness. This tea grows on a bush in South Africa, and South Africans have used it for medicinal purposes for centuries. The word rooibos means “red bush” in Afrikaans.

Like with green tea matcha powder, rooibos matcha is the whole tea leaf. When regular rooibos tea is strained, it contains some antioxidants, but as a matcha powder, it contains 10 times the antioxidants. The main antioxidants in rooibos matcha are polyphenols, which prevent inflammation.

Turmeric latte.

Turmeric latte

The Idle Tea Golden Turmeric Latte powder makes a beautiful rich orange-yellow golden hue, also known as “golden milk.” With warm spices and ginger, it’s a similar experience to the chai latte, without the caffeine. It’s lightly sweetened with coconut sugar for a perfectly-sweet, all-natural sweetener.

Turmeric is bursting with antioxidants like curcumin, an antioxidant that reduces inflammation. Curcumin may even slow the aging process and reduce the likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease. Ginger also contains a strong antioxidant, called gingerol, with similar anti-inflammatory properties.

Read our previous post about drinking turmeric for health benefits to learn more about this incredible ingredient. 

How to make a superfood latte:

Our superfood latte powders are easy to use and make a delicious latte that you can make at home. Make sure you have a carton of milk or a non-dairy alternative handy. To make your superfood latte even more delicious, froth your milk using a handheld milk frother or a blender. 

Directions:

Drink to your health

Get your new year off to a good start, and stock your cupboard with delicious healthy latte options. It’s a great ritual to pair with a new health routine, and it keeps your actions consistent, which will help you stay on track to hit your goals. 

If you’re pairing your superfood latte routine with a new self-care routine, make sure to read our previous blog post about starting a gratitude journal.

Shop our delicious Idle Tea alternative latte powders in Beetroot, Green Tea Matcha, Rooibos Matcha, or Golden Turmeric.

Step by Step Instructions | Homemade Coffee Liqueur

How to make homemade coffee liqueur that’ll impress your loved ones

Looking to make a homemade gift, but want it to be extra special? This year, we’re going to show you how to make coffee liqueur at home that’s delicious and easy to make. Though it’s a multi-day process, it’s not active time, and it’s a fun holiday activity.

Coffee Liqueur

The generic coffee liqueurs on the market tend to be too sweet and don’t have enough of that rich coffee flavour. This recipe combines the complexity of the coffee and the spices, with just the right amount of sweetness. 

Feel free to customize the spices and sugar level to your liking for a true, one-of-a-kind gift. It’s a versatile gift that can be enjoyed on its own or used in a classic cocktail (more on that later). 

This recipe uses the cold brew method for a silky smooth, rich coffee liqueur. Although it’ll require more waiting time, it’s well worth the wait. 

This recipe will yield 1 L of coffee liqueur, which you can divide into 3-4 bottles to give out as gifts. 

In this article, we’ll show you how to make homemade coffee liqueur to please your family and friends. Then, we’ll also show you some classic coffee cocktails to try out with your homemade coffee liqueur. 

course ground coffee

What kind of coffee should I use for homemade coffee liqueur?

A dark roast coffee is perfect for making coffee liqueur. You want that bold coffee flavour with chocolatey, toasty notes, and little acidity. We recommend our Godfather Espresso dark, with notes of chocolate fudge and toffee. Another great option is our French Saigon Dark, with little bitterness, and a clean, smooth finish.

Why does this recipe use the cold brew method?

The cold brew method brings out the smoother, more velvety attributes of coffee, without the bitterness and acidity. Brewing coffee with hot water extracts all sorts of compounds, including the bitter ones, which don’t complement alcohol very well.

This recipe calls for cold brew concentrate, which is then balanced out with the addition of simple syrup and rum.

What if I don’t have all of these spices?

Some of the spices and flavourings listed in the ingredients will be tricky to find or outside of your budget. If you can’t get a vanilla bean, add a teaspoon of high quality vanilla extract to the final blend. If you can’t find cacao beans, you can skip it entirely. Cinnamon sticks and orange peel are inexpensive and easy to source, and add a ton of flavour.

spices

Do I have to use rum for homemade coffee liqueur?

If you don’t like rum, you can always use vodka. The higher the quality of the alcohol, the better your coffee liqueur will taste.

How to make coffee liqueur at home

Here’s what you’ll need to make homemade coffee liqueur at home.

Tools:

Ingredients:

Cold brew infusion

Directions for Homemade Coffee Liqueur:

  1. Start making your infused rum 3 days before you want your liqueur to be ready. Pour 500 mL of rum into a 1L mason jar. Cut a vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds with a paring knife. Place the seeds and the bean into the rum. 
  2. Place 3 crushed cacao beans, a thumb-sized piece of orange rind, and a cinnamon stick broken in half into the rum. Secure the lid on the rum, and let the rum sit in a cool, dark place for 3 days (72 hours).
  3. After 2 days (or 48 hours), make your cold brew. In a 1 L mason jar, place 75 grams of coarsely ground dark roast coffee, followed by 2 cups of cold water. Mix it together with a spoon, and secure the lid. Place it in your fridge for 24 hours.
  4. While the cold brew is brewing, make your rich simple syrup. Combine 1 cup of granulated sugar and ½ cup of water in a saucepan. Stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and stir until the sugar crystals are dissolved, about 5 minutes. Cool for 1 hour. Pour into a container with a lid, and place in the fridge. 
  5. After 24 hours, your rum infusion and cold brew will both be ready. Start by decanting your cold brew. Line a fine mesh sieve with cheesecloth folded over twice, and place it over a bowl or container with a spout. Strain the cold brew mixture, and gather up the sides of the cheesecloth to squeeze out the remaining liquid. If the cold brew still looks murky, strain it one more time. 
  6. Using a long spoon, remove your cacao beans, orange rind, vanilla bean, and cinnamon stick from the rum.
  7. In a large glass bowl with a spout, combine your cold brew, rich simple syrup, and infused rum, and stir well. Your coffee liqueur is ready to consume.
  8. Using a funnel, divide your coffee liqueur into small bottles with rubber stoppers or glass jars with tight-fitting lids. Store in the fridge until you plan to gift it. This coffee liqueur recipe will last up to 6 months if refrigerated.

Coffee liqueur

Classic coffee cocktails

Now that you have your homemade coffee liqueur, it’s time to enjoy it. Here are some classic cocktails you can use your homemade coffee liqueur with.

Espresso martini

This classic recipe uses a double shot of freshly brewed espresso, vodka, and coffee liqueur. It’s shaken with ice and strained into a martini glass for added elegance. The coffee oils in the espresso create a thick foam that’s sturdy enough to place three coffee beans on top for a chic garnish. If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can make strong coffee using a stovetop espresso maker. 

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Brew your espresso.
  2. Fill a shaker half full with crushed ice. Pour in your espresso, followed by the coffee liqueur and the vodka. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
  3. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Allow the foam to settle on top, and carefully place 3 coffee beans on top for garnish.

 

White Russian

The White Russian is a classic, simple coffee cocktail. Creamy, mellow, and not too sweet, it’s the perfect treat for a winter night. 

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Fill a rocks glass halfway with crushed ice.
  2. Pour in the milk, followed by the coffee liqueur. Stir, and serve immediately.

 

Coffee Negroni

This is a twist on a classic drink, the Negroni, which combines gin with a bitter aperitivo and sweet vermouth. The addition of coffee liqueur adds a pleasant complexity.

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Fill a rocks glass halfway with ice.
  2. Pour in the gin, coffee liqueur, sweet vermouth, and aperitivo, and stir for 20-30 seconds, or until the glass starts to frost.
  3. Grab your orange peel, and squeeze the rind over the top of the drink to infuse the drink with the essential oils. Tuck the rind down the side of the glass for garnish, and serve.

Drinks on the house

This is the perfect homemade gift that people will actually enjoy. It’s easy and fun to make, and it’s way better than anything you’ll find at the liquor store. Add whatever spices tickle your fancy, and make it your own!

Happy Holidays from the Fratello team!

The Calgary Food Bank Fundraiser

Over the past 11 years, Fratello Coffee has donated over 14,000 bags to help raise over $350,000 for The Calgary Food Bank.  We thank CBC Calgary for including us in this project.   We also want to thank you all for participating in your own ways:  Roasting, packaging, shipping all of the coffee each year.  For showing up early on event days and ensuring the hundreds of guests feel welcome.  We can't wait to hear what you think of this years One Knight Only coffee.

CBC One Knight Only

Fratello, is proudly the longest running partnership CBC has for the Calgary Food Bank fundraiser, and we couldn't be happier to do our part and give back to our community.   A community that has supported our family for the past 37 years in Calgary.  With out the support of Calgarians enjoying our coffee, we could not do what we love doing. 

“This year, we bring you One Knight Only - an exclusive one-of-a-kind mug with Angela Knight’s personal touch.

The mug represents some of Angela’s favourite things about CBC Calgary’s Food Bank Drive and the city of Calgary. This special edition mug would be a great addition to your collection."

When are the One Knight Only coffee and mug sales happening? Mark your calendars for the dates below, because we do sell out fast:



To learn more about One Knight Only and other events and programming, visit  cbc.ca/feedyyc  “

New Crop Coffee : What is it and Why Does it Matter?

You may have heard the term “new crop coffee” in the specialty coffee sphere. But few people actually know what it means, and why it’s so important in the coffee world. Here at Fratello coffee, our work revolves around new crop coffee. While it’s important that our coffee arrives to you freshly roasted, it’s equally important that the green coffee we roast is of the utmost freshness, too. New crop coffee is essential for delivering fresh coffee with exciting flavour notes.

You may have heard the term “new crop coffee” in the specialty coffee sphere. But few people actually know what it means, and why it’s so important in the coffee world. Here at Fratello coffee, our work revolves around new crop coffee. While it’s important that our coffee arrives to you freshly roasted, it’s equally important that the green coffee we roast is of the utmost freshness, too. New crop coffee is essential for delivering fresh coffee with exciting flavour notes.

Drinking Coffee and Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is one of the hottest health trends to come out of the last decade. You may know someone who has tried it with varying degrees of success. It’s not just for bodybuilders and health nuts. Everyday people are trying it, for reasons including weight loss, improved sleep quality, better focus, and anti-aging.

You might be wondering how you’re going to go 16 hours everyday without eating. Those 16 hours can seem like an eternity at first. Your stomach will growl audibly, and you’ll likely feel irritable and “hangry.” You’ll need to find something other than calories to keep you preoccupied during the morning hours. Delicious specialty coffee, consumed black, can be a lifesaver. Drinking high-quality black coffee with complex flavour notes is a whole new experience. If you’re trying intermittent fasting, this can be a great opportunity to explore different origins with different flavour profiles.

Fasting can be tricky at first, but your body eventually adjusts, and there’s a good case to try it out. Think of it this way: it generally means no snacking after dinner, fasting during sleep, and skipping breakfast. If we fast after dinner (starting around 8 p.m.), and then for 8 hours during sleep, that’s 12 hours fasted. All you have to do is just add another 4 hours, and voilà–you’re intermittent fasting.

Before we get into coffee and fasting, let’s take a closer look at intermittent fasting.

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is less of a diet plan, and more of a lifestyle. You choose a window of time during the day, and you only eat during that window. A popular time frame is a 16-hour fast, followed by an 8-hour eating window (sometimes called 16:8). If your eating window begins at noon, you begin your fast at 8 p.m. Your eating window doesn’t open up again until the next day at noon.

There are many different types of intermittent fasting. The “18:6” fast is where you fast for 18 hours followed by a 6-hour eating window. In the “5:2” fast, you eat normally for 5 days of the week, followed by 2 days of caloric restriction. “OMAD,” or “one meal a day,” is where you eat one large meal with no caloric restrictions.

Intermittent fasting benefits

Most people turn to fasting for weight loss. The science on why intermittent fasting leads to weight loss is still unclear. Some experts say that 16 hours of fasting triggers the fat burning process, called ketosis. Other experts say the weight loss is simply down to less calories consumed. Shortening your eating window generally forces you to eat more nutrient-dense foods. It also makes you feel more full, and less likely to eat everything you’d normally eat in a day.

Many people prefer fasting to dieting because there are no restrictions on what you can and can’t eat. The only restriction is time. For people who hate counting calories and enjoy the odd slice of cake, intermittent fasting is the answer.

The most exciting science on fasting is something called autophagy. Autophagy is a natural bodily function that only occurs when we’re in a fasted state. It’s a self-cleaning process, triggered by low insulin levels, where our damaged cells are replaced with new, healthy ones. For this reason, autophagy has been associated with anti-aging, and can be a powerful tool to prevent disease. If intermittent fasting is not for you, fasting just once a month can be enough to reap the benefits of autophagy.

Aside from weight loss and autophagy, fasting comes with some other great health benefits. People who fasted for a few months reported improvements on their energy levels, ability to focus, and sleep quality. Science links fasting to significant brain function improvement. Other added benefits include lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and reduced liver fat.

Will coffee break my fast?

The key to drinking coffee while fasting is to drink it black. Black coffee contains a negligible 2-5 calories, which isn’t enough to break your fast. Drinking coffee with sugar and cream will break your fast, so if you’re going to drink coffee while fasting, drink it black.

I don’t drink black coffee! Black coffee is bitter.

Many people can’t fathom the idea of drinking coffee without the addition of sugar and cream. Poorly brewed coffee, whether bitter or sour, is unpalatable without sugar and cream. If your coffee is so bitter that you can’t enjoy it black, maybe it’s time to troubleshoot your brewing routine. Check out our foolproof pour over guide to get the best out of your cup each time.

Take this a step further and drink the smoothest, most flavourful brew known to mankind–cold brew. Cold brew is so smooth because the cold brewing method doesn’t extract any of the unpleasant compounds found in coffee. It only extracts the pleasant compounds, leaving bitter and sour flavours behind. Check out our incredibly easy, straightforward guide on how to make cold brew coffee at home. If iced coffee isn’t your thing, try heating up your cold brew.

When choosing coffee for intermittent fasting, go for specialty coffee with an emphasis on freshness and single origin offerings. If you browse the Fratello coffee collection, you’ll see coffees from Ethiopia, Guatemala, Congo, Nicaragua, and more. These coffees have exciting

flavour notes that you would otherwise miss out on if you added milk and sugar. You’ll get the true coffee experience when you drink it black.

If you must add flavours to your coffee, add a dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg, but don’t overdo it. You can also add a zero-calorie sweetener like erythritol or stevia.

Why should I drink coffee while intermittent fasting?

You don’t have to drink coffee while fasting. But a lot of people who try fasting say they aren’t willing to sacrifice their morning coffee routine. Black coffee can help if you’re finding that intermittent fasting deprives you of joy in the morning. It can be just the thing to get you through those difficult first hours of the morning when you’re “hangry.”

There is some scientific evidence that coffee’s own brain health benefits can complement the brain health benefits of fasting. Moderate caffeine intake may improve brain function and reduce your risk of long term mental decline. There are less cases of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s in people who drink coffee than those who don't. Moderation is key, however–limit your coffee intake to 1-2 cups a day to reap health benefits.

Trying out intermittent fasting and need something delicious to get you through it? Browse our coffee collection, read the complex flavour notes, and try something different!



Matcha Powder - Delicious Caffeine Fix Packaged with Health Benefits

Green Tea Matcha powder is a delicious and healthy caffeinated tea option that’s grown in popularity in recent years. Known for its emerald green hue and many health benefits, it makes for a healthy treat or a calming ritual. 

Unlike regular varieties of green tea that are steeped, matcha powder is ground into a fine, pale green powder. The powder is then whisked into hot water, making a vibrant green, frothy tea. With matcha, you’re drinking the whole tea leaves instead of an infusion.

Many people who complain of jitters and heartburn associated with coffee turn to matcha tea as an occasional substitute. Matcha gives you a sustained caffeine fix that won’t give you that signature caffeine crash. Plus, it’s loaded with antioxidants that come with several health benefits.

Matcha tea powder is the centrepiece of the traditional tea ceremony in Japan, a tradition spanning over 500 years. The ceremony is centred around mindfulness, relaxation, purity, and simplicity. Matcha can be emblematic of a new habit in your life. It can be part of changing your diet, improving your work-life-balance, or decluttering your home. You can bring the traditional tea ceremony into your own home with a bag of Idle organic matcha powder.

How it’s produced

Our Idle matcha tea is made from the Yabukita green tea variety. It is the largest cultivar in Japan due to being frost resistant and yielding a good crop size. It was originally cultivated in 1908 by tea breeder Sugiyama Hikosaburo, and has been the dominant cultivar ever since. The tea leaves are picked young, and a month before harvest, the crop is covered with a dark canopy. This helps retain the nutrients, and enriches the tea leaves with chlorophyll, which gives it that rich dark green colour. The stems and veins of the leaves are removed, and the leaves are stone milled. 

Ceremonial vs. culinary grade matcha powder

There are two grades of matcha: ceremonial and culinary. Both are loaded with nutrients, but they differ in terms of their flavour and uses. Culinary matcha is mainly used for lattes or for baking. If had on its own, culinary matcha has a more bitter flavour, and as a result, it’s cheaper. Ceremonial matcha is meant to be had on its own, and is used in Japanese tea ceremonies. It has a sweet, grassy flavour, and is a bit pricier. Idle matcha is ceremonial grade. 

The origins of matcha powder

The origins of matcha date back to the Tang dynasty in China during the 7th-10th century. Green tea leaves were steamed and formed into bricks, making them easier to transport. Chinese Buddhist monks later brought the tea to Japan. Today, Japan produces the best matcha in the world. Idle matcha tea is made in Nishio, a central region in Japan located southwest of Tokyo. 

The Japanese tea ceremony is of huge cultural significance, dating back over 500 years ago and still practised today. The ceremony is always led by a host or a tea master. The room is sparsely decorated, and guests kneel on a tatami mat with good posture. The ceremony is centred around harmony, respect, purity, and tranquillity. 

The host always starts by purifying all the utensils with a silk cloth, mainly as a symbolic gesture. Before the tea is prepared, Japanese sweets, called wagashi, are laid out. After this, the host prepares the tea. Hot water is poured into the powder, and the tea is whisked vigorously until frothy. The host uses a chasen, a delicate bamboo whisk made specifically for matcha. Both the host and the guests bow before slowly sipping the tea. The ceremony can take up to 3 hours. 

What are the health benefits of matcha?

Green tea in general contains antioxidants, but because matcha powder is the whole leaf, it’s loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free-radicals in the body, and free radicals cause damage to our DNA. Things that trigger free radicals in our bodies include air pollution, radioactive substances, tobacco smoke, and UV rays. Antioxidants undo the effects of these substances. Matcha contains a group of antioxidants called catechins.

Matcha contains EGCG, a type of catechin with several health benefits. Though more studies are needed, there is evidence that EGCG may prevent cancer and slow the rate of tumour growth. In addition, it may lower cholesterol, and speed up metabolism, leading to weight loss.

Matcha also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes alertness and helps avoid crashes. It also reduces stress and triggers relaxation in the brain. 

How do I prepare matcha powder at home? Can I make matcha without a whisk?

Matcha is easy to prepare at home, and has many uses. If you don’t have a chasen, you can use a regular small whisk. Whisk vigorously to get a frothy texture. If you don’t have a small whisk, you can make it with a small spoon–just make sure to mix it very well. We recommend using a teaspoon of hot water, and mixing it well before adding any more hot water.

You can drink matcha on its own for a calming, healthy treat. You can also make a latte by heating up milk or non-dairy and pouring it over the matcha concentrate. In the summer months, iced matcha makes a delicious treat. Just pour the matcha concentrate over ice and your choice of milk. 

You can also bake with matcha. Add a teaspoon of matcha powder to pancakes, sugar cookies and cakes for a beautiful pale green hue. 

Can matcha powder go bad? 

Matcha powder will stay good for a year if left unopened, but after it’s opened, we recommend consuming it within a month. After that, the flavour begins to deteriorate.

Need an alternative to your morning coffee? Check out our Idle organic matcha powder, and while you’re there, peruse the whole Idle tea collection.