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'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.

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.

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:

Fresh & Exotic with Floral Notes & Hints of Blueberry

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.

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.

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.

The Journey of Coffee: Harvesting, Drying and Wet Milling Coffee

Coffee, the magical brew that kick-starts our day and keeps us going during those long work hours, has a fascinating journey before it reaches our cups. The journey of coffee: Harvesting, drying and wet milling coffee involves several hundred different people. It begins at the farms with the harvesting of coffee cherries, followed by the drying process, and finally, the wet milling of these beans. Each of these stages plays a crucial role in shaping the flavor and quality of the coffee we love and cherish. Read below to begin to understand why Fratello Coffee Roasters takes so much pride in working directly with coffee producers who are as passionate about growing coffee, as we are roasting it.

Coffee Harvesting: A Closer Look

The harvesting of coffee cherries is the first step in the journey of your coffee from the farm to your cup. This process is much more complex and labor-intensive than it might seem, especially when it comes to high-quality Arabica coffee.

Arabica coffee plants are typically grown in high-altitude regions with a cool climate and rich soil. These conditions are ideal for producing coffee with a wide range of flavors. However, they also mean that the coffee cherries do not all ripen at the same time. In fact, on a single Arabica coffee plant, cherries can be at different stages of ripeness. This poses a unique challenge during the harvesting process.

To ensure the highest quality, Arabica coffee is often hand-picked. This method allows the pickers to select only the cherries that are at the peak of ripeness. Unripe cherries are left on the plant to ripen and are picked during subsequent rounds of harvesting. This selective picking process is labor-intensive and time-consuming, but it is crucial for maintaining the quality of the coffee.

In a single harvest season, a coffee plant can be picked several times. Each round of picking usually takes place every 10 days to two weeks, which is the time it takes for new cherries to ripen. This means that during a harvest season, which can last several months, a coffee plant might be picked over ten times.

The reason for this meticulous, labor-intensive process is simple: flavor. Coffee cherries that are picked at the peak of ripeness have the perfect balance of acids and sugars, which translates into the complex flavors and aromas that are characteristic of high-quality Arabica coffee. Unripe or overripe cherries can have a negative impact on the flavor, which is why they are carefully avoided during the selective picking process.

Drying Green Coffee Beans

Once the coffee cherries are harvested, they are then dried to reduce their moisture content. This is a crucial step, as the right moisture level is necessary to prevent the beans from spoiling and to prepare them for storage and shipping. There are several methods of drying coffee cherries, including:

Sun drying: The cherries are spread out in thin layers and turned regularly to ensure even drying. This process can take up to several weeks.
Machine drying: In regions where the climate is less predictable, or for larger operations, machine drying is used to speed up the process. The cherries are placed in large tumbling machines where heated air dries them.
Combination drying: Some producers use a combination of sun and machine drying. The cherries are sun-dried until a certain moisture level is reached, and then machine-dried to finish the process.

Each of these methods has its own impact on the final flavor of the coffee. For a more detailed explanation of these drying methods, check out our previous post on coffee drying methods.

Wet Milling Green Coffee Beans

After the coffee cherries are harvested and dried, they undergo the wet milling process, also known as the washed process. This is a meticulous and intricate process that plays a crucial role in determining the final quality and flavor of the coffee.

The wet milling process begins with the immersion of the dried cherries in water. Water is not just used for the sake of hydration; it serves a dual purpose. First, it helps in loosening the pulp or the outer skin of the cherries. Second, it acts as a preliminary quality control step. The ripe and high-quality cherries sink in water while the underripe or defective ones float and are removed.

Once the cherries are soaked, they are passed through a depulping machine. This machine is designed to strip off the outer skin and pulp from the cherries, revealing the coffee beans which are still encased in a layer of mucilage. The mucilage, also known as honey, is a sticky, sugary layer that needs to be removed before the beans can be dried.

The removal of mucilage is a delicate process that involves fermentation. The depulped beans are transferred to fermentation tanks, where they are left to ferment in water. The fermentation process can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, depending on the climate and altitude. During this time, naturally occurring microbes break down the mucilage, making it easier to wash off.

It's worth noting that the fermentation process needs to be carefully monitored. If the beans are left to ferment for too long, they can acquire a sour taste. On the other hand, if the fermentation is too short, not all the mucilage will be removed, which can also affect the flavor of the coffee.

After the fermentation process, the beans are thoroughly washed to remove the remaining mucilage. This is usually done in washing channels, where the beans are agitated with rakes. The clean, washed beans are then separated from the water by using a series of screens.

The beans are then dried again to bring down the moisture content to a level suitable for roasting. This can be done either in the sun or using mechanical dryers. The drying process can take several days and the beans need to be regularly turned to ensure even drying.

The wet milling process contributes to the clean, bright flavors that are characteristic of high-quality, washed coffees. It's a labor-intensive process that requires a lot of skill and knowledge, but the result is a coffee that is often considered superior in terms of its clarity and flavor profile.

Conclusion

The journey of coffee from the farm to your cup is a complex and fascinating one. Each stage of harvesting, drying, and wet milling plays a crucial role in creating the flavors and aromas that we associate with our beloved brew. So, the next time you sip your coffee, take a moment to appreciate the journey it has taken to reach you.

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.

Key Financial KPIs for Cafes

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

Sales: This is perhaps the most important financial KPI to track. You'll want to keep an eye on how much revenue your cafe is generating, and how that figure changes over time.
Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): This is the total cost of producing your menu items. It includes the cost of ingredients, labor, and other direct costs associated with serving your customers. To understand your COGS, you need to keep accurate periodic inventory. You can use your COGS data to analyze your actual vs theoretical (AvT) food costs. The variance between the two represents lost profit because of wasted inventory or mistakes1.

Gross Profit: This is your sales minus your COGS. It represents the profit you're making on each sale.
Operating Expenses: These are the ongoing costs of running your business, such as rent, utilities, and marketing.
Net Profit: This is your gross profit minus your operating expenses. It represents your overall profitability.
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): This is the total cost of acquiring a new customer, including marketing and sales expenses.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): This is an estimate of the total value that a customer will bring to your business over the course of their lifetime.
Prime Cost: Your biggest restaurant expenses—food and labor costs—make up your prime cost. A good target for prime cost is to decrease it from an example of 68% to 64% over the next six months.

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:

Track your labor costs as a percentage of sales: This will give you an idea of how much you're spending on labor relative to your overall revenue. On average, most restaurant businesses target a labor cost percentage between 25-35% of sales.
Monitor your labor productivity: By tracking how much your employees are producing per hour, you'll be able to identify any bottlenecks or inefficiencies in your operations.
Set labor budget goals: By setting specific targets for your labor costs, you'll have a clear benchmark to aim for and will be able to track your progress over time.
Review your staffing levels: Make sure you have the right number of employees to meet customer demand without overstaffing.
Offer training and development opportunities: By investing in your employees, you can increase their productivity and efficiency, which can help reduce your labor costs in the long run.
Address Employee Turnover: High turnover is expensive for your restaurant. The cost of replacing an employee covers everything like recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, and a development period.

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.

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:

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.
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.
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 cafe 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.
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.
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.

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.

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.

Hulling: This is the process of removing the dried husk from the coffee bean, a crucial step in ensuring the cleanliness of the bean.
Grading: After hulling, beans are graded based on their size, weight, and shape. This ensures uniformity, which is essential for the roasting process.
Sorting: The final stage involves sorting the beans to remove any defective ones, often using a combination of manual and automated methods.

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.

Flavor Consistency: Well-milled coffee ensures each batch we roast has consistent flavor profiles, maintaining our brand's reputation for quality.
Reduced Waste: Efficient sorting at the dry mill stage reduces the chance of roasting defective beans, saving time and resources.
Roasting Precision: Uniformly sized and dense beans allow for precise control over the roasting process, providing the ability to unlock the bean's full flavor potential.

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.

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.

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.

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:

Uniformity in Roasting: Similar to the importance of density, beans of different sizes roast at different rates. Larger beans take longer to roast than smaller ones. If a batch of coffee includes beans of varying sizes, the result can be an uneven roast, with some beans over-roasted and others under-roasted. By ensuring uniformity in bean size, we can achieve a more consistent roast and, therefore, a more consistent flavor profile.
Quality Control: Screen sizing also serves as a method of quality control. Beans that are too small may be immature and could negatively affect the flavor of the coffee. By removing these beans during the screen sizing process, we ensure that only the highest quality beans make it to the roasting stage.
Market Grading: Screen size is often used as a grading method for green coffee beans in the marketplace. Beans are categorized into different grades based on their screen size, with larger beans generally considered to be of higher quality.

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.

Fratello Coffee : Our Secret to Exceptional Coffee Consulting

Are you a coffee lover in Canada looking for the best coffee experience? Are you planning to open your own cafe or looking for a new coffee partner? Look no further than Fratello Coffee. With nearly 40 years of experience in coffee roasting, 11 years of successful coffee chain management and 5 years of wholesale bakery development, Fratello is committed to giving clients the best coffee and advice possible.

This is the foundation of our secret to exceptional coffee and espresso consulting services. In this article, we'll examine in greater detail what makes Fratello Coffee Roasters' coffee unique and how their experience can assist you in developing the ideal coffee programme.

Introduction to Fratello Coffee Roasters

Founded in 1985 by brothers Chris and Russ Prefontaine's parents, Fratello Coffee Roasters is one of the most respected coffee roasters in Canada. From its small beginnings in Calgary, and since the brothers purchased the company in 1997, Fratello has grown to become a leader in the coffee industry. Known for its high-quality coffee and exceptional customer service, our mission is to keep our coffee "consciously chosen, responsibly purchased, carefully roasted”. Other noteworthy projects, such as Slayer Espresso and Analog Coffee have also brought industry recognition to the Prefontaine family.

The Importance of High-Quality Coffee

Before we dive into Fratello Coffee Roasters' coffee roasting process, it's important to understand why high-quality coffee is so important. High-quality coffee beans are essential for producing great-tasting coffee. Many factors contribute to the taste and quality of coffee, including the type of coffee bean, the elevation of where coffee was grown, how coffee was processed, the roasting process, and how the coffee is brewed.

Sourcing the Best Coffee Beans

Fratello Coffee Roasters sources its coffee beans from some of the best coffee-growing regions in the world, working with farmers who are as passionate about coffee as we are. We're committed to sourcing coffee beans that are grown using sustainable and environmentally friendly methods, paying fair prices to ensure farmers can make a living wage.

Fratello's Coffee Roasting Process

Fratello Coffee Roasters uses Probat roasters, which are considered some of the best in the world, to ensure each batch of coffee is roasted to perfection. The company's Q Graded, master roaster carefully monitor the roasting process, using a combination of science and art to bring out the unique flavours of each coffee bean. Fratello Coffee Roasters offers a variety of roasting profiles, including light, medium, and dark roasts, to cater to every preference.

Fratello's Espresso Training Program

Fratello Coffee Roasters not only produce great-tasting coffee but also educate our customers on the art of making the perfect espresso. We offer an espresso training program that covers everything from machine maintenance to milk frothing. This program is a great way to learn how to make great-tasting espresso consistently each time.

Coffee Consulting Services

Fratello Coffee Roasters' coffee consulting services are a great resource for businesses and individuals looking to create the perfect coffee program. From coffee menu development to barista training, Fratello's coffee experts can help you create a coffee program that meets your unique needs.

Where to Buy Fratello Coffee in Canada

Fratello Coffee Roasters' coffee is available for purchase online and in select retailers across Western Canada. Our online store offers a wide variety of coffee blends, single-origin coffees, and espresso blends. Free shipping on orders over $40, to make sampling our roasts easier than ever. Fratello's coffee is also available in independent cafes and select grocery retailers throughout Alberta.

We are dedicated about giving our customers the best coffee and service here at Fratello Coffee Roasters. We take pride in locating the finest coffee beans, expertly roasting them, and providing our knowledge to assist you in developing the ideal coffee programme. We are eager to collaborate with clients who value flavorful coffee as much as we do and who are committed to buying ethically sourced, carefully roasted coffee. We are here to assist you in achieving your coffee goals, whether you are a coffee enthusiast or a business owner. We appreciate you thinking about Fratello Coffee Roasters as your superior coffee partner.

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.

Why Fratello Coffee Chose Racafe

Extensive Network: Racafe's wide range of offices, mills, and export centers across Colombia allows for seamless sourcing from multiple regions.
Harvest Diversity: Colombia's multiple harvest seasons and numerous small coffee producers create a unique challenge in sourcing coffee from Colombia. Racafe's expertise in this area makes them an ideal partner for Fratello Coffee.
Shared Values: Both Fratello Coffee and Racafe prioritize long-term, sustainable relationships with coffee producers and are dedicated to environmental and sustainability programs that benefit local communities.

Colombia Bolivar Coffee Cup Profile

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

Fragrance, Aroma, and Flavor: Indulge in the delightful notes of chocolate and ripe fruit that permeate the fragrance, aroma, and flavor of Bolivar coffee.
Balance and Body: Savor the harmonious balance between fair acidity and a round body, which results in a smooth and satisfying cup.
Clean and Fresh Residual: The coffee's clean and fresh residual taste leaves a pleasant and lingering finish on the palate.

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:

Altitude: 2000 - 2600 meters above sea level (masl)
Temperature: 16 - 24°C
Annual Rainfall: 2100 - 2400 mm
Drying Process: Sun-dried
Botanical Cultivars: Castillo, Catimore, and others
Soil Characteristics: Volcanic ashes
Wet Milling Process: Fully washed

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.

Altitude: The high altitude of Antioquia lends itself to the slow maturation of coffee cherries, allowing them to develop a complex and refined flavor profile.
Volcanic Soil: Rich in minerals and nutrients, the volcanic soil of Antioquia promotes the growth of healthy and robust coffee plants.
Climate: With a stable and temperate climate, Antioquia provides consistent rainfall and temperature, ensuring optimal growing conditions throughout the year.

Bolívar: A Picturesque Municipality

Lush Scenery: Surrounded by flourishing vegetation and majestic landscapes, Ciudad Bolívar is an idyllic setting for coffee cultivation.
Historical Heritage: Known as the "Capital of the Southwest of Antioquia," Ciudad Bolívar's rich history is deeply intertwined with coffee production and local culture.

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:

Skilled Farmers: Generations of skilled farmers have honed their craft, ensuring the cultivation of the highest-quality coffee beans.
Sustainable Practices: A strong emphasis on environmentally friendly and sustainable farming methods preserves the natural beauty and resources of the region.

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!

New Burundi Angele Ciza: A Bright and Sweet Coffee Experience

We are excited to present Burundi Angele Ciza, a delightful and unique coffee offering that brings a bright and sweet flavor experience to your cup. Sourced from the coffee-rich regions of Kirundo and Muyinga in North-Eastern Burundi, this exceptional coffee is exclusively available through Kahawa Link Company (Kalico). Owned and managed by the passionate and dedicated Angele Ciza, she is committed to working closely with coffee growers to produce the highest quality coffee possible. With its enticing notes of blackberry and grape, Burundi Angele Ciza is sure to captivate coffee enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike.

A Unique Coffee Offering from Burundi

We are excited to present a delightful and unique coffee offering from Burundi, brought to you exclusively through Kahawa Link Company (Kalico). This coffee, known as the "Queen of Coffee," is characterized by its bright and sweet flavor profile, featuring notes of blackberry and grape.

Key Characteristics of Burundi Angele Ciza

Region: Kirundo and Muyinga Provinces, North-Eastern Burundi
Owner: Angele Ciza
Producer Type: Privately Held Company, Woman-Owned
Altitude: 1650-1700 meters
Genetic Varieties: Primarily Bourbon
Processing Method: Fully Washed
Drying Method: Raised African Beds

Meet Angele Ciza: A Passionate Woman Owned Coffee Producer

Kalico is owned and managed by Angele Ciza, a remarkable woman who is deeply passionate about coffee. She is dedicated to working closely with coffee growers to produce the highest quality coffee possible.

Washing Stations and Coffee Production

Angele and her team operate seven washing stations located in the Kirundo and Muyinga Provinces. These washing stations serve 1,000-3,000 small-scale farmers who primarily grow the bourbon varietal of coffee. The coffee production process involves:

Wet fermentation for 12-18 hours
A 1-hour soak
A wash and pre-drying
Sorting and drying on raised beds

Commitment to Quality and Education

To ensure top-notch coffee production, Angele recognized the significance of educating producers about best practices. She initiated outreach programs to improve coffee quality at every stage, from the nurseries to picking. As the value of the coffee increased, Angele invested in:

Additional training for producers
Environmental protection measures
Inputs for coffee production
Micro-credit and micro-insurance programs
Social infrastructures in partnership with producer organizations

Flavor Profile: A Rich and Complex Blend

The Queen of Coffee blend boasts a rich and complex flavor profile with a range of delicious notes:

Primary Flavors: Guava, brown sugar, berry, and black licorice
Aftertaste: Grape, banana, and nut
Acidity: Round
Body: Syrupy

This delightful combination of flavors creates an enjoyable drinking experience that is sure to please coffee enthusiasts.

Brewing Recommendation

To fully appreciate the unique and delicious flavors of the Angele Ciza's coffee, we recommend brewing this coffee using a Hario V60 Pourer. This brewing method will bring out the best of the coffee's bright and sweet notes.

Final Thoughts

We are thrilled to introduce you to the Burundi Angele Ciza coffee offering. Whether you're a coffee connoisseur or simply looking for a new coffee experience, we believe that this brew will exceed your expectations. Enjoy the bright and sweet flavors of this exceptional coffee, and join us in celebrating the dedication and passion of Angele Ciza and her team. Try a bag of this amazing coffee for yourself!

The History of Coffee

Coffee has become one of the world's most cherished drinks. Its distinct aroma and taste have made it a staple of many cultures and a daily part of our lives. However, coffee is much more than just a beverage. Its complex and extensive history has played a crucial role in shaping the world we live in today. The History of Coffee starts from its birthplace in ancient Ethiopia to the modern third wave of coffee, the coffee industry has come a long way, and the development of specialized coffee equipment like Slayer Espresso has helped push the quality even further.

One of the most favoured drinks in the world is coffee. It has become a staple of many cultures and a part of our daily life thanks to its distinctive aroma and flavour. Coffee, however, is more than just a beverage. Its lengthy and complex history has been instrumental in creating the world that we live in today.

What was the Birth Place of Coffee

Ancient Ethiopia is thought to have been the birthplace of coffee, and this is where its history can be found. A goat herder by the name of Kaldi once observed that his goats become extremely active after consuming the berries from a certain bush. Kaldi was intrigued by this and decided to eat the berries for himself. To his surprise, he also felt an increase in energy. As soon as this finding became known, people started experimenting in different ways with the berries. The exact year when coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia is not known, as it was a long time ago and the information is largely based on legends and oral traditions. However, it is generally believed that coffee was discovered in Ethiopia sometime between the 6th and 9th centuries.

The Sufi monasteries of Yemen are where coffee was first used as a beverage in the 14th century. These monasteries would concoct a beverage using water and roasted coffee beans that they felt would keep them awake during their lengthy prayer sessions. The larger populace quickly adopted the beverage, and coffeehouses sprang up all over the area. The first recorded use of coffee as a beverage comes from the Sufi monasteries of Yemen in the 15th century, around the year 1450.

Coffee Began to Move

In the Islamic world, coffee gained popularity swiftly, and it didn't take long for it to reach Europe. When the first coffeehouse in Europe opened in Venice in 1645, the aristocracy quickly adopted coffee as a fashionable beverage. Around this time, several regions of the world started to grow coffee on a considerable scale. While the French introduced it to their colony of Martinique in the Caribbean, the Dutch started growing coffee in their colony of Java.

Coffee became a valuable product in the 18th and 19th centuries, and large plantations were built there and in other areas of the world. The world economy was significantly impacted by the growth of the coffee trade as many nations became heavily dependent on coffee as an export. The development of colonial empires was greatly aided by the coffee trade, as several European powers used their control of coffee-producing areas to sway other nations.

What is the First Wave of Coffee?

The first wave of coffee Is defined by the widespread use of pre-ground, canned coffee, which was mass-produced and marketed as a practical and reasonably priced beverage for the general public. This wave of coffee started in the early 1900s. Coffee was mostly regarded as a commodity during this time, with little consideration given to its origins or quality. The goal was to create a reliable, affordable product that was simple to produce at home.

What is the Second Wave of Coffee?

The second wave of coffee Is defined by the expansion of specialty coffee shops and the rise in appeal of espresso-based beverages, and it appeared in the 1960s and 1970s. During this time, there was a renewed emphasis on the quality and origins of coffee, with the idea that it might be savoured as a gourmet beverage because of its distinctive flavours and qualities. Aiming to ensure that coffee farmers received a fair price for their goods, this wave of coffee also introduced the ideas of fair trade and direct commerce. Our family started in the coffee industry in 1974, and we began roasting coffee in 1985. We have seen a lot of changes in the industry. One can not talk about possibly the most important movement in the second wave of coffee, is how Starbucks impacted and educated the mass market of what specialty coffee is and can be. Starbucks began to talk about interesting regions and espresso based beverages making it common around North America.

What is the Third Wave of Coffee?

The third wave of coffee began in the late 1990s and early 2000s, was distinguished by a stronger emphasis on coffee quality, a preference for single-origin, traceable coffees, and a more sophisticated method of roasting and brewing coffee. Specialty coffee shops proliferated during this time, and baristas improved their skills and coffee knowledge. Alternative brewing techniques, like pour-over and immersion brewing, which attempted to highlight the distinctive flavours and smells of various coffee kinds, also became more popular during the third wave of coffee. The coffee industry's increased attention on ethical sourcing methods and environmental sustainability has also been linked to this wave of coffee.

The modern coffee industry is a highly complex and sophisticated one, with a wide range of different varieties and methods of production. Coffee beans are grown in countries all over the world, with each region producing beans with a unique flavor and aroma. The most popular types of coffee are Arabica and Robusta, with Arabica being considered the more premium of the two. Coffee is typically harvested by hand, with workers carefully selecting only the ripest berries. The berries are then processed to remove the outer layers, after which the beans are washed and dried. The dried beans are then roasted, with the roasting process playing a significant role in determining the flavor and aroma of the coffee.

Introducing Slayer Espresso Machines

Slayer Espresso was designed by us and our team at Fratello Coffee, true coffee professionals for coffee professionals. We wanted to “Make Coffee Better”….to taste better, with better equipment. Since 1991, the Prefontaine family was in the espresso machine importing business, focusing at that time with Nuova Simonelli. Over the years, we had decades of combined experience: Coffee roasting/sourcing, importing & servicing specialized restaurant equipment as well as real world café experience. We, along with other third wave roasters, knew to compete with large chains and the “Starbucks” of the world, cafés had to focus on quality. Quality equipment, coffee, esthetics and staff training.

Countless individuals love coffee today, and new techniques for making and consuming it are always being developed. Every taste and desire can be satisfied by a coffee beverage, which ranges from espresso and cappuccino to cold brew and nitro coffee. One thing we know for sure is, we can’t wait to see what the forth wave of coffee will officially be, and how this might impact our daily lives of enjoying this wonderful beverage.

A Guide to Calibrating Batch Brew Coffee

The art of making the perfect cup of coffee involves expertise and close attention to detail. In this blog post, is a guide to calibrating batch brew coffee, your brew ratio, solve typical flavour problems and explain the value of utilizing a TDS metre. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) suggests a starting brew ratio of 1:15 to 1:18; nevertheless, it's vital to keep in mind that the ideal ratio can vary depending on the coffee and individual taste preferences.

There is a lot to ensuring a consistent and high-quality cup of coffee. Also find advice on cleaning and maintaining equipment, and using fresh and high-quality beans.

When utilizing a commercial batch coffee brewer, there are various procedures involved in calibrating the brew ratio. There are many brands available such as Fetco, Bunn, Bloomfield, etc.....each can be adjusted and calibrated utilizing their own systems and technology. These steps below may vary depending on the specific machine you are using, but a general process is similar, regardless of the machine you are using:

Begin by measuring out a set amount of coffee grounds to use as your starting point. A common ratio is around 1 ounce (28 grams) of coffee for every 16 ounces (450 milliliters) of water.
Turn on the machine and let it heat up to the appropriate brewing temperature.
Grind your coffee beans and measure out the appropriate amount.
Place the coffee grounds into the brew basket and start the brewing cycle.
Once the brewing cycle is complete, measure the amount of coffee that has been brewed and measure the volume of coffee in your pot.
Compare the two measurements to determine the brew ratio (coffee:water).
Adjust the coffee dosage or water flow accordingly, until you achieve the desired brew ratio.
Repeat the above steps for a few brews for consistent results.
Once you achieve a good ratio, record the setting for future reference.

Note: If the commercial machine doesn't have a built-in way of measuring the brew ratio, you'll need to make use of a scale and a timer to measure the dose (coffee) and the yield (water) during the brewing process.

What would you suggest if the coffee tastes bitter?

If your coffee is tasting bitter, there are a few potential causes and solutions to try:

Grind Size: The grind size of your coffee beans can affect the taste. If your grind is too fine, it can lead to over-extraction and a bitter taste. Consider using a coarser grind or adjusting the grind setting on your grinder. There are specific tools you can use to check grind consistency such as the Kruve grind size.
Brewing Temperature: The temperature of the water used to brew your coffee can also affect the taste. Water that is too hot can extract bitter compounds from the coffee beans. Make sure your water is at the appropriate temperature, which is generally between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit (90 and 96 degrees Celsius). In Calgary, we recommend 200°F.
Brew Time: Over-extraction can also be caused by brew time that is too long. Try reducing the brew time to see if that improves the taste.
Dose: The amount of coffee used in relation to the amount of water can also lead to a bitter taste if the coffee is over-dosed, check if you are using the appropriate dose of coffee for the amount of water you are using, refer to the brew ratio you've calibrated before.
Coffee quality: The type of coffee and how it's been stored can affect the taste. Old, stale beans can lead to a bitter taste. Make sure you are using fresh, high-quality coffee beans and storing them properly to maintain their freshness.
Cleaning: A bitter taste can come from a build-up of old coffee oils and minerals in the machine, ensure to clean the machine and brewing equipment regularly, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Try making these adjustments one at a time and tasting the coffee after each change to see which one makes the most difference. Consider conducting a blind taste test with a control group.

What would you suggest if the coffee tastes thin and weak?

If your coffee is tasting thin and weak, there are a few potential causes and solutions to try:

Grind size: The grind size of your coffee beans can affect the taste. If your grind is too coarse, it can lead to under-extraction and a weak taste. Consider using a finer grind or adjusting the grind setting on your grinder.
Dose: The amount of coffee used in relation to the amount of water can also lead to a weak taste if the coffee is under-dosed, check if you are using the appropriate dose of coffee for the amount of water you are using, refer to the brew ratio you've calibrated before.
Brew time: Under-extraction can also be caused by brew time that is too short. Try increasing the brew time to see if that improves the taste.
Water flow: The flow rate of the water through the coffee grounds may be too slow, which can lead to under-extraction. Check if the water flow is consistent and strong, and if not, try adjusting the water flow rate or the machine's pressure.
Water temperature: The temperature of the water used to brew your coffee can also affect the taste. Water that is too cool can extract fewer compounds from the coffee beans. Make sure your water is at the appropriate temperature, which is generally between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit (90 and 96 degrees Celsius).
Coffee Quality: The type of coffee and how it's been stored can affect the taste. Old, stale beans can lead to a weak taste. Make sure you are using fresh, high-quality coffee beans and storing them properly to maintain their freshness.
Cleaning: A weak taste can come from a buildup of old coffee oils and minerals in the machine, ensure to clean the machine and brewing equipment regularly following the manufacturer's instructions.

Try making these adjustments one at a time and tasting the coffee after each change to see which one makes the most difference. Also, consider a blind taste test with a control group.

$VST Coffee Refractometer$

Many cafés these days are using a TDS meter & refractometer to calibrate their brewed coffee.

Here are some tips on using this device to confirm your brew ratios.

A TDS (total dissolved solids) meter is a device that measures the concentration of dissolved solids in a liquid, such as coffee. Many cafes use TDS meters to calibrate their brewed coffee to ensure consistency in taste and strength. Here are a few suggestions for approaching coffee using a TDS meter:

Start by measuring the TDS of your coffee before brewing. This will give you a baseline reading to compare to later.
Measure the TDS of your water before brewing. This will help you understand how the water you're using is affecting the final TDS of your coffee.
Grind your coffee beans and measure out the appropriate amount.
Brew your coffee as you normally would, and measure the TDS of the final brew.
Compare the initial TDS of your coffee to the final TDS of your brewed coffee. You want to aim for a TDS of around 1.2-1.5% to achieve a well-balanced coffee.
If the TDS is too high, you may need to reduce the amount of coffee you are using or increase the amount of water. If the TDS is too low, you may need to increase the amount of coffee or decrease the amount of water.
Adjust the coffee dose, brew time, and grind size accordingly, to achieve the desired TDS.
Repeat this process for a few brews for consistent results.
Once you achieve the desired TDS, record the setting for future reference.
Keep in mind that TDS is not the only metric to evaluate a coffee, you should also evaluate the aroma, flavors, and acidity of the coffee to have a full understanding of the final product.

It's important to note that TDS is a guide, not a rule, and the TDS that is ideal for one coffee may not be ideal for another. Additionally, personal preference will also play a role in determining the final TDS.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

Digital scale
Burr grinder
Saucepan for making simple syrup
Paring knife
Metal mesh strainer
Cheesecloth
2 1L mason jars
Large glass bowl with a spout
Funnel
3-4 small 8-10 oz glass bottles with stoppers
Red ribbon for festive bows

Ingredients:

500 mL of white or amber rum (the higher the quality, the better the liqueur)
75 grams of dark roast Fratello coffee, coarsely ground
1 cup of sugar
2 ½ cup of water (for cold brew and simple syrup)
1 cinnamon stick
1 small piece of orange rind
3 cacao beans
1 vanilla bean

Directions for Homemade Coffee Liqueur:

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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
Using a long spoon, remove your cacao beans, orange rind, vanilla bean, and cinnamon stick from the rum.
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.
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.

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:

1 double espresso, freshly brewed
1 ounce of coffee liqueur
1 ounce of high-quality vodka
Crushed ice

Directions:

Brew your espresso.
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.
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:

Crushed ice
3 oz milk
2 oz coffee liqueur

Directions:

Fill a rocks glass halfway with crushed ice.
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:

Crushed ice
1.5 oz gin
0.5 oz coffee liqueur
0.75 oz sweet vermouth
0.75 oz aperitivo, such as Campari
Large orange peel for garnish

Directions:

Fill a rocks glass halfway with ice.
Pour in the gin, coffee liqueur, sweet vermouth, and aperitivo, and stir for 20-30 seconds, or until the glass starts to frost.
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.

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:  

Dec. 2 at Fratello Coffee Roasters (6 a.m.) 
Dec. 6 at Bro’kin Yolk - Mahogany (7 a.m.) 
Dec. 14 at Analog Coffee New Farmers Market (7 a.m.) 
Dec. 15 on Blitz Day at CBC Calgary's lobby

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

5 Reasons Why You Should Carry Retail Coffee Bags in Your Cafe

If you’re not already selling retail coffee in your coffee shop, there are lots of great reasons to start. Fresh retail coffee bags are the perfect item to fill your shelves with. Offering them increases your average transaction to your current clients, and helps that customer who just remembered they’re down to their last few beans at home.

If you haven’t been offering retail coffee bags, it can be a little daunting to start. You might stop short of offering retail coffee bags at your shop for fear that people will stop coming to you for drinks. In fact, the opposite is true. Going out for coffee and making coffee at home both have their own allure. Customers will continue to want both experiences.

You might also worry that the inventory won’t move, and the beans will go stale on the shelf. The reality is that you can make a lot more business if you sell retail coffee bags–if you do it right.

Irish barista champion and industry veteran Colin Harmon talks about this in his book What I Know About Running Coffee Shops. He encourages coffee professionals to think about the retail shelf as passive income. Harmon is famous for touting a full, plentiful retail shelf, complete with coffee gear, merch, and of course, retail coffee bags. He’s even famous for training his staff to immediately refill the retail shelf as soon as a customer buys something.

The look of abundance can have a profound psychological effect on customers and make them want to buy. You’ll be surprised at how much it can increase your café’s revenue.

In this article, we’ll go over our top five reasons to put retail coffee bags on your shelf and address common objections. But first, let’s talk about the logistics of retail coffee.

How do I find a good coffee roaster?

When looking to offer high-quality retail coffee in your shop, it’s important to look for a local roaster with good sourcing standards. The roasters should have a direct trade relationship with their producers and pay them what their work is worth. If not, they should be able to prove that there’s an ethical supply chain that ensures the well-being of their producers.

Dedication to good farming and processing practises should also be high-up on your priorities.

What type of coffee should I offer?

Figure out what audience you’re serving. Are they the type of drinkers who don’t know much about coffee, but prefer specialty coffee to grocery store coffee? Offer a great blend. Our Godfather Espresso is a total crowd pleaser with milk chocolate and caramel notes. It’s a medium roast, perfect for espresso drinks, drip coffee, and pour over style coffee.

Maybe you have a more coffee-aware audience with decent coffee knowledge. Do they order straight espresso or drink their Americanos black? In this case, offer single origin beans. Here are our latest offerings.

Guatemala Montecristo: notes of molasses and cocoa
Kenya Kiambu AA: sugary and tangy with notes of toffee and lemon
Bolivia Buenavista: notes of apple and chocolate

If your audience is a mix of both types of customers, you can offer blends and origins.

Now that you understand the “how,” it’s time to explore the “why.” Without further ado, here are our top 5 reasons why you should offer retail coffee at your coffee shop.

5 reasons to fill your shelf with retail coffee bags

1) It makes it easy for people to drink great coffee.

People tend to not be very on-top of their coffee game. They generally do their grocery shopping at the supermarket, which doesn’t always have the best coffee options. They either settle for mediocre coffee, or they don’t buy it at all. When they step into your shop and see specialty coffee on your retail shelf, you’ll be a life-saver to them.

2) It helps support the local economy.

Supporting local specialty coffee roasters is a great way to support the local economy. One of the best ways to do that is to offer coffee from local roasters on your retail shelf. When you support local companies, you’re putting money back into your community. Your money maintains local infrastructure and supports programs, reduces transportation emissions, and keeps your neighbours employed.

3) ‘Tis the season for gift giving.

This time of year, people are already in preparation for the holiday season. Your customers may not have been in gift shopping mode when they entered your cafe. Offering high-quality retail coffee makes it easy for them.

Coffee is the perfect gift because it’s inexpensive, yet high-quality. If you’re afraid that your customers won’t buy them until closer to Christmas, think again. Lots of people send early Christmas gifts, mailing packages to friends and family all over the world. It’s not too early to start stocking your shelves with retail coffee.

4) People are making coffee at home more than ever.

Thanks to the pandemic, many people’s jobs have become remote, and many are working from home. As a result, more people are making their coffee at home as opposed to grabbing it on the way to work. People are still going out for coffee, but it’s more often to catch up with friends or as a weekend excursion. Offering retail coffee helps people make delicious coffee from the comfort of their own homes.

The average consumer in Canada consumes 1 x 12oz bag of coffee per week at their home. This will really begin to add up over time as you create new purchasing habits with your customers.

5) It can drastically increase your revenue.

According to the aforementioned Colin Harmon, offering retail coffee bags can increase your revenue by 10-30%.

Do you ever stop and wonder why you always see cases of soda pop piled high near the grocery checkout? That’s because people are attracted to the look of abundance. According to American psychologist Barry Schwartz, plentiful retail displays can make us feel optimistic and happy. On the other hand, scarcity can make us feel defensive and frugal. If there were only one case of pop left on the shelf, it would make us feel guilty about taking the last one.

Retail displays that employ abundance perform much better than scare, dwindling displays. We encourage our customers to stock as much of their cafes inventory of coffee in the front of their cafes as possible. You will be surprised at how many larger bags you will sell as well.

What happens if people don’t buy the coffee bags?

You might be afraid to offer retail beans for fear that they’ll go stale on the shelf. After all, roasted beans only have a shelf life of 2-4 weeks from the roast date. But don’t let this stop you.

You can always brew the coffee in your coffee shop if it’s not selling. Toss the beans into your espresso grinder hopper or brew it as drip before it goes stale. Alternatively, you can discount the bags to make them sell faster.

You might have trouble selling the retail coffee at first. But if you’re employing abundance and moving your inventory, it won’t be long before the beans start flying off the shelf.

What else can I offer on my retail shelf?

You can also offer teas from our Idle Tea collection. Our tea line includes favourites like green tea, herbal tisanes, and black teas like Earl Grey, Assam, and chai. We also offer ceremonial-grade matcha powder and alternative lattes powder, like beetroot, turmeric, and rooibos matcha.

This will be delightful for the tea drinkers who visit you. Very few cafe owners put much attention into this demographic, and like coffee drinkers, they like to brew high quality beverages at home.

Beans aplenty

Though it may sound counterintuitive to stock your retail shelf with coffee bags, especially if your business isn’t thriving, you’ll be surprised at what it does for your revenue. Of course, every market is different, and this might not work for every business. But how can you rule it out until you give it a shot?

Stick a nice percentage on your revenue, make holiday gift shopping easier, and be the lifesaver for that person who just ran out of coffee. Win, win, win.

Looking to sell retail coffee and tea at your coffee shop? Get in touch with us by dropping us a line at . We’d love to fill your retail shelves!

How to Clean and Maintain Your Espresso Machine

It may seem like a daunting task to have to clean your commercial espresso machine. With all those levers and buttons and knobs, it may look more like a fuse box than a coffee maker. But rest assured that cleaning your commercial coffee machine isn’t much harder than cleaning your drip coffee maker! Read more for tips on how to maintain your espresso machine.

Sure, you can dig out your dusty old user manual, complete with typos and instructions that make so sense. Or, you can check out this easy guide on how to clean your espresso machine. We’ll go over how to clean an espresso portafilter, what is backflushing an espresso machine, and how to descale an espresso machine.

What happens if I don’t clean my espresso machine?

If you don’t clean your espresso machine, you risk crappy tasting coffee, bacterial build-up, and the function of your machine. While you’re using your espresso machine throughout the day, espresso grinds, coffee oil, and mineral scale from water intake build up throughout the day.

A lot of things can go wrong if you don’t clean your espresso machine, or don’t clean it properly.

For one, your coffee will taste stale or “off.” If you’re brewing espresso from a brew head with day-old grinds, through a dirty portafilter, you’ll taste yesterday’s coffee. Not exactly what you’re going for! When exposed to air, moisture, light, and heat, coffee oils go rancid quickly.

Not only that, but you also run the risk of attracting pests. Stray coffee grounds are food to cockroaches, and they can attract mice and rats if you’re not careful. Restaurants and cafes are particularly susceptible to pests. Make sure all surfaces are wiped of coffee beans and grounds, and don’t give pests a reason to stick around.

In general, having a visibly dirty espresso machine could make customers think twice about ordering coffee off of you.

How to descale an espresso machine

Part of cleaning your espresso machine is descaling. Descaling your machine cleans it, but it also removes mineral buildup in the hot water tanks. If mineral buildup goes unchecked, it can affect water flow and pressure in your machine. This, in turn, will affect the flavour of your espresso. Excess mineral build-up will require a professional to remove, and can even cause your machine to call it quits altogether.

How often do I need to clean my espresso machine?

To maintain your machine properly and have great tasting espresso at all times, clean your machine at least once a day, at the end of the business day.

We’ve broken down the cleaning tasks by espresso machine part.

Portfilters

The portafilters (the filters that screw into the group heads with handles) need to be cleaned spotlessly. Soak them in hot water and dish soap to loosen stuck-on grounds and oil. If you’re worried about a soapy flavour, you can soak them in hot water and Puro Caff. After they’ve soaked for 10-15 minutes, scrub them vigorously, rinse them, and leave them to air dry.

Pop the basket out first before you leave them to soak in the water to get them as clean as possible. To remove the basket, pry it off with a spoon or a butter knife.

Backflushing your espresso machine

Backflushing the machine is when you intentionally change the direction of the water flow so the machine can flush the water tank. You do this by using “blind” or “blank” baskets. Unlike regular portafilter baskets with holes, these baskets are solid, forcing the water backwards into the tank. Backflushing removes any scale, coffee grounds or sludge from the inside of the water tank.

To backflush, remove the regular basket from the portafilter, and put the blind basket in. Place ½ tsp of PuroCaff into the basket, and screw the portafilter into the machine. You’ll want to run 5 cycles, each with 10 seconds on, and 5 seconds off. You’ll likely see dirty, foamy liquid coming from the outlet–that’s normal. After your 5 cycles, remove the portafilter, run some water from the group head, and rinse the portafilter.

Screw the portafilter back in, and run 5 cycles (10 seconds on, 5 seconds off), this time without the Urnex. Your backflush is complete.

NOTE: Backflushing works on 3-way valve systems. If you have a lever-style machine, backflushing isn’t necessary, and shouldn’t be attempted.

Group heads

The group heads are the brewers, ie. the part that the portafilters screw into. They’ll be covered in grounds from the day, and will need a good wipe-down and brushing. Using a group head brush, scrub the entire top of the group head while running the water. If the hot water is threatening to splash at you, just turn the hot water off while scrubbing, running it between brushes.

After you’re done brushing, wipe the entire group head with a clean cloth or paper towel.

Steam wands

The steam wands are in contact with milk all day, posing the risk of bacteria. Not only this, but if the wands aren’t cleaned regularly, the milk residue can harden over time, affecting the performance of the steam wands. They won’t make barista-worthy microfoam if they’re clogged up.

To clean them, dissolve a ¼ tsp of Frother Cleaner in a small pitcher with hot water filled halfway. Place the steam wand in the pitcher and leave it to soak for 30-60 minutes (NOTE - Do not leave overnight). In the morning, simply wipe down the steam wands and purge them for 30-60 seconds.

Drainage tray

The espresso machine has a tray that collects water and spilt coffee. During the day, this can get quite dirty. It’s important to clean this daily–otherwise it can clog the drain, smell foul, and attract pests.

To clean the tray, simply flush the tray with hot water until all the grounds are gone. You can also manually remove it and rinse it under the sink (just make sure you cover the hole with a damp cloth or you’ll have another mess to clean up!).

Other cleaning duties

While it’s what’s on the inside that counts, we also believe your espresso machine should look sharp on the outside, too. Make sure the tops of your espresso machine (where the cups and saucers live) and the exterior of your machine are cleaned regularly. Grinds can accumulate on top of the machine, and coffee and milk splashes can be seen on the outside of the machine, facing customers. Your espresso machine is a work of art, so make sure it always looks taken-care-of.

A clean cup

Maintaining the cleanliness of your espresso machine should be a group effort. An espresso machine that doesn’t get cleaned regularly can make the flavour of your coffee suffer, and it can slowly degrade your machine. Espresso machines are not cheap, and neither are espresso machine technicians. Remember: a stitch in time saves 9!

Looking for more tips for masking tasty espresso? Check out our previous article on how to pull a perfect shot of espresso. If you need more guidance on the ins-and-outs of espresso, book a consultation with us–we’re here to help!

Want Great Espresso? Start with Tamping your Espresso Correctly

How you tamp your espresso can have a huge impact on the flavour of the coffee. If you did everything else right but your espresso is tasting sour or running poorly, your tamp could be the culprit. Read more to learn tips on tamping your espresso correctly and consistently.

When you’re leading a team of baristas, it can be common for everyone to have different ways of tamping. There are lots of wrong ways to tamp espresso, and baristas can carry these bad habits for years.

Poor tamping is not just an issue of flavour–it’s also a health and safety issue. Tamping can cause repetitive strain injuries over time, a condition more commonly known as “barista wrist” in the industry.

Luckily, it’s easy to learn how to tamp espresso properly and fix any mistakes. We’ll walk you through all the dos and don’ts of tamping espresso. But first, we’ll take a look at why we tamp coffee in the first place.

What happens if you don’t tamp coffee?

Tamping coffee is when you apply downward pressure on coffee using a tamper.

If you try to brew a portafilter with loose grounds, the water will move through the coffee instead of brewing it. As a result, you’ll get a watery, under extracted, sour espresso. Coffee that hasn’t been tamped has a lot of pockets of air, and the water finds an easy way to exit.

Tamping removes these air pockets from the coffee. This helps the water move more evenly throughout the whole puck. All it takes is one loose spot on the puck for the water to find this weak spot and rush through it. This is known as “channeling.”

What are some examples of poor tamping?

Here are some common ways that tamping goes wrong.

Tamping at an angle

If you tamp at an angle and the puck isn’t parallel to the portfiler, the water will go to the lowest point. Water is always looking for the path of least resistance. Instead of brewing the whole puck, it will only brew the low part. To make sure your tamper is parallel to the portafilter, use the ring inside the portafilter basket as a guide.

Holding the tamper incorrectly

Holding the tamper incorrectly can have an impact on the flavour. Avoid holding the tamper like an ink stamp with your hand gripping the handle only. This can cause coffee grounds to jump out of the basket and cause an uneven tamp. Instead, wrap your fingers around the base of the tamp while applying downward pressure.

Not levelling out the coffee grounds before tamping

Tamping a mountain of coffee grounds won’t result in a level coffee bed. You’ll get a flat surface with bevelled edges–a perfect weak spot for the hot water. After grinding your beans into the portafilter, give the portafilter a good tap on the side. This helps the process along by settling the bed of coffee.

Knocking the side of the portafilter with the tamp

After tamping your espresso, there will usually be some loose grounds floating on the sides of the puck. The barista’s common instinct is to knock the portafilter to get the loose grounds in the middle so they can tamp again. But knocking the side of the portafilter can crack the puck, causing channeling, and it also damages your equipment.

Instead of knocking, place your tamper on top of the puck again, and spin the tamp with no pressure. This will make those loose grounds on the side co-operate.

How to tamp espresso the right way: Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to tamp espresso properly.

Grind your coffee into your portafilter. Once ground, tap it against the side of your hand (or on the tamping mat) to help level out the coffee bed.
Place your portafilter on the tamp mat. Turn your body so that your dominant hand side is parallel with the bar counter. Place the tamper evenly on the bed of coffee so it’s parallel to the ring in the portafilter basket. Push straight down firmly until you meet resistance. (If your portafilter has a splitter, make sure the splitter is off the tamp mat. This prevents the splitter from breaking off.)
If there are any loose coffee grounds, place the tamper back on. Without applying any pressure, spin the tamper to settle the loose grounds.
Brew your espresso. Easy!

How hard should I tamp?

In the coffee industry, it’s agreed upon that 20-30 lbs of pressure goes into a proper tamp. You don’t need to tamp incredibly hard to achieve this. Tamp until you feel the coffee stop.

It can be easy to get tired at the end of the day and tamp lighter as the day goes on. Be aware of this, and try to keep a consistent tamping strength throughout the whole day.

Tamping safety

The trick to avoiding strain on your wrist is keeping it straight while you tamp and engaging your shoulder and your arm. Lifting your elbow at a 90 degree angle makes it easy to keep your wrist straight, and makes the power come from your arm.

Which is the best espresso tamper?

The most important thing when looking for a tamper is finding one that fits your portafilters. The tamp should spread to the very edges of the basket, ensuring a smooth, uniform tamp. If the tamper is too big, it simply won’t fit; if the tamper is too small, you’ll create air pockets around the edges and cause channeling.

For newbie baristas who don’t know how hard to press, click tampers are a great option. They make an audible clicking noise once 30 lbs of pressure have been pushed into the coffee puck.

How do I know if I’m tamping correctly?

You can tell a lot about how well (or poorly) your coffee is running just by looking at your spent coffee pucks. If you see any air pockets or obvious signs of the coffee spilling over the edge of the basket, your tamp could be the issue.

If you’re still not sure, try to look at the bigger picture. Brew a shot of espresso, dilute it with some water, and taste it. If the coffee tastes unpleasant and has an edge, try again. If it tastes acceptable, or even good, you’re on the right track!

Tamp champ

Tamping isn’t complicated; it’s actually remarkably easy. But unfortunately, there are a lot of bad habits out there that seem to be contagious. Baristas learn by watching other baristas, picking up on their habits without knowing whether they’re right or wrong. But it’s not their fault–if they don’t receive the proper training, how can they be expected to do a good job?

As a cafe manager or owner, it’s up to you to set standards and catch any bad habits before they get out of hand. By teaching correct tamping, you improve your coffee, retain your customer base, and keep your team safe.

Looking for more tips to improve your espresso game? Check out our previous blog post about degassing coffee for better tasting espresso. And, if you need more support, book a consultation with us, and drop us a line at .

Barista-worthy Steamed Milk : Microfoam for Beginners

There’s no experience more decadent than drinking a well-crafted latte. A good latte merries a perfectly pulled shot of espresso and textured milk. But textured milk is easier said than done. That’s why baristas painstakingly steam your milk to perfection. Properly steamed micro-foam isn’t thick and foamy; it’s creamy and velvety, and its sweetness complements the espresso perfectly. Follow the instructions below, a guide to create microfoam for beginners.

Proper microfoam is essential for latte art. At its core, latte art is an indication of a well-made drink. Both the espresso shot and the milk have to be executed properly, or you won’t get that beautiful latte art. The visual appeal of latte art will keep your customers coming back for more. As a barista, it’s a fun challenge that keeps you on your toes.

A note about foam

There are two main ideologies in the coffee world: Italian-style or “old-school” coffee, and third wave coffee. A lot of people order a cappuccino, expecting to see a thick cloud of foam on top. This is also referred to as a “bone-dry” cappuccino. When they get their microfoam cappuccino, they’re disappointed, and it’s not what they pictured.

The old-school coffee ideology is respected in its own right. But in this article, we’re talking about third wave coffee, to which flat microfoam is central.

What is microfoam?

Microfoam is a method of steaming milk where you inject tons of tiny bubbles into the milk, creating a textured milk. The bubbles run all throughout the milk, instead of the foam and the milk being separate from one another. Rather than having a thick foamy milk that plops right on top of your espresso, you get a continuous flow. This opens the door to latte art, and mastering microfoam lets baristas create rosettas, tulips, and even swans!

In addition, microfoam isn’t hot; it’s warm. Dairy milk has natural sugars (lactose) which complement the sweetness of espresso. Heating up your milk too much can burn and effectively destroy those natural sugars. You should aim for 120-140 degrees F. To get that optimal warm temperature, place your palm on the side of the metal pitcher while steaming. As soon as you feel warmth, stop steaming immediately. You can use a thermometer, but your hand is more intuitive.

How to make microfoam for beginners

To make proper microfoam, you’ll need a high-quality espresso machine with a precision steam wand. Pour your milk into a metal steaming pitcher until it’s about a centimetre below the spout. Place the pitcher at an angle, leaning down slightly to your right. Before you start steaming, lift the milk pitcher up to the steam wand. The steam wand should be slightly below the surface of the milk, about a centimetre.

Turn your steam wand on. If you’re at the correct angle, you should create a vortex effect. If you don’t see this affect, don’t panic. Gently move the pitcher side to side (not up and down), making sure the steam wand is just below the surface. Keep steaming until it starts to feel warm, not hot. Immediately switch the steam wand off.

The sound (or lack thereof) is everything. If the steam wand is too close to the surface, you’ll get a high-pitched screeching sound. If it’s too submerged, you’ll get a loud, low rumbling sound. If it’s in the right spot, it’ll make practically no sound at all.

It’s normal to get a few big bubbles. Let your milk sit for a few seconds and tap out the big bubbles on a hard surface before pouring.

How to make latte art with microfoam

This is probably the hardest part. Latte art takes practise. If all you can manage is a heart, you should call that a win!

Try to get better at microfoam before attempting latte art. You can’t make latte art if your microfoam is thick and foamy. It has to be thin and glossy, similar to wet paint in texture and viscosity.

Pour your microfoam directly over the espresso in a circular motion. Once your cup is about ⅔ full, pause your pour. This is when you’ll start your latte art.

Get the spout of the pitcher closer to your latte, and pour while rapidly swiveling the pitcher left and right, about half a centimeter apart.

Pro tip:

Pour a bit of microfoam in the espresso, stir it with a spoon, and then pour the rest of the milk. This helps prevent a bitter taste upon the first sip. The crema layer from the espresso is quite bitter, and it rises to the top when you do latte art. Integrating it early on disperses that bitter top layer.

Practising microfoam

Instead of wasting milk to practise your microfoam, practise with a pitcher of water with a drop of dish soap. When steamed, it creates a similar texture. It helps you gauge the correct position of the pitcher and the steam wand. It also helps you practise co-ordinating when to turn off the steam wand, which can be tricky at first.

Making microfoam with non dairy milk

Non-dairy milk doesn’t perform as well as dairy milk when steamed, but there are ways to improve the texture. Steam your non-dairy milk more vigorously than you would with regular milk. Because they have less fat content and are more watery, they heat up quicker, meaning you have to work quicker. After steaming, let it sit for a while to let bigger bubbles come to the surface. Then, tap the pitcher firmly on a hard surface to let the bubbles out and swirl vigorously to integrate.

Don’t cry over spilt milk

Creating that perfect microfoam can be frustrating at first. There are several factors that you have to be aware of, all at the same time. This includes the angle of the milk pitcher, proper submersion of the wand, temperature, and wand shut-off. It doesn’t help that a big, roaring espresso machine can be a little daunting to a newbie barista. But if you don’t get it perfect at first, the most important thing is that you try. Customers can taste care in a cup.

Looking to open a coffee shop, or just need a tune-up for your team of baristas? Get in touch with us about our cafe consultations, and drop us a line at .

Why Do I Need a Burr Grinder?

Blade grinders are not the best choice for grinding coffee beans. While they are inexpensive and easy to use, they don't produce the same quality of coffee as burr grinders. So why do I need a burr grinder?

The reason blade grinders do not produce high-quality coffee is because the blades heat up during operation and this causes a burnt taste. Burr grinders, on the other hand, use rotating disks that never get hot enough to cause this burnt taste.

There is only one grinder for coffee, and that’s the burr grinder. If your coffee doesn’t taste quite right on a burr grinder, at least you have the option of adjusting it. Consistency is everything when it comes to brewing good coffee.

I can’t afford a burr grinder! I’m just a poor student.

We get it. Burr grinders can be expensive. But this is an investment, a piece of equipment that’ll make tasty coffee for years to come. A decent electric burr grinder ranges in price from $200-$1000. We recommend the Baratza Encore burr grinder as a great entry-level grinder. The conical burrs stay sharp for years with excellent precision. If you’re on a smaller budget, the Hario Ceramic Octo Coffee Mill grinder delivers the same quality. The only caveat is that it requires good old-fashioned elbow grease. This is perfect if you only drink one or two cups a day, and as a bonus, it travels well.

If you still don’t want to buy a burr grinder, at the very least, ask us to grind it for you, but make sure to use it up quickly. When you order beans online, make sure to tell us what grind setting you want in the checkout notes.

Why are blade grinders bad for coffee?

Here’s what blade grinders do to your coffee. They blindly cut it up, resulting in coffee particles of all sizes, from fines to boulders. When you’re brewing a particular method, whether it’s French press or pour over, you are looking for 1 particle size… not 20!

Blade grinders are particularly bad for pour overs. When you make a pour over with blade ground coffee, you’ll get a slow-pouring, clogged filter. The resulting coffee will taste bitter and sour at the same time. And, you won’t really get any resounding flavour notes. Just a flat, lifeless cup. Sounds like a waste of effort, doesn’t it?

To understand why blade ground coffee is not ideal, you need to understand extraction. Extraction refers to the amount of soluble compounds extracted from coffee in a given time period. Extraction depends on a few factors, namely temperature and grind size. Temperature is easier to control, but grind size needs a lot of attention. The finer the grind, the quicker the extraction time; the coarser the grind, the slower the extraction time. That’s why espresso pours in mere seconds and French press takes several minutes. A bitter taste indicates over-extraction, and a sour taste indicates under-extraction.

Now that you see why blade grinders can’t create consistency, it’s time to retire that sucker. You can clean it out and use it to grind whole spices, or you can donate it to someone else looking to enter the “fresh ground coffee world”.

How does a burr grinder work?

A burr grinder is essentially a coffee mill. It “mills” the coffee, much like how a pepper mill creates particles that are uniform in size. On a burr grinder, you can adjust settings from fine to coarse, and every particle will be the same size. You need a uniform grind to achieve even extraction. If your coffee doesn’t come out quite right, at least you can adjust your grind and try again. You will notice that this is especially important when brewing espresso. With a blade grinder, you don’t have this option–instead, you get what you get.

Are there ways to make good coffee with a blade grinder?

We certainly don’t recommend a blade grinder for making pour overs, aeropresses and espresso. However, some coffee methods are more forgiving than others. Immersion methods, like steep & filter and French press, tend to respond better to blade ground coffee. That’s because immersion methods eliminate that awful sour, weak taste, which is almost always down to under extraction.

If you’re using a blade grinder, grind it on the coarser side, and pause every few seconds to shake it. Immerse the grounds in the hot water for 4-6 minutes. This won’t make an incredible coffee, but it’ll make it palatable.

What to do with pre-ground coffee

Maybe you’ve decided that a burr grinder is not in your budget, and you need to rely on pre-ground coffee. In this case, we recommend using up your pre ground coffee as quickly as possible. Ground coffee goes stale very quickly, so try to use it up within a few days maximum. Store it in the bag in a cool, dark place.

Another way to quickly use up pre ground coffee is to make a big batch of cold brew so you can use your coffee up in a timely manner. Once brewed, cold brew stays good for 1-2 weeks in your fridge. This coffee method is deliciously smooth and foolproof, and it makes for a refreshing drink in the summer months. If you’re not into cold coffee, you can always heat it up later.

Is a burr grinder a good investment?

If you’re the type who drinks 4-6 coffees a day with lots of cream and sugar, you might not notice the difference. But, if you drink coffee more for the flavour than for the caffeine, a burr grinder is a good investment. When it comes to specialty coffee, it doesn’t make sense to ruin

it with a blade grinder. Specialty coffee is pricier than other coffees on the market, in part because of the complex flavour. Only a burr grinder will unlock those tasting notes!

Want to put your burr grinder to the test? Check out our foolproof pour over guide!

Can Coffee be TOO Fresh? The Importance of Degassing Coffee

We’ve talked about the importance of fresh coffee ad nauseum here at Fratello Coffee. It’s coffee 101 to use up your beans within 2-4 weeks of roasting. But can coffee be too fresh? It may sound a little contradictory, but drinking too-fresh coffee can be less than tasty. This is where degassing coffee comes in.

In the coffee world, degassing is crucial after roasting. Coffee straight off the roaster can taste a bit jarring. Hardcore coffee lovers find extra-fresh coffee exciting, but the average coffee drinker will be a bit offput by the flavour.

Whether you make filter coffee at home or work in the coffee business, degassing coffee is key to making tasty coffee. Let’s take a look at the composition of fresh coffee and explore why it’s so important to give coffee a rest.

Why degassing coffee is necessary

When coffee beans are being roasted, the beans produce and trap carbon dioxide. Most of the CO2 dissipates from the coffee while it’s being roasted, but the coffee will retain a significant amount of it. CO2 is a natural byproduct of roasted coffee, but in large amounts, it can make the coffee taste bad. Extra fresh coffee will have a sour, vegetal, even carbonated taste. This can distract from the desirable flavour notes of the bean.

After roasting, experts in the coffee industry recommend you rest, or “age”, your coffee for a few days before brewing. Lighter roasted beans are denser, and therefore retain a lot more CO2 than darker roasts. The lighter the roast, the longer it needs to rest.

There will still be CO2 in coffee even after the coffee has rested, but in smaller amounts. Have you ever wondered why pour over recipes tell you to “bloom” your coffee? It's because pouring a bit of hot water on the grinds allows the gasses to dissipate, improving the flavour of the coffee.

Does aged coffee make a better espresso?

While degassing is important no matter what method you’re using, it’s particularly important for espresso. Because espresso introduces pressure, it’s a lot easier for those gasses to end up in the shot, altering the flavour. And, because third-wave espresso bars tend to serve light and medium roast espresso, aging is crucial.

Giving the coffee time to degas will let you taste the true characteristics of the coffee. You won’t have that overpowering CO2 flavour distracting your taste buds.

It’s important to realize that the “crema” layer (the caramel-coloured layer on top of the espresso) is overrated. While it may look delicious and make stunning latte art, it can make a bitter tasting drink. An ultra-thick crema layer indicates right away that your beans are still too fresh. Aging the coffee will make for a thinner crema layer, but the flavour will be much better.

How to degas coffee after roasting

Degassing coffee is simply a question of resting the coffee and leaving it alone for a few days. There’s no special technique–just let it sit undisturbed with minimal exposure to light, heat, and moisture. It should be left in an opaque container with a clearly-marked roast date so you know when to start using it.

How long should I degas the coffee?

How long you age your coffee depends on two things: the brew method you’re using, and the roast level.

When it comes to drip or filter coffee, it’s a good idea to rest your coffee for 2-8 days before using it. Lighter roasts can rest for 4-8 days, and darker roasts can rest for 2-4 days.

When it comes to espresso, you’ll want to wait longer. If you’re using a light roast, you’ll want to rest the coffee for 10 days. If you’re using a medium roast, rest it for 8-10 days. If you’re using a dark roast for your espresso, it should only rest for about 2 days. Dark roast coffees are porous, and you should be more concerned about using them up before they go stale.

For further information on coffee storage, please refer to our blog post: 5 Ways to Keep your Beans Fresh

How can I degas coffee quickly?

We don’t recommend trying to speed up the degassing process. If you try to prematurely degas the coffee by exposing it to air and light, you’ll only damage it and make it go stale. Have patience!

If you run an espresso bar and you want to serve perfectly aged coffee at all times, do a bit of planning. It’s a good idea to have extra stock of your most popular espresso blend so you don’t have to wait for it to degas.

What’s the point of the degassing valve?

On most coffee bags, you’ll see a circle with holes. That’s the degassing valve. While most people think that’s some kind of gadget for smelling the coffee, it actually serves a very important, practical purpose. It stops the bag of beans from exploding!

Freshly roasted beans contain enough CO2 to puff, and even explode, the bag. The valve is a one-way channel, letting CO2 exit without allowing outside air to enter the bag.

The purpose of degassing valves became abundantly clear after a 2019 incident with a popular California roaster. The renowned Blue Bottle Coffee had to recall their coffee, which was packed in airtight tins, after 13 people were injured.

Fresh to death

Degassing your coffee is a great tool to have in your back pocket if you run an espresso bar. It’s a system you can implement early on to take your espresso from good to great. When it comes to making great coffee, there’s no one single recipe for perfection. Making great coffee requires curiosity, and it’s a journey of learning as you go.

If you’re looking to improve your overall espresso game, check out our previous post about pulling a perfect shot of espresso. If you’re in the coffee business and need more support, book a consultation with us by dropping us a line at .

How to Read a Coffee Label Like a Pro

Do you ever go to buy a bag of quality coffee, only to stare blankly at the information on the label? Maybe you see “elevation: 1600 masl” or “varietal: SL-28.” What the heck does “honey process” mean? If you don’t know what it all means, it can make your head spin. You’re not alone. The world of coffee is vast and can be complicated. If you want to get the best coffee around, it starts with understanding what you’re buying.

Don’t let complicated labels plunge you into imposter syndrome! Great coffee is for everyone, and it’ll take some time to get acquainted with the specialty coffee label. Maybe you’re searching for particular tasting notes, or just want to learn more about specialty coffee. Or, maybe you just want to impress your friends with your knowledge! Either way, you’ll find that this tidbit of information isn’t so trivial afterall. Learning how to read coffee labels is not only important for understanding the journey the beans have taken before ending up in your cup, but also for being able to make educated purchase decisions.

Why should I read the coffee label?

If you’re becoming a real coffee lover, understanding the coffee label will take your passion to the next level. Plus, it’ll help you spot ethical coffee right away. Ethical coffee is coffee produced with the wellbeing of farmers in mind, and it’s more expensive as a result. Most coffee on the market today is incredibly cheap, and farmers don’t get a fair share.

You won’t find a comprehensive coffee label on bags of poor quality coffee. That’s because poor quality coffee companies don’t want you to see the ugly side of the coffee industry. Read any Fratello coffee label, and you’ll find the country, region or farm, process, roast date, and roast level. If you check out our online coffee collection, you’ll find even more information about the producers. Coffee labels aren’t just for laughs–they’re for traceability and transparency.

Specialty Coffee Label Specifics

Here are the most common pieces of information you’ll see printed on a specialty coffee label.

Coffee origin

It’s not enough to know which country your coffee came from–you should know the origin, and ideally, the farm. You can even get information about the microlot. For example, with our Guatemala Montecristo, “Montecristo” refers to the microlot where the coffee was grown. If you read the label further, you’ll find that it comes from the San Marcos region of Guatemala.

Even if you’re buying a coffee blend, you should know which origins make up the blend. Don’t be fooled by flowery language that describes the coffee with no information about where it comes from.

Coffee elevation

Coffee elevation is everything in specialty coffee. Quality arabica coffee is a delicate plant, and it likes to grow in cool, shady conditions. Growing coffee at higher altitudes achieves this. Lesser quality coffees are grown in full sun and on lower elevations. Although sun-grown, lower elevation coffee makes for a big yield, the quality of the coffee suffers.

When you see “1600 masl” on a coffee label, that means that it’s grown at 1600 metres above sea level. You might also see altitude in feet.

Tasting notes

Good coffee doesn’t need artificial flavourings to taste delicious. You’ll often find tasting notes printed on coffee bags that refer to the subtle characteristics unique to that bean. When it comes to fruit notes, you could see apple, cherry, or blueberry. For sweet notes, you could see toffee, caramel, or molasses. You could even come across notes like nutty, chocolatey, floral, earthy, and even smokey.

As a newbie coffee enthusiast, these flavour notes can be daunting. You may be thinking, “the bag says floral, but all I taste is coffee!” Remember, it takes a long time to develop a flavour palate. If you want to speed up the process, purchase two coffees with wildly different flavour notes, and try them side-by-side. For example, try our Ethiopia Guji (citrus, watermelon, bright) next to our Godfather Espresso TM Blend (milk chocolate, caramel, smooth).

Coffee process

For those who don’t know, coffee is actually the seed of a cherry. The cherries grow on shrub-like trees, and are picked ripe once they turn dark red. Farmers pick thousands and thousands of cherries, and the seeds are extracted. The extraction method is referred to as the coffee process. There are a few different processes, and different processes lead to unique flavours. Here are the most common ones.

Washed: In the washed process (or “wet process”), all of the pulp is removed before the beans are laid to dry. To achieve this, the cherries are placed in water tanks, and the whole cherry is removed from the seed. This imparts a much-desired clean taste in the coffee. Because this process requires a lot of water, some origins opt for other processing methods that require less fresh water.

Natural: In this process, the coffee seeds are not removed, and the cherries are dried with their seeds intact. After drying, the dried cherries are hulled to extract the seeds. This imparts a very sweet, fruity flavour to the coffee. This process is great for producers who have limited access to fresh water.

Honey: The cherry skin is fully removed, and some or all of the mucilage (or flesh) is left on during drying. This causes fermentation, and as a result, the flavour is fruity or sugary. Honey processes range from yellow honey (less mucilage left on) to black honey (more mucilage left on).

Anaerobic: This is a newer process, where the cherries are placed in oxygen-deprived barrels for hours to days to ferment. This is a tricky process because the coffee can over-ferment and rot. But when done properly, the coffee can take on delicious, exotic flavours like tropical fruit and spices.

Varietals

Just like with wine, arabica coffee has its own varietals. With wine, you’ll see different grapes, like merlot, chardonnay, or bordeaux. In coffee, you’ll see varietals like typica, caturra, catuai, SL-28, bourbon, and more. There are over 1000 heirloom varieties, though typica is said to be the oldest known coffee varietal.

Roast level

Roast level refers to roasted coffee, not green coffee. Roasts range from light to dark. Lighter roasts tend to have a bright, acidic, fruity flavour. On the other hand, darker roasts will have more of a bold, toasty, chocolatey flavour.

Roast date

Make sure to buy beans that have been roasted within the past two weeks. Roast date is extremely important if you want to drink fresh coffee. Many coffees sold at the supermarket will have coffee that’s been roasted months ago and vacuum-packed. Specialty coffee roasters will never offer stale, months-old coffee. Just say no to stale coffee!

The cream of the crop

Coffee is one of the top most traded commodity in the world, along with sugar, corn and oil. As a result, there’s a lot of bad coffee out there. You can dodge a bullet by only purchasing coffee with information about process, elevation, and more. Life is too short to drink poor quality coffee. So do yourself a favour, and learn to read coffee labels like a pro!

Want to learn more about specialty coffee? Check out our blog post about new crop coffee.

How to Brew a Perfect Espresso

There’s nothing worse than going to a renowned coffee shop only to receive an espresso drink that’s bitter and undrinkable. Poorly made espresso-based drinks are more common than you might think. Even the best beans, espresso machine, and grinder can’t guarantee a good espresso. Follow these tips to ensure greater consistency in perfect espresso shot every time.

A big challenge for cafe managers and owners is getting their large team of baristas to make good-tasting espresso. A lot of newbie baristas don’t know what to look for when dialing in espresso and lack the confidence to calibrate it. This is why we offer complimentary ongoing training and consultation for our wholesales clients.

By putting certain practises in place, you can show your whole team how to pull a perfect shot of espresso. First, we’ll show you how to lead an espresso tasting session with a team of baristas. Then, we’ll show you how to ensure the espresso is always running well.

The building blocks of good espresso

It may sound obvious, but you need to start with great coffee and great equipment to make great espresso. Make sure you have all of these in place first before you troubleshoot your espresso.

Beans

Make sure to source roasted beans from a high-quality, specialty coffee roaster. They should have an emphasis on ethical sourcing, meticulous roasting, and freshness.

Espresso machine

A high-quality espresso machine with enough pressure and stamina is crucial for great espresso. We recommend the Slayer espresso machine, which was produced by the fine folks here at Fratello!

Grinder

A good espresso grinder allows you to micro-adjust the grind setting. It should have a timed doser to provide consistency. We recommend Mahlkonig espresso grinders.

If you have all of that already, let’s get into it!

Leading an espresso tasting with your team

It’s always a good idea to do an espresso tasting session with your team. This allows you to answer any questions and try different espresso shots side-by-side for comparison. When guiding your team through a tasting, here are some common things to look for.

Sweetness

While not all coffees have a sweet profile, you should aim for a sweet shot. Sweetness is detected on the tip of the tongue. Unlike an unpleasant sour flavour, you’re looking for a sweetness akin to fruit or sugar.

Lack of bitterness or sourness

A good shot of espresso should never taste unpleasantly bitter or sour. You can assess this more broadly when you try the espresso by asking yourself, “Is this pleasant?” “Is this acceptable to serve?”

Bitter and sour notes can be part of the inherent flavour profile of the coffee, like rich cocoa and lemon. Don’t get confused by desirable flavour attributes.

Flavour notes

Get your team familiar with the flavour wheel. It’s not cheating to fill your head with all the possibilities of what coffee can taste like. It helps your team by giving them a vocabulary to describe coffee.

TIP: It’s easier for newbie baristas to taste coffee that’s cooled down and/or diluted with a bit of water.

Creating an espresso calibration system

After you’ve done your initial group tasting session with your team, it’s time to create a calibration system.

The best way to calibrate espresso is by tasting it and adjusting it as needed. However, most newbie baristas won’t have the skills or the confidence to do this. This method also takes more time, and when you’re trying to move a lineup, it isn’t practical. A calibration system is easy-to-follow, keeps your coffee tasting great at all times, and doesn’t disrupt your flow.

Not all coffee is the same, but as a general rule of thumb, there’s a certain espresso recipe to follow. When it comes to brewing parameters for espresso, you want to start with a dry weight of 18 grams, a wet weight of 36 grams (ie. actual brewed espresso), and a brew time of 28-30 seconds. If you brew your espresso and it doesn’t fit within these confines, you can tweak the dose and the grind setting of the coffee.

How to pull a perfect shot of espresso, step-by-step:

Pop the basket out of the portafilter, and zero it out on a digital scale. Grind your beans from your timed espresso grinder, and weigh it. If it weighs below 18 grams, increase your dose by a few milliseconds. If it weighs above 18 grams, decrease your dose. Don’t worry if you’re off by 0.5 grams.
Once you have the right weight, evenly tamp your espresso with 30 lbs of pressure.
Have a timer ready to countdown from 30 seconds. Grab a clean shot glass or mini metal pitcher, place it on the scale, and zero it out.
Place the scale and the glass under the group head, and begin brewing your espresso. Immediately start your 30-second timer.
At the 30-second mark, stop the shot and read the wet weight on the scale. If the wet weight isn’t 36 grams, make some changes and start over. If the wet weight is below 36 grams, make your grind coarser. If it’s above 36 grams, make your grind finer.

Make sure to post the espresso parameters (ie. dry weight, wet weight, brew time) where staff can see it. Have your team calibrate the espresso several times a day: once first thing in the morning, at mid-morning, and in the afternoon. For accountability, you can set up a checklist on a marker board, and have staff initial their calibrations.

Other factors affecting espresso flavour

Getting the right dose and weight is important when making good espresso, but it’s not the only thing to be aware of. Other things greatly affect the flavour of espresso. Here are some common factors:

Tamping

Make sure your team is tamping properly. An uneven tamp or a cracked puck can result in uneven extraction, and thus, a sour, undrinkable espresso. Check out this video to make sure your team isn’t committing any tamping faux-pas!

Temperature and humidity changes

The temperature and humidity in your cafe can instantly change how your espresso pours. If the weather suddenly changes from rainy and cold to sunny and warm, recalibrate your espresso.

Cleanliness of equipment

A dirty espresso machine can make your coffee taste off if you’re doing everything else right. Make sure your team is cleaning the espresso machine and portafilters every night with Cafiza. Additionally, make sure your team is wiping the portafilter baskets with a dry rag between espressos. Have them purge the group heads between pours, too.

Give it your best shot

Espresso can be intimidating for new baristas who lack skills and confidence. You can’t expect them to know everything right off the bat. The more effort you put into standards and procedures, the more likely it is that your team will get on board.

It doesn’t take long to gain a reputation as a no-fail, sure-shot espresso bar. Before long, your customers will notice, and they’ll be lining up for more. So do a little planning, schedule that espresso tasting with your team, and knock it out of the park!

We know that espresso can be a complicated beast. With decades of experience in the specialty coffee world, we have all the tools to make your cafe a success. Book a consultation call with us by emailing us at . We’re here to help!

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.

Coffee Cupping at Home: How to Identify Tasting Notes

Coffee Cupping (or tasting) at home is easy to do and a lot of fun. When on the lookout for specialty coffee, it’s common to see tasting notes like “floral” or “citrus” written on the bag. But when you go to try the coffee yourself, and all you taste is coffee, it can be discouraging. It can make you feel like you’re just not naturally inclined to picking up flavour notes. What we want to show you, is how you can identify tasting notes in your favorite coffee.

The truth is, tasting coffee is a skill that you acquire over time, and it requires you to develop a flavour palette. As a beginner, the best way to do this is a coffee cupping session at home.

But don’t worry–this isn’t a test. You don’t need to pull out an official coffee cupping score sheet and mathematically evaluate each coffee. Coffee cupping at home is meant to be fun, and it’s a great place to start when it comes to identifying tasting notes.

Before we show you how to do a cupping session, we’ll answer some common questions. We’ll go over the flavour categories that you’re assessing, the list of tools you’ll need, and the type of coffee to use.

What is coffee cupping?

Coffee cupping is when you brew several different coffees at once and taste them all separately, recording your findings. The brewing is done quite simply by pouring hot water directly over the grounds in a cup. The coffee is sipped with a cupping spoon to assess flavour.

Coffee cupping is an industry practise normally conducted by coffee importers to gauge coffee quality. Each coffee receives a score out of 100. By definition, specialty coffee is coffee that receives at least 80 points out of 100.

Cupping is also done by roasters as a form of quality control, or by coffee shops when they’re choosing coffees to put on their menu.

Our previous blog about coffee cupping is based around the SCAA cupping form, but this guide will teach you how to do it at home. While you’ll be focusing on identifying flavours, you won’t need the SCAA sheet (phew!).

What’s the point of coffee cupping at home?

Cupping at home lets you try a whole variety of coffees at once. Trying them out side-by-side gives you a reference point, helping you spot the differences between them. This will help you develop your flavour palette.

Though there are many other factors determining flavour, every coffee origin has its own characteristic flavour notes. Trying out single origin coffees from different regions is a great place to start when identifying flavour notes.

Coffee cupping is also fun for budding coffee enthusiasts. It’s especially fun to do with a small group of friends. Because you need a few different varieties of coffee to do a home cupping session, you can send your friends home with the leftover coffee that didn’t get brewed.

What am I looking for when cupping coffee?

When doing your coffee cupping session, you’ll want to record your findings on a sheet of paper. Let’s say you want to try 4 coffees. Make 4 columns on your sheet of paper. Write the name or origin of the coffee, and a line for the following categories.

Aroma (smell): simply write down your first impression of the aroma of the dry grounds and the brewed coffee. If you’re new to coffee, you might not know what to write here. That’s okay–there’s no wrong answer.
Flavour: this is the immediate first impressions you get from tasting the coffee. Maybe it hits you in the face with lemon, lime, and orange. Or maybe, it’s rich and slightly bitter, like dark chocolate.
Cleanliness: this refers to the absence of unpleasant flavours or defects. Unpleasant flavours can be vegetal, fermenty, cardboard-like, and overly earthy. A clean cup lets pleasant flavour notes shine through.
Aftertaste: what do you taste after it leaves your tongue? Does the flavour change? Is there a lingering sweetness? Does the flavour linger, or does it dissipate quickly?
Acidity: does the flavour give your tongue a sour feeling, like a crisp green apple, or does it lack acidity? Note: acidity refers to flavour, not pH balance. There’s a difference between sour, poorly brewed coffee and coffee with a natural acidity profile.
Body: body refers to the strength of the flavour. Some coffees, like coffees out of Brazil, will have a light or thin body. Other coffees will have a heavy, rich body. Body is similar to aftertaste: a light-bodied coffee will have less of an aftertaste, whereas a full-bodied coffee will linger.
Sweetness: sweetness on the tongue can be similar to acidity. Does it have a bright taste, reminding you of fruit or sugar? Or does it have little sweetness, with a darker flavour?

What if I don’t have words to describe the coffee?

When you’re stumped for words, you can always consult this interactive flavour wheel. It’s not cheating to read up on all the ways a coffee can taste. Rather, it gives you a vocabulary to describe what a coffee reminds you of. It’ll help you in the future when you encounter challenging coffees.

What do I need for coffee cupping at home?

Here’s the list of supplies and ingredients you’ll need for a successful home coffee cupping session.

4 bowls (small sugar bowls work best)
Weight scale
Burr grinder
Freshly ground coffee (ie. ground within the last 15 minutes)
Kettle (any kettle will do)
Boiled water
2-8 cupping spoons (a soup spoon or any large spoon will do)
A cup with clean water (for rinsing your spoon between tastings)
Your coffee cupping sheet

What coffee should I use?

For coffee cupping at home, we recommend trying at least 4 types of coffee with different flavour notes. Great options include Ethiopia Guji Uraga, Bolivia Buena Vista, Kenya Kiambu AA, and Costa Rica El Poeta.

What ratio is best for coffee cupping?

For coffee cupping, you’ll want a weaker ratio than a pour over. The pour over ratio is 1:16, but you’ll want a 1:17 ratio (1 part coffee, 17 parts water). So, if you’re using 12 grams of coffee, you’ll need 200 mL of water. Weaker ratios help you identify tasting notes better.

Ready to start cupping coffee? Let’s go!

How to cup coffee at home

Measure out 12 grams each of the different types of coffee. Be careful to purge the grinder between varieties to avoid mixing coffees. Place the grounds into 4 separate bowls.
Smell the dry grounds, and record your findings.
Pour hot water (30-60 seconds off the boil) directly up to the top of the bowls, making sure to saturate all the grounds. Set a timer for 4 minutes, and let the bowls sit.
After 4 minutes, the grounds will have floated to the top. Smell the wet aroma, and record your findings.
Break the crust by using a spoon to stir the grounds and let them sink to the bottom. This stops the brewing process. Use two spoons to catch the remaining grounds floating on top, and rinse your spoons. After you’ve broken the crust, the coffee will still be very hot. Wait an additional 10 minutes.
Once it’s cooled to the point of being drinkable, grab your sheet of paper and pencil, and it’s time to start evaluating the coffee. Take a spoonful of the coffee, and audibly slurp it to spray it across your mouth. This helps you assess all aspects of the flavour.
Write your findings under each heading: flavour, cleanliness, aftertaste, acidity, body, and sweetness. Do this for each type of coffee until you’re done.
Not your average cup of joe

Congratulations on your first coffee cupping! We hope you found the experience fun. You may have liked some of the coffees more than others, and you may have even disliked some of them. This is all normal–everyone has their own personal taste. Hopefully, you now have a better idea of what flavours you like best.

Cupping coffee at home is simply an exercise of curiosity. Developing your flavour palette takes time, and you have to drink many coffees before you start to notice patterns. Once you’re familiar with tasting notes, you’ll enjoy coffee so much more going forward. Rather than treating coffee like a caffeine fix, you’ll start to treat it with a sense of wonder.

We hope your coffee cupping journey brings you joy and intellectual stimulation. May your cup runneth over!

Want to learn more about the ins and outs of specialty coffee? Check out our article on how to read a coffee label like a pro!

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!

How to Make AeroPress Coffee

When you’re craving a short, strong and delicious pick-me-up, look no further than the AeroPress. The AeroPress method is a favourite for coffee lovers because it does justice to specialty coffee with perfect, even extraction. If you’re finding your morning coffee routine is taking too long or isn’t tasting to your liking, consider adding this to your arsenal. Read the rest of this article to find out how you can make AeroPress coffee yourself.

AeroPress style coffee is so established and beloved that there are even barista world championships for the best AeroPress. But don’t let that make you think it’s too complicated for you to master. On the contrary, making a delicious AeroPress is easy! Follow our complete guide to making a perfect AeroPress for a delicious single cup.

What does an AeroPress coffee taste like?

The AeroPress makes a small, bold cup of coffee with lots of clarity (ie. no sludge or coffee grind particles). While it does have the element of immersion just like a French press, it doesn’t have the same grittiness. In a way, it combines the best of a French press (immersion) and a pour over (clarity). The fine filter stops a lot of particles from passing through.

The brew ratio for an AeroPress is different from a standard pour over or drip coffee. While the ratio of a standard pour over is 1:16, the aeropress ratio is 1:13 (1 part coffee, 13 parts water). This makes for a strong tasting coffee.

What are the benefits of an AeroPress?

The AeroPress is a favourite for many reasons. It’s a great travel accessory for the stubborn coffee connoisseur. It works well if you’re staying in a hotel in another city where good coffee is scarce. It’s also perfect as a low-tech method of making coffee while camping or day-hiking.

The AeroPress is known for being easy to transport. Because it’s made of plastic, it’s shatterproof, virtually indestructible, and lightweight. And because it’s relatively small, it doesn’t take up too much room in your bag.

It’s made of BPA-free plastic, so you don’t have to worry about plastic leaching from pouring hot water into the chamber. Generally, pouring hot (or even warm) water into plastic is not recommended as it can release harmful toxins.

After brewing, the AeroPress is easy to clean. Just hover over the organics bin and push the plunger until the spent coffee puck pops out. Then, rinse the outer part of the plunger to remove leftover grinds.

The biggest benefit of the AeropPress is that it makes a truly delicious cup of coffee, and fast. It’s perfect if you’re craving a small, strong, delicious cup.

Is the AeroPress for me?

If you were hoping to make a large amount of coffee for a group, the AeroPress might not be for you. While you can make multiple cups, it’ll take some time, and everyone will have to wait their turn. For multi-serve options, check out the Chemex Classic 6 cup or the Hario Craft Coffee Maker.

If strong coffee isn’t your jam, you might not enjoy the AeroPress method. The 1:13 brew ratio makes for a strong cup. You might want to choose a brew method with a weaker ratio, like the pour over method, which has a ratio of 1:16.

How to make the perfect AeroPress:

Brew ratio:

1:13 (1 part coffee, 13 parts water)

What you’ll need:

Weight scale
Burr grinder (if you’re travelling, we recommend the Hario Ceramic Octo Coffee Mill)
17 grams of coffee
Kettle (preferably a gooseneck)
Hot water, 1 minute off the boil
AeroPress Go Coffee Maker
AeroPress filter

Begin by boiling your water. By the time you’re ready to brew, it should be about 60 seconds off the boil. For best results, use a gooseneck kettle, or pour your hot water into a heat-proof pitcher with a spout.
Grab a paper AeroPress filter, and place it in the screw-on filter. Place the filter over the sink, and gently pour a bit of boiling water over the filter. This rinses the paper filter, preventing a papery taste. Once the filter is rinsed, screw the filter cap onto the chamber, and place on top of your favourite mug.
Next, measure 17 grams of Fratello coffee. Grind your beans on the burr grinder on a medium-fine setting. The grind should be slightly finer than pour over. Place the grinds into the chamber, and give the chamber a firm tap to level out the coffee bed. Place the chamber on top of a mug, and place the mug on a weight scale. Set it to zero.

Pour 220 mL of hot water very quickly over the grinds. Using the stir stick provided, gently stir the slurry to make sure all the grinds are submerged. Place the plunger on top of the slurry, but don’t plunge just yet. Placing the plunger just on top creates a vacuum so the water doesn’t draw down all at once. Set a timer for 2 minutes.
After 2 minutes, begin your plunge. Slowly and gently plunge until you hear a hissing sound. Your AeroPress is ready. Enjoy.

AeroPress troubleshooting

If your AeroPress is tasting less than fantastic, here are some basic troubleshooting tips. You can’t fix a cup that’s already been brewed; just grind some new coffee, and start over. You only need 17 grams of coffee, after all!

Problems and solutions:

Problem: my coffee tastes bitter and too strong.
Solution: try again with a slightly coarser grind.

Problem: my coffee tastes sour and weak.
Solution: try again with a slightly finer grind.

Problem: my coffee tastes like cardboard.
Solution: try again and rinse the paper filter. Don’t skip this step!

Problem: my coffee tastes weak and sour, even after tweaking the grind.
Solution: make sure to pour the water very quickly over the grinds, and hook the plunger into the top. If you pour too slowly, your coffee will begin to draw down prematurely. It won’t have a chance to extract properly, giving it a sour taste.

Problem: my coffee has an unidentifiable “off” taste.
Solution: make sure to use high quality, potable water. If your water isn’t great, you can always brew your coffee with bottled or distilled water.

Looking for more tips for brewing that perfect cup of coffee? Check out our article on why you really need a burr grinder!