Aside from the stability of this machine, another great feature is that it allows the user to actually see at what temperature we’re brewing and, if necessary, change that temperature.  This has led to some really neat experimentation and verification of ideas that I’ve read and heard from various experts but never had the capability of producing on my own.  In addition to this, those black levers that you see us moving around allow us to control the preinfusion of our shots.  What’s preinfusion? It’s the wetting of the bed of coffee grinds before it’s hit with pressurized water so that they may extract evenly and reduce the instances of channeling and fines migration.  More coffee geek talk, but the bottom line is it allows us to control and experiment and get more involved with the coffee we’re using, which, in the end, should result in better coffee in your cup and that’s what we’re all about.

We had a great time Friday night (July 16) at our one year anniversary party—special thanks to Kate (from the Flying Biscotti Co.), Dom (from Piccolo Forno), Heather (Southern Wine and Spirits of W. PA) and Scott (East End Brewing) for providing the food and libations. 

While we made it to our first milestone, there is still much work to be done. Our mission is to provide the highest quality coffee to our customers.  We have to ask ourselves every day if that’s what we are doing and if there are ways in which we can do that better.  The shop is constantly evolving as we work to give our customers a premium product and stellar service; you may have noticed some changes we’ve already made. We recently began using a Fetco drip coffee brewer and, as a result, our drip coffee has gotten even better.  Our new menu board will better announce our offerings to new and continuing customers. Also, instead of pre-stocking our shelves with bags of coffee for home brewing, we will now fill each order individually. This will ensure that your coffee beans are fresh and your home brew flavorful.   And there is still more to be done.  As long as we are in business, we will never stop striving to provide you with the perfect cup.

Thanks again for one hell of a year!

Cheers,

Tamari- terrific Asian/Latin fusion restuarant!, Dozen Bakeshop- Awesome bakery with great Sunday brunch, Asian Influences- Great place to buy lovely Asian art and furnishings, Borelli Edwards Gallery- Beautiful artwork with frequent new openings!, The Framery- Terrific frameshop run by a terrific lady!, Allison McGeary Floral and Event Design- Voted best florist by Pittsburgh Magazine!, Pavement- Great women’s shoes and clothing!, Divertido- Best place for cool, funky gifts!, Sugar- Great women’s clothing boutique, Round Corner Cantina- Favorite place for great drinks and great Mexican food!, Piccolo Forno- Great Tuscan-inspired Italian cuisine and awesome pizza!, Coca Cafe- Best brunch around!, Arsenal Lanes- Coolest place to bowl in the Burgh!, Wild Card- Great place for locally made gifts and cool cards!, Jay Design- Terrific handmade soap!, Equita- Fair trade clothing and gifts- shopping with a conscience!, Thunderbird Cafe- Great place for a beer or to catch a live show ( or our favorite Karaoke Tuesdays!), Practique Yoga, Istanbul Grill, The Deli on Butler (great sammies), Pusadee’s Garden, Ambiance and many more awesome places (forgive me if I forgot to mention any of the other great businesses in the neighborhood!)

Holiday Blend 2009:  This is a blend made from beans from the farm Finca Nueva Armenia in Huehuetenango, Guatemala.  It is blended in the Vienna Melange method of taking the beans to varying roast levels and then blending them.  In the cup you taste notes of chocolate, caramel and nuts.  It’s a classic round and smooth South American that is pleasing to most pallettes. 

Ndaroini- Nyeri, Kenya:  This coffee is full bodied and fruity.  You taste notes of cherry, black currant, and citrus

Finca El Puente- Marcala, Honduras:  Characterized by a beautiful, floral aroma with notes of blackberry, blackcurrant and lavender.  It is a balanced and very nuanced cup.

Finca Mauritania- Santa Ana, El Salvador:  Here you taste notes of butterscotch, pastry and sweet chocolate.  The body is sweet and rich.

Shakisso- Sidamo, Ethiopia (Natural Sundried):  This coffee offers intense berry, fruit, and a hint of chocolate.  It is bright and complex.

Espresso a Mano Blend Espresso:  This blend of South American and African beans is creamy, bright and sweet with a pleasant fruit finish.

21st de Septiembre Single Origin Espresso- Zaragoza, Mexico:  This espresso offers smooth milk chocolated, roasted nuts, stoned fruit and spice flavors.  It’s surprisingly complex for a single origin espresso

There will be more coffees added soon and I will try and keep this updated as they come in.

To start with, espresso is a concentrated coffee beverage (usually 1 to 2 oz.) that is characterized by having a full body, low acidity, a general sweetness, and has a rich, creamy, reddish-brown colored “head” on top called the “crema”. 

The high amount of water pressure used to make the drink is what makes it so intense and rich; what makes it espresso.  All the deliciousness found in the beans is concentrated in that tiny little cup.  As its name indicates, it is prepared quickly (in about 20-25 seconds) and is meant to be drank quickly.  A thick-walled demitasse cup is ideal for maintaining the integrity of this tiny beverage and preserving its heat and tastiness.  That’s why we don’t reccomend espressos “to go.”

A good espresso should have all of the above characteristics and should also carry with it a distinct taste, aroma and aftertaste all its own.  It should never be bitter or overly harsh.  It should be sweet and coat your tastebuds and should linger on your tounge long after being consumed.  

At Espresso a Mano we always have two espressos available.  One is typically our Espresso a Mano blend, a customized blend that has a buttery body with notes of fruit and honey.  It is exceptionally good in milk drinks like cappuccinos and caffelattes in which the sweetness and fruit flavor the milk just enough.  The other blend tends to vary but is usually a Single-Origin Espresso or another espresso blend that offers its own unique flavors.