Gimme! Coffee News

Gimme Art: Featured Artists For July 2009

2009-07-02T16:49:20Z

Ed Marion
at Trumansburg Gimme! Coffee
7 E. Main Street
Trumansburg, NY 14886
Prantik Mazumder
at Cayuga St. Gimme! Coffee
430 N. Cayuga Street
Ithaca, NY 14850

Steven Stull
at Lansing Gimme! Coffee
2075 E. Shore Drive
Lansing, NY 14882

Justin Derosa
at Lorimer St. Gimme! Coffee
495 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Elisabeth Timpone
at Mott St. Gimme! Coffee
228 Mott Street
New York, NY 10012

Shows change monthly, if you want to display your art in a Gimme espresso bar, please contact that location.

What's Wrong With This Photo?

2009-07-01T20:13:09Z

Notice how something just isn't right? More pints will be in stores soon - just right after I get these fixed.

Pints will be available to order online in August! Just in time to send one to your favorite college-bound relative or friend.

State Street Renovation: Week 11

2009-06-30T01:33:53Z

Let's see, since last week there have been some serious going-ons. Lots of plaster repair on the west side of the space as well as quite a bit of electrical and plumbing demolition.

The floor on the east side has been leveled out some in preparation for a new floor, and a whole lot of inventory and supplies have been moved to their hopefully permanent home.

Thanks for bearing with us as we get comfortable with our new digs, and thanks for all of your great comments and feedback. See you on State Street.

Video: Latte Art Throwdown

2009-06-28T17:00:58Z

Baristas from every Gimme espresso bar gathered at our State Street location for a design duel. I snapped 250 pics and slapped them onto an old scrap from my music hobby. It's hyper-kinetic and herky-jerky, so find a friend with a peppy computer and look away if you get dizzy.

Hooray for talented baristas -- such technicians! Stay tuned for official reportage from event impresario Erin.

Photos - Meet Your Barista: Matt Menzenski

2009-06-27T12:42:17Z

An Ithaca native, we met Matt at the 2008 NERBC (where he won 7th place).

View the full gallery

State Street Renovation: Week 10

2009-06-22T20:56:13Z

Welcome to our temporary store front!!! A HUGE thank you goes out to Kevin (CEO), Thom & Tomas (Techs), and James (State St. Manager), for all of their hard work in the wee hours last night, transforming the space above, from the space you saw last week.

While you sip your coffee and espresso drinks from our portable espresso bar, the renovation team will be working hard on on the other side of the wall to get the space painted and a new bar installed.

Here's the space formerly known as your cafe. Don't worry, we'll get things back in working order AND there'll be more seats. Promise. See you next week.

pH Land, Suddenly Strange and Stranger

2009-06-18T13:00:10Z

Outside the Scuola di Espresso, the smell of freshly finished and brick-oven browning baguettes mingles with the smokey, golden morning. A vineyard across the flinty valley is rusty-green. And I am wondering if I can expose my personal confusion about: WHAT IN THE H. . . IS pH, by quizzing il Professore. He is not a morning type guy, ya know, but I stumble onward.
"So, you are asking a simple question", starts the Professore over his latest, another adventure-plus blend he is working on, "for which there is nothing short of the most complex answer."

I take from him the cup; it is brilliant acid, designed for the morning shot, then cream to caramel, very rich with butter and nut aftertaste--fleeting but intense.

"This one is to point the way to an acid front end that complicates itself with the smoothness of elements, offering texture and roasted tastes, in this case a blend of Gimme's Iskander, surreal darkness of Sumatra, a middle of Rwanda, the fondly smooth Epiphanie, and then the front opening note of Costa Rica, a charmingly bright-eyed La Union. Now is the time to turn to the question of acid, of pH.

"You see, pH is commonly understood as the relative measure of the strength of dissolved acids in a solution. But the lack of comprehension starts with the scale itself, for on one end, say theoretical 0, or maximum-total, is acidic, declining up the scale to, for instance 4, as mildly acid, to 7, which is then neither acid or alkaline (salty), the other side of the scale. Now understand that acid increases and the numbers go from 7 down!

"Why this reverse number scale, you ask me. I can say that acids dissolved in water (in coffee, in wine) tend to separate in two: a hydrogen (H+) ion and a negative, an anion (A-), this one being different for each acid. The H+'s are 'dissociated' ions, those capable of transmitting an electrical charge, so measurable. The pH is the measure, say power for 'p', of this activity. Since you asked, here is more complexity: '. . . it is the logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydronium ion concentration. Water is very weakly dissociated, about 1 in 10,000,000 atoms are dissociated. This can be written as a concentration of 10 to the -7 power. The reciprocal of the logarithm of that number is 7. A pH of 6 would be 10 times as acidic as pH 7; pH 5 would be 100 times as acidic as pH 7. Grape wines will have pH levels between 3 and 4; hence are 1,000 to 10,000 times as acidic as water'. I'm referring to 'The Complete Handbook of Winemaking', by the American Wine Society, at 88.

"Therefore, like measuring the earthquake, a step difference is a large difference. But the question is how we perceive it?

The pH of coffee is said to be in the range of 4 to 5. Earlier, in Part II of 'PULLING SHOTS, Chemistry', I mentioned during roasting there is a drop in pH from 5.7-6.0 to 4.9-5.5. In general, arabicas have a pH of 4.85-5.15 in the brew and robustas have a range of 5.25-5.40. Citric acid is the highest contributor to perceived acidity; chlorogenic and quinic acids are less so.

"From our test blend, we found balanced acid, probably still within this range; but, if we change one element of the blend with a thoughtful choice, a powerhouse, such as the Hartmann Honey of Panama, we are struck down with an acid slam at the first sip; the acid is heightened by the combination.

"But here is the confusion of it: the pH is likely the same for each. Our perception is, though, different. And why, you say?

"We answer by looking at wine, but briefly now: interesting to see that there is a composite of acidity in solution so that in the case of wine the pH part is only 1% of all acidity, only 1% dissociated molecules. The rest, in the range of .6 to .85% of the whole bottle, is weak acids, lacking pH activity. This part is like vinegar, ascetic acid, weakly acid, but you know you can taste it for sure.

"Surprisingly and to add confusion, the composite is what you taste. But it's the weak acids that dominate our taste perception. The complexity is that our response to the H+ ions is 10 times stronger than to the A- weaks, but the weak ions exceed the others by about 100 times. It may be similar with coffee, though I haven't a reference guide for you, except this comparison with wine.

"Our perception of acids is a blend, after all. Of course, acid is necessary. Without acidity, the cup is plain, bland; without acid, wine is flat, it will not age. It will deteriorate from clear, ruby red color to frothy brown; it will re-ferment from latent bacteria to awful sulfur-sweet. Enough of this, yes?"

I sip another beaut shot, with a bite at the front of "dissociated" and "weak" acids, then to the texture, to nutty finish, as il Professore pulls another and concludes: ". . , and pH measures a part of the complexity of the cup and is itself a complex piece of chemistry, but overall we are perceiving a range of subtle and strong acids, like a classy red, chateau Bordeaux, is it not beautiful?"

Oh, for sure, strange and stranger, and I turn, saying ciao to il Professore, to head out of pH land.

Why We Visit Coffee Producers

2009-06-17T18:14:29Z

Just outside of Volcan, Panama is Finca Hartmann, a beautiful 90 hectare (220 acre) estate, in which 12 of those hecares are set aside for coffee cultivation, and the remainder are dedicated to old-growth rainforest. Alex Hartmann is one of five Hartmann siblings who work together to run the family estate. Alex is the manager of the coffee nursery, and assists in the management of all coffee harvesting between the months of September and February. When I visited Finca Hartmann in late May, I met with Alex in the nursery and got a glimpse into his philosophy of producing and selling coffee, that is, why it is so important for coffee producers and consumers to communicate with one another.

Over the course of the past few years, Gimme Coffee has met a number of coffee growers from various coffee producing countries. Each meeting is an effort to foster new relationships with these growers, and to actively dissolve our spatial and economic distances.

We visit coffee producers so that we can continue to educate ourselves about what quality coffee truly is: a process. Quality coffee is neither a commodity, nor is it a static idea. It relies heavily on the responsibility of everyone involved, from the farmer in a given coffee producing country to the consumer buying whole beans off of the shelf.

Alex mentions that roasters and coffee buyers are the important link between producers and consumers. We are, in fact, a dual agent in the buying and selling of quality coffee. Gimme's responsibility is to both respond to the specific needs of the grower, as well as to educate the consumer about what we believe quality truly is. It is also to respond to the specific needs of the consumer, as well as to educate the grower about what we believe quality truly is - in an objective and positive way.

Essentially, we visit coffee producers because we want more people drinking better coffee and knowing more about it.

And Speaking of Water, an Introduction to the Chemistry of Wet Processing

2009-06-17T02:42:14Z

I was reading up about wet processing on James Hoffman's site, jimseven, and thought I'd share. James, a former World Barista Champion, gave a lecture at a barista jam in Easton, PA a couple of years ago - he was charming and down to earth, and of course extremely knowledgeable about coffee.
Click here to read more about wet processing coffee - pH, pectins and pulping - oh my!

State Street Renovation: Week 9

2009-06-15T14:47:20Z

This is the time of finishing touches. Paint is hitting the walls, molding is hitting the floors and doors are being hung. The floor has gone down in the new bathroom, and much of the store's inventory has been moved out of our training lab and into to the freshly painted storage room.

Once the paint and molding details are complete electricians will return to put switch plates and outlets together and install the track lights. Before you know it we'll have booths and our MVU set up on this side of the cafe, serving coffee in house while the other side gets a fine tuning and a fresh coat of paint.

Speaking of the other side, we're currently in the process of moving our heating/ac unit to the back of the store. A new location will enable us to heat and cool the entire space. The movement of equipment may be slightly disruptive, thanks for hanging in there with us during this dusty, noisy time.

Photos - Pint Glass Glam

2009-06-14T17:50:55Z

New!

View the full gallery

Photos - Meet Your Barista: Jesse Crozier

2009-06-12T21:11:31Z

Meet Jesse Crozier. Jesse is a barista at the Lorimer Street Gimme! Coffee.

View the full gallery

Magic of Mixing Temp, Says Professore

2009-06-11T21:51:13Z

. . . and at the Scuola di, he is turning from the E 61, shot in hand: "You have an example of another variation, which will point out yet another surprising twist of blending. Remember the epiphany of Gimme's French Roast and an addition of Rwanda Bufcafe Epiphanie, a marvel of balance, depth, strength, and character. But, first, try this", says il Professore, as I stand in the sun-bathed lab of the Scuola. Lake Cuomo, out of the window, today is azure blue, calm, the temp outside is beehive warm, the air is dripping with volatiles--almond blossoms. I'm ready for anything. . . .
The shot is creamy and glossy to look at with a fair amount of butter-burnt wood aroma. But the taste is blah bland-bland, little dimension, like being left in the parking lot by your buddies, to walk home alone.

"In this case", continues the Professore, the variation is an example of a weakened outcome, one in which the best of the blending art is masked, probably by incompatibles or because one element overcomes and subdues. I chose strong components that stand very well alone, and this is the result--a washout. One was the stunning by itself, Bolivian, D'Montana, and then mis-coupled with the ultra-blend you just cupped last, French and Rwanda. Now a mis-chance; it is a lesson to remember, yes"

The Professore then proposed another trial: assuming the better of the blends above, then at which temperature are the shots the best? "For instance Scott Rao, in 'The Professional Barista's Handbook', confirms that the range must be within 185 to 204 degrees F. I am finding that dark roasts prefer to come out at the top end, say even 205 degrees", il Professore states, offering that I do the test myself.

We go for it; results came out like this:

We're using a clever two boiler, PID, machine, small capacity, with easy setting and reasonably quick response-to-temp change, E 61 head design, supported by a fresh Mazzer Robur grinder.

195: start with temp set at 195 degrees. Scace designed portafilter, both temp and pressure in the handle gauges, read 196 degrees and psi of 152.

The shot: lacked some darkening in color from the very start, taste was broad, mild, without syrupy feel, some sharpness and overall watery.

200: next at 200 degrees. Scace read 200.3, psi again at 152.

The shot: striped and good mottle on top, nice, thicker flow down the side of the cup and throughout the volume, perfect 30 sec, 30 mil, having dimension, chocolate, nice bittering, strength throughout and residuals after.

205: finally, at 205 degrees. Scace was 205.8 degrees, psi still 152.

The shot: slower start out of the gate, more color difference throughout the pour, and a very broad stream, viscous, the cup perhaps even richer, more texture, more, more intense aftertaste.

205 wins. The venerable Professore scores again.

So he concludes, as he pulls one at the proven 205: "Someone should test it going the opposite direction, with a light roast and three temps, right?'

I say that I like the idea, Professore, not so complex to grasp as the chemistry thing he threw out last time. He replies: "It is all basically fundamental to the point I am reaching that there is a right regime for sweetness based on that chemistry, and evident in the shot, which we will pull over my concluding Part III of 'Pulling Shots Through the Roaster', next time."

Okay Professore, until the conclusion next time, ciao.

Brewing at Home, Part 4: Improve Your Water Quality

2009-06-09T22:16:30Z

Maybe you've decided to take our advice. You're standing in your kitchen with a bag of sweet Hartmann Honey. Maybe you read Jeremy's (RIP) awesome post about grinding and decided to go ahead and purchase a modest burr grinder for home. You've chosen Moka Pot as your method of extraction, and have the grind size and dose exacted to your taste preference. But what about your water?
Coffee is some crazy high percentage (98.5%) water. Amazing that it's sometimes an afterthought in home coffee brewing, huh? There are several options for improving water quality at home.

1. Get Tested!

Your city or county may have a water testing plant; they usually charge.
They will test for potability - ecoli, lead, nitrates and nitrites (extra charge), fecal coloform.
In Tompkins County, where we roast our beans, we have Yaws Environmental Laboratory.
OR, if you live in a college/university town, try calling their Horticulture Department to find out if they have an analytical lab - they may do the testing for free!

2. Use Cotton and Carbon Filters

Both filter out particulates - sand and dirt.
Cotton ones are cheaper, and the carbon ones will filter more out.
In our cafes, we use two cotton filters first to filter out the bigger particles, then a carbon filter.

3. Know the Total Dissolved Solids value (hardness) of your water.

You can buy a water kit, such as this one.
Send your water to a testing facility, like Cirqua Customized Water.
TDS are inorganic and organic substances contained in your water and are commonly measured in parts per million (PPM).

A good TDS value for coffee brewing equipment is 100-200 PPM, but for the small parts of an espreso machine, this number drops to a recommended 50 PPM. Why would you want softer water in an espresso machine? Thom had a great picture along with his post about water filtration a couple of months ago - limescale buildup inside an espresso machine.

What if you don't have enough hardness? Some mineral content is needed to brew a good cup of coffee. As David Beeman of Cirqua Customized Water says, "You want to add minerals back in to create flavor. Without minerals, there's no chemical reaction with coffee, tea or bread." Now here's where it gets tricky - if you happen to have soft water at home, the more economical choice may be bottled water, as adding mineral content back into water is pretty involved and expensive.

I've heard that the water is NYC (where our Mott Street and Lorimer Street stores are) is excellent, but the problem is that the pipes are old and dirty. That means they need a good filtration system to make sure that none of that dirt gets into brewing water - and brewing equipment. At home in NYC, you'd have to pay to get your water tested. The most economical way to go would be to purchase a Brita or Pur filter, which uses a carbon filter to remove the particulates.

Gimme Art: Featured Artists For June 2009

2009-06-09T15:01:18Z

Josh Sperling
at Cayuga St. Gimme! Coffee
430 N. Cayuga Street
Ithaca, NY 14850

David Cook
at Mott St. Gimme! Coffee
228 Mott Street
New York, NY 10012

David Cook
at Lorimer St. Gimme! Coffee
495 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Julie Tubbs
at Trumansburg Gimme! Coffee
7 E. Main Street
Trumansburg, NY 14886

Daniel Stevens
at Lansing Gimme! Coffee
2075 E. Shore Drive
Lansing, NY 14882

Shows change monthly, if you want to display your art in a Gimme espresso bar, please contact that location.

State Street Renovation: Week 8

2009-06-09T13:56:25Z

Some of you (the ones that pay attention, or that follow a certain ShotZombie) may have noticed that about twelve feet of the front dividing wall at our State St. location has been removed.

All walls that haven't been demolished since last post have been finished, primed, and are ready for the first coat of color. You may also notice (if you really really are paying attention) that our sweet pile-o-construction stuff (the one that no project is complete without) has disappeared!!

Thanks for checking the updates, and if you're a State St. customer, thanks for your patience while there's a little less art on the walls to look at and a little more construction dust to navigate your way around. See you next week!

While June May Look Modest...

2009-06-03T15:42:25Z

... there is so much going on behind the scenes!

So... there are no new coffees this month, but it's prime time for approving samples from some of our favorite Central and South American coffee producing countries. We have many lots of new Colombia Las Mingas in the sample roasting queue, along with new Panama Hartmann Honey and a whole slew of Cup of Excellence auctions just around the corner. Tomorrow is the El Salvador CoE auction, and I can't wait to see how some of my favorites do! The CoE Costa Rica auction will take place next Thursday, and while we haven't even roasted these samples yet, I know there are going to be some beautiful mild coffees in that group. In any case, visit the blog on Friday to see if we bid on any El Salvs!

Later this month we will also begin to see arrival samples of some of the coffees we've purchased earlier this spring. We've got two (that's 2) east African coffees that are going to hit American soil in late June / early July. Kenya Gatomboya is first on my 'Eagerly Awaiting' list. The Kenyan lots that we've purchased in March are really killer, and I really can't wait to see them on our offering list. The second coffee on its way is our new crop Ethiopia Amaro Gayo. This will be the first of hopefully many years we will be offering this solid fruit bomb Ethiopian. Much more to come on the new release tip in July!

State Street Renovation: Week 7

2009-06-01T22:18:17Z

Welcome to week 7!!!! Week of the walls. The gentlemen responsible for plaster round these parts are doing a phenomenal job. You may remember that last week I said that after the spackle it would be time to paint. I was wrong!!!

After the spackle it's time to plaster the walls so the new matches the old. If you look carefully at the State Street cafe you'll see that there's texture on the walls and a sort of seashell pattern on the ceiling. Same case on the other side, and these guys did such a nice job making it all line up.

As you can see from the photo above, the walls have a much more finished look, and they're not even primed yet. Stop back next week for the next round of updates. Same bat time, same bat channel.

Riding Motos Through Finca Hartmann

2009-05-29T14:39:42Z

Tiborcito is a third generation Ratibor Hartmann. He is 4 years old and has won at least 3 trophies in Moto riding. On my first day on Finca Hartmann, Tiborcito led his mother, sister, uncle, and two visitors on an hour long tour through the nearly 30 acres coffee fields and 150 acres of lush virgin rainforest. Watch the video and read on for more of the story!

It was bumpy ride up to the top of the mountain, but well worth the effort. I shot video from the back of Allan Hartmann's moto. Throughout the ride, Allan, who manages all of the coffee processing on the farm, explained the different plots we were passing, which demonstrated not only how well put together this farm is, but also how proud he was of the land his grandfather settled in, this father cultivated, and he and his siblings nurture like an extension of themselves. Tessie Hartmann, Tiborcito's mom (shown at the end of the video), explained to me that nature is in their hearts, while coffee is in their blood.

About 1 minute into the video you see us cresting a hill and descending into a beautiful landscape of coffee and old growth forest. This is an area of the farm they call Ojo de Agua, or Eye of Water, which is an expression meaning the source of water. Most of the water on the Hartmann farm is diverted from a natural spring in Ojo de Agua. It has been explained that the source is plentiful due to the fact that the surrounding forest is left wild, which retains and channels both rain and moisture. Ojo de Agua is at an elevation higher than the rest of the finca. This higher elevation lends to a coffee's hardness and increased acidity due to cooler temperatures and slower plant respiration. Needless to say, these coffees are brilliant (and the view isn't so bad either.)

After Allan shows me the small field of geisha in Ojo de Agua, there are no more coffee plots to see. I think the tour is over, but instead climb further into the rainforest. The time is just after noon, which means the rain is about to start. From late April to November the weather is like clockwork. The mornings are crystal clear, with temperate sun and visibility that seems to have no vanishing point. Early afternoons become overcast, and intermittent rain begins around 1pm. Tessie explains that the end of their property neighbors La Amistad International Park, and at that point we are standing 1,800 meters (5900 feet) above sea level.

Stay tuned for more photos and video from Finca Hartmann.

Meet Gimme! Coffee at the Ithaca Festival

2009-05-29T11:35:56Z

Last year at the Ithaca Festival 5814 local residents joined together to form the largest human peace sign, setting a new world record. This year there's no telling what might happen.

Join the Gimme crew Friday, May 29th and Saturday, May 30th on the Ithaca Commons and Sunday, May 31st at Stewart Park for coffee, music, dancing, shopping, and FUN.

See you there!

The Gimme! Pint

2009-05-28T20:07:27Z

Welcome the Gimme Pint! This 16oz pint will be available for sale in stores beginning June 8. All for-here iced and blended beverages will also be served in these glasses to reduce waste.

State Street Renovation: Week 6

2009-05-27T15:06:47Z

Betcha thought with the holiday on Monday that I would forget to post this week. Not a chance! I'll be posting every week until the job is done.

As you can see, since last week, all of the walls have gone up and the finishing has begun. I think we're almost on our last coat of spackle, and you know what happens after that, right? PAINTING!

Here's a shot of our pile of construction stuff. No project is complete without it. I'd also like to mention that we have a really awesome team of people here. It's such a treat to work with people that I enjoy, and that communicate well, and to have a project go this amazing smoothly and run on time. Cheers!

Photos - Meet Your Barista: Emily Hurst!

2009-05-22T21:14:33Z

Emily Hurst began working at the Trumansburg cafe in Summer 2007. She took off that Fall to finish her degree at Cornell, and returned to Gimme in May 2008.

View the full gallery

What it Was Was Clues, Part II ...

2009-05-20T19:45:52Z

... Pulling Shots, Culling Current Chemistry for Clues to Cup By: Better Coffee Through Chemistry?

Today il Professore seems to be in top form as he pulls a shot of another blend: "Here, my young friend is another epiphany, a blend that is a twist on Gimme's Leftist--searching for clues to sweetness. I am about to give you an intense dose, both in the shot and in my notes to follow of the chemistry of coffee to show that inherent and developed chemical constituents can be identified, leading to discovery of sweetness in the cup."

I drink it in; the fruitiness to sweet caramel is ascending, sour and bitter are passed by. I bet on an added slice of an Ethiopianin this version. "In this case, you are right", says the Professore, "and now I continue to show you a path to sweetness through chemistry, in this case identified as supplemental sacharrides, namely fructose, glucose. But read it yourself": In PART I, the contention blossomed that sweet, caramel, and syrup can be developed, even increased, by purposeful roast technology, machine, technique, and chemistry, coupled to an evaluation by espresso shots. Now it's time to dive into that organic chemistry.

Roast techniques are determined by sought-after roast outcomes, which in turn are driven by roast chemistry. Sivetz and Foote, Coffee Processing Technology (1963), Sivetz and Desrosier, Coffee Technology (1979), Rothfos, Coffee Consumption (1986). Roast chemistry is a massive does of detail. A hefty compilation of developments in the chemistry of coffee, Clarke and Vitzhum (ed.), COFFEE, Recent Developments (2001), puts the chemistry within reach for tentative answers about developing sweetness and diminishing acidity, at least in the trial and error sense. The complexity of this chemical array is almost confounding, but there are groupings that are familiar, starting with coffee's non-volatile parts.

Non-volatile Compounds: Taste, Texture, Body

The non-volatiles may be the taste part of the coffee chemistry. Generally speaking they are sugars from simple to very complex, acids, and proteins.

Sugars

The mono-saccharides of green coffee are sucrose. Sucrose in Arabica varies from 6.25% to 8.45% and is much lower in robusta, from 0.9% to 4.85%. Among three origins of distinction, sugars, mono- and disaccharide (as percent of dry weight) are these:

	Sucrose	Fructose	Glucose
Colombia	8.20	0.15	<0.01
Kenya	8.45	0.02	<0.01
Ethiopia	6.30	0.40	0.40

The differences in composition of simple sugars are remarkable. Kenya, with its refined acidity (according to the lore of cuppers) rates high, possibly because of its relatively high sucrose, and that carries over to Colombia. Winey fruitiness may be the predominance of fructose-glucose in Ethiopian, nearly absent in Kenyan and Colombian.

Sucrose degrades to nearly nothing on roasting: for light roast to 3% and for dark roast to 1%. The roasting process dehydrates sucrose into glucose and fructose. These are reducing sugars that degrade even more rapidly than sucrose, so they too disappear into the roast outcome. There are three primary reactions from roasting sugars:

1. Acids for the front-end, sharp notes

The derivation of acids on top of existing acids is one. In roast coffee, sucrose is the chief source of derived acids. The major acids of roasting are formic, acetic, glycolic, and lactic. Acids from carbohydrates are higher in arabicas (with higher sucrose content of 70-80 g/kg) than in robustas (with 30-40g/kg).

The derived acids are dependent on the degree of roast. Development increases quickly during early weight loss, peaks at the mid-point, and decreases in a nearly perfect bell curve.

Acetic and formic acid are formed up to 240 degrees C (464 F) and then decrease; both are highly volatile. Lactic and glycolic acids increase beyond 240 degrees until 280 degrees (536 F). These seemingly high temperatures could be the result of stating transient environmental or fuel temperatures rather than relative bean temperatures.

During roasting there is a drop in pH from 5.7-6.0 to 4.9-5.5. In general, arabicas have a pH of 4.85-5.15 in the brew and robustas have a range of 5.25-5.40. Citric acid is the highest contributor to perceived acidity; chlorogenic and quinic acids are less so.

2. Dry Distillation for Browns, Cross-Polymers

Second, dehydration produces both caramelization and complex compounds, such as variants of furfural; these become volatile, or react to further polymerize.

3. Maillard Makes Melanoidins

Third, saccharides interact with protein to produce Maillard reaction products bringing long-chain polymers (melanoidins) that contribute color or which become low molecular weight components for both cup flavor and aroma. This brown complex is decisive because it can be as much as 30% of the brew solubles.

Though melanoidin is accorded such a large role in color, taste, and feel, interestingly no reference is included in this detailed material about the sensory attributes of a melanoidin by itself.

There are three dominant types of polysaccharides. All are polymers, one of which is cellulose. The cellulose of arabica contains 6.7% to 7.8% glucose and of robusta, 7.8% to 8.7%. Cell walls are thick and make for hardness of the greens; the walls survive roasting. These polysaccharides are strongly linked and remain intact throughout the roast with only slight degradation. The polysaccharides that are not converted remain fiber in the roast and cup, and are not digestible by coffee drinkers. But as for good news, there is evidence that the undigested fiber can lower colon cancer risk.

Inherent Acids: From Sour, Sharp, to Body

Sour and Sharp

In green coffee, the integral acids constitute about 11% of weight (and 6% of roasted weight). It is of dramatic, dynamic interest that wet processed coffees are higher in acid than naturals.

The major acids in greens are chlorogenic, citric, quinic, and malic. Chlorogenic acid is of the highest concentration. Citric acid is next. Kenya is lower in each of these acids, higher in malic.

Chlorogenic acid roasts to produce added quinic acid and lactones. These reach maximums in medium roasts. Citric and malic acids decrease in roasting. Robustas are higher in chlorogenic acid than arabicas and notable for the appearance of phosphoric acid. Since robustas contain more chlorogenics, the quinic acid content rises faster in roasting robusta. By the way, anti-oxidative activity is strongly associated with coffee's chlorogenics and roasted derivatives. Highest correlations were found in medium roasts, an interesting coincidence and another plus for mid-range roasting.

Body

Fatty acids are components of lipids, the coffee oils and waxes. Most oils are located in the fruity body of the bean; coffee wax is in the outer layer. These are the diterpenes, sterols, and tocopherols of roasted coffee. They are barely soluble, and may therefore account for formation of body and texture.

Proteins Link to Each: Bitter Aftertaste

Bitter taste is chemically associated to extended roasting, with proteins playing a structural role. Protein is an important contributor to Maillard reaction-melanoidin formation as are carbohydrates and chlorogenic acids. Brewed coffee is a mixture of sugars and derived melanoidins that became complex co-polymers. The resulting phenolic-melanoidin complex is degraded chlorogenics that start the roast process by binding with protein and sugars. Yet a significant portion of chlorogenics acid remains in the roast.

The decomposition of lactones and quinic acid at higher roast temperatures results in similar increased bitterness. Caffeine itself is a bitter element but only accounts for 10% to 30% of bitter taste.

Le Nez: the Volatiles from 800 to 28

As many as 800 volatile compounds have been identified in the roast through high-resolution gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The more intense work has been the shortening of this list into the actual components of aroma, as we perceive them, which has been a combination of chemistry and sensory work. An initial spectrum analysis of the more potent volatiles resulted in a supremely complex list of components. Further concentration and sensory analysis produced a list of 28, which has been categorized by tasters into recognizable groups, even though the chemical names are rare, if not daunting, in complexity. Take, for instance "sweetish-caramel", containing 2,3- Pentanedione or 2-Methlybutanal, or go to "smoky/phenolic" for 4-Ethylguaiacol.

Though hardly recognized by their individual chemical tags, the headings are familiar and support the aromatic groups of key essences in the LE NEZ DU CAFE set of aromatics by Jean Lenoir, remarkably comparable to this latest chemical grouping. For example, the chemical group "toasty" includes the LE NEZ caramel, maple syrup, malt, chocolate, and farther down the list, smoke.

Light Roasts and Green Peas

Pyrazines in green coffee produce the odor of fresh green peas. The odor occurs in very light roasts, which are bright, acidic. The pyrazines are sensed as herbiness, hay, sometimes flowery notes, yet greenish, verging on underdeveloped. But be prepared to bear down in roasting, for these pyrazines are one of the hardiest, heaviest scents. "The smell is so strong that just a few drops could be detected in an Olympic-sized swimming pool." Lenoir, 20

Middle Range Masking

In tests where potent odorants in roasted coffee were selectively omitted, the absence of very few of the pyrazines was readily noticeable. The conclusion is that the overall power of "green peas" is masked or bridged by the development of other aromas as the roast progresses. Otherwise, green peas would predominate.

This sort of selective omission testing also showed that only a few of the total odorants of roasted coffee register with us as aroma. The sense of smell is either rather limited or somewhat specific in its sorting from the known 800 to the perceivable.

From roast to ground coffee to brew, the aroma profile changes with caramel, buttery, and phenolic scents becoming more intense. The components of the profile have not changed but extraction by hot water has modified the concentration of them. For example, the flowery damascenone (associated with the scent of damascene rose, one of the most expensive odorants) is reduced by 75%. This may explain why flowery, jasmine aromatics are perceived in dry grounds before cupping, but disappear when the crust is broken.

The Maillard reaction, which colors roasted coffee, also degrades saccharides into volatile compounds, linking acids and proteins to become precursors for odorants of the sweet, caramel, and earthy groups. Sweetish/caramel and green peas are more prominent in arabicas. But mustiness is a particular volatile odorant belonging to robusta, showing itself vigorously in mid-range

Not to be left unmentioned is the phantom Strecker degradation of amino compounds into very complex aldehydes. The aldehydes may be related to the group of spicy, fruity notes, another associative aroma set that becomes apparent in mid-range.

The Dark Side: Phenols and Furfurals

A higher concentration of phenols in robustas accounts for earthier, smoky notes Roasting dark increases the earthy, smoky and oily notes even of arabicas. If it goes dark-dark, the furfurals and phenols increase by as much as 82%!

The Trigonelline Tag

Less understood is the role of the decline in trigonelline connected to the arrival of nicotinic acid (known to us mortals as niacin) during roasting. The intersection of T and N is said to mark mid-range development of significant character. Trigonelline and caffeine are associated with hefty bitterness. Both survive through the roast but to different degrees. As trigonelline disappears, sweetness increases. Nicotinic acid's rise may relate to T's descent. Staub, Agtron Roasting System 1995 (unpublished). Into mid-range, trigonelline starts degradation at 378 degrees F to 85%, melting from crystalline form at 424 degrees F. Going to the dark side, at 457 degrees F, nicotinic acid melts from crystalline form and contributes to the intensity of dark roasts.

Hence, concludes il Professore, there are many indicators of complexity and subtlety set out in mid-range, character, sweetness and resounding, astounding aromatics; and so, he finishes that for next time, the idea is "staging" is where it all is.

The Professore turns to pull another shot of the latest expression, the complex of Leftist-Sidamo, sips contentedly. Ciao, il Professore.

DIY Espresso Machine at Make Magazine

2009-05-19T18:14:37Z

I learned how to make espresso on a Gimme La Marzocco Linea. Unlike any other espresso machine I've used before or since, it had a custom temperature regulator, designed and built by Tomas Reyer and Andy Schecter. The device is called a PID ("Proportional, Integral, Derivative") controller. It's basically a thermostat -- albeit, a thermostat with advanced fuzzy logic and a Back to the Future display panel. And it works! I still have vivid memories of the bittersweet chocolate shots it pulled. If you're wishing you could have a PID of your own, good news: Make Magazine just posted a bunch of advanced coffee tutorials, including one on how to install a PID in your espresso machine. The pdf is free and available for download at their site. For extra points, you can also follow their instructions to build a hydraulic tamper or your very own coffee roaster (hint: it involves plenty of propane). Anybody out there have a bandsaw I can borrow?

State Street Renovation: Week 5

2009-05-18T15:29:21Z

Well, well, welcome to week five. You'd hardly even recognize the place.

We passed our framing inspection which gave clearance to move on to the next phase of the project. Much of the next few weeks will be spent insulating, hanging and finishing sheet rock, and getting more electrical work in place.

As you can see, a lot has happened since last week, at least as far as the walls are concerned. Construction projects are funny like that. There is SO much work that happens before the walls even go up, but this phase is when you start to see changes and it actually looks like a lot is happening.

More updates next week. Thanks for stopping by.

Photos - Meet Your Barista: Jacob Landrau, Cayuta New York's Finest.

2009-05-15T22:16:06Z

Jacob was first hired at our State Street location in Ithaca. Jacob has been working the bar there for a little over a year. Jacob is soon to be taking over duties as retail manager at Gimme's Ithaca Farmer's Market booth.

View the full gallery

Photos - Get Your Manndible Here

2009-05-14T14:10:00Z

When our trailer graduated from Cornell in 2007, Manndible was awarded the cafe contract in Mann Library, on the Ag quad.

View the full gallery

Sale on Blends Continues

2009-05-13T19:24:08Z

Our sale on these 3 blends continues this month. And while you're here, pick up a bag of our San Rafael micro-lot before it's gone!

What it Was Was 150 ml of Bitter

2009-05-13T14:44:34Z

I am asking il Professore of Scuola di Espresso about the cause of bitter, over a shot of his latest espresso transfiguration.

"My friend, remember that we have been discussing the role of caffeine in particular. It is relatively the most important toxic substance we know, the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world. We find it in over 60 plants. Think also of kola nuts, quarana, besides coffee, tea, and cocoa. Surprisingly, caffeine (much of it from the decaffeination process itself) is part of many pain-killers, called "buffered", or analgesics, from Greek, analgesia, believe me, meaning without pain.

"But just now, I am in the midst of a without-pain-moment, my own epiphany of taste and texture of this particular shot. The aroma is not at all subtle either. You be the judge of the taste." The shot he gives me is creamy, balanced, sweet to bitter and back again, or back and forth, for the game goes extra innings in this version. The central note, the command performance is baker's chocolate, hefty chocolate, bittersweet, dark, thick, even gritty- strong.

The Professore pulls another: "You are seeing a very full extraction, mottle, a thick slide down the spout, then a lightening up in color, 'the on-off switch' of the shot. There is not much left to come out. Drink, again.

"I have demonstrated the balance of bitter-sweet in this way: It is relatively simple. I chose for bittering the French Roast, a Gimme mainstay of dark, dark. Yet there needed to be another chapter. We look for a fruity, sweet, and I find the Rwanda Bufcafé, this time it is the Buf Epiphanie at Gimme, as a remarkable example. Now I will work out the right proportions for the bench blend. I am sticking with 2/3 French and 1/3 Epiphanie. It is left for you to try others, but this result is, as you see, a balance scale in near perfect equipoise of sugar-dark bite, yes?"

So, I here am asking again the Professore about the elements of bitter and the role of caffeine, how to taste it?

The Professore doesn't hesitate to draw a plan: take your basic over-the-counter what they call an "alertness aid", for not dozing on the road, at exams.   The box says it is 200 mg of caffeine and some other stuff, starches mostly, preservatives, and just assume that mg and ml are interchangeable for this simple trial; for the assumed caffeine ratio of 150 ml in 6 oz, cut about a quarter off the tablet, right? Mash the rest with a tamper. Then into cup with hot water. The contribution of caffeine to the cup is said to be about 10%, and now you have its analog in water only.   There is decidedly bitter in the cup. No? Well, just compare the sleepers' awake brew to a cup of plain hot water!

The Professore is pulling shots for comparison, saying: "Now you taste the bitter complex of dark roast French, bitter but rightly so. We then insert the French-Rwanda experience. You will undoubtedly answer that we have booted the bitter."

I say good work to il Professore and take the last sip, sweet, then creamy, then a bite of bitter, then out the door, thinking of the old dude's epiphany, my without-pain-moment--a French-Epiphanie.

State Street Renovation: Week 4

2009-05-11T17:26:55Z

Hello week four! We closed the week out with all of the studs in place, and the plumbing and electrical completed. By completed I mean ready for the next phase and awaiting the first inspection.

The space feels much smaller this week, with the studs in place you really get a feeling of what the layout is going to be like. Last week it still felt very much like a lofty warehouse space.

If any of ya'll are interested we have paint chips up on the cafe side at State St. Have a looksie. We want to keep the space warm, and have a color that's a little kinder to our rotating art exhibits.

Thanks for checking in! See you next week.

The May Deal: Save 25% on Gimme! Coffee

2009-05-11T15:06:40Z

If you already receive our monthly News & Discounts email, check your inbox for an exclusive coupon: 25% off all coffees. If you're not a subscriber, sign up today and we'll send the coupon to you by email. Don't miss another discount!

What else is new? We've got a brand new coffee this month: Colombia San Rafael, a tasty micro-harvest from the small family farm of Alfredo Correa. It'll only be available for a short time, so grab a bag while you can!

May's Fresh Out of the Roaster Releases

2009-05-06T19:28:16Z

May is a month that really boosts my interest in multiple outdoor activities : running, frisbee, roasting... Roasting?! Yes. You'd better believe it.

At just about this time (and temperature) each year, we here at the Gimme Roasting Farm open our doors to let the sunshine and cool breezes in. We have supreme bragging rights over copious amounts of 'useless' space (as Allen of Mott St. likes to call it), but, of course, we don't think of it that way. We call it 'possibility', or even 'space to think'. There is certainly no better or relaxing place to contemplate the roasting of some of the world's best coffees. Hear hear!

Enough with the sentimentality! Let's talk coffee. This month we are featuring 3 phenomenal gems : Rwanda Epiphanie, Brazil Santa Clara (organic) and Colombia San Rafael. All of these coffees are in season and ready for your grinder. Let's meet 'em.

Colombia San Rafael

This Colombia is part 1 of 2 microlots that we have purchased from Cristina Garces of Montes y Colinas, a fabulous exporter specializing in quality coffees from la Concordia, Colombia. We have been in contact with Montes y Colinas for some time, and have even traveled with them in Concordia, but these are the first coffees that we have purchased and offered to you (the second offering, Las Animas, is a 12 bag lot that will be released in July).

The Colombia San Rafael has beautiful bouquet of ripe red fruits and ambrosia. It was recently explained as "a layered, sweet-smelling experience like in the evening when it's getting dusky and the sweet flowers on the trees are all opening up and wafting around". I don't know if you can get more literal than that, but you're welcome to try. Remember, we only have 10 bags of this coffee, and it's going to go fast, so don't wait to be part of the experience.

Rwanda Epiphanie
I know I've blogged about this coffee before, and I promise I'm not just bringing it up again because I am secretly in love with it. It's no secret. I'm in love with Rwanda Epiphanie. There. I said it.

This coffee has almost all of the interesting acidity of a Kenyan coffee, but is riddled with ginger, black currant, spices and, dare I say, intrigue. It is truly unique, plump, and clean clean clean. So I ask: what's not to love? If you have the opportunity to try it as a Featured Roast in one of our retail stores, you know that it'll be a good day indeed.

Brazil Santa Clara
Don't be fooled into thinking that the organic certification is the only thing that Brazil Santa Clara has going for it. This coffee is grown in the Andradas wine region in southern Minas Gerais. If you haven't made the connection that coffee is and should be treated as a luxury beverage (like wine), then here is a perfect example of why this is true. Grape growers and wine makers know that the end result of their product is inseparable from soil type, fruit varietal, production and processing methods. Think of coffee with this very same philosophy. It takes education, time and planning in order to produce some of the world's best coffees. The Teixeira family knows this, which is why we offer this beautiful Brazilian coffee to you.

The Brazil Santa Clara is gung ho peanut butter oil from start to finish. It has killer lipids that create much more than a taste sensation experience. Think body. Think weight, and mouthfeel. That is what I love most about this coffee, and think you will too.

Bottoms Up: Portafilters Take Turns

2009-05-06T00:54:08Z

Behold the bottomless portafilter. About four years ago, some smart barista decided to cut the spouts off of the traditional portafilter used for brewing espresso, and it caused quite a stir. More gas expansion! More crema! Higher volumes! Better tastes?

I haven't been able to perceive a difference between the two, but I prefer the bottomless as a trainer; I find it invaluable. Any missteps along the way in shot preparation are seen directly in the extraction, and can then be diagnosed. Overextraction, underextraction, channeling - all are easily visible.

Also, it is just plain beautiful. Streaming earth tones start at a drip and coalesce into a cone. Mesmerizing.

At Gimme!, we use bottomless portafilters in every retail store. Perhaps because of this, lately I've felt an aesthetic nostalgia for the spouted portafilter, akin to my nostalgia for landline telephones.

I wonder how other baristas, home or professional, feel about their portafilters. Is it one or the other? Do you switch back and forth? Using a bottomless, the first thing the espresso hits is your cup, rather than the metal of the spouts. Does this cause unnecessry heat loss? Do you prefer the higher volumes that bottomless portafilters yield, or do you find them too gassy?

In the end, I suspect it depends on the coffee.

The Moral, and Marital, Dimensions of Coffee

2009-05-04T19:00:03Z

I recently read this characterization of the global coffee trade:

"The gigantic extent to which the production and consumption of coffee has been carried of late years, the vast number of hands employed in its cultivation and preparation for market, including the great quantity of shipping necessary for its transportation, and the enormous amount of capital invested in its production and trade, naturally invest the commodity, not only from a commercial but also from a moral and social standpoint, with great importance, creating as it does an industry of almost fabulous proportions and capital, rendering it second to no other article of food or drink in the world."

As true today as the day it was published... in 1894. Joseph Walsh's Coffee: Its History, Classification, and Description sweeps through the coffee universe in 300 pages, gifting us a brief history of the bean according to a century-old perspective. Replete with savory trivia, Coffee reports that residents of 16th-century Constantinople were subject to an unusual law, written shortly after the city's first coffeehouses opened: refusal to supply one's wife with a specified amount of coffee per day was a valid cause for divorce. No mention of the exact quantity, however, nor any clauses about quality.

Pictured: Sorting (top) and drying coffee circa 1894. Photos are possibly from Brazil, judging from the text, though Walsh does not say.

State Street Renovation: Week 3

2009-05-04T18:02:55Z

I enjoy making these posts. It's satisfying to note the progress week to week. The picture below is a look at the area which will be opening up entirely and connecting both spaces.

A lot has happened since the last post. Our bath and utility rooms are now framed, and all of the big holes we cut in the concrete have since been filled with plumbing fixtures or fresh concrete.

See you next week!

Gimme Art: Featured Artists For May 2009

2009-05-01T21:02:14Z

Melanie Bennitt
at Trumansburg Gimme! Coffee
7 E. Main Street

Trumansburg, NY 14886
7am-7pm

Railey Savage
at Cayuga St. Gimme! Coffee
430 N. Cayuga Street
Ithaca, NY 14850

AtsuHiro Saisho
at Lorimer St. Gimme! Coffee
495 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Lauren Asta
at Mott St. Gimme! Coffee
228 Mott Street
New York, NY 10012

Evera Lovelace
at Lansing Gimme! Coffee
2075 E. Shore Drive
Lansing, NY 14882

Shows change monthly, if you want to display your art in a Gimme espresso bar, please contact that location.

Expanded Composting Program

2009-04-30T21:50:01Z

For the past few months, we've been working with the Tompkins County Solid Waste Management Division to become certified as a ReBusiness Partner. Through our collaborative efforts, we are able to implement programs at each location to enhace the 4 R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rebuy).

The first step was to perform waste assessments at our upstate cafes, Roastery and Headquarters. While we have always recycled everything we can, there was more we could do. So, we increased the number of customer recycling bins at all locations. Next, we're going to expand our composting program - so get used to putting your hot cups, cold cups, napkins, cup sleeves, straw wrappers and sugar packets into compost bins. The trash will become the compost bin into which most everything will go. And if it's not compostable, it's most likely recyclable.

It will take a bit of education and a slight change in behavior when discarding your items, but we'll do our best to make the transition an easy one.

What it Was Was Bitter ...

2009-04-29T18:22:03Z

... 1H-purine-2,6-dione, 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1,3,7 trimethylxanthine [58-08-2], wasn't it?

Since the druggist was sayin', over a cup of "Coffee of the Year, Las Mingas", that caffeine, that trimethylxanthine, in the pharmacopeia is listed as a chemical that is odorless and tasteless, to be compounded where an increase in metabolism is indicated, I turned to il Professore of Scoula di . . , because all my references say caffeine contributes to the bitter taste of coffee as much as any other component.

Our Professore looks astonished and pulls down Flament, Coffee Flavor Chemistry (2002) to page 14. "No chemist doubts", says the Professore, "that caffeine is bitter, yet it's role in taste is limited to around 10% of total bitterness. It is unaffected by heat itself, decline is modest or stable in relation to overall weight loss in roasting, but increases in solubility by 10 times at least as the temperature comes up to drinkable hot, very soluble. "Still, because of caffeine's limited impact on taste, we must consider bitterness as part of the chain of, first, inherent green chemistry and then of roast-derived components, both volatile and non-volatile.

"Why am I", continues il Professore, "so bent upon the results of my espresso shots? Because of an approach to cupping-roasting which controls bitter outcomes, but leads to intensity, dimension, and rivers of crema, that I call: Pulling Shots through the Roaster--Staging Roasts for Cupping Shots!

"Do not give up on me. . , but read about it in three parts: Pulling Shots Through the Roaster, Culling Current Chemistry of the Mystery, and then "Staging" is Where it Leads.

Pulling Shots Through the Roaster? Part I

Uh, no, it's not that shots are somehow coming out of the roaster in a sort of mechanical misstep. It's instead a shift to an emphasis on roasting near to the "espresso" style and to the judging of the outcomes of the roaster through the espresso machine, through shots of espresso. It means searching for roasting regimes to maximize the mid-range characteristics of development and of the cup, what can be called "staging". It means depending on shots to judge cup quality as much as keeping on with the technical cupping routine--not to replace, but in addition to, traditional cupping.

Pulling shots and then developing stages in roasting leads away from formulary roasting, even from current time and temperature curves. An examination of the artistic sense of roasting and matching that with current science in coffee chemistry moves toward pinpointing and manipulating roast regimes with intense results.

Cupping Shots

Working with shots expands the traditional cupping table routine. "Cuppings" in the international league are necessarily well-developed comparative exercises with standard practices, with set and predictable lab-like procedures. The cupping tables are exemplary for their displays of well-developed acidity in front-ends or the absence of it, intensity or lack of it, and sorting out the apparent defective cups. Incorporating espresso shots as routine is a conceptual expansion of the role of tasting the roast styles to which we have become habituated. The senses are called upon to explore the capture of aroma, the texture and longevity of the crema, smoothness against grainy bitterness, the unfolding of front-middle-end notes, and the relative balance of sweet-sour.

Expressly for Espresso

Sweet shots are the lore of aristocrats of espresso roasting. Probably there is at least one marque in every great roaster's inventory close to the traditional Italian espresso blend. Consider Intelligentsia's intellectually intense "Black Cat", Stumptown's hard-hitting "Hair Bender", the pearly pour of Gimme's "Platinum Blond", or one of David Schomer's cult classics. By the way, none of these are hefty black, oily darkness, but mahogany blends of striking palate. No backlash bitterness. All could stand as daily brews of residing sweetness and depth.

What is that something about a legit "Italian" shot? Consult Illy and Viani, Espresso Coffee: the Chemistry of Quality (ed. 1995) for details about italo-shot mechanics and chemistry of the renowned polymodal, polyphaisic 30 milliliters at 30 seconds. But the roadmap of espresso roasting is still not clear. Turn to the famous houses for some suggestive clues of the way to roast for sweet-low acid, for texture, crema, and so forth. For example, Rome's Caffe Eustacio roasts slowly in a drum roaster and lets it be known that it ages the greens for over a year or more. Could that be the technique to enhance sweet mid-range tastes?

Cupping Through the E61

The question remains unanswered, so try cupping with companion cups: one is the traditional infusion, for slurp and spit; the other. . . have the espresso machine standing by. Say the very venerable Faema E61. Pull and taste shots while the traditional cups cool down after the crust of each sample is broken, perhaps. Then the shot is its own verification of the valor of the origin or blend being investigated: a shot as a new gateway to taste.

And naturally, the espresso machine, the grinder, and the shot technique have to be of the same caliber as the rigorous routine of straight cupping.

In the case of the E61, the design of the head is proven by the pours: glossy slow syrup carrying a tattoo of mottle and spoonfuls of crema. Examine the re-make of the E61 for an alternative, the Faema Legend, or the glamour model Mirage Veloce from Kees van der Westen for the very same head. The boiler of the E61 is nuclear reactor heavy, massive, copper brass. There is no auto-fill that will surge on and off during shots. The head can be manually opened to line pressure, less than two bars, for puck saturation before infusion; the switch to pump pressure brings a mudslide oozing out. Part of the magic though is the new Barksdale pressure stat backed by a solid-state relay and heat sink. It has an operational differential of 0.5 psi or 0.04 bar, keeping the boiler with 1 degree C.

The grinder is the formidable Istituto Espresso Italiano certified, conical Luigi Mazzer Robur. It is a 60-pound tower turning the interior cone slowly and quietly compared to conventional grinder-dosers.

How to do Sweet?

At this point, for argument sake say that the answer is: study the chemistry, cut the chlorogenics, increase caramelization, heighten the brown textures, fill out the aromatics, and add nuance with roasting by some method. Pull the shot and, indeed, when you hit the target, the pour is dark red liquor to start, viscous as molasses, mottling the sides and finishing tawny with sweet, sweet mouth and potent finish drawn through a blanket of rich texture. Masterful!

Part II, coming, will be a look at the applicable coffee chemistry.

How Does Your Espresso Taste?

2009-04-28T15:15:03Z

I've remarked before on how an espresso blend is always subject to transitions and changes. As much as possible, we try to create a certain flavor profile and experience from all the components. Even so, every shot is unique, subject to different specific conditions ranging from the roast age to machine temperature, from coffee dose to the humidity. That's why our baristas spend so much time learning to find the best shot in every situation. And it also makes drinking espresso considerably more interesting, by forcing you to find the nuance within a certain flavor profile. My Leftist shot this morning at our Brooklyn location held a heavy cashew flavor through a soft texture, had a short appearance of grapefruit zest through the middle, and finished with cloves, extra-dark chocolate, and amaretto liqueur.

In fact, I had two. How was yours?

State Street Renovation: Week 2

2009-04-27T18:14:24Z

Last week I promised that I would post weekly renovation updates, so that all a yous out there might stay abreast of what's happening behind the papered windows at our State St. location.

Lookie here, I'm making good on my promise. Behind window # 1 there's been a bit of demolition and a bit of renovation. Electricians have been busy roughing in the wiring and installing conduit.

A hole has been cut into the concrete floor to make way for plumbing that will one day become a bathroom. There's also some framing up in the back for what will someday be walls separating storage from everything else. !

Gimme Fish!

2009-04-27T14:00:27Z

When the original "Gimme! Coffee" banner was raised above our Cayuga Street cafe in 2000, thirsty neighbors started flocking. But does the brand a-lure work at sea? Will the 40-pound striped bass who lurk around the Norwalk Islands be drawn inexorably to one vessel above all others? Edward B, a loyal customer from the shores of Long Island Sound, intends to find out this season.

Ed had been pondering names for his prized Grady-White when a web order (5 pounds of Leftist) showed up at his door. Eureka! Ed checked the national registry of boat names. It's a first. Thanks for the pics, Ed. Here's to fair winds and following seas. And fresh bluefish broiled on the grill in lemon and butter.

Photos - Meet Your Barista: Peter Demos

2009-04-24T22:23:25Z

Meet Peter Demos. Peter is a veteran barista at Gimme! Coffee in Brooklyn.

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Coffee of the Year Awarded to Some Familiar Faces

2009-04-24T17:06:10Z

On Sunday April 19th, Alejandro and Giancarlo (founders of Virmax Cafe in Colombia) were presented with quite possibly one of the highest honors in specialty coffee : Coffee of the Year. We have Virmax to thank for the Las Mingas Program, which brings quality coffee growers together with quality roasters. They work tirelessly to educate growers on how to overcome the many obstacles that get in the way of outstanding quality. It seems like all of their hard work has paid off.

The coffee that won was a microlot from finca Los Naranjos, which is in San Augustin, Huila. It beat over 130 coffees from all over the world, including Ethiopia, Hawai'i, Indonesia and other Central Americans. In fact, Virmax had 4 coffees in the top 60 and 2 in the top 10, including the number 1 coffee of 2009! So many numbers! So many beautiful coffees!

If you missed the Up Close event with Alejandro and Giancarlo, you should be smacking the palm of your hand to your forehead right about now. Attendees learned almost everything about the journey of a coffee from its point of origin to your coffee cup. Virmax was fielding just about every question imaginable and really put the troubles of commodity coffee into perspective. The whole night was heated with discussion and accessible information. We were really kicking it with some stand up guys!

Congratulations Virmax!

What It Was? Do it by Profile, Which One?

2009-04-24T13:51:44Z

"What it was", says il Professore at Scuola di Espresso, "is the idea that you ought to change the way, the profile, at which you are roasting, depending on what? What idea to pursue, say? Look at Williem Boot's 'Ready to Roast' in September, October issue of 'Roast Magazine', a roast set for hard, for soft, for large."

A new approach, right? Not by roast outcome or cup but by green bean. So we are gonna try what he's up to: roasting a profile to match beans by hardness, by size; we oughta see results.
Hard:
What we got is Bolivia, Cenaproc D'Montana FTO, a beautiful hard bean, altitude of above 5000 ft for hard; and, we go at it, though as you will see we beat by wide margin Boot's ideal time, with high initial temp and a keep-it-rolling profile, into 7 minutes total.

This profile is high initial heat, to first crack (suggested 6 minutes);

reduce heat for two minutes;

increase for set finish temp (end time 14.20); ideal time from start of first crack to end of roast is 3 minutes (Boot recommending overall times for all roasts: 12-15 for drum with air, 10-12 for solid drum, faster for pure convection, Gimme's type).

Medium hard:
A Brazil, a Minas Gerais Santa Clara pulped natural at 3,000 ft, is a good choice here, and because of lower temp, the roast time is extended by 30% plus to 10 minutes. Second, we choose to go dark, and by keeping the temp in extension mode, but still at exothermic, eliminating lots of blue smoke, which otherwise might have contributed to toasty outcome, and beyond, to treacherous blackness.

Charge at 30 degrees lower than hard bean temp;

moderate heat to first crack;

1 minute after first crack, reduce heat to extend first crack;

in most roasts, temp kept the same to end, except for exothermic spike.

Large:
Here you take a lovely Kenya AA, an Embu Karindundu, blue-green and super-sized. Roast time very extended into 12 minutes, long and with an almost aggravating slowness, since at mid-point and after, there is a huge escape of aromatics in the roasted air column. You want to ask if this is all good, likely just paint-stripping the volatiles? Or is it a sign of what might show up in the cup?

(avoid roasting into second crack)

Charge at 30 to 50 degrees lower than hard bean;

maintain low heat to first crack;

sample constantly, establish bean temp increase of 6 degrees/minute, 1 degree/second, heat down 15-40 percent accordingly, gradual development observable to the eye.

From the il Professore's panel of cuppers, we get this tasting review of results:

Bolivia-hard, fast

It's the Professor at the E 61 for shots: less fine grind consistent with a lighter and faster roast; oodles of cream, round cup, fairly full body, sweet to chocolate, but very mild overall, without edginess.

The traditional cup: aroma and crema are rich, woody, beefy, taste is chocolate-sweet, honey, minty in middle, then soy and baker's chocolate, lacks body, slight creaminess, and slight buttery aftertaste too.

Brazil-soft, medium, lower atmosphere

The espresso grind changes to fine +, some spice in the demitasse, heavy oak aroma, going from sharp to mildly sweet. On second try, the finish surprises with velvet-cream.

The cup: panel finds the aroma is green pea, radish, beet root, just mildly vegetable throughout, taste is earthy, dry as freshly turned summer fields, green, vegetable again,
urging that the roast did not magnify but left an uncovered heartland.

Kenya-large, prolonged at first crack

What it was was a fine grind for intense jasmine to butter aroma in the demitasse, very nice, then nutmeg, vanilla, pepper layered on top of cucumber final. The crema dissipates and taste finishes clean, dry, pleasantly sharp.

The cup: the aroma is light with caramel, butter, faint melon, taste repeats melon, greenish, dry-dry and finishes as light citrus, not powerful, just a door opener on which you seek for more.

What to say, Professore? "Nice way to consider profile changes for circumstance and to consider bean characteristics as well, yet the Brazil did not demonstrate valor, while the more standard Gimme profile with Bolivia had a good, round performance in shot and cup. The Kenya espresso may lead to some further work, yes? But the traditional cup was less responsive, underdeveloped?"

The Professore turns back to the E 61, in saying: "Why not experiment with the same profiles of temperature using the same bean, say Bolivia, rather than 3 kinds. What role does bean characteristic really play, huh?"

Okay, maybe next time, ciao Professore.

e. r.

Photos - Drrrrrty South, SCAA Style

2009-04-22T17:47:22Z

Colleen Anunu (Roasting Department Manager), Janet Murray (Purchasing Manager), Anne-Marie Robles (Director of Wholesale) and myself (QC Guy) decided to drive down to Atlanta for the annual SCAA trade show. Yeah, real smart guys, 15 hours in a 2001 Hyundai Elantra, with people you work with every single day. DEDICATION folks, DEDICATION.

View the full gallery

Leftist Lab Has Good Taste

2009-04-22T01:05:06Z

Good taste isn't born - it's cultivated. And our Leftist Labs - they're real classy. I mean, check out that espresso ring on the counter. The sophistication of the scattered grounds. In our lab sesson today, each of the five baristas had ten minutes to step up to the Mirage espresso machine and "dial in" the grind - that means adjusting the particle size that the grinder is set to produce, in order to yield a good extraction.

As you can see in the picture above, we had some instruments at our disposal. We measured dose, called out time parameters for each other ("Drip at 8! Cone at 11! Ended at 24!") and noted the flow rate particular to each shot.

Of course, more important than the numbers is...TASTE! As always, we were attempting to draw from our taste memories, learn new vocabulary, and calibrate our palates.

In the photo below, Heather Deal (no apparent relation, unfortunately) concentrates deeply, perhaps centering her chi.

We needed lots of water and lots of demis. Can you pick out the spit cup in the picture below?

Heather's troubleshooting skills paid off in the end. Her last shot was extremely balanced, buttery smooth, full of dark chocolate, and had just a touch of citrus acidity. I was very happy (read: caffeinated) by the end of the day.

What Are You Doing Back There?

2009-04-20T14:51:21Z

Perhaps you're wondering what's happening behind the papered window? Well, lemme tell ya, renovations are officially underway here on State Street.

Over the course of the next few months hammers will be swinging and plaster will be flying. These photos illustrate the first of many steps toward a wonderfully expanded cafe at 506 W. State Street.

Stay tuned in here, I'll be posting renovation highlights and updates every Monday for the duration of the project.

In Need Of Some Seriously Gratifying Refreshment?

2009-04-17T20:54:22Z

The summer menu rolled out today at all of our retail locations. Stop by for a cold brewed cup of iced coffee, some blended espresso fanciness, or your favorite drink over ice.

Photos - Offshore Cafe

2009-04-16T23:01:16Z

Most coffee I drink is brewed indoors - in the house, in the roastery, or in the cafés. Today, feeling the residual stifling pressure of the outgoing Ithaca winter, I decided to take it outside.

View the full gallery

Road Fuel

2009-04-16T13:02:11Z

Gabe, Janet, Anne-Marie and I are on our merry way to Atlanta for the annual Specialty Coffee Association of America Exposition. Right now we are just outside of Blacksburgh, VA and I need a little pick-me-up.

A Suspended Espresso

2009-04-14T16:18:03Z

In Napoli, there is a custom of ordering a caffè sospeso. This espresso is paid for, but not consumed; it remains "in suspension" until redeemed by someone later on, perhaps someone who can't afford it or maybe just someone who forgot their wallet. Either way, the purchaser earns good luck and someone doesn't have to go a day without espresso in their system. Read more about the suspended espresso in the article where I first stumbled on it.

Fueled by Gimme, Rome Was Built in One Day

2009-04-13T13:00:46Z

Last week, The New Museum in Manhattan kicked off it's signature triennial, "The Generational," with a performance work by Los Angeles-based artist Liz Glynn and her army of volunteers. Objective: Build Rome (then destroy it) in one day. Materials: Performance-enhancing espresso beverages and salvaged construction stuff. Volunteers drank free at our Mott Street cafe just 2 blocks away.

The awesome Mott Street crew also teamed up with Annie, the Museum's Marketing Manager, to provide gallons of fresh-brewed coffee for the official press preview, which brought together over 200 journalists from all the big media venues. Reporters were prepping for stories about "Younger Than Jesus," the first edition of the triennial, which will run for 3 months and feature 50 artists from around the world, all under the age of 33. Go see it!

It was great supporting the arts and working with everyone involved. Look out for future collaborations between Gimme and the New Museum.

Weekends in Ithaca: Join Gimme! Coffee at the Farmers Market

2009-04-10T21:14:00Z

The Farmer's Market is in full swing!

Join us on Saturdays from 9-3. Doesn't it look lovely?

A New Old Machine

2009-04-09T21:11:49Z

We love history, especially when it has to do with vintage espresso machines. This is a sibling of another machine we had but with one more group. The two group just sold, and if you are interested in this one, please contact us. We just got the body panels powdercoated, descaled the coffee boiler and Tomas is devoting careful attention to reassembly. Be sure to watch this space for more updates! Until then, feast your eyes on this machine.

Gimme Sticker Art

2009-04-09T20:40:34Z

What does your Gimme sticker collection say about you? Is your bumper covered with !'s? Do you have a wall plastered? What about your bike frame or favorite parking meter? Have you seen a Gimme sticker in a foreign country? Here's a paw on the bumper of an obvious animal lover.

Send your pictures to janet.murray at gimmecoffee dot com. I'll put together an assortment of the best and post a gallery.

I Don't Smell No More, But Now Do 6 Tastes

2009-04-08T14:37:21Z

No, what I mean is I ain't in the roasting loop anymore--my clothes don't give away that I was just roasting beans. So my new role, new myself, is as a Gimme correspondent to be known as r. e. (roaster emeritus). . . . . . assignment I have been on is getting in touch with the man, il Professore at Scuola di Espresso, our Italian connection.

When found recently, he says: "I am reminding you that it is now savvy as cuppers to speak of 6, that is six, rather than the used-to-be 4, tastes when you are bent over the cupping table."

"Go on professor, tell me again", I says:

"My friend, we are now talking about more recent work. There are the original 4: sweet, sour, salt, and bitter."

See American Heritage Dictionary, defining taste as "the sense that distinguishes the sweet, sour, salty, and bitter qualities of dissolved substances in contact with the taste buds on the tongue", found in Utermohlen, Taste Science (2006, unpublished).

"For the past few years there is a developing chord in tasting literature for the sense of UMAMI.   For example, you can look at The Fifth Taste: Cooking With Umami by the Kasabians (2006)."

I myself found it mentioned just recently in "Yes, MSG, the Secret Behind the Savor", by Julia Moskin in March 5, 2009 NYTimes.   Umami is the taste of fat, or more accurately the taste of glutamate, a protein, the taste of meat, hence savory. More on glutamate in a moment.

"Next", says il Professore, "the more recent and less recognized is the TRIGEMINAL sensation, connected with the nervous reaction to heat, to pain, the work of Professor Virginia Utermohlen at Cornell. It comes across in the cup as a startling breathiness, like a powerful breath mint. The trigeminal reaction is more closely related to the sense of touch than to taste really, as in how we perceive texture or mouthfeel. This sense is the way we tell temperature, coolness of mint, citrus, the hotness of habanero "

I go to the cupping table to invent the 6 tastes and work through them. It's not difficult, but there are surprises in store.

Sweet can be various kinds of sugar, cane, raw, turbinado for different sweet, salt the same, rough, fine, sea salt, gray, red, fleur de mer, sour, the best are vitamin C, ascorbic acid or sour salt, citric acid, bitter, try the white inner lining of grapefruit toasted slightly for intense bitter, or bitters for bar drinks, manhattans, or get pharmaceutical caffeine crystals.

One needs glutamate for umami.   For tasting, there is MSG from the grocery self in the Asian cooking section, the once dreaded ingredient, a well-known Japanese brand, now curiously made in Peru. From a 60's food scare, our moms forbade MSG; now, it shows up as a common food additive, it or something like it, labeled as soy protein or hydolized yeast or just plain glutamate. It is a surprisingly rich, round, reassuringly buttery taste, that is--feel. It is a true resonant note of a great shot, adding depth and texture, fantastic finish.

For trigeminal, grab the most powerful breath mint and crush it. Test for the intensity of your own reaction.

The Professore has one more suggestion: "It is not so much distinguishing the four or six individual tastes from or among themselves, but dipping your finger into two, three, then four and tasting. So, salt and sugar enhance each other; that is why cocoa without salt is flat. Citric acid and sugar become fizzy in the mouth. The combination of sour and sweet simply does that and it is practiced widely in mass food industry. In further combining these six, you are creating real mystery, real nuance that is so much like the great shots we are after."

Then the Professore turns to pull a shot on an E 61, a beaut thing.

"Okay, ciao for now, Professore, until next time. . . ."

r. e.

Coffee Dharma for Brewing Dreams

2009-04-08T02:03:39Z

It's no small feat, this brew. From farm to ship to roastery to your kitchen counter, there are many variables at work which can make or break it. Does the prospect of controlling all variables overwhelm you? Does this photo overwhelm you? We're here to help.
Let's assume that, as a given, you're starting with freshly roasted, high quality coffee beans.

Of course, as Jeremy noted in his post, "Burr Grinding Translates to More Balance and Complexity", the grind size and type of grinder you use is crucial to achieving perfect extraction.

Also, remember that coffee is mostly water - Thom's post, "Limescale Buildup in Espresso Machines" doesn't just apply to espresso machines! Any brewing mechanism benefits from filtered water, and your coffee will taste much better, as well.

Byard, a barista at our State Street store in Ithaca, recently shared a story with me. He was taking a wilderness survival course, and his professor assigned the following task: make fire with two sticks. All students were able to do this by the end of the three hour class in the woods - the professor remarked that it was an exceptionally good day for fire. However, the end result was not the lesson.

The professor went on to explain that there are many variables involved in getting a fire to start: the moisture content in the wood and the air, the age of the wood, the wind velocity, etc. So many variables, in fact, that often one thinks she has everything under control, but can't get a fire started. If this happens, he suggested taking a moment to collect yourself and show respect for the forest, and accept that some of this "fire" stuff is magic. Then, try again later.

Byard likened this to pulling shots of espresso, that sometimes there's a weird extraction that we can't explain, or a certain taste we can't track back. We can extrapolate this further into any type of coffee brewing. You think you thought of everything! Why does the coffee taste this way? There is some variable affecting the brew that we are not familiar with - that we do not know of.

Is what is unknowable, magical? Or just science we don't understand yet? I, for one, can't wait for the invention of a "portafilter borescope".

The most important advice we can give is to follow your nose. You can start with parameters that we recommend, but always adjust to what tastes better for you. Ask yourself questions, "When I decrease the dose, does it increase clarity or make a vapid brew?" Everyone's palate is physiologically different, and everyone is coming to the brew with different taste memories. Checking in with your palate, asking yourself, "What do I prefer?", will free you to explore all of the twists and turns that "coffee + water" has to offer.

Vintage Photos from Panama

2009-04-06T11:00:44Z

Escape your cubicle! Run away from your boss! Wheeee! Don't these 1970s pictures from the Hartmann family make you want to seek challenge and adventure? Okay, so creating a coffee finca isn't merely a jaunt in a jeep, but some days the thought of living closer to the land and being self-sufficient has its appeal. We received the snapshots with our shipment of the delicious Panama Hartmann Honey. I think that might be Ratibor Jr. in the back with a snack.
Got a great email from a customer today. Megan in Virginia wrote:

"I am so happy to find Finca Hartman coffee that I can buy online. My local source dried up about a year ago. My husband and I were lucky enough to study migratory birds on the Hartman's property for several winters. They are a warm, wonderful family and we think of them often, but have only been able to go back to visit once. I loved seeing the pictures of Tibor and the finca. Thanks!"

I guess that completes the circle of farmer to roaster to consumer. As if it wasn't clear already, it's a small world after all.

Photos - Meet Your Barista: Liz Clark

2009-04-03T19:40:48Z

Meet Liz Clark! Some of you may also be familiar with the fellow to her right. As you can see, he's just as excited about Liz as we are.

View the full gallery

New La Marzocco Joins the Crew

2009-04-02T22:41:56Z

On a recent road trip up to Ithaca, the NYC crew took off with a La Marzocco Linea for the downstate training lab. It's still in the first week of residence there, and looking good. This machine will be ideal for preparing baristas to make superlative beverages for your drinking pleasure on the La Marzoccos we use at both NYC locations.

Yippee! New Labels are Finally Here!

2009-04-02T16:40:46Z

Yesterday we unveiled the new labels for our coffees! All of the coffee labels have been updated with accurate data, and we have tweaked the label design to represent that new data. We've worked in-house to develop a solution to provide specific information about our unique coffees. It's been a long time coming!
The primary reason for making this change is credited to the Gimme Roasting group, which has been pretty active in coffee sourcing and buying pursuits. We have been tracking down lots both large and small of high quality coffees. These are coffees that we think are exceptional and should be presented that way.

We want to recognize great coffees not only for what they are, but from where they are cultivated and by whom. As we are more specific about the origin information of our coffees, you will not only be able to differentiate between two different coffees from the same country, like the Brazil Santa Clara and the Brazil Santo Andre, but it will also be apparent that we do not simply buy coffees from a Country X or Country Y, but rather from a single estate, farm or cooperative.

We have a responsibility to present our buyers with pertinent information about our growers, and we hope that this information will find you well.

The April Deal: Free Shipping on Orders Over $20!

2009-04-01T14:19:50Z

Enjoy free shipping on orders over $20 in April. No coupon necessary! Just choose the Free Shipping option at checkout. Good on all orders over $20. UPS Ground. Contiguous USA only. Expires April 30, 2009 -- so go shopping! Subscribers to our monthly News & Discounts email get great deals every month. Sign up today so you don't miss another month!

Special Prices on Select Blends Starting Tomorrow!

2009-03-31T20:05:10Z

Save on your favorite Gimme Blends in stores and online starting April 1!

Photos - Coffee Beans to Cherry Trees

2009-03-30T11:21:35Z

Panama Hartmann Honey beans ship in space-age mylar. The opaque, air-tight, puncture-resistant bags lock in freshness and repel the stray odors of neighboring freight.

View the full gallery

WBC in ATL

2009-03-29T13:16:39Z

The World Barista Championship is just about two weeks away. After taking place in Switzerland, Japan, and Denmark, us Americans are lucky enough to be bringing the 2009 event back home to Atlanta, GA.

Competitors representing countries across the globe will be competing for the coveted position of World Champion. A full list is available on the WBC website.

Several members of the Gimme! staff will be attending to cheer on our favorites. Will you be there?

Check Under Your Drain Tray For Treasure

2009-03-26T18:24:45Z

If you consider dried ground coffee treasure. The area under the drain tray of an espresso machine is often an overlooked area, as evidenced in the image above. The cleanliness of this easily accessible zone of mystery can tell you about the health of your machine. This machine had a clogged drain hose - for an extended period of time. The operator may not have noticed anything but a few drops of water under the machine for the duration of a shift, most of the moisture would be absorbed by the built up solids, and repeated overflows of the drain box only added more solids. To prevent this, always pour about a half gallon of hot water through the drain tray when performing closing tasks.

Removing the drain tray gives you an opportunity to check for water leaks. Look over all plumbing connections for a white or brown or green crusty buildup. The water will often evaporate or drip onto the lower frame of the machine and you may not see a puddle on the counter. Catching a leak early can save you a potentially costly service call and prevent unexpected downtime. The next time you clean the drain tray, don a headlamp and go spelunking! You may be surprised what you find.

Make Contact with the RoastBots

2009-03-26T01:02:02Z

From time to time I am forwarded emails from the feedback page of our website. I mainly receive inquiries from the 'Our Coffee Beans' option on that page, though I sometimes get 'Other' responses involving general roasting or greens buying practices. Basically, all questions with the common denominator of Greens and Roasting get fielded by my department. Pretty nice, huh? Chat it up with the minds behind the beans.
Feedback is great. Whether it is in the form of questions about the coffee, or comments on noticeable changes to your favorite coffees, or even if you just state your preference of coffee A over coffee B... we want to hear what you think of our work. Still, it has crossed my mind that answers that we give to individual inquiries could fare well in this blog setting.

I know that there are more people browsing this website than write comments. I want to invite you to comment on this blog and let me know what you want the Roasting Department to write about. Save the personal comments for the feedback page, but if you have a topic of the Greens and Roasting persuasion that you'd like to know more about, we'd be happy to entertain ideas. While all blog authors publish at will, someone from the Roasting Department will post every Wednesday. So, post your ideas in the comment section below and come back to read our response.

Photos - Coffee is a Crop: Seed to Cherry

2009-03-25T00:53:04Z

It's easy to forget that the beverage, grounds and beans that we sling and drink every day come from an agricultural commodity like any other. Well, not exactly like any other - it does hold the distinction of being the second-most traded commodity after oil.

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Photos - Reflections: 4 Years Ago Today in Trailerville

2009-03-23T23:41:53Z

Four years ago today, we were neck deep in the Gimme Trailer build.

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RoastBot Comes in Peace

2009-03-19T18:41:11Z

RoastBot wants to take this opportunity to stand behind this thought: There are no stupid questions.

Help Us Repurpose Our Mylar Bags

2009-03-18T21:54:01Z

This is a mylar bag which once contained our vacuum-packed Brazil Daterra. Vacuum-packing green coffee at country of origin preserves freshness and locks in all the goodness, ensuring coffee remains airtight until the beans are roasted, which can be a bit after they arrive at port and then at our Roastery. The picture below details how the vacuum-packed bags appear when filled with coffee. There's no room for air in there.

There are two bag sizes (pictured) - one holds 25 pounds and the other 75 pounds of greens.

These bags are great for preserving freshness, but they are not recyclable. We give away our traditional biodegradable jute bags to customers who enjoy using them for various purposes, such as making handmade bags or landscaping.

Do you have a superb idea about how to reuse our bags? Should we make some kites and fly them out in the fields next to our Roastery? Can you use these for a craft project at your school? Do you need some reflective material for a household project?

We're interested in your ideas and will happily give these away if you can creatively repurpose them & pick them up in Ithaca.

Photos - Anatomy of a Triple Ristretto

2009-03-17T11:37:07Z

A triple ristretto is the shot type of choice for our Leftist espresso. A "ristretto" refers to how we restrict the extraction range of the shot to maximize its flavor potential.

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Founders of an Innovative Trading Program Visit Gimme from Colombia

2009-03-16T23:10:11Z

Gimme customers and staff were treated recently to a meet-and-greet with Alejandro Cadena and Giancarlo Ghiretti, founders of the Las Mingas Relationship Coffee Project, who work directly with the farmers that produce our beautiful Las Mingas beans. Our special guests from Bogotá lectured one night in Ithaca, and the very next night in New York City. That NYC lecture hadn't been scheduled until Jenni, our Manhattan manager, asked Giancarlo and Alejandro if they could do a repeat talk the next night before leaving the States. Very gracious of them to oblige. We learned a ton from Alejandro (shown) and Giancarlo, both of whom are trained as economists. The lecture touched on agriculture, horticulture, economics, industry and politics. Great questions from the audience, which included scientists and sociologists from Ithaca College and Cornell University, all part of the Gimme family.

Thanks to everyone who came out and packed the place. The evening was really educational and a delight for consumers eager to understand the people who fill their daily cup.

Special thanks to Giancarlo and Alejandro. Til we meet again!

Cayuga Powdercoating Helps Resurrect Probat Roaster

2009-03-12T20:04:43Z

A recent entry shared how we purged the bad mojo from our vintage Probat LG5 roaster. Will Golden at Cayuga Powdercoating played an important role in making that possible. When we received the roaster it was in rough shape. I think the previous owners used the same paint my Aunt had on her patio furniture. Institutional green had to go. Powdercoating differs from typical spray application of a finish. The pigment and resin is presented with an electrostatic charge and sprayed onto an electrically grounded surface. The coated part is then cured in an oven to melt the pigment and fuse it to the surface. The final product has a finish that is attractive and durable. But wait, there's more! This method is more environmentally responsible with minimal chemical emission. The roaster components were sandblasted in preparation rather than solvent-stripped, which eliminated the need to dispose of exhausted organic solvents. The powdercoating process emits almost no VOC's and there is no over spray, or wasted paint. If those two factors weren't enough, Will's shop is only a few miles from our roastery. We have an abundance of local talent in the Finger Lakes region, and we are very pleased that Will could be a part of this project.

The March Deal: Save 25% on Gimme! Coffee

2009-03-11T21:16:02Z

What else is new? Ithaca is cold and a bit foggy, but spring is coming soon. In our cafes this month, we're featuring shiny new posters and photos of Panama Hartmann Honey and Colombia Las Mingas Relationship Coffee. You can find many more photos of these two farms at gimmecoffee.com/news.

On our shelves, it's out with the old Brazil and in with the new Brazil. The new arrivals are Brazil Santa Clara Organic and Brazil Santo Andre, and they're nearly neighbors -- both come from Minas Gerais, a state in southern Brazil. Why not brew them up and taste them side-by-side?

Brazil Does Not Equal Just Carnival

2009-03-11T18:03:20Z

Brazil is a beautiful country with beautiful people, beautiful food and most importantly: beautiful coffees. We are very happy to bring two new offerings on board from the number one coffee producer in the world, and some of the finest people on earth.

The first coffee is from the Cerrado region in Minas Gerais, Brazil called Santo Andre farmed by Mr. Licoln Ferreira. This coffee is a pulped natural which means pulping the coffee but omitting the fermentation phase to remove the silver skin, and this ends up tasting sweeter than some washed coffees and translates into a thicker body in the cup. This process is possible in countries where humidity is very low and Brazil has become exceedingly well known for their high quality pulped natural coffees. We are very excited about this coffee because it is such a great representation of the fantastic coffees coming out of Brazil, the Santo Andre is also used in the Leftist blend. Nutella anyone?

The second coffee from Brazil we are excited about sharing is the Brazil Santa Clara. If you fell in love with the now SOLD OUT Sao Joao, this is a fantastic rebound that could turn into a long term relationship, and hey it's organic certified too! This coffee is from the city of Andradas in the region of Sul De Minas where Ms. Maria Basso Teixeira, her sons and grandsons help run the family farm. This is also a pulped natural coffee, so it has the creamy body and velvet mouthfeel these coffees are known for along with that nutter butter goodness many enjoyed in the Sao Joao. Enjoy these great coffees while they are fresh and delicious and give cheers to these fine farmers that make it possible for us to enjoy these coffees in our own homes so far, far away from the warm, beautiful, lively and SUNNY Brazil.

How Are Our Coffee Beans Decaffeinated?

2009-03-11T01:10:46Z

Our Decaf beans start out in Narino, Colombia, and are processed so that the outer layers (called the "cherry") are removed.

After this processing but before being roasted, coffee beans are referred to as "greens". If coffee is going to be decaffeinated, the caffeine must be extracted after the beans have been processed. The greens are then sent to Germany to a decaffeination plant.
To be considered decaffeinated in the US, the coffee must have a minimum of 97% of its caffeine removed. Since caffeine is water-soluble, heat and water are used to remove the caffeine. The next step is to separate the caffeine from all the other solubles - you don't want to lose all of those great aromatics along with the caffeine!

There are several different methods of decaffeination, all of which involve heat, water and a solvent. Solvents are substances capable of dissolving other substances. The most common chemical solvents used in decaffeination are methylene chloride and ethyl acetate, which can remove caffeine directly or indirectly. For our decaf, we buy and roast beans that have been decaffeinated by the methylene chloride, or MC method.

Using the MC method, our beans are decaffeinated directly, using the Direct Solvent process. Here's a run-down of how it works, taken from page 17 of our Barista Manual:

The beans are steamed, causing them to swell, which opens up the pores and dissolves the waxy coating without affecting the flavor of the coffee inside the bean.
The beans are put in contact with the solvent in a pressurized environment for a certain period of time.
During this time, the solvent bonds to the caffeine molecules.
The coffee beans are run through water and steam treatments, evaporating the caffeine-laden solvent out of the beans.

Since the solvent actually bonds to the caffeine, the caffeine evaporates with the solvent and doesn't stay with the bean. Voila - decaf. Then the solution goes back into the bean, sans caffeine.

The Direct Solvent Process is considered to be less destructive to the taste of coffee than other methods. We've tasted a lot of decaf, and this process produces a better tasting cup again and again. Of course, any time you begin discussing chemicals, health concerns come into play, but in fact, methylene chloride becomes volatile (burns off) at 104 degrees F, while coffee reaches internal temperatures of over 400 degrees F during roasting. Even microscopic amounts of solvent residues would be burned off.

We only brew our Decaf Americano style, as a shot of espresso pulled over hot water, and we find this to be the best brew method. It produces a creamy body, savory nuttiness and notes of toasted pumpernickel.

Thanks to Mimi Wysong, manager of our Cayuga Street store, for these amazing pictures.

Playing "Where's Gimme?" at the World in Your Cup Exhibit

2009-03-09T21:40:15Z

You may have already heard about Coffee: The World in Your Cup at the University of Washington's Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. We haven't made it out there yet, but they were kind enough to send some photos of the final exhibit. It looks great!

It's fun to play where's-the-Gimme. Can you spot the Las Mingas bag in the photo above?

Advanced round: do you see one of Mimi's photos? It's there, in the background (here's the original to refresh your memory). The exhibit looks fabulous, with lots of great photos and video from origin. They've even got a station where you can smell different components of coffee aroma, like garden pea and blackcurrant. If you're in Seattle, check it out and let us know how you like it.

Photos - Meet Your Barista: Devorah Freudiger

2009-03-07T02:06:24Z

Devorah is a barista at Gimme's State St. cafe.

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Photos - Where Do Our Coffee Grounds Go?

2009-03-05T22:08:55Z

We produce a lot of coffee grounds. Our upstate stores are diverting about 24 tons per year from landfills and putting them to good use. Cayuga Compost, a local food waste collection & composting business, has been hauling away our grounds for nearly 3 years.

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Study Suggests New Rwanda Lifts the Winter Blues!

2009-03-04T18:57:59Z

Don't let the end of winter get you down. Lift that shroud of cold and gray with a fresh spot of Rwanda!

This is not the Rwanda of old. Indeed, it's fresher than fresh and ready to raise your spirits. This year's crop is now replete with honey and floral aromatics, with wonderfully puzzling middle eastern spices that are heightened by a blackcurrant sweetness.

Don't expect to figure this coffee out, instead revel in its complexity and clean finish.You'll feel glad all over.

Photos - Brewing At Home, Part 3: Aeropress

2009-03-03T20:20:05Z

The Aeropress is a durable, compact, and easy to clean brewing device. There are official instructions as well as many online guides, but don't read too much into parameter recommendations. Experiment for yourself, particularly with temperature, grind size, and steep time.

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Tonight! More Free Coffee! Special Guests from Colombia!

2009-03-02T14:17:50Z

Last night before a crowd of 50 people at our State Street cafe, Gimme Roasting Manager Colleen Anunu gave an introduction to our work with the Las Mingas Relationship Coffee Project. In the audience were Las Mingas founders, Alejandro Cadena and Giancarlo Ghiretti, as well as staff and customers. Gimme Manhattan manager Jenni Bryant and colleagues came all the way from New York City. It was great to rally so many people around a common interest.
Jesse, our Wholesale rep, pulled free single-origin shots of the new Las Mingas crop for all takers. Meanwhile Devorah and Erin brewed Las Mingas in a French Press.

Come back tonight at 6 PM for the main event! Alejandro and Giancarlo will explain their development project and impacts on Colombian coffee farmers. Don't be late, there will be a crowd...

Photos - Meet Your Barista: Josh Sperling

2009-02-28T01:26:40Z

Josh is a barista at the Gimme cafe in Lansing.

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Photos - The Skinny on Skaneateles Bakery

2009-02-27T15:23:15Z

Skaneateles Bakery has been a Gimme regular since early 2006. Located on the north end of Skaneateles Lake and an easy hour's drive from Ithaca, the bakery has carved out a nice place for itself amidst the classy shops and beautiful residences of this resort town.

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Prevent Disaster! Check Your Sight Glass

2009-02-26T18:26:26Z

This may appear to be a piece of modern sculpture, but it is actually a blown heating element. This is a result of not visually checking the water level in an espresso machine boiler. This should be a habit for all baristas, and it can be incorporated into your shot preparation routine by simply glancing at the sight glass before locking the portafilter into the group. An example is shown above, the round lens between the two groups. Modern espresso machines have an auto-fill function that refills the boiler when the water level goes below a probe that is in the boiler tank. This component can fail, or minerals can build up on the probe preventing activation of the auto-fill. When this happens, the machine can be refilled manually by a lever below the drain tray or the side of the machine. The ideal level is two-thirds full. Some machines do not have a sight glass, but have up to three levels of protection for the heating element, eliminating the need for a visual indicator.

Photos - You Smell That? The Scientists Do.

2009-02-26T00:28:37Z

Colleen and I went to Geneva, NY to pay a visit to the Food Research Lab for Cornell University. She was giving a talk about our involvement with the Las Mingas project. We will be giving our own presentation this coming weekend, check it out!

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Grinder Cleaning and Espresso: Essential for Excellent Extractions

2009-02-24T17:08:46Z

Brewing for espresso enables one to experience a coffee with a fuller range of dimension - the pressured water can pull out many more flavors and aromas from the grounds than gravity brewing. This also means that if your grinder is dirty, you will certainly taste it in an extraction.

The coffee oils that make up your brew are also left behind on grinder burrs. They get rancid quickly, creating a greasy, yellow tinge (you may have noticed this inside hoppers) and gumming up the works.

Rancid coffee oils stick to fresh grounds,

Dull the taste of fresh espresso,

Leave an overpowering burnt taste,

And, most critically, decrease aromatic dimension.

When grinders are cleaned (and have a fresh layer of coffee oils to eliminate that metallic taste), we can really take in the coffee's entire story - we are able to perceive more nuanced aromas.

For example, you may still be able to perceive a heavy chocolate back end in a Leftist shot from a dirty grinder, but perhaps not be able to perceive the acidity up front. Or, you may perceive a nuttiness from a dirty grinder, but can differentiate "pecan" from "peanut" when given a shot from a cleaned grinder. Specific tasting results vary, but the gist is the same: clean your grinder and you'll taste a wider array of nuances within the same taste parameters.

I'll post more soon on the ways to best clean your espresso grinders and bulk grinders.

Above the Clouds in the Bolivian Yungas Forest

2009-02-23T23:08:23Z

The Cenaproc Cooperative grows coffee at about 6,000 feet up in the Andes, surrounded by the Yungas cloud forest. When they sent us their newest harvest of Bolivia Fair Trade Organic, they also sent this great picture of the clouds hanging right over the forest canopy.

Photos - Exorcising the Probat LG5

2009-02-22T21:15:28Z

Last Friday we met to conduct a volatile spiritual intervention involving dark matter and vapors. The crew was rightfully concerned.

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Photos - It's Like a Little Dance, Really, Round the Cupping Table

2009-02-21T11:35:01Z

Stopped by The Roastery today, peeked into the cupping lab.

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Baristas Compete

2009-02-20T20:58:00Z

For baristas around the world there is no event more important than the World Barista Competition. In order to qualify for entry into the WBC you must first win your national title. Here in the States we go through a series of regional competitions (like this one) to determine who will compete on a national level at the USBC.

The 10th and final regional competition kicks off today in Chicago, Illinois. Hosted by Coffee Masters, the Great Lakes Regional Barista Competition (GLRBC) is taking place in conjunction with CoffeeFest. Also happening this weekend in Chicago is the Millrock Latte Art Competition. If this particular event sounds familiar, it may be because you read about the 2008 Millrock champion here, on our blog.

Chicago is definitely the place to be this weekend. To all the competitors, we wish you the very best. Hopefully we'll see you all at the USBC in March.

Feature - Gimme! Coffee Hosts: Up Close, Colombian Coffee Experts from the Las Mingas Project

2009-02-20T15:48:05Z

On March 1 and 2, Gimme! Coffee on State Street in Ithaca will host two free public events exploring the relationship between coffee producers and consumers. Both nights will feature free tastings and presentations by Gimme roasters and the founders of the Las Mingas Relationship Coffee Project of Colombia.

Announcing a New Harvest

For the past two years, Gimme has been involved in a partnership with the Las Mingas Project, an association of smallholders who focus on quality coffee and sustainable relationships with specialty roasters. We visited Colombia twice to meet with the farmers and the founders of the program. Now, to announce their new coffee harvest, the founders of the Las Mingas Relationship Coffee Project will be visiting Ithaca from Colombia.

Educational Events and Free Tastings

During each night’s event, the presenters and public will explore the relationship between coffee producers and consumers by learning about the Las Mingas Project of Colombia, a unique and sustainable buying model that brings roasters and farmers together. Members of the public will be able to taste the new Las Mingas crop, meet the presenters prior to the presentations, and ask questions in an informal setting.

Sunday, March 1, from 6-8pm

Gimme Roasting Manager Colleen Anunu will chronicle her visit to the farms of the Las Mingas Project. She will show slides and answer questions in collaboration with the Las Mingas founders.

Monday, March 2, from 6-8pm

The founders of the Las Mingas Project, Alejandro Cadena and Giancarlo Ghiretti, will present the principles of their development project, and the fundamental problems of coffee trading as it relates to the farmer.

Come join us for these two evenings of great coffee and great education.

Announcing a New Harvest

Educational Events and Free Tastings

Sunday, March 1, from 6-8pm

Gimme Roasting Manager Colleen Anunu will chronicle her visit to the farms of the Las Mingas Project. She will show slides and answer questions in collaboration with the Las Mingas founders.

Monday, March 2, from 6-8pm

The founders of the Las Mingas Project, Alejandro Cadena and Giancarlo Ghiretti, will present the principles of their development project, and the fundamental problems of coffee trading as it relates to the farmer.

Come join us for these two evenings of great coffee and great education.

Buy Now

Colombia Las Mingas Relationship Coffee

Cafe Life: Out of Stock Soon

2009-02-19T22:14:19Z

Cafe Life New York is almost out of stock - get one of our last copies today!

While you're here, pick up the perfect ceramic cup for sipping one of our newest crops, Colombia Las Mingas.

Oh Yeah, We GOT Degrees in Roasting.

2009-02-19T11:00:40Z

For many coffee roasting companies, there is a need to have a variety of roast levels and a variety of coffees from different coffee growing regions. The regions are Latin America, Indonesia and Africa (the major ones anyway, I am NOT touching the Jamaica Blue Mountain one). The photograph above demonstrates Java at two different roast levels. Our pursuit of perfection is endless, and our obsession with coffee profiling is somewhat, well, obsessive. Alongside coffee regions, there are coffee roast profiles. This means that we tailor the roast according to what best suits that particular coffee. We don't just dump the beans in the roaster and hit go until it looks dark enough. If it were that easy, I would have left coffee a long time ago! We take the altitude of the coffee (how high up the coffee was grown) which relates directly to density, then we take moisture content into account, and general knowledge/reference of past coffee profiles and how the coffee is being used (espresso vs. drip).

With said information we run 3-5 (and sometimes more) roast profiles on a coffee before we decide on a "perfect" profile. Some coffees can take the heat and a darker profile (usually low grown coffees) and other coffees really shine with lighter roasts that require more heat in the overall profile but shorter roasting times (like highly grown African coffees).

Lighter roasts for the most part impart higher harmony notes, more acidity and a brighter cup profile. Medium roasts are a little denser in body (sometime but not always), and most coffees do very well with a medium roast since it preserves some acidity (highly desirable for some folks) and retains a soft heaviness in the body. The darker the roast profile, the less acidity (not PH content but acidic profile such as citrus notes also called brightness) and the heavier body and the more oily texturewe get in the cup.

Basically, profiling all comes down to the roasters idea/interpretation of what the coffee should taste like. We try to coax the natural origin nuance for each coffee, meaning we want to exploit the best flavors intrinsic in the bean but with the reference point of the brewing method.

If you love poppy, clean, crisp and bright coffees, you would probably really dig our Panama Hartmann Honey or our Kenya AA. If you like balanced acidity with soft body and pleasant mouthfeel with a solid finish, you would dig our Bolivia or our beautiful and juicy Colombia Las Mingas. For the straight forward, hefty "coffee's coffee" connoisseurs you might want to go with our darker roasts which impart more cocoa notes, heavier mouthfeels and smoked confections like our Iskandar or Java Blawan. The heavy cocoa notes, and sometime burnt caramel type notes are mosre often than not related to the actual roast and not the coffee bean itself. Much like cooking, depending on your style and methodology, you can impart flavors by the mere process rather than the intrinsic nuances in ingredients. Something to think about, no?

Everyone's tastes are different, and everyone's preferences are different which is why it's very nice to have the entire spectrum on our menu. Dark roasts should never taste ashy, or carbony. A proper dark roast should simply highlight the coffees potential, while adding some body to the coffee. The dark roasts are the ones that can really take the cream, and the lighter roasts are fantastic on their own. Coffee is more complex than wine in an organic chemistry sense, so the possibilities of profiling are endless.

Enjoy!

Weighing in on Coffee Dose

2009-02-17T15:13:18Z

Deciding how much ground coffee to use is a key factor in troubleshooting your home brew. Changing variables such as temperature, grind size, or steep time affect how much is extracted, or what percentage of the coffee is removed by the water during brewing. The coffee dose, however, determines the concentration of the flavors in the cup. It is the deciding factor in the strength, or perceptability, of the brew.

For example, suppose we have determined that the optimal flavors for a specific coffee result from extracting 20% of the grounds, and have achieved this through a combination of brewing variables. It then remains to decide how concentrated those flavors are, or what percentage of the brewed coffee is made up of soluble compounds. Since we are extracting 20% of the dose, changing the dose will increase or decrease the amount of extracted coffee in the same amount of water by that percentage.

The upshot of this is that using more or less coffee doesn't really affect the flavor profile of your brew. That should be determined by changing some of the other variables mentioned above. You should adjust your dose to change the "strength" and the mouthfeel of your brew. Weak flavor perceptability and watery mouthfeel require an increase in the dose, while excessive perceptability and syrupy mouthfeel require a decrease.

Photos - Putting on the Honey at the Hartmann Family Farm

2009-02-16T21:59:15Z

Ratibor Hartmann Jr., the farm manager at Finca Hartmann, has helped to develop the farm's unique approach to coffee.

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1) dry the coffees in a greenhouse of recycled materials from what was previously an organic lettuce nursery
2) use a mechanical means of pulping the coffee that pressurizes the mucilage, possibly getting more sugars past the parchment and into the seeds prior to drying (their exact recipe seems to be a new family trade secret which I've agreed not to tell yet - a really funny story that I hope to be able to share one day)
3) use extremely thin layers on the drying beds with directed ventilation in the greenhouse
4) they don't touch the coffee while it dries (no hand stirring)
5) they separate out coffees initially by variety and microzone, we cup separately, and blend according to flavor profile for Macro
6) coffee drying times are 9-12 days, very close to what we get in Ethiopia, much lower than the 3 weeks or more seen in other similar processing in Central America
7) significantly more mucilage left on the seeds than in pulped naturals I've seen

Latte Art Champ Sports Gimme Gear in Japan

2009-02-14T15:15:07Z

In an intercontinental expression of solidarity, Hiroshi Sawada, winner of the 2008 Millrock Latte Art Championship at Coffee Fest Seattle, sent these Gimme Gear pics from Tokyo to Ithaca.
Hiroshi donated his entire $5,000 winner's purse to Coffee Kids. Read about his generous move that inspired Barista Magazine to give him their "Best Guy" award. Know what else is cool? Hiroshi is a barista trainer now, teaching the "younger" generation his winning ways.

Greetings from New York, Hiroshi!

Photos - Meet Your Barista: Alex "Lambini" Lambert

2009-02-13T23:24:49Z

"Lambini" is one of the many nicknames this Decatur, Georgia native has on his shelf.

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