17/10/14 launch of @indycoffeeguide #Southwest @extractcoffee

Coffee business is not just about London, Manchester or Edinburgh.

There is a real excitement and buzz around the world of coffee: from roaster to barista and caffeine addict as well.

Britain seems to have ditched the afternoon tea and biscuits for something more exotic with a coffee and a brownie (other cakes are available in general).

It is not rare to see people have two or three cups of coffee with some variations: espresso, filter (V60 or aeropress), flat white. All of these will bring something different to the palate and taste buds. Rather comforting and there is also this caffeine hit. If your barista is skilled enough the ground will be different between a clever dripper and a cafetière or americano.

So what is happening in the South West of England? Nothing related to cream teas this time or pasties, but the launch of something rather exceptional:

 

South West Independent Coffee Guide – launch 17/10/14

For more information read full article HERE.

It can feel like a private event but it is also open to the public as long as you turn up with an exclusive and limited ticket available from Eventbrite for just £9.99 (+ booking fee £1.25).

The evening will be at Extract Coffee Roasters in Bristol from 7pm.

“…UK’s premiere of highly acclaimed US film A Film About Coffee will be screened as part of the VIP launch celebrations. Craft Brewer Wiper & True will provide a pop-up bar for the evening… it’s going to be quite a party…“

A Film About Coffee poster

But why is this all like a secretive ceremony happening in a warehouse? Some might say it is a kind of cult where only professional hipsters king/queen of latte art are allowed to turn up!? Absolutely not! It is simply the celebration of something new and unique with a lot of fun around it.

Coffee owners/barista aren’t pompous or boring people but more like open minded and witty. Just look at what takes place during UK Barista Championship: it is a competition about coffee and methods of brewing as well as creativity and knowledge.

Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood is a prime example as he gave a lesson regarding water quality and the effect on coffee.

Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood – All about water (photo by Kate Beard)

What he said was and is really important if you are after that perfect cup of coffee – not missing the correct ratio and respecting the extraction time.

Making coffee is like cooking: you have some ingredients and you want/need the best – giving the opportunity to deliver high quality in order to release full flavour and maximum aroma to the drink.

Having the South West Independent Coffee Guide (SWICG) available soon, it means that there could be a lot of positive changes at the horizon. Could Cornwall and Devon become the new destination for a (coffee) road trip instead of crowded London with numerous Tube strikes?

Devon is already famous for its fabulous coastlines (thank you to recycle schemes) and beautiful seaside resorts – but this new book could drag even more/new visitors to the English Riviera and British countryside. Roasting coffee is not an urban activity as such. In fact, there is an interesting read published by the Food Mag – visit the dedicated page HERE.

The Westcountry is not that boring – and if this was the case why are there so many holidaymakers playing on beaches, trekking on Dartmoor or even Londoners taking a break in this part of England?!

This forthcoming coffee guide is without a doubt a win-win for this area of the United Kingdom but also for everyone involved in the coffee culture!

Coffee geekery – Dunne and Frankowski

A little something, slightly different from the conventional videos We posted previously.

DunneFrankowski give us endless coffee pleasure.

DunneFrankowski signature logo

Coffee culture and attitude

Walking up and down the streets of a city, town or village it is obvious that the coffee culture is the sector which has certainly spread the most in the past decade.

A real paradox when the United Kingdom was for many years the home of (cream) tea and biscuits.

The culture and demand is changing. People are going abroad more often. This means more tourists in the UK, but also more Brits are visiting Europe too. Seeing all this cafés with the eventual croissant has directed some entrepreneurs towards a new direction: the opening of their own coffee shop, with a real character and some quality roasted beans.

However, some boxes have to be ticked to get the right formula. And this includes not only the drinks but also the atmosphere and overall the necessity to have that passion to produce and present the cup with always the same standard.

Even if this is only a hot drink with a snack on the side, it is vital to get the right finish as customers can be very fussy especially when the amount to pay can hover around five Pounds per person. It has to be perfect!

The barista is no more just a person pouring a cup of instant coffee from a cafetiere. His/her job is to actually craft what the customer is asking for. This means that a flat white should be served with a double shot of espresso, but if the customer is willing to have an extra shot then this will happen (an extra cost could then be added to the original price).

Always ask about the chocolate/cinnamon sprinkles on the top of the steamed milk.

There is even a national championship: The UKBC – a very tight competition.

Being behind the counter is about listening to the client but also socialising and building a rapport with people either drinking-in or just having a take-away. Both are important for a coffee shop.

The take-away cup will be carried in the street which will bring an urban presence about your business and potentially bring more footfall to your premises.

When stepping inside for the first or the tenth time the feeling should remain the same: ambiance, happiness, relaxing… if this is not there as yet, it would be important to work on it.

Talking without too much jargon is important as well. Sometimes first time visitors could be intimidated because the coffee world is so vast and there are quite a lot of different beans available on the market that a customer might say “I just want a regular black coffee” maybe because the barista isn’t clear enough regarding the difference between a latte and a chai latte! Indeed, this could be confusing. To rectify this, it is all about open communication and explaining what makes the difference.

There is nothing to hide when preparing the drink: picking the cup, steaming the milk and  giving this extra close-up opportunity when the latte art takes place. Being transparent about how the business works will keep regulars coming but also newcomers because the positive attitude will go around and remember that social media can do the rest too.

Photo by Dan Lacher on Flickr

Once you have the right barista, tasty beans and coffee machine it is also vital to get a prime location for the business. Asking for guidance to a property services expert is certainly a safe choice because what you consider or see as a great place doesn’t always mean the busiest. The shop front needs to be noticed either by the fonts/typography used for your main sign or with that outside seating area similar to the ones in Italy or France – as long as it is also kept clean from dirty cups and ashtrays.

Gaggia Classic Vs. Rancilio Silvia infographic

Finally, the aim is to blend a delicious drink, make the customer feel at ease with a friendly and warm welcome, as well as – of course – increase the shop’s daily takings. Looking after the clientele should create a snowball effect.

Remember, no need to be the best in everything…just know what you are talking about will be a great asset.