HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
(WE WILL BE CLOSED ON SAT, JULY 4TH)
First off all, where did the month of June go? Holy toledo, what a whirlwind! At first it felt like the days were passing quickly, but now days have turned into months that are just flying by at light-speed. It's hard to keep up with... Enough about that, lets talk coffee.
Black Cat Espresso, Intelligentsia: Bold chocolate, caramel sweetness and syrupy are the positives, smoky campfire/charcoal notes are the negatives. This coffee is funny because you can change the dose, extraction times, temperatures and whatnot and still end up with basically the same cup. As barista we find this frustrating. As a cappuccino + latte I find that I enjoy it, as a macchiato/espresso, not so much... Nevertheless, it has been a real fun ride that is on the tail end. Starting Friday (tomorrow) we are loading in an espresso blend from Ritual called, "Sundae Espresso Blend." We think they do a great job and it is exciting to have the opportunity to showcase their goods.
The Mazzer Robur E is finally back in shop. It is massive and very sleek. There are still a few kinks that need to get figured out, but all in due time. I am confident that this grinder will provide us with a quicker, cleaner, and more consistent espresso. I'll come back to the issues we are having, and how they hopefully are resolved in a later post when we figure out the solution.
Last but certainly not least, we are now serving Hi Lawn milk! This has been something we've wanted to do for a very long time now because it is a far superior product to most others that we have tried. It is definitely a costlier dairy than our former milk, Garelick Farms, but the taste/texture is such an improvement that we simply cannot due without it! It is rich, creamy, and sweet with notes of vanilla. It is just so good you'll think you're having dessert and coffee at the same time! However, the milk is so great it can dominate the cup, overshadowing the wonderful coffees that we offer, so I definitely recommend trying some smaller sized drinks than you might normally order. In fact, we are in the process of downsizing most drink sizes (particularly the to go cups) because we are certain it will offer you a tastier coffee experience. Let us know what you think!
(WE WILL BE CLOSED ON SAT, JULY 4TH)
Have a great holiday weekend!
Nikolas Krankl, July 2, 2009
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GOD IN A CUP RECAP
This book signing for God In A Cup was a really fun evening! I have to give a big shout out to Newtonville Books for organizing and hosting the event (and also for giving me a copy of the book!). Thanks guys! For those of you who haven't attended one of their events yet, I highly recommend that you stop procrastinating because you are definitely missing out.
We brewed La Esmeralda and it was good. It could have been extraordinary, but the dose was on the heavy side, which resulted in a thicker and toastier cup that masked over the really delicate and refined fruit / perfumed candy notes this coffee is full of. I must admit, I was surprised by the number of requests for decaffeinated coffee, cream and sugar. This coffee is so special and it costs somewhere around $40/16 oz, so it seems like it should be taken black and unadulterated, which is precisely how we served it.
photo of M. Weissman, author
I am going to be uploading some pictures of Taste at the Newton North after-prom event shortly, along with some photos of an in shop latte art contest between Geo and I. A winner has already be crowned, but I'll post them for you to decide for yourself.
Lastly, Clare and Alyssa returned today after a weeklong vacation. We are so happy they are back and I'm sure you are, too! Working short-handed the past week reminded myself, and Geo, what an amazing team we have put together here at Taste. This job isn't easy, but when you have a skilled set of hands the workload feels much lighter. I already feel like an immense weight has been lifted off my shoulders and am so delighted to have them back in town!
PS. Intelli Black Cat arrived, along with retail bags, but it will not be in the hopper until Monday, Tuesday at the latest.
Nikolas Krankl, June 20, 2009
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TASTE IS NOW HIRING!
Real briefly wanted to mention 3 things:
1) Black Cat Espresso by Intelligentsia Coffee is going to arrive on Friday for those of you out there looking to try something different. It will be the first coffee from Intelligentsia that we have had in the hopper and we are greatly looking forward to the experience. Along with the black cat blend we will have several different newly released single origin offerings for sale in the retail area. More on that coffee to come when we put it through the groupheads...
2) Just a reminder that this coming Thursday, June 18, Newtonville Books we be hosting a meet and greet with author of God In A Cup, Michaele Weissman. Terroir has provided us with La Esmeralda to brew for the event which will be very tasty! Mark your calendars or put a reminder in your Blackberry, but whatever you do don't miss out on a chance to drink some great coffee and even get your book signed if that's your sort of thing. Start time is at 7 p.m. and for those of you that do not know, Newtonville Books is located directly across the street from us.
3) Lastly, we are currently accepting applications for full-time employment. Qualified applicants must have flexible schedules and be willing to work weekends. Summer job seekers need not apply as we are looking for an individual(s) interested in a long-term career with Taste. Is this you? If so, drop in and ask to speak with myself, Nik. Can't wait to meet you!
Nikolas Krankl, June 15, 2009
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NEWTON NORTH
Taste has been selected to operate an espresso bar for the Newton North after-prom event on Monday, June 8, from 11:30-1:30 a.m. Geovane & I will be "kranking" out the drinks and can't wait! The trick is going to be handling the kind of volume that we anticipate using a portable Rancilio S24 (my home machine). We are honored that the event planning committee selected us to run this booth and we take great pride in being supported by, as well as supporting our local community. Big thanks to Terroir for supporting the coffee(s) and Trader Joe's for the milk(s)!
Nikolas Krankl, June 06, 2009
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GUESS WHO'S BACK
Hello again my friends. It has been awhile! Why, you ask? Well, I just got married (may 23rd) in LA, and then Julia and I proceeded to take a week long honeymoon. The Royal Caribbean cruise line took us to visit Belize, Cozumel, and the Florida Keys. The list of things we did and adventures we had would take up a whole page in itself so I won't put you through that. What an unbelievable time the two of us had... Everything was perfect. Ok, maybe not everything... The only coffee offered on the ship was Seattle's Best.
Anyways, I have to give a great big shout out to my staff who held down the shop so well, exceeding my wildest expectations. I'm so proud of them all. They can handle lines of thirsty/hungry people stretching out the door with ease and a smile, never compromising quality of the product and the customer service that is such a key part of the Taste experience. Not only did they do a great job, they broke records! May was the record setting month for us. Much props, bravo and kudos amigos!!
Moving on... What has been in the hopper for the past week(s) you ask? Well, you should probably know by now seeing as we've done an exceptionally long run with this batch (2+ weeks)... It is a three-bean blend from Terroir: There are Daterra beans from Brazil, in which half of them have been roasted with a drip coffee profile and the rest are roasted in their standard espresso profile. The other two components are Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Kenya Chania. I am really appreciating the well roundedness and multi-dimensionality of this coffee when pulled like so:
197 degrees on the PID, 9 second pre-infusion yielding 1.5 ounces using 19-20 grams over a 26-28 second extraction. The grind is fine and the tamp is wimpy, so no tough guy bologna. The first drop should appear at 7-8 seconds producing a beaded stream thru approximately 12 seconds of the extraction. Got that?
Now, when all goes to plan you are going to taste:
Crisp and clean cup. Light yet creamy and rich in body. Remarkably bright and juicy cup full of raspberry, strawberry and ruby red grapefruit. Finishes with a dry bakers cocoa. It is very smooth in milk, but can quickly diminish if not pulled tightly enough. It is somewhat finicky in the sense that you pull it too long and you get an unpleasant sour/tartness. You pull it too short, roast and toast. Like everything, it's all about finding that balance. It will be on the bar for sure for the next 7 days so check it out if you haven't.
Lastly, a recent blog from Boston Food & Whine was posted about us that I thought some of you out there might be interested in reading. It is an amazing review that we are so proud to share with you all! To check it out, click here.
P.S. I still have yet to meet the author of the piece, Tammy. Please introduce yourself next time you visit!!!
Much more to come now that I've got time on my side again.
It's great to be back!
Nikolas Krankl, June 02, 2009
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GOD IN A CUP
The single origin espresso from 49th is still on bar for the next 2-3 days. It is a classic Brazil espresso- not very complex, yet full of peanut-butter and chocolate tones. It thrives in milk and can be a bit harsh on the throat by itself. Add some rich whole milk to the equation and this coffee really rounds out and reveals its good qualities. Our best results came when we extracted at 199-200 degrees, 26 seconds yielding an ounce and a half. Oh and by the way, the sweet spot lies between 4-6 days off the roast.
What coffee is next in line after the Brazil Ipanema is used up? Don't worry, I'll let you know shortly...
Just a heads up coffee lovers, Michaele Weissman, author of GOD IN A CUP: THE OBSESSIVE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT COFFEE, will be doing a reading across the street from us at Newtonville Books on Thursday, June 18th at 7p.m. A reception will be held afterwards at TASTE to meet the author, talk about the book, and sip on some free coffee. Haven't yet decided what coffee(s) to serve, but they are going to be really special I can assure you of that. I am really looking forward to this- the book was awesome! So don't forget to mark your calendars ya'll.
Nikolas Krankl, May 15, 2009
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BRAZIL IPANEMA ESPRESSO
Down to the last few beans of SOMA... It was a nice run while it lasted, and don't be surprised if it comes back into rotation sometime in the near future. Moving on however- before noontime tomorrow our first run with 49th Parallel's single origin espresso "Brazil Ipanema" begins! I am really looking forward to seeing what these guys can deliver. They have certainly earned a lot of respect in the industry, most notably with Sammy Piccolo's recent 2nd place finish in the World Barista Championship 2009. You can watch his sickly polished routine by clicking here. We are heavily stocked up on retail bags for anyone interested. Stay tuned for our tasting/extracting notes, or just cruise through and taste it for yourself.
And here's a picture of a newborn french bulldog for your personal enjoyment, so enjoy!
Nikolas Krankl, May 11, 2009
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- WHAT'S IN THE HOPPER -
We just finished up our run with a modified version of Ritual's "Vitamin D" espresso blend. It was solid- better in milk than as a straight shot though. I definitely look forward to using their coffee's again! They are really nice people that I truly enjoy doing business with.
Right now it is "SOMA" by Barismo that we've got running through the machine. It has a lot in common with Poker Face, the infamous competition blend, so naturally I think it's great! However, this blend is slightly more baker's cocoa and sweet lemon than ruby red grapefruit / dark chocolate. The beans appear to be pushed a little harder in the roast which would explain it. Similarly to Poker Face, I like the heavier dose (21 grams) with a tighter pull (1.75 oz, not 1.25 oz like recommended on the bag). This espresso definitely shines as a straight shot with tons of complexity, and I really prefer it by itself than with milk. This is precisely why I intend on having two grinders on bar in the future, the Robur E for straight shots, and the Super Jolly for the milk drinks. However, I got a busted Robur from Espresso Parts so it will be a little longer as I wait to send it back to their shop for diagnostic work / repair. More on that later... Only 15 lbs of SOMA left on bar. Don't wait!!!
Nikolas Krankl, May 7, 2009
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USBC 2009 RANKING ORDER
To all those who have been asking and patiently waiting for the results, below is the official ranking order of all the barista that I competed against at the 2009 United States Barista Championship held in Portland, Oregon. 18th place is pretty respectable for a first-timer, and besides, I had a lot of fun! I'll try to upload my score sheets if I can figure out how...
ROUND ONE
RANK / NAME / COMPANY / CITY, STATE / SCORE
1 Devin Pedde Intelligentsia Coffee Los Angeles, CA 686
2 Ryan Wilbur Intelligentsia Coffee Los Angeles, CA 654
3 Jesse Crouse Intelligentsia Coffee Chicago, IL 653
4 Michael Elvin Espresso Parts Olympia, WA 650
5 Renee Teichen Ritual Coffee Roasters San Francisco, CA 641.5
6 Brett Walker Zoka Coffee Roasters Seattle, WA 632
7 Mike Marquard Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co St. Louis, MO 629.5
8 Sara Peterson The Abbey Coffee Lounge Santa Cruz, CA 624.5
9 Colin Whitcomb Alterra Coffee Milwaukee, WI 617
10 Chris Demarse Alliance World Coffees Marion, IN 614.5
11 Micahel Phillips Intelligentsia Coffee Chicago, IL 614
12 Micah Svajda Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co. St. Louis, MO 613
13 Phuong Tran Lava Java Ridgefield, WA 610
14 Kristina Merryman Lava Java Ridgefield, WA 608.5
15 Chris Weber PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. Topeka, KS 608.5
16 Courtney Robinson La Terza Coffee Cincinnati, OH 605.5
17 Cam Kellett Lava Java Ridgefield, WA 605
18 Nikolas Krankl Taste Coffee House Newtonville, MA 603.5
19 Jesse Bladyka Coal Creek Coffee Co. Laramie, WY 603.5
20 Andrew Ferguson Stompin Grounds Cabot, AR 597
21 Robbie Britt Zoka Coffee Roasters Seattle, WA 589
22 Justin Teisl Four Barrel Coffee San Francisco, CA 586
23 Trevor Corlett Madcap Coffee Grand Rapids, MI 582
24 Allie Turner Murky Coffee Arlington, VA 573
25 Jay Caragay Spro Coffee Baltimore, MD 555.5
26 Joshua Flail Octane Coffee Atlanta, GA 554.5
27 Jared Truby Verve Coffee Roasters Santa Cruz, CA 554
28 Kevin Perkins Caffe Medici Austin, TX 552
29 Nicole Mournian Caffe Luxxe Santa Monica, CA 548.5
30 Sam Penix Everyman Espresso New York, NY 545.5
31 Ryan Knapp Madcap Coffee Grand Rapids, MI 541.5
32 Vajra Rich The Coffee Syndicate Boulder, CO 531.5
33 Joe Marrocco Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co. St. Louis, MO 530.5
34 Samuel Purvis Coffee House 5 Portland, OR 529.5
35 Les Stoneham La Terza Coffee Cincinnati, OH 526.5
36 Kevin Fuller The Albina Press Portland, OR 526
37 Benjamin Wilkinson Blue State Coffee New Haven, CT 525.5
38 Travis Edwards Murky Coffee Arlington, VA 524.5
39 Isaiah Sheese Double Shot Coffee Tulsa, OK 518
40 David Sapp Independent Barista Charleston, SC 517
41 Amber Johnson LAMILL Coffee Los Angeles, CA 495.5
42 Philip Search The Coffee Syndicate Boulder, CO 488.5
43 Robin Crosby Coal Creek Coffee Co Laramie, WY 478.5
44 Erik Williams Caffe Sole Boulder, CO 466
45 Emily Kryska Caffe Sole Boulder, CO 453.5
46 Joseph Mains Cartel Coffee Lab Tempe, AZ 450.5
47 Breanna Lloyd Coffee Bean International Portland, OR 443
48 January Vawter Blend Coffee Portland, OR 428.5
49 Claire Ghormley Mon Ami Café Vancouver, WA 458.5 *DQ
50 Dale Donchey Method Coffee Bar Atlanta, GA 451 *DQ
Nikolas Krankl, May 4, 2009
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BOSTONIST: ANN WOODY
A friend just emailed me a nice piece that mentions us in the Bostonist. It is positive feedback and enthusiasm such as this that helps me drive myself and the rest of the staff day in and day out. Sometimes it is easy to forget what we are really here to do. What our main goal is. But when someone gives us a compliment it reminds me why I like doing what I do-- to make people happy! If you are reading this, thank you Ann Woody, and all the other happy customers who actively go out of there way to spread the good word about Taste. Without this, what we do would not be possible nor rewarding. Thank you!
PS. Modified "Vitamin D" espresso from Ritual is still in the hopper for the next few days so come get some whilst we still got it. The following week we are doing a run of Barismo's newest blend, "Soma."
Nikolas Krankl, April 28, 2009
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QUICK CORRECTION!
I just got word from the wholesale account manager at Ritual, Shane, that they are all out of the Fazenda Esperanca. This Brasil will be replaced with another Brasil--Fazenda Apucurana. Of course this means that we have no idea what to expect now since 80% of the blend is a different coffee than we tasted originally. Stay tuned for our results and extraction methods when the modified "Vitamin D" arrives!
On another note, I have to give a great BIG SHOUT OUT to Ben Kaminsky of Barismo for winning the US Cup Taster's Championship in Atlanta. His impressive performance has earned him the opportunity to compete for the world title in Germany in June! Way to go, brother, we're all incredibly proud of you! Quite frankly, I'm not surprised you won and think you deserve it. Again, bravo amigo.
Nikolas Krankl, April 22, 2009
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VITAMIN D ESPRESSO
Here's how Chris Baca defines the blend. "Vitamin D is a two bean blend. 80% of Vitamin D is made up of a coffee from Fazenda Esperanca Brasil, produced by Joao Souza in the Cerrado eco-region of Minas Gerais. Processing: this coffee is a full sun-dried natural. 20% of the big D is comprised of a Colombian coffee: La Plata. La Plata is the product of six small producers in Huila, Colombia. Processing: washed. Ridiculous crazy cherry aroma melting into dark chocolate with a touch of almond/vanilla."
Better get in and taste some before it's all gone kiddos!
Nikolas Krankl, April 21, 2009
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IN THE HOPPER
The Ethiopian Natural Beloya presently in the hopper is tasting really nice right now with an intensely syrupy body and highly floral + fruity aromatics. The taste has lots of dark red + blue fruits with a delicate lemon/strawberry finish & hints of licorice. For the home users out there, right now we are happy with our results when extracted like so:
Ethiopia Organic Yirgacheffe Beloya (Ecco Caffe)
Dose: 18 - 20 grams
Temp: 199 - 200.5 degrees
Volume: 1.5 - 1.85 oz
Time: 27-29 seconds
Tamp: Aggressive
We only have a day or two at most left with it on bar so if you haven't tried any yet, I recommend not procrastinating.
On another note, we are currently in the process of hiring a new teammate. We have a great potential candidate whose information I do not want to disclose until things are finalized, BUT, if all works out, he will be an outstanding and valuable addition with a wealth of knowledge and passion about coffee + food! More on that later.
Lastly and briefly, if you want to see a picture of yours truly featured in this months "Anniversary Issue" of Barista Magazine, click here. You'll find a picture and a brief mention on pages 24 + 26. Pretty cool!
Nikolas Krankl, April 18, 2009
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SIX MENTIONS
A couple of things:
I. The much anticipated, ever so popular,Open Mic Night, will be happening Saturday, May 2nd.
II. We will be permitted to have 2 tables and 4 chairs outside starting Wednesday, April 22nd. I'm thrilled! It's a great look, customers enjoy sitting outside drinking iced lattes soaking in the warm sunlight, AND the extra seating is much needed as our beloved following continues to grow, and grow, and grow, and grow...
III. The Fazenda Cochoeira is behaving quite nicely. At 200.5 degrees, 20 grams, 1.65 fluid ounces, and a 27-28 second extraction this elixir is sweet like trick or treating. But what makes this coffee so exquisite as a single origin espresso is that it is soft, approachable, and round, yet still layered with subtle complexities. I think that JW said it best, "It's like a pillow!" [Insert adorable giggle here]. After tomorrow, at latest, we will be be running the natural-processed Beloya.
IV. I just wanted to show a picture of the pimped out La Marzocco that Intelligentsia had custom built by Terry with Espresso Parts for their new location opening up in Venice, CA. Excuse my language, but you lucky bastards that machine is amazing! I mean, check this out.
V. Mazzer Robur E will arrive around the 24th of this month, WOO HOO! I got a cool deal from Jerry at Espresso Parts. The machine will be used by a WBC competitor (I believe from Greece), and then will get shipped out to me, slightly used. The price point was so good that my folks in LA who own Gelato Bar + Espresso Caffe picked one up for their shop, too!
VI. Lastly, we will be organizing a cupping before the end of the month. It will take place after regular store hours, and the event will be open to the public. More specifics about this and which coffees will be part of the lineup to come later.
Enjoy the nice weather out there!
Nikolas Krankl, April 15, 2009
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AMOR EST VITAE ESSENTIA
"Love is the essence of life"
Taste's New Back-Door
Julia!
1993 BMW 900R
Diego
It's not only about the coffee for me. I've got a lot of other loves in my life. I love my soon to be wife, Julia, who I'm marrying at the end of May in my hometown, LA. Woo Hoo! I love my Chihuahua, Diego. I love my 1993 BMW 900R. And I LOVE my co-workers! We are like family. The things these guys and gals do for me / Taste is unheard of. Let me be the first to tell you, it certainly isn't about the pay. This group of all-star baristas are honest, respectful, hardworking, and they constantly exceed my wildest expectations with their persistent commitment to improving the shop. Take Clare & Jamie for instance. These two girls have spent their own time creating beautiful labels for the retail shelves, redid the menu boards last week, and are currently in the process of revising our entire menu. Today Clare worked a 6am to 11am shift, downed a cappuccino and a biscotti, and then painted the back door, which was in major need of some restyling. This was all on her own time I might add. I'm so thankful to be surrounded by such amazing people in my life, motorcycles, and dogs, too!
Thank you, thank you , thank you!
Nikolas Krankl, April 13, 2009
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TRADITIONAL CAPPUCCINOS
Some fun things are in the mail and should arrive some time next week! First of all, a couple dozen black ACF cappuccino cups are on the way. This means that at last we will be offering traditional cappuccinos in the shop like the ones served at competition! We will also be retailing a limited amount of these, so check out our merchandise shelves if interested. In addition to the capp cups, I impulsively bought some matching espresso cups, too. Also available for sale.
In regards to retail, we are selling 2 Bodum Antigua Electric Coffee Grinders perfect for the home/office users. The conical burrs will do a great job for anyone looking to brew at home at a terrific price of $110. These are currently selling for $129+. Note: We do not recommended this grinder for the espresso brewing method.
Lastly, 2 Europa steaming pitchers by Motta are coming (a 12 oz and a 24 oz) and I'm excited to see if they live up to all the hype. Word is that they are superior for latte art and stretching milk. These are the pitchers that James Hoffmann, 2007 World Barista Champion, used in competition. I'm excited to find out firsthand and then post our results. If they live up to their reputation, I'll order some more to retail for the serious home users in need of a good steaming pitcher.
Nikolas Krankl, April 12, 2009
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LOVE IT OR HATE IT
Still no word from Emily as to what charity she wants to donate her $100 in winnings from the latte art throw-down. I'll let ya'll know when I know... Anyways, I think that Jaime summed up the event extremely well, so no need to echo his words.
Speaking of Ecco, we are still serving the reserve espresso on bar, but Mondays delivery brings some new flavors/aromas. Half of the shipment consists of the Ethiopia Beloya espresso, and the other half is 25lbs of Brazil Fazenda Cachoeira, a screen-dried yellow bourbon (we are lucky to get to taste it because Andrew says it is the last pounds of it he's got). I'm eager to familiarize myself with these 2 coffees. The Natural Ethiopian coffee is featured at Billy Wilson's shop in Oregon, BARISTA. The people there are loving the stuff so I expect similar results.
This reminds me. We have taken a new approach to our espresso program and it is going over quite well amongst both the staff and the consumers. The goal is to bounce around using different espressos whenever we feel like it. The plan is to keep our audience excited to try whatever we decide to pull next, as well as ensuring that we brand our shop, not a roaster. There is still much development to be made there, but that is at least the direction that we are going. Sure, we have had 1 or 2 people that miss that comfort cup-- the exact same coffee day in and day out. But for the most part, everyone seems to be taking to the idea of tasting new things. Lord knows I have! It is not just me though, in fact, we are gaining espresso drinkers as a result. Love it or hate it, the fun of tasting new things and then analyzing them with a knowledgeable staff that is more than willing to exchange opinions about what's in the cup is intoxicating. And the 20 oz extra hot skinny vanilla latte sippers, 2 splenda, no foam, haven't even noticed anything has changed...
Happy Easter & Passover everyone!
Nikolas Krankl, April 11, 2009
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"NIK'S 1ST BJ" -clare
I'm still gathering some final pieces of information before posting (like what charity Emily of diesel wants to donate her winnings), but for the time being click here to read all about the barista jam from the mind of VanSchyndel! What an amazing success it was... Big ups to everyone that showed up and those who made donations making it all possible.
All I can think about is when the next one will be?!?!?
Nikolas Krankl, April 4, 2009
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MEET THE SPONSORS
Just wanted to give a quick shout-out to the sponsors of the upcoming barista jam on Friday the 3rd from 5pm - 8pm.
First, Hi Lawn Farm is donating the milk for the latte art contest. I have a feeling that after the jam, a lot more baristas will be pushing their shops to start carrying Hi Lawn milk. It is terrific stuff. In fact, it is the milk that I brought with me to the NERBC and placed 2nd with. Thanks Hi Lawn!
Then of course there's Barismo. Hands down the biggest sponsors of this event. They're providing a keg of Harpoon seasonal beer, finger foods, and also helping out a great deal spreading the word to the community and asking for donations to give away as prizes.
Lastly, Gus, from Toscanini's is donating some espresso ice cream! Gus is all about community building and I'm psyched that he's taking an active role to support us!
If we receive any additional support, I'll be sure to update this posting to give credit to the said sponsors.
Happy April Fool's Day!
Nikolas Krankl, April 1, 2009
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ON THEIR TOES
During my trip to Portland for the USBC I had the pleasure of finally meeting the infamous Andrew Barnett face-to-face. He is one of the most genuine and passionate people I have ever encountered. It was a pleasure getting to know him over some good food and drinks (not coffee). For those of you who may or may not know this, my mom, Gail, and her husband, Joel, own a gelato bar + espresso caffe in LA and they brew Ecco on a a 2-group synesso. Anyways, I got to thinking about a conversation Jaime & I had about Taste during all of the preparation time we spent together leading up to competition. The gist of it was to make sure to brand the shop, not the bean. This is the kind of advice that you get from a true friend who's looking out for your best interest, not just a businessman with a sales pitch. We discussed the importance of showing the public that we are skilled baristas. We have the ability to extract many different coffees well and to showcase their different qualities to customers, thus increasing coffee awareness and keeping our clientele on their toes with excitement and anticipation.
So before I digress too much more, let me tell you about the coffee we are serving for the next week. It is the Ecco Reserve Espresso. It has only been in the hopper for one day so far, but we are loving the results. Pulling our shots at 19-20 grams, 200 degrees, 27-29 seconds with 6 second pre-infusion yields a sweet, soft and creamy shot (1.85 oz) with a rich bakers cocoa flavor and syrupy, honey-like mouthfeel. Add milk and the chocolate/caramel really bounces out of the cup making this espresso a sensation for all the dairy drinkers out there! Hurry in while we got this stuff on the bar.
Keep your eyes posted for some different coffees flowing through the group-head in the months to come. We've already started talking about pulling the Nimac by Barismo next which will be fun! I'll keep posting...
Nikolas Krankl, March 26, 2009
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KRANKY'S BARISTA JAM
The 1st Barista Jam in Taste history will be held on Friday, April 3rd from 5-8pm. I'll be inviting all of the notable coffee shops (distributing invitations this Friday) i.e., Hi Rise, Cafe Fixe, Simon's, Bloc 11, Diesel, 1369, Cafe Crema, and Lincoln Street. These are the biggest and baddest shops/baristas and I'm wrangling them into my shop for free food, free beer, yeah, FREE BEER (special thanks to BARISMO for co-sponsoring the event by providing us all with a keg, finger foods, and some other fun giveaways!!!), free coffee, live music, and, of course, a LATTE ART CONTEST! That means that all of the "best baristas" will square off to see who has got the best pours in the business. Cash and other prizes will be awarded to the winner, along with insane bragging rights within the local coffee community. Also, we are getting together some other cool prizes like tampers and shirts and other cool swag for the less serious contest that will take place... the LATTE CHUG CONTEST! May the fastest drinker win! This event is open to the public. Again, thank you BARISMO, or should we say, BEERISMO, for your generous contributions to make this event a smashing success!! You guys are the greatest.
My hope is to unite the local coffee community because after all don't we all want the same thing, a perfect cup? I know Jaime and Barnett hear me on this one. Baristas mark your calendars because this is a night you won't want to miss out on!
Here's what the invitations / flyers look like (click on the photos to enlarge images):
GOVERNMENT
WARNING:
(1) ACCORDING TO THE SURGEON GENERALWOMEN SHOULD NOT DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING PREGNANT BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF BIRTH DEFECTS (2) THE EVENT WILL BE HELD AT TASTE ON FRIDAY, APRIL 3RD FROM 5PM - 8PM
CONTAINS CAFFEINE
Nikolas Krankl, March 25, 2009
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OPEN MIC NITE
Dip, dive, socialize, get ready for a Saturday Night!!! Another open mic night = another night of fun. Saturday, March 28th from 5-8pm. As you all know, this event is quite popular, so show up early if you want to secure a seat. Here is a copy of the flyer for the event:
Open Mic
Night
Featuring-
Craig Sonnenfeld,
Wall-Man
and many more of
the usual suspects
Saturday March 28th
2009
Starts @ 5pm Sign ups
@ 4:30pm
Contact Logan via
email at loganhudson@yahoo.com to sign up early or request an
extended time slot.
More info on
www.tastecoffeehouse.com
Drink Specials! $2
Simpler Times Lager,
$3 Heineken, $6 La
Fin Du Monde
Nikolas Krankl, March 25, 2009
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HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY
We will be experimenting with green food coloring tomorrow. Yeah that's right, green latte art, green eggs and ham, green crepe batter, etc... Should be interesting, and if the results are cool, I'll post pics tomorrow.
On another note, Taste's birthday party was a smash hit. Thanks to everyone who came out and celebrated with us. It seems with every event we host, the turnout gets larger and larger and more fun, too! We really need to expand... But, the cramped space full of hipsters adds to the Taste charm. We will host another open mic night in the near future, but more importantly, my goal is to host a barista jam. This is something my old pal Jaime has been wanting to take place for awhile. Well Mr. VanSchyndel, let's just say it's in the works. I'll be going around town to all of the "best" coffee shops and inviting barista's to come out and compete in a friendly latte art throw down at Taste in the near future. Stay tuned for updates on that, folks!
Lastly, I am pretty close to making a pricey purchase that I hope will improve our speed, cleanliness, and consistency in regards to dosing. Enter Mazzer Robur E. Here is what Kyle Glanville, 2008 United States Barista Champion has to say about this grinder:
"This machine marks a significant advance in espresso preparation equipment. For the last several years, grinder manufacturers have been climbing all over themselves to successfully create a doserless model that doesn’t clump and is fast enough to handle high volume environments.
In my opinion, all such machines before this have been failures. The Mazzer Robur E is special. Does it solve all the issues plaguing modern day espresso grinders? Certainly not. But it does a few things very well :
- Grind quality is superior to even other roburs, as there is an auger driving the beans through the burr chamber at an even rate and a “finger guard” breaking up clumps exiting the chute.
- Distribution is great. Angle the portafilter up towards the grinder body as it is grinding and the coffee piles up evenly in the center of the basket. I have seen absolutely no channeling in any of my pucks with this machine, even when I have tried to create it.
- Super accurate timer to control dosing. This is really important. The timer is programmable to 5/100ths of a second and dosing is accurate and consistent, cutting down on waste and ensuring shot to shot consistency.
- The Mazzer Robur-E is fast as hell. Tired of spending all your time working the doser lever or standing with the portafilter in your hand? This thing will grind 20g in less than 3 seconds!
- The machine stays cool. Thanks to an added computer fan mounted at the back of the grinder body, this machine stays cool under pressure no matter what volume you are serving.
Espresso grinders still have a very long way to go, but for now the Mazzer Robur-E is the biggest-baddest-bestest on the block."
Keep your eyes peeled for one of these making their opening debut on the bar within the next few weeks, hopefully banging out some wonderful spro shots!
Be well, Boston, and have a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day!!!
Nikolas Krankl, March 17, 2009
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TASTE!
Friday, March 13, 2009:
1-Year-Anniversary Celebration!!!! Come to drink, eat, and listen to live music to celebrate Taste's one year birthday party. We will be partying from 5 pm to 8 pm and we will serve free espresso all day long as well as free small drip coffee's from 5-8 pm as a thank you to the community for showing us such amazing support!!! Nik will also be preparing his 2009 Barista Competition signature drink for a lucky few, so make sure to get there early if you want to try one.
Nikolas Krankl, March 10, 2009
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NEW TO THE SCENE
A lot has happened in the past few weeks. Taste is busier than ever, and I've been caught up in the day-to-day and haven't had much time to reflect and put down some thoughts on paper about everything leading up to competition, the time on stage, and all of my afterthoughts. I will revisit that later. More important news is introducing the newest member of the family, Jamie! She made the trip to the regional competition (10+ hour drive) as a volunteer, along with her boyfriend, Lex.
Nikolas Krankl, February 24, 2009
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"The Coffee Economy"
The Associated Press recently released a piece called, "The Coffee Economy." Newswoman Ramit Plushnick-Masti interviewed several shop owners and competitors during the Northeast Regional Barista Competition for a closer look into how small coffee shops are doing in these tough economical times. I managed to put my two cents in!
To view the slideshow that went out on the AP wire, click here.
To view the story written by AP newswoman, Ramit, click here.
By the way, see ya'll tomorrow at our open mic night, starting at 6 p.m.!!! Come listen to great eclectic musicians and artists alike while enjoying our great beer and wine selection. Also, I wanted to point out that we have some new photographs on display/for sale at the shop by a talented local artist, friend, and blogger, Chuck Tanowitz. I think they're terrific!
Nikolas Krankl, February 19, 2009
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* * * Open Mic Night * * *
Friday, February 20 we are hosting another open mic night! This is definitely back by popular demand, and I'm expecting an unbelievably full house. For that very reason, I'd encourage early arrival if you expect a seat, because they go quickly! The event will begin promptly at 6 p.m. I do not need to say much, other than expect a kick a$#* time!
Below is a copy of the flyer floating around Newton:
Open Mic Night
Featuring-
Bassist, Louis
An”Dre” Ochoa
&
Pianist, Aman
Mahajan
Friday February 20th
2009
Sign ups begin at 5pm
Music begins at 6pm
till ?
Contact Logan via
email at loganhudson@yahoo.com to sign up early or request an extended time
slot.
Special Menu Items
and Pricings will be available in limited quantities the night of only so do
not miss out!
Nikolas Krankl, February 16, 2009
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