Christmas time! But what should you get for that coffee loving geek in your circle of friends or family? Below some ideas for gifts that any coffee lover would like to receive.
Books EU 7,50 - 30
There are plenty of coffee books out again this year. These two are a couple of my favourites. Harmon's book on how to run a coffee shop is filled with his personal experiences starting his own shops. The chapters are divided in; the building, the cafe, coffee, staff, culture and numbers.
Now I never started my own company. However, I do believe that most chapters will have informative tips and tricks for entrepreneurs. Now a lot of people I know in the coffee industry are self-employed or have their own companies, whether it be a roastery or cafe. But even for the company-employed people like myself I believe this book holds a couple of gems.
I hear your hesitant questions...Do coffee people really need a coffee dictionary? Are they not already experts in their field? I never understand a word they are saying about something I drink everyday. What more could there possibly be?
The awesome thing about coffee is that there are so many people, all throughout the chain, who are responsible for the coffee quality. The farmer, picker, exporter, importer, roaster, barista, and in many cases there are even more people and steps involved. Not all of them know all jargon for all links in the chain. This book covers jargon for all links in the chain. Nuff said.
Aeropress related EU 7 - 20
The aeropress. It is one of the most amazing brewing devices out there. It has its own world championship. Soon it will have it's own movie. It is super diverse, being able to create a different drink every time depending on recipe. It travels well. It's easy to use and clean. And it brews amazing coffee. And so, all coffeelovers will love some gear for their aeropress.
For something that is already so diverse, the aeropress has so much potential that has not been tapped yet. Because of its mechanism it should be quite easy to create add-ons to create even more options and diversity of brew. For 20 USD you can buy a an attachment that will create a drink that is more espresso-like.
Does it work? That is the question right? All coffee people will want to try it out to see what happens.
 |
| cahier - filter dispenser - drip tray |
I love Etsy. It is super duper dangerous if you have no money to spend. But it is great for finding gifts.
Here are a couple of aeropress related finds!
 |
| caddy - filter holder for travel - pin |
What to think about a small moleskine cahier with an aeropress on the front? Cute! Or a filter dispenser. I know seems a bit strange, what about the dispenser that comes with the aeropress. But this one has a top, which means there is more protection and less creasage. Also it comes in different colours. Or this drip tray? How adorable and functional is that? Etsy also sells quite some caddies, so baristas can display and store their aeropress in a functional and beautiful way. And of course there is the obligatory pin. But what I think is the most amazing? the filter holder add-on for travel. The aeropress is the travel companion, because it is compact and easy to clean. But bringing filters is always a hassle. Not anymore! Genius. Really...I love it.
Barista gear EU 50 - 190
In full disclosure, the awesome people of the Push tamper were so kind to send me one of their tampers, to try out and see what I thought. I had played with it a little before, but never really found the time to buy or borrow one to spend a little bit more time with. So I jumped at the chance.
What I really enjoy about the tamper is that it is super easy to use and that the tamp is always level - mind you, you still need to distribute evenly to avoid channelling all the same- which means a better extraction, especially when pulling a double shot.
But where I really think the added value comes in is, avoiding wrist injuries for baristas who work a lot in busy locations. Also, it is now customisable. So you can get a tamper with your coffee friends logo, or a picture of a bean, coffee tree, or even just a cool saying that supports your friendship.
This pitcher is aligned in all directions. Most pitchers are not. It might be a bit of a hype, in the sense that, if your friend can pour super straight amazing latte art now, they might not need a perfectly aligned pitcher. Also -personal opinion- the world is not straightly aligned, so do we need tools that are? That said, most coffee people love precision, we want new, precise, accurate gear all the time. And this pitcher promises just that. And I am looking forward to trying this thing out. And it's open for pre-orders now!
Coffee EU 10 - 70
Buying coffee for coffeelovers. I say it every year and I will say it again. There is no way of going wrong here (as long as you buy from specialty roasters).
A lot of roasters will have some special editions around Christmas time. The Barn has an edition that is paired with some tasty chocolate, also such a perfect Christmas gift. Drop coffee has a triple pack. And there are many, many more. So go to your local coffee roaster and get something. Some tips: make sure the roast date is not too long ago (ideally not more than a week, flavour will often decrease significantly after a month). If you are not sure the coffee you are buying is up to par, check the bag for coffee information. Does it include where the coffee is from? The more specific the better, usually.
Or, if you really want to put a smile on your coffeelover's face, get a coffee from a roaster your friend might otherwise not have easy access to. Because coffee people like new experiences. Get on the Third Wave Wichteln coffee map and see if you can find a roaster from far, far away, where you either know somebody who can send you a bag, or who does international shipping.
Or, you can give this new subscription as a gift. Modrec will send you two bags of beans from small batch roasters from all across the world, freshly roasted in original packaging.
--- ---
Still not sure what to buy for your coffee friend? Check out my previous coffee gift guides for further inspiration.
pictures of products are of the webshop listed in the article
barista tool suppliers
ReplyDeleteNice blog, thank you for posting this informative content. Please visit at Techy Cafe Midtown for best coffee Wynwood
ReplyDelete