The Genetic Diversity of Yeasts in Coffee Processing

Yeast. It's used for many, many things. Including fermentation in wine, cacao and coffee. It's the distinguishing element between grape juice and wine. It is part of the process of creating alcohol, but also has a huge influence on the flavour. Using starter cultures of yeast have been common in the wine industry for a very long time and this is one of the reasons all vineyard-yeast strains are so similar.

Coffee and cacao farmers do not use starter cultures, but often rely on their local surroundings. So interestingly enough, although the coffee tree is very homogeneous as most plants around the world share the same origin, the yeasts found in the green bean end product differ completely.

At least this is what Aimée Dudley of the Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute and Justin Fay of the University of Washington found. They were even able to use DNA sequences of the yeast strains to determine origin. 

According to the researchers this diversity of coffee yeasts opens up the possibility to create new flavours of coffee, by using a yeast from a certain region, in the fermentation process in a different location. Who knows what this would taste like?

As a coffee cupper and q grader myself, this sounds very interesting. At the same time my mind immediately flew to one of the most thought provoking and inspiring Reco talks of Gothenburg on what lessons coffee can draw from the 'natural wine' movement.

Are starting yeasts and yeasts for sale really something we want to invest in? Or would we be stepping away from a product we love. If we start adding yeasts from the Panama Geisha from Esmeralda to all coffees from all over the world, we might in theory create more floral and perfumed coffees, but we might also be destroying local yeasts and culture that have been in use for centuries.

What do you guys think? Am I too conservative? 

2016 Dutch Barista Championship - The Finalists - Esther Maasdam

Esther Maasdam is a real competition barista. Next to competing in almost all competitions you can think of, she has represented the Netherlands multiple times in the Latte Art competitions. Will she get to do the same for the Barista Championship?

photo by Thari Parson

2016 Dutch Barista Championship - The Finalists - Vincent Zwaan

The Amsterdam Coffee Festival is happening in March 2016. It will host the Dutch Barista Championships. Who will get to represent the Netherlands in Dublin during the World Barista Competition? One of the competitors is Vincent (Vinni) Zwaan, representing Bocca Coffee Roasters.

Coffee Crawl Haarlem: Where to Drink Coffee in Haarlem

People from Amsterdam never want to travel outside the capitol of the lowlands. Everything you need is at a palm's reach. Although the Netherlands is a small, tiny country, everything outside of the ring is far, far, away land for the Amsterdammers. And so, most coffee places I know in the Netherlands are located in Amsterdam. Of course I can name others, but most I have never seen in real life with my own eyes. And so my friend 'B' and me decided to travel. Take the trains and discover all the lovely coffee spots outside of our hometown. We did not travel far this time, but trained over to Haarlem. 

Haarlem is a great little city, with beautiful old architecture and the best small shops. It is also filled with places with pretty decent coffee, mostly delivered by Bocca Coffee Roasters. But there is more out there.

see map

2016 Dutch Barista Championship - The Finalists - Merijn Gijsbers

The Amsterdam Coffee Festival is happening in March 2016. It will host the Dutch Barista Championships. Who will get to represent the Netherlands in Dublin during the World Barista Competition? Introducing Merijn Gijsbers, coffee trainer at the Koffiegenootschap and consultant for Alpro.

photo by Thari Parson

2016 Dutch Barista Championship - The Finalists - Jesper van Stek

The Amsterdam Coffee Festival will crown a new Dutch Barista Champion. Who will get to represent the Netherlands in Dublin during the World Barista Competition? Introducing Jesper van Stek of Doppio Espresso Amsterdam VU.

2016 Dutch Barista Championship - The Finalists - Wendelien Verver

The Amsterdam Coffee Festival will crown a new Dutch Barista Champion. Who will get to represent the Netherlands in Dublin during the World Barista Competition? Introducing second finalist Wendelien Verver (Single Estate Coffee Roasters).

2016 Dutch Barista Championship - The Finalists - Lex Wenneker

The Amsterdam Coffee Festival will crown a new Dutch Barista Champion. Who will get to represent the Netherlands in Dublin during the World Barista Competition? Introducing our current champion Lex Wenneker (Espresso Service West).

Picture from SCAENL taken by Marjolein Meulendijks, Smit Prins Amsterdam Agency

The Christmas Gift Guide 2015 for Coffee Lovers

It's almost Christmas time! That means fairy lights, Christmas trees, warm drinks and thoughts. Plus, of course presents. Now buying presents for a coffee geek is quite hard, especially if you do not know a whole lot about coffee yourself. You do not want to end up giving a blender grinder, some dark roasted Kopi Luwak or pre-ground Holiday blend from some mainstream company.

And so, just in time for some Christmas shopping and shipping, a guide for some lovely  and useful gifts every coffee snob will thank you for.

Great Coffee 

EU7,50 - EU71,00

A lot of specialty coffee roasters bring out special Christmas roasts. And specialty coffee is always a good idea. Here are a few examples.

Solberg&Hansen - Tim Wendelboe - Roestart

Java Coffee

Solberg and Hansen, a Norway roaster has a Christmas roast from El Salvador with notes of nuts, spice, tangerine and chocolate. While Roestart has a very unique coffee from Capo Verde, which I know very well has it originates from my place of work. A juicy and fruity natural coffee. Don't you just love the Christmas label? Tim Wendelboe, also from Norway has a Christmas packaging with a Colombian coffee inside with notes of plums, herbs, brown sugar and green apple.

Java Coffee from Poland always has fun and playful packaging, and their Winter Blend is not any different, with the cutest well-dressed fox.

Five Elephant

Five Elephant from Berlin also has a Holiday gift box, filled with three of their coffees. The box is pretty awesome and custom hand made. Hurry, hurry, because there are only 100 available.

Of course there are many, many more. Such as Counter Culture Coffees iridescent and many others. But not only could you try to get your hands on a special Christmas coffee, you could also go for something amazing, exclusive and limited edition. Such as Stumptown's Grand Cru, a Gesha variety from Guatemala. I have to say, not only is the coffee one of a kind, so is the packaging. It looks stunning. What a great gift.

Blue Bottle

The last gift set I want to mention here is the Blue Bottle Dick Taylor Chocolate Bar and Coffee Pairing set. A lovely box with a bar of chocolate and a bag of coffee beans, both from the Alta Verapaz region in Guatemala. Blue Bottle describes both as follows:

Taking its influences from the rich volcanic loam of the jungle floor, the chocolate smolders with gunpowder and oolong. The coffee, meanwhile, reaches up toward the canopy of trees with delicate florals and sunlit fruit. Clouds part, heaven and earth collide.

Now, who wouldn't want that in their Christmas stocking?

Beankeeper

EU0,10 - 2,30

While you're at it buying coffee, why not add something that can keep the coffee fresh for as long as possible? I've been a fan of these, long since before they have been brought out for coffee bags, using them mostly to keep my cat food crunchy for my impossible cat.

You can buy an official Beankeeper, or try to find them on ebay, alibaba or your local store for a brandless cheaper option.

Travel Kits

EU100,00 - 330,00

Now I've written before about travel kits for coffee lovers. There are some beautiful ones out there. Of course you can go out and make your own kit, for tips you can read about what I carry in my kit here. Or you can go out and buy one that is already complete.

Blue Bottle Travel Kit

Blue Bottle also has a limited edition travel kit. It's very expensive, but it carries a lot, such as a travel dripper by Bonmac, a Porlex hand grinder, a Tsuki Usagi kettle and a Hario scale, just to name a few.

A bit too expensive? They carry a smaller kit as well, for around EU170,00.







Cafflano

Or buy an all in one system, like the Cafflano. This system has an adjustable grinding system, a drip system with a reusable metal filter, a cup and the lid serves as a pouring kettle. What more could you need?

Depending on where you buy it, it will cost you around EU100,00.

Something to read

EU27,00 - 38,50

I do not know any coffee lover that is not interested in learning more. More about coffee, more about taste, more about anything remotely related to their hobby. These are the books to buy.

Water for Coffee - Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood and Christopher Hendon

This book as been the most anticipated coffee book of the year. A collaboration between a leading UK barista and a successful chemist, this book explores the influence of the main ingredient in coffee: water.

Do make sure, however, that this book has not already made it's way to your coffee loving friend's bookcase. Because it is very likely it already has.







Bitter - Jennifer Mclagan

I was introduced to this book through an amazing podcast on the BBC, on bitter. Coffee lovers and bitter, it's a love-hate relationship, and this book is fascinating:

"In this deep and fascinating exploration of bitter through science, culture, history, and 100 deliciously idiosyncratic recipes—like Cardoon Beef Tagine, White Asparagus with Blood Orange Sauce, and Campari Granita—award-winning author Jennifer McLagan makes a case for this misunderstood flavor and explains how adding a touch of bitter to a dish creates an exciting taste dimension that will bring your cooking to life." (Amazon) 

Chemex

EU8,00 - 46,00

Okay, okay, bear with me. I know it was on the list last year. But not only is the Chemex awesome, but there are some amazing Chemex related things out there this year.

First of all Toms, a brand you may know for their awesome shoes and apparel, is also a well established coffee roaster. And now they have a special project. An 8 cup glass uniquely branded Chemex.
Not only that, but for every Tom's Chemex sold both companies will give one week of safe water to a person in need. So not only are you giving an awesome and unique gift, you are also giving to charity. A great Christmas gesture, no?







Now with Etsy, you can customise the Chemex even more! Chemex cozy's, Chemex socks, in any style or colour you can think of. Or buy a little Chemex Moleskine, you know, for brewing recipes and such.

Sock - Moleskine - Cozy

Amazing Kettle
EU112,60

Copper, it's the colour of fashion. Plus, all baristas love gooseneck kettles, as it gives higher precision when pouring water on your coffee bed, giving you more control.

Also, the name 'Monarch Kettle', what more do you want? Okay, it is quite expensive. But it is a work of art.

Designed and made by Chris Chekan in Toronto, Canada.




Latte Art Dice

EU 23,46 - 27,91

If your friend is not only a coffee lover, but a barista. And he or she is a barista that enjoys latte art, you can get them a latte art dice. What's that? A dice with 6 different latte art figures. Throw the dice, and the barista can pour the figure the dice lands on. Let customers throw the dice, use it for practise, or organise a latte art throwdown competition.

You can buy the latte art dice, pictured on the left, or if you think those figures are too easy, buy this one. Guaranteed high level of difficulty.

Cupping Spoons

EU8,00 - 60,00

Okay. So. All coffee people I know love coffee cuppings. This is a gift for a coffee professional though, not necessarily for the coffee hobbyist. Cupping spoons are used to taste coffees, during coffee tasting sessions. Either at importers, sourcing companies, coffee roasters or at trade shows. And having your own cupping spoon is very, very cool.

There are multiple ways you can go. You can either go the official route, and buy a cool cupping spoon from a coffee company. Such as the cool red handled Invictus, or the large Ritual Roasters spoon. Or the more classic spoon from any other coffee company, such as Espresso Parts and many, many others.

Invictus - Ritual Roasters

Or, you can go and browse and find a one of a kind spoon. To be able to do this, you need to know the following; 

• Ideally a cupping spoon is made of silver, although stainless steel also works. These materials conduct temperature perfectly and do not alter the taste of the coffee.
• The spoon bowl should be more round than oval.
• The spoon bowl should be deep enough to get some liquid in there
• The spoon bowl should not be too big or too small, probably between 3 and 5 centimetres in diameter.

So something like this, or this, this, this or maybe even this, you know, for looks.

some spoons of ebay

And then...not only should you get a sock for your Chemex, you should get a sock for the cupping spoon. The cupping spoon sock can be bought on Etsy for EU15,00 and is hand made in the Netherlands by coffee lover and SCAE Education Field Coordinator Kim Staalman.

Why? Because it keeps the spoon clean while it's roaming around in a bag, plus it breaks a fall. Just look at this video from the coffee sock maker Kim, find her on Instagram for more inspiring visual input.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

pictures are of webshops linked in the article, unless otherwise stated

My Month on Instagram ǁ November 2015

I post photos on Instagram on a regular basis showing my coffee and tea drinking habit. Plus some running pictures are inevitably going to be passing by. Once a month I bundle these and talk about the photos on my blog.

In November I:

»  All the luck in the world opened on the Lineausstraat in Amsterdam. They have a couple of other shops as well. Selling furniture, jewelry and other fun stuff, they also serve coffee roasted by Stooker. Always great to see more specialty coffee in the East part of Amsterdam. A great place to find some Christmas gifts as well.

» An other place I finally got to visit was Toki, a great little place in the Jordaan in Amsterdam, serving the always tasty Bonanzacoffee. Good coffee, good vibes, great company. If I lived a little closer by I would spent way too much hours of my time hanging in this great little bar.

» On an other note, my cats love the fact that I foam milk at home on occasion.

» We had a huge cupping with some Russian customers of ours at work, and so I spent quite a few hours behind the Probat sample roaster at Trabocca, making sure all the samples were ready to go.

» Cupping so many coffees during the work week, sometimes you just want some tea on the weekends. I love this combo of a lovely light Oolong, fresh ginger and hibiscus. Works well against inflammation as well.

» We had some Chelbessa sample left over from our Russian cupping, so that meant some great Chemex at home. Brewing some amazing coffee at home does always put a smile on the face of your partner, because of course.

» As a runner and a coffee lover, this hessian bag from Falcon Specialty just in front of the roaster at the Coffeecompany Roastery was just to good to not take a picture.

 » Finally, the last picture of the month was the roasting set up at Trabocca's USA office in Minneapolis. I went up there to calibrate on cupping scores and got to admire this lovely set up.

See you next month!

Want to see my other pictures? Check out my Instagram at instagram.com/ceriannebury.