Goals and Objectives

Summer Doldrums

Dear Readers,

It has been about five months since my last post. Thank you for your business and your feedback.

Since the Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Festival in April of 2024, I have been redeveloping the business to accommodate the changes I need to make to thrive.

I have been consulting with the SBA, the New Mexico Environmental Department, the FDA and will continue to work with the community here in Socorro and in South Albuquerque at the RailYards Market.

I could tell you business is booming, but it is in stasis right now as I am working to get my ducks in a row. I participated in a two day roasting Seminar hosted by the New Mexico Pinon Coffee Company,

The above Zia coffee cup symbol is TM (r) New Mexico Pinon Coffee Company

and I stepped away from using the Aeropress as one of my weapons of coffee instruction. So back to airpots and drip coffee makers. .

The above “American Aeropress Championship 2024” Poster is copyright Aeropress and Onyx Coffee Labs.

.But, starting this week, its back to Aeropress to honor the Aeropress World Championships hosted this year by Onyx Coffee Roasters located in Arkansas.

The above image is copyright AeropressTM(r)

I have hoops to jump through, even though I use the New Mexico Cottage Kitchen Law ( NM HB 177) as my portal to legally operating in New Mexico.

I have to operate my own ship, but within the Health and Safety Guidelines of the NMED, the County and City of Socorro, and the County of Bernalillo and City of Albuquerque. I am hoping that by qualifying as a “Food Manufacturer” with the appropriate permits and certifications I will be able to finally focus more on my roasting and craft and less time on the ” Dog and Pony Show ” aspect of the Coffee trade.

The above image is copyright Jano/JanoFarms.

Sometimes I feel as if the coffee boat is in irons and just shy of catching the zephyr that will steer me to success. Anyway, I also carry coffees from the Americas as well as the other two coffee hotspots The Pacific Ring of Fire, and the Horn of Africa. So that being said. ‘Til next time…Cheers.

Apres’ du Marche’ ( After the Market)

Location

The 2023 Railyards Holiday Market is an annual event held in the Barelas Neighboohood at the Location of the historic former Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Locomotive Servicing Shops, 707 1st Avenue Southwest, Albuquerque, New Mexico just south of the Albuquerque Depot for Amtrak, the NM RailRunner, and Greyhound Motor Coaches.

Holiday Market Historicity

The Railyards Holiday Market was successful and brisk ( like Lipton Teas, but I sell coffee). The management at The Railyards placed me “inside” the old Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Albuquerque New Mexico Railroad Shops Brake Building, by an open door. The AT&SF Shops were active for almost 100 years! The complex covers many acres and has many interesting structures showing off American Industrial Architecture at its finest.

Number of Vendors

The Brake Building had about sixty vendors the other building probably about the same , but the outdoor vendors seemed to number around 100. Foods included potatoes, apples , chili ( red and ristras ) prepared goodies such as green chili stew , cakes, cookies and pies. There were close to 20 taco trucks and mobile vendors included in the mix.

Brisk Sales

Both days were brisk, and sales were good too. I think I mostly do these “Dog and Pony Shows ” as a public service and to entertain the public with my humor or lack of humor. Thank you if you attended , and many thanks if you purchased my beans! I had to give away my samples of brewed coffee, and the coffee had to be cold – brewed.

Cold-Brewed Coffee

I used my ” Aeropress XL (c) ” to cold brew my samples and Saturday was my learning curve. Sunday I came close to perfect. Took me 35 minutes from start to finish. I poured about 35 grams of fine ground coffee ( hand ground in a Hario Skerton (c) hand grinder ) into a compostable coffee cup ( 12 ounces capacity) and added about 5 ounces of water, stirred once and let it sit for ten minutes, covered. Then I stirred it again to attempt to get the grounds to accept water ( the grounds were ‘gassing-off’ ) then set my cell phone timer for another ten minutes .

After the initial 20 minutes in the paper cup I stirred the grounds thoroughly and then dumped the water grounds mixture into my XL. I then added at least 7 more ounces of water to the Aeropress filling it to the ‘3’ mark on the cylinder. I stirred furiously then placed the plunger into the cylinder and let the grounds saturate for another ten minutes , then pressed out the cold brew. Voila! The Peru Organic came out a bit ‘woodsy” on day 2, the Yemen on Day 1 was tea-like , the Yemen on Day 2 was nearly perfect in color, flavor and mouth feel.

Coffees featured

I sold out of my Peru Organic, Honduras Organic and had one 12 ounce bag of Yemen, one bag of the Colombia Double Macerated Huila Honey Process (8 oz.) and a partial bag of Peru taken from stock as a sampler bag ( 8 oz) to bring home.

So, four coffees-

*Columbia Double Macerated Huila Honey ( Honey Process) ( bright apple-y),

* Honduras Organic Paca Vita ( Dark roast full body),

*Peru Organic( both washed process ) ( woodsy, rich), and:

*Yemen Mokka – Sa’anani ( dried-in-cherry or natural process) ( chocolate-y , well-rounded ) were available as whole bean coffees only.

Future Events

My next Railyards Market (https://railyardsmarket.org) I am planning for is the Valentines Day Weekend Market in February. Other wise I hope to see you at any of the Socorro Farmers winter Market (https://socorrofarmersmarket.org) Saturdays at the Socorro Teen Center at 1001 Ake Street ( just off Bullock Avenue behind the laundromat) coming up and the Saturday December 16th Fiesta de Navidad Market at the Macy Center 909 Olive Lane, Socorro, NM (https://nmt.edu/macey) at the Tech Campus at 6:00 pm.

Please keep an eye on these pages for more event info as I go. Please do not forget to comment on my processes. I hope for good Holidays for you and yours.

Working for a living.

Working in free enterprise requires 24/7 readiness, whether or not a ‘ dollar profit’ is made. My profit is in the human contacts I make. It reads a bit like Arthur Miller’s play “Death of a Salesman”. I feel like Willie Loman… Anyway, hope keeps springing forth.

Year Two

Dear Friends,

I am starting year two in the coffee business. I am reviewing givens and druthers, things done and left undone, goals met and unmet.

I have had many thoughts , ideas , visions, goals. This coffee roasting enterprise is just one of them . I used to discuss my education ideas with my brothers, Tad and Paul.

I dreamt of an enterprise that would allow for experience , ( work experience ), education ( degree or certification – accredited ) combined with community and family.

I was disappointed in finding out it had been done before. ” Pygmalion in the Classroom ” . The Rubric of experiential education ( a la Mike Rowe ), Northeastern University’s Work/Study/Degree program , Outward Bound , of which I am a proud graduate of the HIOBS winter 1975 program , ( Hurricane Island ). Synanon, The Taize’ Communities , Packard Manse , the Christian Communes of the 1970s in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California and the Shaker communities of New England and the Ohio River Valley.

Then while married to Sally , in honor of learning to live anew and eager to learn, I thought about forming a healing corporation named The Pink House Foundation. I thought of using her brother as the P.A. for our clients . The Foundation would have served homeless , hard – to – house folks , young adults with few practical skills, turning hard to employ folks into taxpayers and successful business folk.

Then I started to learn to roast coffee….

The rest is history…….

More next time……

Cheers , and Happy New Year! ,

Brewster