Goals and Objectives

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

Life after Loss.

I cannot believe I started a business after losing Sally. At age 63 I formally incorporated a small business -coffee roasting- kind of like Colonel Sanders and his fried chicken..

Coffee , just beans , nothing fancy , purchased as ethically as I could afford ( the ” C” price of coffee as the commodity varies from $0.99-2.15, however , most of the times it hovers around $1.00 a pound ) Coffee costs $2.55 a pound to produce world wide(!).

Coffee mostly is subsidized by various governments. But the “Geisha” name associated with super expensive grades of coffee isn’t.

How can a small roaster compete with the roaster owned farms and NGO owned fair trade and free trade groups?

I am still working through that. I apologize to the Blog World for being all over the map. Will post more soon.

Thank you for all your business.!

Coffee Anyone?

Holiday times –

It is that time of year again – the so called Holidays… Lots of activity…Lots of food… no real rest…”Feelings, all my life I feel it, Nothing left but feelings alone with my heart” (owed to Mo Albert 1978) Hobby as Therapy dba Outside Agitator Coffees LLC is now in business in your neighborhood.

Do you as an individual, like coffee? are you a fan of whole bean, single origin, single sourced close to the farm coffee?

Do you want the real flavor profile of the bean to come through? There are people who love coffee, who like my coffee. Have you purchased more than one bag from me? Much Thanks and Thoughts go with you. You are the real heroes in the world. Not the one time buyer, but the repeat customer . If you “love” my pages, Facebook and the like..Instagram ETC, and you have not purchased my beans, I feel for you. Overcome the fear of strange purchases over the web of the second most traded commodity in the  world. Coffee!.

Think about the busyness of Black Friday…Well good coffee can set things straight.  Try some today..” Coffee, Its not just for Mondays…”

 

 

 

Pour overs ( or drips ) , Presses ( French and Aeropress ) , Vacuum pots , and Mokka Pots ( stove top espresso ) .

Which coffee methods are best?

I do not know!

Coffee tends to be an intensely personal experience. Even when with friends at your weekly small group get – togethers at Synagogue, Church or Mosque. Or if you are not particular about any organized religious expression, at campfire, coffee shops,  lounges ,  restaurants or at your table.

 

We have our favorite brands.

We have our favorite methods.  Aeropress is my personal favorite.

The “dosing” for the Aeropress can be as little as 9 grams per 200 grams of water , to 18-20 grams per 200 grams of water.

The 9 grams per 200 can have water added prior to pressing out the water from the Aeropress. If I  place the Aeropress filter-end down on the cup, pour in the grounds, then place cup and press on a gram scale. Start pouring the water until you see 200 grams on the scale, then stir the grounds for ten seconds, then add roughly  100 grams more water. ( if you only add 50 grams water to the first 200 it will be a full 8 ozs. of coffee) Then move cup and Aeropress off the scale and  on to the  counter top so as not to damage the scale, Place plunger or piston in tube and press!

It is not an “Americano” it is a regular cup of coffee, full of full brewed flavor.

And it has saved us 5-9 grams of coffee per serving.

Roasting in new location

Dear Friends,

I am roasting today in a new location. Socorro New Mexico. As some wise wag said recently ” The Land of Entrapment”. I think the opportunities are what we make of them

I left California over some serious issues.  So we are attempting a new life in a new place.  Today I got my 1.4 lb roaster out of it’s box in storage and put it on the back stoop of the house we are renting. I just roasted Papua New Guinea “Marenban Estates”. Biggest darn beans I think i have roasted in a while. They look a little like the Catarra variety of Arabica .  I also roasted a Motley Crew blend of Brazil “Cafelandia”, Tanzanian Micro lot, and Guatemala Robusta  Right now  ( pound # 3) is Carlos Roberto Serrano  Washed Guatemala roasted full city ++. Got a bit smokey. Thanks WWW.Sonofresco.com for your roasters and beans.  As is delivered or mailed price is $20.00/lb.

Next lb will be Uganda Organic for  a new acquaintance in my Bible Study Fellowship group. Then God and Sonofresco willing – Chiapas  Organic..

I sampled the PNG at 10 grams coffee to 200 grams water in an Aeropress .  WWW.aeropresss.com . Just a good cuppa Joe!

 

I started the profile roaster  for the Uganda RFA Organic,  and am tracking the roast in real time.

 

 

 

Moving on to new spots.

Looking to start up at a new locale. Hopefully I can get it together in a meaningful way. I am moving to a Southwestern city  at the southern end of the Albuquerque Metroplex. Actually an hour away from the edge of the Albuquerque Metroplex.  I guess I could say the Metropolitan Statistical Area or “Albuquerque MSA”.

 

Anyway I have an on-line offer to send some coffee out to a customer out west. plus one customer here in the Land of Enchantment. So Six pounds of finished beans by next week!

 

We have been here a week,  as of today starts our 8th day. I am seeking more customers local and on line. Gratitude !. I have been busy and not busy at the same time . Orders accepted . I have capacity for up to 5 lbs finished product at a time I roast.

 

Doing the Possible, the Impossible takes a bit longer.

Dear Coffee fans,

 

Had a moment of clarity that is my story not anyone else’s. I moved.

Left California for New Mexico. Maybe not the brightest idea I have had but am willing to give it a git go.

Praying to find a livable space and a work / job I can fulfill  with some pay. I have this crazy vision to open a coffee establishment here in the City of Healing. It may cost me everything, but I need to keep at it in spite of obstacles.

I left my late wife’s city behind after attempting to deal with  former family during the darkest year of my life. It has been like a divorce.

I have a spot in mind. The successful among us never give up no matter what obstacles present themselves.

I have to have an open mind.

I have to be honest, communicative and willing.

Will, with God’s help and Will , will be able to roast 5 lbs at once once my shop is set up. I am using Sonofresco brand roasters.  For more info check their website: http://www.sonofresco.com