#coffeetalk

Autumn is in the air

Dear Friends , It has been a quick moment since my last post.

I have attended the 2024 Roast Magazine hosted Roast Summit in Schaumburg , Illinois this past October. What fun and inspiration. The Group dynamics were encouraging and the facilitators were very polished and professional. The best part was the feeling of camaraderie amongst coffee professionals and the potential for learning new things came into clear focus. The time I spent this summer season working through the licensing process for food manufacturing has been a challenge , but, however, maybe, we are through the worst of it. I have touched base with one of my coffee growers, a couple from the Cundinimarca Prefecture of Colombia. Their coffee caught my eye initially, because in the biography of the growers, one of them had been raised in Socorro, Santander, Colombia! Since I live in Socorro, New Mexico, USA, It was natural that I purchase the green beans!. Later on I found out that one of the couple went to my alma mater ! So here we are, on the cusp of a brave new world, working our way through the seasons. As Hermoine Granger shared with Harry Potter during the first movie, that “Friendship and Bravery were more important than ” Books and cleverness” It takes bravery to build a business and to maintain a sense of purpose throughout all of our lives’ tribulations. Happy Thanksgiving! to all !,

Cheers,

Brewster Bird

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.

Railyards Holiday Fair, December 9 & 10, 777 1st Street , Albuquerque, NM 87102

Dear Friend,

The Holidays are almost upon us. The usual Mishigash is too. Hope you are finding life that suits you and your family. The coffees I hope to present at the Railyards Holiday Fair, December 9 and 10, 10am -4 pm both days, located at 777 1st Street in Albuquerque, NM will be Yemeni, Congolese, Sumatra and Costa Rica origins , mostly in 8 ounce bags.

The prices for the 8 ounce bags will be $15.00 each. The Yemeni coffee offered has a bright berry-like smell and taste, with a cocoa-y undertone . It is considered “Dried in Cherry” or ” Natural” Process. The Congolese Arabica is a washed process micro -lot from the Saint Matthias Cooperative in the South Kivu area in close proximity to the Kivu National Park and Nature Preserves, it’s flavor notes are somewhat citrusy with a bittersweet cocoa. The Sumatra is a classic Wet-hulled process coffee with cocoa and woodsy overtones. The Costa Rica coffee is Honey process and comes across as clean and a bit bright.

If you read this as a restaurateur or small bodega owner and wish for a larger bag of beans to see your restaurant or bodega through the holidays I will gladly roast a 3 pound bag or two for your establishment . Let me know a week in advance so I can have the bags ready for you during the Fair time. If you want a three-pound bag for your personal use you can get one from me at the Fair as well, also with advance notice. Price on the 3 pound bag retails from me for $45.00. I use compostable bags and some labeling , some of the labels are NOT compostable.

Folks at the Farmers Markets I have attended will occasionally ask if I grow the coffee beans here in New Mexico. Unfortunately, the coffee shrub needs subtropical climates to effectively get to maturity. New Mexico has a warm period which would be perfect, but it also has a particular penchant for sharp frosts and damaging winds -except perhaps in Carlsbad or amongst the pecan orchards of southern Dona Ana County, planted in pots on the patio sheltered from the worst of New Mexico weather. Not commercially viable. So I import my beans through wholesale green bean merchants who state in their literature that their beans are traceable. I do roast or process locally which allows me to participate in the Farmers Market culture in New Mexico.

Thank you for being a customer! Please feel free to comment on the blog or my other entries. You can even order through the website ( commenting to this blog post will start the ball rolling ).

Anyway, if you read this and can make the Holiday Fair , let me know you read the blog and you will get a discount on the days of the fair.! If you cannot make the fair , Please comment on the blog none – the – less, and we can talk a discount as well. Cheers- Brewster Bird

Coffee tastes

Working in my roastery this week, I have been sampling and drinking my coffees. The two roasted so far are a Brazil origin micro- lot and a Yemen . Both are described as natural or ” dried -in-cherry ” process. The Brazil bean finishes a bit larger than the Yemen , and has a very different taste, though both are ( in my opinion) very good. The Brazil comes across as somewhat “nutty” while the Yemeni is almost ” winey “. My third roasting cycle includes a Columbia micro-lot. It roasts up as a classic washed Columbia with a slight tree-fruit finish . Any wine overtones lean towards the lighter vintages.

Is it always transactional?

Howdy,  thinking of transactional processes. Does Goodwill have any place in business? ( Not Goodwill Industries ) . There is a line for ” Intangibles”  in accountancy and law.  Is money so all -powerful that currency supercedes human effort, moral psychology, ” freely giving”,  mutual care and concern, the Social Contract?  I know this isn’t coffee talk, it is just a thought that invaded my conscious stream . Casting it upon the waters of the internet.

…A year later…I still do not know….

Peace and Coffee

Coffee and peace, coffee and love, sometimes other’s views get in the way of my coffee sales efforts. I started my company as a way of sharing radical Gospel-based social discourse. Some of my views are pretty skewed according to others. I get this from the interjections of others into my little world. Some reading this know my world shrank after 02/11/2018. It shrank even more when her family pushed me away. I think my belief in shared values is no longer as valued as in the past. My prayer life is about the same , however, my involvement in church life has changed.

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.