#socorrofarmersmarket

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.

Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Festival 2022

Coffee news : The Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Festival dates are April 2-3 , 2022 to be held at the New Mexico State Fairgrounds ( ” New Mexico Expo”) . My slot -space has been reserved and I am getting my coffee menus ready for the show. This year I have added a theme for my space at the Show. ‘Coffee Lovers Love Coffee”. I am returning with several of my favorite low – acid coffees , Celebes and Sumatra. The Celebes will be a dark roast- as close to French Roast as I will admit, and the Sumatra will be a medium roast . I will also have Uganda Organic Fair Trade rain forest friendly as a dark roast. a Columbia coffee will be the featured coffee as a medium roast.

This coffee comes from the Cundinimarca Prefect District just outside Bogota. The coffee was raised at elevation of 1750 meters above sea level. The flavors are close to apple and kiwi overtones with a vanilla and cocoa scent or nose . The back story is even richer, in that the couple restoring the finca ( or coffee farm ) are from two distinct geographies. The gentleman in the relationship is a Vermonter and the gentle lady is a Columbia native raised in ….wait for it……Socorro, Colombia! Since I roast in Socorro, New Mexico, I could not resist this Love Story! The origin is one farm in Colombia and is harvested in February of each year. This roast is from the 2020 crop.

My hope is that you cup some with me at the Socorro Farmers Market ( Saturdays 9-11 at the Socorro Teen Center 1105 Ake Street Socorro, Cross Street Bullock Ave. ) or at the Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Festival April 2-3 in Albuquerque. Cheers.

COVID-19 coffee sales

We are selling at the Farmer’s Market, Online, though I like personal contact best. I do take the time to deliver locally in a contact free way. Postage varies though I can ship anywhere. I do NOT add nitrogen to my bags , yet, though I might if the net result is better storage.

Please feel free to let me know if you want some beans.

Coffee Anyone?

Coffee for the summer

If I were to choose coffee for the summer there are several ways to prepare coffee I have found fun and practical.

First, I have tried iced coffee, black. First ice in a glass , then filtered drip or Aeropress cooled slightly over the ice.

I do not like the current cold -brew mania. I have tried it and find it lacking. I have cold – brewed the Costa Rica Jaguar Honey and found that even though the flavors “pop” in their way it is a bit too acidic for my tastes. Better to either Aeropress at 20 grams coffee to 200 grams 165 F or 80 C water, or drip filter the same.

Cold Brew Recipe # 1:

Start with 1/4 lb or 125 grams medium grind coffee in a pint or quart mason jar. Add 250 ml or 1 cup / 8 oz of water stir in thoroughly, then lid and keep in fridge for 2 days, Stir daily. After 2 days ( at least 48 hours ) filter through a paper filter . It will be a concentrate that will make about three 12 oz glasses of ” iced Americanos ” Of course , you may want to stretch it out to make 4 of them..

Cold Brew Two:

Using a Puck Puck ( tm ) device on an Aeropress you can use a pound of ice drip into the coffee grounds filtered through the Aeropress.

Cold Brew Three: Using the Aeropress ( with the funnel ) and recycling a one liter water jug as a funnel. Fill the one liter jug with water and freeze. once frozen un-cap and hoist upside down over the Aeropress filled with 125 grams of coffee grounds, allow to drip into a one quart cup or mason jar.

The above devices are brands of their companies Puck Puck, and Aeropress received no compensation .