Hi Beanbuffs,
You are reading about reboot of Shack Coffee Co. , a 14 year old project, one espresso shot at a time. If you like the newsletter, please spread the word around.
1. Shacoco update: GI tags
Indian coffees are truly unique. India has 13 different growing regions. Each region produces coffees of different grades (specialty, premium and commercial), varietals (Catui, Kent and more) and types (Arabica, Robusta, Liberica). There are 5 growing regions with specific Geographical Indicator tags. It means that coffees which grow in these 5 regions, do not grow elsewhere in the world. They have unique qualities and taste.
As a coffee business owner one must understand these aspects of coffees without any bias. It can only happen, when one is near to the source, and constantly testing and tasting. The Coffee Board allows Kaapi Sashtra graduates to avail this facility. In the coming week, I will be firming up the dates for my next trip to Bengaluru.
2. Don’t shame the customer
Specialty coffee brands and lovers only think in terms of specialty coffee standards. They look down upon others. Should there be only fine dining restaurants and no quick service restaurants?
Only 6% of India’s coffee is specialty coffee. The rest are premium and commercial grades. Fair trade and direct trade haven’t benefitted farmers. Brands doing direct or fair trade milk it for selling more coffees.
As per Borgen Project: Often, the poorest workers are spared the prosperity from fair trade product market practices. A study that observed coffee mills in Costa Rica between 1999 and 2014, explored the impacts of fair trade systems on household incomes within the region. Researchers found that farm owners and skilled growers reap most of the benefits. Unskilled laborers receive no benefits other than the economic spillover of an increasingly prosperous coffee-growing region.
It’s alright if a brand such as Sleepy Owl and Rage Coffee do not offer specialty coffees. It’s also alright if Blue Tokai and Third Wave offer only specialty coffees. Both can coexist. Customers of each brand type love them. We should trust them.
3. What am I drinking
Blue Tokai’s Dhak blend did not age well. I had ordered it through Swiggy. It was roasted ten days ago. I will try it again.
I brew any coffee beans with three methods. One, espresso. It packs the entire flavour and taste in 30-40gms of shot. Espresso accentuates good and bad notes. Two, I brew with V60 cone or any other filter brewing methods. The flavour notes shine through. Third, I try with French Press. It is not my favourite, but it is the closest to cupping.
I am currently drinking Dark Matter from Dope Coffee Roasters. It is a blend of Arabicas and Robustas. When I opened the packet, I saw the even roasting. It had a few broken and scorched beans. They are red flags. I made an Americano and an espresso. I loved the both. Beans shines as espresso, Americano and cappuccino. I didn’t like it as filter coffee.
Next Issue:
A new blend
Bengaluru 2.0