You are reading about the reboot of Shack Coffee Co., an espresso bar and a community space. I send a digest about the progress, coffee stories and community first businesses.
Indian coffee retailers are selling inferior merchandise to Indian customers. When I searched for travel brewers, I saw an Indian version of Espro Travel Press. There are many other Indian versions of international best sellers. You can follow the form, but not the smoothness of the function. It’s a race to the bottom. But, first an update.
Who blinks first
Today I transferred funds for the roasting machine. I will receive the machine in a week’s time. My partner in crime and a home roaster, Sunil is in town. He owns Genie Cafe roaster. We plan to roast together. Every year (in the early 2010s) he used to get International beans for me. I will order coffee beans from Total Coffee.
I am yet to get the place for the espresso bar. When I shifted from Shahpurjat, I was paying a rent of INR 25,000 for 700 square feet. Later, the rentals reached INR 35,000. ‘Low road’ ( Steve Brand would have called Shahpurjat a low road area) areas like Shahpurjat, with cheap buildings, small rooms, and shared space, shouldn’t demand premiums.
Pandemic has corrected the rentals. Current rates are down by 30% or 40%. But, landlords still want the old premium. As a recovering bootstrapper, I want to sustain the espresso bar. So, let’s see who blinks first.
So, the progress till date:
Roasting machine ✅ (arriving)
Espresso machine 🚧 (yet to decide)
Grinder 🔍 ( researching)
Rebooting my oldies
Before I buy the new machines, I am rebooting my oldies: a seventeen-year-old Solis espresso machine and a ten-year-old Baratza Vario. It’s possible to service Solis as it’s in India. I learnt that internals of Forte (which costs twice as much as Vario) can go into Vario.
Solis has entered India via Somethingsbrewing. In the 2000s it was the most affordable espresso machine. It competed with Rancillio. My oldie still pulls shots and steams milk, but it needs an overhaul: new gasket, new portafilter, boiler descaling and new buttons. I will keep it as a no fuss espresso machines for the mornings.
Lance Hedrick declared Vario Baratza as the best home grinder. With just a few modifications Baratza can beat more expensive grinders ( EK43 costs INR 2 lakhs): alignment, single dose, grind chamber and new burrs.
Worth your time: the espresso machines for beginners ( 2 are available in India) Link
Brew on the go
I have always struggled with brewing coffee while traveling. Aeropress has four different parts. It’s a task to arrange a kettle for V60. Espresso tastes great, but it is cumbersome. I started researching for the right travel coffee brewer.
I want three things.
It should be easy to carry. Carrying more than two components is a task. Also, no paper filters.
It should allow me to brew by just adding water. I don’t want to bloom, swirl or kiss it once before
I shouldn’t have to use the skills of a professional barista to brew consistent cups.
I have three options. One, an Espro Travel Press. Two, Eva Solo. Three, brew bags. I am zeroing on Espro. Eva Solo is as good, but costlier, and prone to breaking. Pour over bags are the most convenient, but they are already stale.
Espro Travel Press is just one piece. Just add hot water and ground coffee. The immersion brewing method produces consistent coffee. Plus, the double walled tumbler will keep the coffee warm. Espro produces cleaner cup. Its filter chamber has two mesh filters. One can fit one paper filter to the mesh filter.
Espro Ultralight retails for INR 3799, while Espro Travel Press costs INR 3999. Indian knock-off version Insta Cuppa costs 1499. Outdoor Gear Lab tested it in the wild.
The ESPRO Travel Coffee Press P1 is a game-changer for French press lovers on the move. A patented double filter that is 9-12 times finer than a standard French press filter removes every bit of sludge and grit.
What am I drinking
I am moving away from my go to coffee for fifteen years. Since 2007, I have been drinking Bizibean’s Houseblend, a very dark blend. Kaapi Sashtra made me try more coffees. I still love their other coffees such as their Robusta Blend ( as dark as Houseblend), Monsoon Medley and Monsoon Malabar. The last two aren’t roasted as dark as Houseblend.
Earlier I did not like lighter coffees. But, Blue Tokai changed the game. Old school roasters haven’t embraced the spirit of specialty coffee. It’s about being transparent with the customers. It’s alright to use commercial grade coffee for the blends, but do not call it specialty coffee.
Icompared the notes of the old school dark blends and new school dark blends. The coffees were Bizibean’s Houseblend, Dope’s Dark Matter, Blue Tokai’s Dhak Blend & Organic Rosewood Blend, and Third Wave’s Vienna Roast.
Houseblend is the darkest of them all. It is best with milk and occasional espressos. But, it doesn’t go well as filter coffees. Dark Matter is my new favorite dark blend for espressos. It doesn’t taste burnt. It has intense flavour, great aroma, and a pleasant aftertaste. Dhak Blend tastes better with milk than just as an espresso ( brighter than Dark Matter. I have yet to acquire the taste for one). Rosewood Blend is my go to blend for pour overs and French Presses.
At first I struggled to move away from the very dark blends. But, new age roasters pick specialty grade coffees. I have missed out on trying new coffees for a few years. I have a lot to catch up. Ocassionaly I will go back to my old love. But, it’s time to try new things.
I am also comparing notes of Monsoon Malabar coffees from Blue Tokai, Third Wave, Dope and Bizibean. It is one of the controversial coffees. Some hate it for its earthy notes. Some say it is the sweetest.
Do you like monsooned coffees?