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Spring has sprung and with it are a myriad of very un-coffee related activities I’ve begun to engage in. I have yard work to do, a fence to get built as well as plans to make my own bacon and brew some beer. I thought that it would be a good time for a few smaller updates joined into one post. I am going to call it Coffee Break in hopes that I can keep it concise enough to be consumed along with a cup of manually brewed coffee.
I’ve added a few pages
In case you missed the links in my last couple posts, I added a few more pages to my blog.
I’ve added a general reference page that explains the mission of the blog and gets people pointed in the right direction. My Start Here page talks about brewing coffee manually and references some of my informational posts and brew guides. Check it out and let me know what you think.
I have also added a Contact page. I want to hear from you. I have some great topics lined up for the spring and summer but am always looking to add more depth and perspective. What do you want to hear about? I tried to make it really easy to send me a message. Give it a try.
Roaster to check out
A few weeks ago I received some coffee samples from New Sweden Coffee in Pflugerville, Texas and was blown away.
New Sweden does Scandinavian style roasting which, if you are unfamiliar with it, is a very light way of roasting coffee. Sometimes light roasted coffees, if not roasted well, can taste sour and underdeveloped. This is not the case with New Sweden’s coffees. They are well balanced and artfully roasted.
If you like light roasted coffee, hop on over to New Sweden Coffee Roasters’ shop and give them a try. I sampled all the three of their current offerings and found them all to be delightful. If I had to choose only one, I would probably try the Fica Blend (and not just because Fica is the Swedish word for coffee break). It is smooth, unique and easy to drink.
Kickstarting with Zeal
Zeal coffee roasters in Lutz, Florida has started a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to purchase a larger roaster. This will help them keep up with demand as well as help them add more wholesale accounts.
While I was in Tampa Bay, I had the opportunity to visit their Rare Hues location and chat with the owner, Peter Davidson. He made me a delicious woodneck Guatemala that I was really impressed with. They package their coffee in cool glass jars and are super supportive of the local Tampa culture. I didn’t have a lot of time while I was passing through the city but I am definitely glad I stopped in there.
If you are a crowd funding enthusiast or just want to pick up a new ceramic mug and help out a small business. Give Zeal Coffee your support.
New Equipment
This month I added a ThermoWorks Thermapen thermometer to my manual brewing arsenal. This has, of course, led to a huge uptick in data collecting while I am brewing. It remains to be seen what type of long term impact this will have on my brewing (and posting), but so far I am loving the thermometer. Apparently you can also use this in the kitchen for non-coffee related things as well. Bonus.
Welcome back Father’s Mug
A few month’s ago, I had an accident and broke one of my favorite mugs. It was a vintage, hard-to-find mug with a mustached barber on it. Thanks to some good friends and their superior internet detective work, The Father Mug has been restored. Celebrate.
That’s about it. Next week I hope to have an update on my Brewing Coffee Manually challenge as well as a new challenge to announce. After that, the posts might get a little spotty for awhile. Happy Spring!
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