Wow! caffe d'bolla is thirteen

This month marks caffe d'bolla's 13^th anniversary. 

It's hard to capture what thirteen years has been in a short post. It's been a family business from the start, both Yiching and I worked the day to day from opening day - making drinks, cleaning, baking, roasting and everything else that comes with owning a business for more than ten years. And once Alex was walking, Yiching moved behind the scenes, still handling baking, a lot of our social media, and coordinating our international shipping. While she does that, she's a full time mom teaching a brilliant and energetic young boy the important things in life.

So now, I'm just a husband and a father who happens to be passionate about coffee. Every day I come home, Alex says, “Did you work hard for us at caffe d'bolla today?” Then he asks, “Who was your favorite customer today?” Maybe it's YOU. If it's sometimes you, or if it's been you, you'd probably know it. Some days there are several “favorites”. Other days, it's a blur. And, if it's not you today... maybe tomorrow.

Caffe d'bolla is an embodiment of our family's guiding principles. Work hard, have unshakeable standards, and strive to be the best in whatever you do. The business has always been family and continues to be a vehicle for teaching our son about the “joys” of hundred hour work weeks and the rewards that come with setting the minimum bar at “excellent” and learning and improving daily. There's a determination and a fire in him I know he has because of what both of us have done and what each of us continues to do.

I have roasted our coffee and espresso for nearly twelve of our thirteen years. And I'm good at what I do. Every day I come in, I taste and adjust our current espresso until it's pulling just right. And I do it throughout the day. I've done it thousands of times because your first sip matters. So every time you come in to have an espresso, macchiato, a latte or maybe take the time to sit down for a siphon coffee know that what you are tasting took thousands of hours of roasting and an equal number of hours making drinks at what's proven to be world class standards, and there's a reason for that. Love of craft and love of coffee is best as a shared experience. So, thank you for coming and letting us share what we do best with you. I'll see you tomorrow.

Understand the Process

John says...

Process is important. “Understand the process,” I say. But what does that entail? Is “process” simply a set of steps you follow to accomplish a task correctly – In this case brewing coffee?

Yes.

So, we're done then?

No, we're not. Because as straightforward as it should be, to everyone's dismay (not really) there are few professionals who get it right. What are they not doing right and WHY are they not doing it right?

Let's start with: What is the process?

In a nutshell: Start with properly roasted, quality, fresh, (whole) coffee beans. Understand correct dosing (coffee:water ratio) and particle size. Use correct dosing for chosen brewing method. Grind fresh with a good, adjustable burr grinder. Use water within (generally) specific TDS parameters. And brew! Then taste and adjust until it's just right. All of these steps are taken in order to produce a specific result – excellent coffee.

Now let's work through these “simple” things and see where the problems are.

Quality coffee – Now there are cupping scores and tasting notes in respect to the green coffee. So, as a coffee roaster it's simple to get your hands on quality beans. And I would suppose that most coffee shops who are making a claim of craft, artisanal, or “Third Wave” coffee are, in fact, sourcing quality green.

Properly roasted – Here is where we need to take a closer look. Because as I have often said, the higher the quality of your green, the more complexity within that specific lot, the more skill it takes to roast it.

So, what does “highly skilled” as a roaster mean? Is it about experience and dedication? Is it about talent?

I think if I had to list these factors it would be: talent, dedication, and experience. And when I talk about dedication, I think you can use the word “dedication” as a more serious sounding replacement for the word “passion”. You can't be dedicated to a thing without loving or enjoying that thing. And the dedication isn't simply to the craft. It's a dedication to the result of the craft, which is excellent coffee. With dedication and experience, you can always be above average to really, really good. But in my experience, without some inherent skill, aptitude or talent for the craft, you will never be exceptional.

So the first weakening of the process is with the roasting? What is the talent level of your roaster? How many hours of work have they put in? How many varietals from how many regions have they roasted? And how many years have they been doing it? Whether YOU are the roaster or your shop does the roasting, or you bring in your beans from somewhere – in which case you have to ask all these questions about their roaster – the likelihood is perhaps your coffee program isn't on as solid a ground as you were led to believe or that you are leading others to believe.

Now, I could really stop there, because the roasting of the coffee is probably the most important step in the coffee making process.

But let's assume the roasting is spot on.

Correct dosing is a known thing, so there's really no excuse for getting that wrong Look up “Gold Cup” standards or SCA brewing standards. Coffee science doesn't change.

Grind size is a generally known thing that you specifically tune to your coffee and your taste.

The same can be said for water chemistry.

Brewing technique? That takes a bit of skill. It takes some practice. And of course the goal again... excellent coffee.

So the reasons for not executing excellent coffee?

Either you don't know how. Or you don't care to know how. Often it's both.

If you care about the prestige of sourcing excellent coffees, but don't take the time to make sure you have a highly experienced roaster who can create sweetness and dynamic complexity and balance and mouthfeel in your coffee – then what?

Well, what happens is if the fundamentals of your coffee program are not rock solid, the smaller details, like brewing parameters or water chemistry are going to be an afterthought as well.

Or do you try to unknowingly take short cuts? You have a refractometer of some sort, you measure TDS to perfection... you dial in temperatures precisely, and what you do is end up chasing numbers instead of following flavor.

Great coffee, excellent coffee, exceptional coffee is not the result of following a set of numbers.

Exceptional coffee is the result of understanding the process with the end goal of a delicious cup of coffee. This means fundamentals of brewing and this means following the flavor.

It's really simple. Everyone should be able to do it.

You should be able to do it. So why aren't you?

caffe d'bolla is twelve - Thank You!

John says...

Twelve years ago, Yiching and I officially opened our doors at caffe d'bolla. As all new businesses, we used a combination of determination and ingenuity to get everything off the ground. From traveling to trade shows, listening to as many presentations as we could, and taking furious notes to filling a trailer with all of our equipment – including a full size commercial refrigerator we squeezed through a hole in the drywall that would be a future door, turned on its side and rolled it on pipes before setting it in place, to working into the wee hours of the night so we could get everything right.

We spent every day in our shop together, taking turns running errands or having something to eat. We learned about the continuous discovery that is espresso, and latte art (which Yiching has always been better at), and I learned the craft of roasting so I could share something wonderful with our customers.

 Over the years, our hours have changed a little, and we have done a couple of remodels to the store, but one thing that has never changed is how much we love our shop and seeing smiles on customer's faces as they take their first sip. And although you may not see Yiching in the shop [much these days], she continues to bake our treats daily - from muffins to her perfect brownies, and she maintains our online presence (especially all the good pictures), and coordinates our overseas ordering and imports. This is all because more than two and a half years ago, our son Alex was born, and after an early introduction to coffee and espresso, he is now busy at home with Yiching learning all the things a curious and energetic boy should.


As the years go by, I know that Alex will learn how to pull the perfect espresso and brew siphon coffee to our standards. Maybe it will be you (yes, YOU) who tastes his first drink. Stay tuned for our celebratory "Thank You!" It's going to be another fantastic year!

Must Be...

Must be Serious Siphon Saturday!

caffe d'bolla. Gesha. Siphon.

John says...

After brewing somewhere north of ten thousand cups of coffee on the siphon, it's rare that I come across a coffee that separates itself so far from the others that the words “excellent,” “outstanding,” or “superb” simply do not communicate the brilliance of the coffee. This is one such coffee.

This is a Gesha from Acatenango in Guatemala. It is one of the two most complex coffees I have ever tasted. The other, a Gesha from the heralded Finca Esmeralda in Panama. Both are coffees that I roasted. These are two iterations of the same magical cultivar with differences arising from terroir and microclimate. With the Panama, and now, some five thousand or so cups later with the Guatemala, all I can say is “wow!”

Let me start by saying that this is not about experiencing one sensational coffee. It's like experiencing three distinctly different sensational coffees in one cup.

Once your coffee is poured, you will want to wait a good nine minutes to begin your journey. The first part of the cup greets you with complex floral notes from hibiscus, jasmine, rose, and lavender. A touch of peach blossom tea makes an appearance, and all the floral notes are interspersed with flavors of pomelo, pink grapefruit, and mandarin. A different set of flavor combinations in every sip, with a buttery mouthfeel elevating the experience.

A great siphon coffee, especially the Gesha, is about pacing. After an additional five to eight minutes of cooling, a juicy fruit punch and ripe berry note emerges for a few sips, with a silky essence caressing your tongue like an passionate lover, and leaving you with a warm, satisfied smile.

After another five minutes to eight minutes -- being wiser to opt for the latter, sweet cream and berries linger on your palate with a touch of assam tea and a hint of lemon-honey. And a hint of cocoa lingers on your palate if you wait for it. A little more patience, and you will be rewarded with the comforting essence of warm butterscotch sweetness in the final sips.

This is a journey worth savoring, and should take you thirty-five to forty-five minutes once the coffee touches your cup. Use your time well, and you will be rewarded.

The Acatenango Gesha will be offered on siphon starting on April 12^th for about two weeks. We will offer an additional run before the end of May.

Costa Rica Chirripo -- Finca Jonny

Finca Jonny is a 7-hectare family-run farm in the La Piedra de Rivas region of a National Park zone called Chirripo in a hidden corner of Costa Rica. Jonny (of Finca Jonny) decided to build a micromill and a greenhouse on the farm for processing and screen drying. The results are outstanding and the investment shines in the cup.

In the cup it's grape jelly, blackberry, and plum juice with a touch of coconut lil and snappy acidity to hold it all together.

Try it On Siphon while it's available!

Best Bean to Brew

We are honored to be named "Best Bean to Brew" in Best of the Beehive award from Salt Lake Magazine.

"We got lotsa coffee shops and lotsa roasters, but the best place to get a cup of locally roasted coffee is Caffe d'Bolla..."


Thank you so much!

Best of State winner

caffe d'bolla is named Best of State again this year. Thank you, and yay!

caffe d'bolla in The New York Times

caffe d'bolla was in The New York Times travel section on Sunday, November 16th!

Kenya Nyeri Gaturiri AB

Another great Kenya has been great On Siphon at caffe d'bolla - Kenya Nyeri Gaturiri AB.

Gaturiri is a cooperative wet-processing mill, near the town of Karatina in the heart of Nyeri. It is part of the Barichu Farmers Cooperative Society. This lot was purchased direct, outside the auction format. It means our buyer had to pay a premium to ensure the final cost was at or above what the auction price might be.

In the cup it's blackberry, concord grape, cranberry, and lemonade with a toffee and brown sugar sweetness in the finish. An exceptional Kenyan.

So delicious. Come try it!

Kenya Nyeri Ndaro-ini AB

We had an all-African siphon menu this past week, and everyone loved these coffees!



Kenya Nyeri Ndaro-ini AB has been superb on siphon.

Ndaro-ini Factory is near Karatina town in the Nyeri District f central Kenya and is part of the Gikanda Cooperative Society, which is made up from the Gichatha-ini, Kangocho, and Ndaro-ini Cooperatives. The name takes the first few letters of each factory/wet mill. Ndaro-ini Factory sits at about 1600 masl, and is planted mostly with SL-28 varietal, which is consistently the top Kenyan varietal.

In the cup it's juicy blackberry and apple with honey sweetness and a balanced cinnamon and cardamon spice essence. An incredible coffee.

Congo Kivu Bukavu-Beni - Bourbon

This was the most popular coffee On Siphon this week!

Securing a Specialty Grade coffee from the East Congo (Kivu) presents numerous obstacles. The politics of the region and internal struggles over mineral wealth top the list, and farmers are the first to be displaced in the midst of civil unrest. This is a special preparation triple-picked lot from the 4000 farmers of Soprocopiv cooperative, with farms stretching from the towns of Bukavu to Berni.

In the cup it's ripe peach, banana, mango and pear with an earthy raw sugar and molasses sweetness.

Bolivia Caranavi Uchumachi

Another batch of Bolivia Caranavi Uchumachi was roasted and ready! It is currently On Siphon and also available Whole Bean at caffe d'bolla!



Pedro Rodriguez and son, Pedro Pablo own and operate the processing station. They are known for their skill in sourcing excellent coffee. Cherry transportation to the mill is unique. Pedro and Pablo hire taxis to transport the coffee cherries from several small mountain towns directly to their mill. It's an ingenious operation.

In the cup it's honey, hazelnut and peach with snappy orange. Sweet malt and cocoa in the finish.

El Salvador Finca Matalapa - Bourbon

This season's El Salvador Finca Matalapa - Bourbon is back! We currently have a small batch that's roasted and ready, and we also have it On Siphon!



This is 100% Bourbon offering from Finca Matalapa. Finca Matalapa is a 4th generation family farm founded in the late 1800s by Fidelia Lima. The farm covers 14 acres of beautifully managed coffee shrubs with nearly 40 varieties of tress providing shade. Their passion and expertise shines through in the cup.

In the cup it's warm caramel and almond with apple, pear, and hints of citrus as it cools. Bittersweet cocoa background. Delicious!

Sumatra Lintong - Pak Joner

We have a new Sumatra On Siphon right now at caffe d'bolla! Sumatra Lintong - Pak Joner.

Li ntong Nihota is the town that become synonymous with the entire southern part of Lake Toba. This coffee is from a local coffee collector known as Joner. Farmers sell to collectors, so they are the ones who determine the quality of the coffee. Joner buys direct and specially prepares and sorts his coffees according to density. Remarkable!

In the cup it's cinnamon stick, molasses, and black tea with a malty sweetness. Hints of Dutch cocoa.

Come try it!

Ethiopia Suke Quto

This season's Ethiopia Suke Quto is back! We currently have it available Whole Bean and On Siphon. It's delicious!

This coffee comes from Suke Quto, a producer group in the southern Guji zone of Shakiso. Coffee farming has been a core part of the Guji Oromo culture, and it shows in the results of this wet processed crop. The flavors are distinctly different from Yirga Cheffe, and Sidamo.

In the cup it's juicy peach and jasmine, with hints of melon and a caramelized sugar sweetness.

Brazil Fazenda Monte Verde - DP

Roasted and Ready! Brazil Fazenda Monte Verde - DP.

This is a special micro-lot that received first place as the best dry-processed lot in the Cocarive Cupping Competition. Fazenda Monte Verde is run by Jose Roberto Canato and his family. This lot is 100% Yellow Bourbon.

In the cup it's sweet blueberry, plum, and black cherry skin with raw sugar sweetness. Huckleberry tartness mid-cup and ripe cherry as it cools. A stand out coffee.

And right now we also have it On Siphon at the shop!

Brazil Sao Benedito

Brazil Sao Benedito is On Siphon and also available Whole Bean here at caffe d'bolla right now!

This coffee comes from the Carmo de Minas region and is a mix of cultivars, primarily Yellow Bourbon. It is grown at 1130 masl, and is processed using the Pulp Natural method. The slightly higher elevation than the other Cerrado coffees gives this a distinctive sweetness found in only a few surrounding farms.

In the cup it's toasted hazelnut and honey nougat with peach and pineapple highlights as it cools. Come try it today!

Ethiopia Illubabor - Camp Cooperative

Fresh out of the roaster, available Whole Bean and also On Siphon: Ethiopia Illubabor - Camp Cooperative.

Camp is in the Illubabor district of western Ethiopia. This lot is part of a continuing initiative our buyer has in Ethiopia to work direct at the coop level. The program coordinates agronomists, and business advisers which helps the cooperative manage their debt, re-invest in quality improvements at the mill, and verifies distribution of income to all members.

In the cup it's jammy peach and sweet floral notes with almond, cocoa, and cane sugar sweetness.

Burundi Kirimiro Teka

Three new siphon coffees are introduced at caffe d'bolla today! The first one is Burundi Kirimiro Teka, and it's also available Whole Bean right now.

Teka is situated at a dizzying 1938 meters, and is the highest elevation washing station in Burundi. Teka has access to very clean water due to their altitude and proximity to a forest preserve, which aids in their traditional Burundi style double fermented coffee processing. In a survey of all the cooperatives, Teka was ranked as one of the top 5 stations in Burundi based on Coop management, ecology and coffee quality.

In the cup it's creme caramel and black cherry with floral notes and apple acidity. Tremendous!