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Monday, July 24, 2006
and the peak expression is...
My simple thought is: What other brewing method is there right now that holds potential on the cafe floor, every decent shop has, and yet is not fully understood or effectively used in most cafes? Try espresso. Drip is a north american obsession and how much more can you really do with it. Even Clover is essentialy not drip because of the pressure from the vacuum like suction. French press, pour overs, what could these possibly offer that we have not already explored?
To say espresso has even come close to reaching it's peak expression is arrogance or simply ignorance. Saying that ideal espresso can only be 2oz or we can only use blends is really archaic thinking. The simple fact is that we have no consensus in the industry on even the basic fundamentals of espresso making or it's potential.
Not that espresso will be coffee's greatest expression but it's the one brewing method that really leaves so much unkown potential out there.
Rant over...
Jaime ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 2:57 PM
My simple thought is: What other brewing method is there right now that holds potential on the cafe floor, every decent shop has, and yet is not fully understood or effectively used in most cafes? Try espresso. Drip is a north american obsession and how much more can you really do with it. Even Clover is essentialy not drip because of the pressure from the vacuum like suction. French press, pour overs, what could these possibly offer that we have not already explored?
To say espresso has even come close to reaching it's peak expression is arrogance or simply ignorance. Saying that ideal espresso can only be 2oz or we can only use blends is really archaic thinking. The simple fact is that we have no consensus in the industry on even the basic fundamentals of espresso making or it's potential.
Not that espresso will be coffee's greatest expression but it's the one brewing method that really leaves so much unkown potential out there.
Rant over...
Jaime ¶ Jaime van Schyndel 2:57 PM
Comments:
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Is it a rant, or is it stating a fact?
You know I agree with you on all points.
People need to have a certain level of "openness" in their personality to really grasp the concept you're trying to put across.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a very high level of openness, and prefer more recognizable comfort rather than new experiences.
You are of the population really pushing espresso forward, and I'd like to think I'm a part of it as well. It wasn't invented by a large community, and every little advancement is the work of the hands of a few.
You know I agree with you on all points.
People need to have a certain level of "openness" in their personality to really grasp the concept you're trying to put across.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a very high level of openness, and prefer more recognizable comfort rather than new experiences.
You are of the population really pushing espresso forward, and I'd like to think I'm a part of it as well. It wasn't invented by a large community, and every little advancement is the work of the hands of a few.
Said very well. The points you make are why I get annoyed when forum members and bloggers give advice on espresso preperation in terms of absolutes. This is an exciting time to be in coffee because there is so much to discover.
I worry a little that often the attention to the infinite array of variables on offer within espresso is often at the expense of investment of what is being extracted/expressed/presented.
I think the next big developments that will excite me will come from the other side of the green. I tried a coffee that had been process in a new way - the are pulping without any water at all and prep looks awful but it brewed and tasted very differently to much else I have come across. And yet they are in the early stages of experimenting with the kit and with time they will come to understand it better and its influence on the cup. Perhaps espresso will reveal itself as a great evaluation tool for variances in processing.
I think that the Clover and that type of brewing holds a different kind of excitement - the opportunity to gentle ease the consumer into the world of exploration. SO espresso is a good thing, but is something that demands a little more attention from the consumer, a little more thought. But to get people started on the road I think SO fresh brewed is a great tool.
James
I think the next big developments that will excite me will come from the other side of the green. I tried a coffee that had been process in a new way - the are pulping without any water at all and prep looks awful but it brewed and tasted very differently to much else I have come across. And yet they are in the early stages of experimenting with the kit and with time they will come to understand it better and its influence on the cup. Perhaps espresso will reveal itself as a great evaluation tool for variances in processing.
I think that the Clover and that type of brewing holds a different kind of excitement - the opportunity to gentle ease the consumer into the world of exploration. SO espresso is a good thing, but is something that demands a little more attention from the consumer, a little more thought. But to get people started on the road I think SO fresh brewed is a great tool.
James
Better processing and more attentio to bean faults is a huge uphill road these days. I am lucky that one roasterie I source coffee from is one of the few companies that is really focusing on bean flaws, clarity, and peak expression in the cup. Revoloutionary, yes, but I only wish they put some of that energy into making sure the final cup in consumers hands matched the passion put into cupping and sourcing fabulous green.
I think you hit it correctly James, espresso demands more attention and more thought on both the production and consumer sides. That is the beauty, you can just drink a cup of coffee, but an espresso will make you think.
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I think you hit it correctly James, espresso demands more attention and more thought on both the production and consumer sides. That is the beauty, you can just drink a cup of coffee, but an espresso will make you think.
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