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Monday, August 13, 2007
$15 per 8-oz cup ($135 per half pound in bean form)
$265/lb for this?
$265/lb for this?
Bloggle makes note of Panama La Esmeralda getting Vancouver press for it's uber expensive cup price. We over at barismo have long been trying to underplay the hype for many reasons but it's time to lay a few thoughts/questions on this coffee:
-If you bought it at $130/lb from the auction, were you buying it for quality or for the bragging rights of purchasing this years most expensive coffee?
-It's a hard coffee to roast correctly. If I were a consumer, would I be dropping $15/8oz cup on a coffee like this? From which one of the purchasing roaster's would I most likely get my money's worth? In what brew method?
-I have green from the non-auction lot and sampled roasts by others of this non-auction lot. For me, this coffee seems to be an aberration but does that aberration earn the price?
-I won't get all high and mighty casting down who should buy or what price it should be. I don't really care that much. I will say, I am happy these companies forked the cash for this coffee and set a new precedent in high prices. I could very easily drink this coffee every day, that said though, I personally wouldn't buy it at that price from a single one of them.
¶ Jaime van Schyndel 12:23 PM
Comments:
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It is exciting to see quality coffee fetch quality prices. However, there is obviously a limitation to what the end consumer is willing to dish out for recognition of excellence. I think you are at least partly correct in asking the question about the bragging rights aspect of high dollar auction lots. In fact, I question as to whether the CoE judges are sometimes compelled to be "the panel" that scored such record breaking coffees ... I am not saying that happened here, it's just a reoccuring question in my mind regarding the high dollar process.
As far as how the consumer gets their money's worth, I believe that the coffee should be enjoyed at the shop of skilled roasters and baristas. That's how I see the high price model working while retaining quality for the average consumer.
As far as how the consumer gets their money's worth, I believe that the coffee should be enjoyed at the shop of skilled roasters and baristas. That's how I see the high price model working while retaining quality for the average consumer.
Matt,
I don't know a lot about the BoP competition so I can't offer much on that. The questions I have are largely about the buying groups involved and how will the coffees be roasted and presented?
Some friends have had particularly flat experiences with top coffees at some of these cafes. The uber expensive brazil CoE at one flagship midwest cafe on Clover no less, just flat. Another out west having less than stellar brew also on Clover.
I think at some point, more critics would come to bear on this topic. For the price, how much leeway should we give the roaster on a bad cup presentation?
I don't know a lot about the BoP competition so I can't offer much on that. The questions I have are largely about the buying groups involved and how will the coffees be roasted and presented?
Some friends have had particularly flat experiences with top coffees at some of these cafes. The uber expensive brazil CoE at one flagship midwest cafe on Clover no less, just flat. Another out west having less than stellar brew also on Clover.
I think at some point, more critics would come to bear on this topic. For the price, how much leeway should we give the roaster on a bad cup presentation?
Ben K.,
I was generalizing as to a quality shop who understands and thus attempts to execute coffee to it's full potential.
Jaime,
For that kind of price, I think that very little margin of error should be afforded to the roaster and/or barista. If the consumer is satisfied despite a "flat cup", then I find that to be the same type of satisfiction attained by those who think that their high dollar Kopi Luwak is good coffee. It's the mindset of "Damn, this is good coffee cause it's expensive!" It's a bunch of ego fluff. The taste and aroma profile of a high dollar coffee needs to surpass that which is the norm, not just be sold for high dollar because a judge said it's fantastic. When I state "surpass", I don't necessarily mean that it needs to blow away other coffees. The coffee needs to present characteristics that are specific to itself which can be compared to only a few others if any at all. (My personal opinion).
I was generalizing as to a quality shop who understands and thus attempts to execute coffee to it's full potential.
Jaime,
For that kind of price, I think that very little margin of error should be afforded to the roaster and/or barista. If the consumer is satisfied despite a "flat cup", then I find that to be the same type of satisfiction attained by those who think that their high dollar Kopi Luwak is good coffee. It's the mindset of "Damn, this is good coffee cause it's expensive!" It's a bunch of ego fluff. The taste and aroma profile of a high dollar coffee needs to surpass that which is the norm, not just be sold for high dollar because a judge said it's fantastic. When I state "surpass", I don't necessarily mean that it needs to blow away other coffees. The coffee needs to present characteristics that are specific to itself which can be compared to only a few others if any at all. (My personal opinion).
Matt,
I think Kaminsky was asking who specifically you would buy it from.
'For that kind of price, I think that very little margin of error should be afforded to the roaster and/or barista.'
This exact thought is something I get a lot of criticism for. I really believe that with all the chest thumping about great coffee and increasing prices for them, you have to raise the bar.
I don't believe that many do.
Look at our own purveyor of top grade green here in Acton. I just dropped by HiRise and had a machiatto. We quickly identified the roast was tipped so badly it was smoke in the cup. Pure ash with no saving grace. Ah, and the price just raised for them to buy this roast.
How much leeway should we give when the costs get higher and higher? Somewhere, all the big talk has to cross with reality?
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I think Kaminsky was asking who specifically you would buy it from.
'For that kind of price, I think that very little margin of error should be afforded to the roaster and/or barista.'
This exact thought is something I get a lot of criticism for. I really believe that with all the chest thumping about great coffee and increasing prices for them, you have to raise the bar.
I don't believe that many do.
Look at our own purveyor of top grade green here in Acton. I just dropped by HiRise and had a machiatto. We quickly identified the roast was tipped so badly it was smoke in the cup. Pure ash with no saving grace. Ah, and the price just raised for them to buy this roast.
How much leeway should we give when the costs get higher and higher? Somewhere, all the big talk has to cross with reality?
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