Coffee 101 … the training
Well here we are, training. I wish i would have begun to journal this in the beginning but i guess no time better than the present. We have stepped into this journey called specialty coffee. Initially i was super naïve and really had no clue what went into the whole process. I have been fortunate to have a great mentors, a local coffee shop willing to partner with my vision and give me some coffee 101. So what have i learned you ask? or maybe not but it’s my journal so I’m going to share. 😜 Well now that i think about it i have decided to share what is probably one of the most important attributes of coffee. Coffee is an agricultural product. I liken coffee to wine. Coffee is grown on farms and depending on climate and processing method (other factors as well) the taste can change from year to year, month to month even day to day. The goal is provide a great product with love, consistency and care. Now, of course i am well versed (now) in the origin of coffee, types of coffee, waves of coffee, schools of thought, blends, origins & brewing methods to name of few things i’ve picked up along the way, but that was not always the case. (i know.. that was a super run on sentence) In fact, i just leaned all of those things in April. April was my coffee 101 month. We did the history, the why and tons of sensory tasting. Towards the end of the month i did my first pour over and that was pretty amazing! Now, the month of May is turning into coffee 102.
If i had to describe thus far a wow factor from my coffee journey it would be i can actually now drink black coffee. YES! ME drink black coffee! I had no idea coffee had flavors and could actually get better the longer the cup sits! (like wine! 😂) So amazing! oh em gee did i also mention i had no idea what a caffeine high was until i began my training. After the 2nd day i really thought i could have raced a tiger (shout out Joe Exotic)! I had drank coffee before. i was more of your traditional coffee drinker with cream and sugar actually tons of sugar and cream but since i have begun this coffee journey i am beginning to see my pallet change. Can you tell how excited i am? if not i’ll tell you why. I am excited because i get to share my new coffee knowledge and experience with the people that come into 54. I get to share and show maybe a traditional coffee drinker and new way to drink and enjoy coffee. I get to maybe encourage someone who does not drink coffee at all to maybe try. i’m not forgetting you tea drinkers either. Tea like coffee is also an agricultural product and moves and changes and has flavor wheels and just is amazing! I had to choose, so while 54 is not a specialty tea shop we will have a variety of loose leaf teas for enjoyment as well. *side note - i was trying to capitalize all my single “i” but i’m thinking faster than i can type and i’m over it so forgive me :-)
Ok, i think that’s all for now. i’m trying not to bore you just really excited and i want to share! until we talk again…
