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  • TampIt
    replied
    Originally posted by blend52 View Post
    At least GJ's have always used traditional espresso systems, trained their staff how to use them, and i believe use a more appropriate Australian lighter roast that can actually result in a drinkable cup.....if you tell them exactly what you want. !
    +1 ... as long as you can tolerate the taste of waxed cups in your holistic coffee experience. Unless they have changed that lately, it is also verging on undrinkable.

    Scary to think that the burnt charcoal flavour of Starbucks (like so many other American coffee chains) managed to eke its way here for so long. I was thinking it may "do a McDonalds" and survive long term.

    TampIt

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  • Dragunov21
    replied
    Oh, yeah, that'd do it :P

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  • blend52
    replied
    Originally posted by Dragunov21 View Post
    . I'm not sure what the defining difference between GJs and SBs is though.
    At least GJ's have always used traditional espresso systems, trained their staff how to use them, and i believe use a more appropriate Australian lighter roast that can actually result in a drinkable cup.....if you tell them exactly what you want. !

    Leave a comment:


  • Dragunov21
    replied
    Originally posted by Rocky View Post
    I was amused however that they mentioned GJs by way of comparison, as one of the 'success stories'.
    Financially, I suspect it is. I'm not sure what the defining difference between GJs and SBs is though.

    Leave a comment:


  • Rocky
    replied
    There was an article in yesterday's Murdoch gutter rag about the demise of SB. A couple of (I thought) astute comments about why they failed here.
    I was amused however that they mentioned GJs by way of comparison, as one of the 'success stories'.
    I always put them in the same class.

    Leave a comment:


  • sprezzatura
    replied
    Originally posted by Dragunov21 View Post
    I just want to throw it out there (all IMHO); that mofo knows what's up; his beans are the sweetest, most forgiving I've ever used (there's one Aussie roaster I've come across who comes very close/equal). I ordered some with his book, as it happens, and while a fair bit of what he talks about is inaccessible for me (financially), I haven't come across an online resource yet that is as useful, comprehensive or detailed.

    I'd love to get a shot or few at Vivace, but I'm floating around CA/FL for the foreseeable future. One day, though..
    Ha! He was quite the showman - I've never seen anyone prepare a portafiltre so fastidiously! Café Vivacé at Capitol Hill (the sidewalk bar) has been a local sensation for many years and was Schomer's exhibition joint. Everybody rolled up there after the expo to watch the master and his people do it right. Every time.

    For those of you who may be interested:

    www.espressovivace.com

    Leave a comment:


  • Barry O'Speedwagon
    replied
    Originally posted by blend52 View Post
    Do SB actually do "shots" ??
    I can only recall them having various forms of brewing ..Filter, etc, and several odd forms of their own design brewing equipment, but no genuine "Espresso" equipment.
    Maybe they had some "Full Auto" brewers ?
    I suspect that was a key part of their failure in Au, they relied on technology rather than human skills for product preparation.
    ..That, and the fact on most city streets they are outnumbered 50:1 by "real" espresso serving cafe's !

    Depends which country / city you're in I suspect. There was one in Beijing that I tried a few times and produced drinkable stuff (relative to other options), and it was certainly a traditional espresso machine. The ones I've seen in London are kitted out like a 'normal' espresso cafe, and they certainly sold shots (I was desperate one Sunday when the Espresso Room was shut).

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  • Dragunov21
    replied
    Originally posted by blend52 View Post
    Do SB actually do "shots" ??
    I can only recall them having various forms of brewing ..Filter, etc, and several odd forms of their own design brewing equipment, but no genuine "Espresso" equipment.
    Maybe they had some "Full Auto" brewers ?
    I suspect that was a key part of their failure in Au, they relied on technology rather than human skills for product preparation.
    ..That, and the fact on most city streets they are outnumbered 50:1 by "real" espresso serving cafe's !
    Most of their drinks are (superauto) espresso-based, IIRC.

    Leave a comment:


  • blend52
    replied
    Originally posted by thegoner View Post
    Save your tears for something worth pining about.

    I've tried it, and used to be a fan of their frappe type drinks. Came close to finding my caffeine limit when I ordered one with four shots in it.
    Do SB actually do "shots" ??
    I can only recall them having various forms of brewing ..Filter, etc, and several odd forms of their own design brewing equipment, but no genuine "Espresso" equipment.
    Maybe they had some "Full Auto" brewers ?
    I suspect that was a key part of their failure in Au, they relied on technology rather than human skills for product preparation.
    ..That, and the fact on most city streets they are outnumbered 50:1 by "real" espresso serving cafe's !

    Leave a comment:


  • Dragunov21
    replied
    Originally posted by sprezzatura View Post
    David Schomer was doing outrageous things with espresso and everyone was jumping on the speciality coffee train.
    I just want to throw it out there (all IMHO); that mofo knows what's up; his beans are the sweetest, most forgiving I've ever used (there's one Aussie roaster I've come across who comes very close/equal). I ordered some with his book, as it happens, and while a fair bit of what he talks about is inaccessible for me (financially), I haven't come across an online resource yet that is as useful, comprehensive or detailed.

    I'd love to get a shot or few at Vivace, but I'm floating around CA/FL for the foreseeable future. One day, though..

    Leave a comment:


  • sprezzatura
    replied
    It's sad that Starbucks ended up in the mire they created for themselves. I used to live in Seattle and I always looked forward to my 16oz cup of brewed coffee at Pike Place Market. The Seattle coffee renaissance was full steam ahead when I attended SCAA in 1995 and David Schomer was doing outrageous things with espresso and everyone was jumping on the speciality coffee train.

    Seattle was the right place at the right time: plenty of nerds with software money - Adobe, Microsoft, Amazon and loads of engineers from Boeing (like David Schomer). Lots of similarities with San Francisco where the true American coffee renaissance started and migrated up Interstate 5 through Portland, Oregon which is another great coffee and microbrewed beer city.

    Personally, I think the beer scene in Seattle is more hoppening (yuk!) than the coffee scene but there's no denying Seattle as a mighty coffee capital (there's even two world-class espresso machine manufacturers located there).

    The 1977 Pike Place Starbucks is still located in the market - across the street from the flying salmon fishmongers - still looking kinda rustic, still brewing good brewed coffee and making drinks for long lines of young Japanese schoolgirls.

    Leave a comment:


  • thegoner
    replied
    Save your tears for something worth pining about.

    I've tried it, and used to be a fan of their frappe type drinks. Came close to finding my caffeine limit when I ordered one with four shots in it.

    Leave a comment:


  • shortblackman
    replied
    Is Starbucks gone?


    Never got to try it.

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  • Barry O'Speedwagon
    replied
    Well, these guys do not have a track record of foolishness. It's certainly a risky venture, but if they get it right the upside is pretty decent for them. As I understand it, they are going to directly operate all outlets in the short-medium term, and given that they've presumably taken the high yield locations, I reckon they've got a good chance. Again, I don't want to drink it.....but I don't confuse my coffee prejudices with business sense.

    Leave a comment:


  • alyosius
    replied
    Originally posted by Yelta View Post
    Noticed the story yesterday, like Baldrick the new owners reckon they have a cunning plan, good luck to em, suspect they will need it.
    As an old man said a long time ago (in a galaxy far away) "Who is more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?"

    Leave a comment:

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