Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

[stuartgrant]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Hi all,

Back from a great time in London - but still in Bulgaria (I think they call that karma? :P) for another 3 weeks.

Ill add a comment to the London thread with some of the great cafes we went to - suffice to say that there was plenty of great coffee to be found.

The visit to Mercanta was good. They were very friendly, and kinda excited by the idea of having a Tasmanian on the premises! (Go figure.)

Cupping was a case of major brain-strain - Ive been away from good coffee for over 10 months, let alone cupping 14 different beans! - but good fun. Highlights would have been the newish crop of Rwanda Musasa co-op - incredible sweetness and an abundance of fruit (I got pomegranate) - and a Kenyan called Mkwa (peppery, perfumey, fruity, sweet).

Looking forward to getting back to Australia and setting up the roastery itself. Will update in April some time!
Cheers
Stuart.

[grrrly]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

New roastery in Launceston? Im intrigued, as a Launceston resident I find the choices can be a bit limited here. Hope you enjoy the new job when you return

[javabeen]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Oh man, sooo envious! Congrats Stuart. Feel free to send some of your roasts this way if you want some unbiased cupping :

Enjoy your new venture when you get back and let us know where it is as Im sure some of us would like to pay a visit for a roastery tour

Javabeen.

[WSullivan]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Dont be silly Were just jealous :

[stuartgrant]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Yeah, I know, Warren. I kinda feel bad about it... :P

[WSullivan]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Sorry stuart, this has to be said......i hate you ;D


jokes mate, well done, sounds like your having a ball! dont worry about the weather, youll be back in sunny tassie in no time ;D

[stuartgrant]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Hi all,

I thought it was time for a bit of an update.

Ive been talking to various coffee brokers/traders (I dont really know the correct term!) and drooling over their lists of beans. I know itll be a difficult task to continually select the best beans - like all of us, Ive had the luxury of relying on Andy to choose beans for the last couple of years! - but it should be fun.

Since were in Bulgaria, were able to "pop over" to London for a few nights, and I was lucky enough to get an invite to the Mercanta facility over there, where Ill get to cup some truly amazing coffees. Ill be sure to take lots of notes and photos and share them!

Will update in March.
Cheers
Stuart.

[Dimal]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

The biggest piece of advise I can offer is measure, weigh, record and cup everything the more records you can keep the better you never know when you will need them.

Thats great advice for Home Roasters too CM..... It all helps to make you a better roaster at the end of the day and trying to keep all that info in your head is next to impossible.

I tell you what though Stuart, we could do with a little of that cool-ish weather youre experiencing in our neck of the woods.... Its been hanging around 35-37C for more than a week now

Youve certainly got a great adventure ahead of you Stuart, all the very best to you mate.... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Mal.

[redzone121]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Rapt for you Stuart, I hope its all you wish and more

Chris

[nick_stevens]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!


Good on ya Stuart
We share a similar story 18months ago I was given the opportunity to run a roastery in Qld with no more coffee experience than what I had learned from my Iroast (not much). And yes it is as good as you think like Andy said playing with cool toys and coffee all day how can you top that? You get paid that’s how ;D I am currently running a IR7 flat out and awaiting the arrival of a new shinny 30kg Joper 8-) The biggest piece of advise I can offer is measure, weigh, record and cup everything the more records you can keep the better you never know when you will need them.
Good luck and have fun

[stuartgrant]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Hey everyone, thanks for the congrats and warm wishes!

I really do feel lucky!

We now have premises - mostly commercial/light industrial zone and a fair way from any potential customers, so the espresso bar idea is a no go.

OTOH, it sounds like Im going to be busy anyway. Were currently supplying around 250kg a week to local cafes with so that will be what Ill be roasting come April. We have a contract pending which may see that amount may double but Id best :-X on that one for now... Suffice to say Ill have plenty of roasting to do.


Chris - I saw the course when you first advertised it. Looks great! BUT Ill be overseas until April so it wont work. I am looking into a roasting course however.

I will be sure to take lots of photos to document the journey.

Cheers,
Stuart.

ps. Heres a taste of life in (decidedly post-Communist) Bulgaria this week. Minus 6*C is not something I can brag about!

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Stuart
I am happy for you and your new Head Coffee Roaster job

You will of course keep us informed of any news, good bad or ugly   ;D

KK

[happihappi]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Good luck dude. If you need any guinea pigs to sample your efforts, feel free to send them this way  

[Andy]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Playing with cool toys and beans and getting paid for it?

SWEET.

Im sure you have a ball.

[Thundergod]

Re: Living the Coffee Snobs dream!

Congratulations.
All the best with it.