Aldo Coffee Company

As If We Don't Have Enough to Do...

Pokey.  If you're on Facebook, please toss him a bone or a frisbee while we're gone. 

USBC Countdown - T-minus 3: It's Not Just About Those Who Are Going

Including Rich and Mel, there are 10 people on the staff.  Six of us are headed to Minneapolis this week, either as competitors, judges or volunteers.

The four staying behind have all stepped up to work extra shifts and ensure that things run smoothly.  We couldn't pursue this opportunity without Lois, Lauren, Michelle and Melinda. 

While the coffee and espresso drinks will continue to flow in their expert hands, there will be some changes for the week ahead: 

USBC Countdown - T-minus 5: Expecting the Unexpected

The kids have been working most every evening the past few days on tightening their routines to be just a little bit faster and more consistent.  You'll likely see the lights on late until we depart for the SCAA/USBC in Minneapolis midweek as Belle, Sonja and John perfect the performances they'll bring to the big USBC stage this weekend. 

As all three finished just under 15 minutes in the regional competitions, shaving a few more seconds from their routines gives each some time to overcome any possible mistakes.  The pressure is more intense and the need to repour a shot or wipe a spill can easily happen under the glare of the lights and cameras. 

USBC Countdown - T-minus 9: Deconstructing Black Cat

One of the criteria competition baristas are scored on by sensory judges is their familiarity and knowledge of the espresso their using.  As the Black Cat espresso we've been using has changed recently (new crops, new farms), Belle decided it was time to "deconstruct" the blend and take a look at what each component brings to the final product.

Last Saturday we tasted the three component coffees (all from Brazil) four days off roast.  Today we'll cup the same coffees eight days off roast to learn if any of our earlier impressions have changed.  We've had our best success with the blend in competition when it's 7-10 days old.

What's been interesting about the process is finding how the different flavor notes in a well-made shot of Black Cat present themselves in the individual coffees.  It's not as straightforward as one might think.

Happy Birthday Phil

La Prima's poet laureate of roasting has a birthday today.  If you're within shouting distance of the roastery, wish him a happy one for us. 

And as long as you're down on Smallman, Luke is likely pulling Dolce this afternoon.  Better hurry, he's only got a pound of the liquid gold and I think Melanie is having a shot right about now.

Free Coffee Tasting Saturday 8-11am

Local microroaster Carl Hauptmann of Jake's Java in Peters Twp. will be here this Saturday, 4/26 to lead a tasting of premium coffees from East Africa, Central and South America.  We wanted you give you a heads up so you can mark your calendars.  The first 50 customers will also get a 2.5 oz. bag of a selected coffee for home brewing as press pot or drip.

Students for Students Performance Tonight at 8pm

Students from Mt. Lebanon HS will present an evening of music, poetry and stand-up tonight from 8-9:45pm.  This is the second of three performances to support Schools for Schools fundraising efforts to help fix up the Sir Samuel Baker school in Uganda.

We'll have more of the in-store-roasted Uganda Bugisu AA in addition to the usual blends and varietals.

We applaud the student's initiative and hope you'll drop by tonight to support their cause.

What to Do After a Record-Setting Morning

Buying the morning barista crew Bloody Marys at Molly's of course.

For no known reason other than it's pretty nice out (and having wonderful baristas and great coffee), we blew out our record for morning sales on a non-holiday weekend.

Thanks everyone!

Gardeners: We have free coffee grounds for your beds

It's time to start prepping your vegetable gardens.  We're happy to once again offer you free used coffee grounds for use as a fertilizer or a slow-release nitrogen supplement.  You can also use grounds to help add to your nitrogen balance in your compost.

We collect these in the shop in used plastic pickle tubs (which we ask that you return for the next person!).  They're yours for the taking.  If we happen to be out when you stop by simply ask a barista to hold a bucket for you for and we'll have one ready within a day or two.

Persephone and Alchemy

We haven't yet asked what coffees are in Intelligentsia's Persephone and Alchemy "Spring" blend.  But when we were tasting it today, Frank thought it suggested April showers on the tongue.  Somewhat sparkly and not very acidic with a definite juiciness in the body.  The roaster's tasting notes state that there is honeydew and pear.  We'd agree on the melon, but it seems more of a kiwi note we're getting than pear.  And Belle and I had this really interesting lasting sensation on the tips of our tongue that was salt-like, but also Sweet Tart like.  It wasn't a flavor per se, rather a sensation. 

We're often ambivalent about blends as we really enjoy exploring great new single estate and single origin coffees just about every week.  But this blend seems to work quite well.  It would be a nice morning cup, but just as easily at home in an after dinner role.  We'll have it on call as a press pot the rest of the week.