Competition Blend- MITR PHOL BARISTA CHALLENGE
Honestly, it was not rocket science how CuppaChoice (the coffee roasting company, whom i work for! Duh...) came about to blend 60% Kenya AA and 40% Washed Ethiopia Sidamo for this upcoming competition.
It spark the innocent mind, thinking about (1) 2010 World Cup is hosted in Africa hence the blend of 2 great African Single Origins and (2) very rarely roasters in Singapore uses African beans as much as they uses Brazilian Santos or Columbia Supremo. Using either of this is rare, combining both in this occassion, is even un-heard off!
The beauty about this competition is that, CuppaBarista has always been about challenging the Barista to go compete on a different ground altogether. In our first edition, we challenge them to interpret their own understanding of what is a Cafe Mocha, on the second, we make them pull shots on the streets of Chinatown and now on the third, to try serve the judges two great but winey coffees.
Many tasted and called me to feedback on how tangy the coffee is. In the cafe, my fellow baristas faces folded in, trying to swallow the coffee down their throats. On both occassions, i grinned and my small heart fluttered.
My advice, please look beyond the high acidity and find the finish that eludes all of you. Experience it at the back of your tongues, swirl it around, gargle it before swallowing all down. Sometimes when you try hard enough, the acquired taste will come. Never attempt to try pulling a good shot. Stretch the coffee to the extreme, taste both a good, mediocre and a bad shot. Let it run long, stop at riestretto, under dose, over dose, whatever.... Tatse, taste and taste again. You will find the God shot, remember it and serve it to the judges on the 4th of June.
God bless and good luck!
It spark the innocent mind, thinking about (1) 2010 World Cup is hosted in Africa hence the blend of 2 great African Single Origins and (2) very rarely roasters in Singapore uses African beans as much as they uses Brazilian Santos or Columbia Supremo. Using either of this is rare, combining both in this occassion, is even un-heard off!
The beauty about this competition is that, CuppaBarista has always been about challenging the Barista to go compete on a different ground altogether. In our first edition, we challenge them to interpret their own understanding of what is a Cafe Mocha, on the second, we make them pull shots on the streets of Chinatown and now on the third, to try serve the judges two great but winey coffees.
Many tasted and called me to feedback on how tangy the coffee is. In the cafe, my fellow baristas faces folded in, trying to swallow the coffee down their throats. On both occassions, i grinned and my small heart fluttered.
My advice, please look beyond the high acidity and find the finish that eludes all of you. Experience it at the back of your tongues, swirl it around, gargle it before swallowing all down. Sometimes when you try hard enough, the acquired taste will come. Never attempt to try pulling a good shot. Stretch the coffee to the extreme, taste both a good, mediocre and a bad shot. Let it run long, stop at riestretto, under dose, over dose, whatever.... Tatse, taste and taste again. You will find the God shot, remember it and serve it to the judges on the 4th of June.
God bless and good luck!
Kenya & Sidamo? Winey, bright and floral. Alamak. U better have servings of bread for the judges to lower their gastric acid levels.
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