Words spoken by cowboys from the 1890′s that could have come from my lips.

If it wasn’t for gravy and coffee, we’d starve to death

Here’s another example of drink prices adjusting to supply and demand. This one coming from Michigan brewer Bell’s.

The prices will never go higher than around 10 percent the base cost, but will drop to as much as 50 percent below base cost.  For example, a Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale may be $3 normally. But, depending on the “market” activity (i.e. patrons buying tendencies) it could be as much as $3.25 or as little as $1.50 (prices fluctuate in increments of 25 cents). The prices will change every 15 minutes and there will be, at random, a “stock market crash” — signified by air horns — when all 28 beers are sold at a low rate for five minutes.

I think coffee shops could employ this strategy as well.

ps, Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale is gooood.

I’m going to have to give deep double clutch extraction a try.

pour half the water you typically use into your coffee machine and let the maker do its thing. Once the brewer stops dripping (and, say, you’ve made toast), add the second half of the water. This will extract more flavor out of your bean in a way that will seriously please you, without changing a thing.

I’ve mentioned my dream of a coffeeshop before. Sometimes when I get too excited about the shop I’m dreaming up, I (re)read Bitter Brew: I opened a charming neighborhood coffee shop. Then it destroyed my life. Great article that helps keep things in perspective. And, if you don’t want to read the article, you can listen to the mp3 instead.

From now on, an espresso shot should not be referred to as a buttery mouth bomb.

In Berlin there are a few wine bars operated on the honor system. Sounds like my kind of place, and something I’d like to incorporate with currentblend [coffee].

For the price of 1 euro (about $1.50), you rent yourself a glass and get to sample as many of the wines as you want. At the end of the night you throw some bills or coins into a big jar, the amount based on what you think is fair.

I’ve long wanted to own a coffee shop. The past few days I’ve been wrapping my head around a “curated coffee house” (apparently a few already exist). Meaning, I don’t have one specific roaster to supply beans, but a number of high-quality roasters to offer my patrons a selection. I’m terrible with remembering everything I think of on a whim’s notice, so I’m going to start my business plan (term used loosely) here.

I chose the name CurrentBlend for the possibility of this type of shop, so we’ll stick with it.

After you read this, let me know if you want to invest. I’m dead serious. I want to do this. Just need to figure out where…

DECOR
Charcoal grey walls – almost black. Wood, high-standing tables, standing mostly with a few spots to sit. Small patio out front with a few chairs. We’re going for a European vibe, so I want a small space. I’m not interested in having patrons stick around for hours. Frankly, I’m going to continue my consulting practice and will use this to compliment the business. I view it more as a place to stop in for a quick beverage, read the paper, have a chat and go. Speaking of reading the paper, there will be the Financial Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and others, tons of magazines and other periodicals I find to leave out. Much of the look will be rustic with re-purposed items used throughout. Tables of reclaimed wood, jars as coffee cups, copper piping as magazine racks (bathroom?), pink, grey and black accents. Travel cups are going to be pink (maybe grey or black).

ROASTERS + MACHINES
Curated by CurrentBlend, we’d select the different roasts we want to serve and price accordingly. Similarly, we would have a line up of machines to make both coffee and espresso in anyway a patron would want. Possible roasters to feature include: Stumptown, Ugly Mug, Intelligentista, Blue Bottle, Dunkin Donuts, Cafe Bustelo, Chock full of Nuts, Gimme!, Cafe Du Monde. We can offer regions, specials, etc.

I would love to be able to offer coffee from different machines. Drip coffee, chemex, handpresso, perkalator, french press to name a few. And, same with espresso. Can you imagine a whole lineup of espresso machines and you say “Stumptown roast, hand pulled espresso, two shots”. Oh dear I’m getting excited. Too much to think about and link to right now. Check out my delicious feed and my tags (coffee and espresso) for more.

MENU
Espresso or coffee. Short or big cup. Stay or go. Sugar (rock candy!) and milk available. Warm or cold milk. No steaming, No frothing. No mocha. No whipped cream. Coffee, like it should be served. Maybe a cappuccino if you’re nice. Debating on having a pot of steamed milk available that way you can order espresso or coffee and do the rest your self.

One thought I’ve kicked around for a while is the $1 coffee. I think the model works and here’s how I’d recommend. A constant pot of coffee brewed in the shop off to the side. Cups, sugar, milk setting there with a Square or honor system jar. Customers who are in a rush and/or want a quick cup to go can serve themselves for $1 and be on their way. Nothing fancy, just a quick cup.

Other thoughts: cold brewed coffee with real coffee ice cubes, irish coffee, coffee to go, featured recipes (affogatos, shakerato and cowboy coffee for example), complimentary mint with your coffee, and figure out a way to make these little dudes.

There’s a ton more, but that should give you the gist. I think the idea fits the name, CurrentBlend! Let me know if you think it could work or you want to help!

Here are some techniques for brewing your hotel room cup of coffee better. News to me is the tip on filling it with water the night before.

A twenty-degree difference between newly drawn tap water and room temperature will result in nearly a twenty degree increase in brewing temperature.

What I usually do is “double brew”. This means I brew a pot, then pour the brewed pot as if I’m starting from the beginning.