Thursday, August 02, 2007

WE'VE GOT A NEW BLOG

It's our very own! Please check out our new blog at blog.ptscoffee.com.

All posts will be made to the new blog from now on.

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

The Finals...

Here it is ladies and gentlemen, the big news is in: Heather made the finals!!!! Now that I got that out of the way, it has been a crazy past two days. There were 45 competitors between the days and there was some incredible talent. Unfortunately there is only room for 6 in the finals, so this year we have the United Kingdom, Brazil, Switzerland, New Zealand, Japan, and of course US!! I am confident that Heather and Coffee Klatch will make us proud no matter what. We have alot to do early in the morning, so I should call it a day even though I am super psyched... If you would like to see videos of the competitors and haven't checked it out yet take a look at zacharyzachary.com. Zachary and Katie are here blooging like MAD to get all of this content to us. I will have the results posted as soon as I get back to my hotel tomorrow, which might end up being a bit late....

Saturday, July 28, 2007

I feel slightly ill...

Cappuccino, cappuccino, cappuccino, cappuccino. The past two days have been more steamed milk than any human being should ever have to endure. Let me start by saying that I personally don't drink milk based based espresso drinks all that often to begin with. I would say that I have at the very least consumed a couple quarts worth of frothed, airy creaminess. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the taste, it's just that when you don't drink it very often... I'm sure you get it. So long story short: If Heather makes bad cappuccinos for the WBC then I don't really know what more we could have done. Overall, the preparations are going well for this competition and I feel very confident that she will give the world the best we have to offer.


So if you've never been to Tokyo, you should realize that it is quite the metropolis. It seems like no matter what time of day I am riding the train, there are always tons of people riding it. There is such a conflict here between the enormity of the city, the tiny little streets, the towering buildings, and the sub-compact cars that you see in front. It's like when I tried to use my little army men with my G.I. Joes when I was a kid; they were all fighting the same war, but it was a bit awkward at times.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Welcome to the jungle baby!

Well, I fianlly made it! After 16+ hours of travel time, an hour and a half of commuting on the train system (which is really quite pleasant), and multiple fumblings and butcherings of the Japanese language I am finally settled in. My hotel is nice though it is small, the people are just like everyone says; they are very polite and accommodating. Maybe coming to Japan is a good way for me to realize that there is so much more to learn about the language and culture than I realized.

Today I am meeting up with Heather Perry and the folks from Zoka Coffee Japan for our first practice session for WBC. I'm sure that today will be more of setting up and getting all of the equipment/ingredients that she needs, so we may not get into the swing of things right off the bat. Have a great day and many excellent cups of java until my next update!

Pete

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Anticipation

Well, tomorrow is the big day. I'm going to Tokyo! It will be a loooong flight, but I am certain it will be worth it. What exciting adventures will Heather Perry (USBC champ) and myself have in the Land of the Rising Sun? Only time will tell, so check back here daily for my updates on the country, the food, the WBC, and all the exciting cultural awkwardness you can handle!!

Monday, July 16, 2007

CLOVER DAZE IN JULY

Visit our Barrington Village store at 5660 SW 29th, Topeka as we launch our Clover 1-cup brewing system July 19, 2007. The Clover brewer is a one cup brewer that is perfect for sampling coffees prior to purchasing a full pound of coffee. Or, if you just want and exceptional cup and you're willing to pay a little extra for that something special. Look at it as "wine by the glass," we'll be offering some of our absolute best coffees by the cup. Coffees we've never sold over the counter before will now be available.

It's an exciting day at PTs Coffee Roasting Co.! Thursday is the official launch day, but if you have time, stop in Wednesday afternoon, we'll be doing a little sampling of some of the outstanding coffees.

Panama Esmeralda Special - $2.50 / Cup
Panama Elida Estate #3 Best of Panama - $2 / Cup
Sumatra Blue Batak - $1.75 / Cup
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe - Aricha Selection 7 - $2 / Cup

Be the first in Topeka to sample coffee from this revolutionary coffee brewer. PTs Coffee Roasting Co. is the first cafe in Topeka to have this brewer. We are setting the standard for Quality Coffee in Topeka!

Come join us for a cup on Wednesday afternoon, July 18th as we preview the launch of this new brewer.

Enjoy Your Morning Cup!

Jeff T.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Aida's Grand Reserve


Okay, this is going to be a short post, I just finished cupping Aida's Grand Reserve from Aida Battle in El Salvador and it was Fantastic! It should arrive sometime in August. The fantastic coffees just keep arriving atPTs Coffee Roasting Co. .

Warm Regards

Jeff T.

Sunday, July 08, 2007

PTs Coffee Roasting Co. welcomes ELIDA ESTATE COFFEE

I first discovered this coffee in January 2007 on a sourcing trip through Panama. I spent a couple of days visiting with Wilford Lamastas, touring his fincas and cupping his coffees. This coffee stood out on the cupping table immediately. A distinguished cup thats very sweet, soft and balanced. Very complete and elegant. I am confident that PTs Coffee Roasting Co. customers will love this coffee.

More than half of this farm is located within the Volcan Baru National Park a protected ecological reserve and sanctuary for exotic plants, birds and mammals (like the tropical tiger). Hunting has been prohibited in this farm for decades. The Baru volcano is one of the highest volcanoes in Central America, with 14,000ha and 7 different climate zones depending on the elevation.

Elida Estate Coffee is produced under unique conditions for several reasons: first the farm is located at a very high elevation (one of the two-highest coffee farms in Panamá), it is grown in rich, young, volcanic soils with low temperatures. Fog and mist engulf the coffee trees during the dry season, and they are surrounded by virgin-native cloudy rain forest during the rainy season. The nights get cold thereby taking a tree from 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 years to start producing (2 or 3 years longer to produce than average), the low temperatures also extend the ripening time by at least one month allowing for greater development in the bean. These unique growing conditions show through in a distinguished, charming cup of coffee.

The international jury, for which I was a part, ranked Elida Estate Coffee 3rd in the Best of Panama Coffee Competition 2007. The highest rated non-Geisha coffee in the auction. So we invested in the auction lot as well. This is an outstanding coffee, grown by an outstanding family who are stewards of the land and champions of sustainability. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did finding it for you. We have only a limited amount of the auction lot coffee, our production Elida Estate Coffee will be arriving in about a month.

Enjoy your cup!

Jeff T.
PTs Coffee Roasting Co.

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Monday, July 02, 2007

PETE PARTICIPATES AS INSTRUCTOR IN SKILL-BUILDING WORKSHOP

3-DAY SCAA SKILL-BUILDING WORKSHOP EVENT Presented by the Specialty Coffee
Association of America July 6 – 8, 2008 WASHINGTON DC

ESPRESSO – CUPPING – PRO BARISTA SKILLS – BREWING
JULY 6 – DAY 1 WORKSHOP ONE 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.: INTRODUCTION TO ESPRESSO
WORKSHOP TWO 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.: HANDS-ON ESPRESSO
JULY 7 – DAY 2 WORKSHOP THREE 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.: COMPARATIVE CUPPING 1
WORKSHOP FOUR 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.: COMPARATIVE CUPPING 2

JULY 8 – DAY 3 WORKSHOP FIVE 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR
THE WORKING BARISTA

WORKSHOP SIX 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.: BREWING FUNDAMENTALS

PTs Coffee Roasting Co. Purchases #1 Coffee in El Salvador Cup of Excellence Auction

Missoula, MT (July 2, 2007) - Five years after El Salvador farmers first rallied around the Cup of Excellence® program, the 2007 auction delivered its highest overall average prices to the 23 winning farmers. With an average price of $5.18 per pound, and a top price of over $15 per pound, the success experienced at auction provides the winning farmers with the financial incentive to continue to focus on the kind of quality that has garnered this small Central American country esteem among top specialty coffee buyers worldwide.

Ricardo Espitia, Executive Director of The Salvadoreño del Café noted, "This year brought the highest average price ever of all of the five competitions we've held. This is important not just for the top-ranked coffees, but for all participants, and a good indication of how coffees from El Salvador are being positively placed in the marketplace.”

This fifth year also proved successful for the diversity of the winners. Three of the top four winners were smaller farmers from Chalatenago, a fairly unknown region close to the Honduras border and the same region that Finca Los Planes is located. Finca Los Planes pacamara coffee recieved 2nd place in the 2006 auction and was purchased by PTs Coffee Roasting Co. for over $17/lb.

The majority of coffee producers in El Salvador are medium in size with relatively fewer small farms or very large estates.

El Salvador, once one of the top five powerhouses in coffee production, lost its share of the marketplace during the 1980s internal war. With conflict well behind them, the coffee industry in El Salvador has supported the Cup of Excellence program as a means to provide them with the specialty focus needed to help reestablish its former prestige.

During the awards ceremony, held May 25, 2007 in San Salvador, Espitia presented the audience with historical coffee price and export charts, which illustrated the increase in the number of premium coffee buyers who have made purchases since the Cup of Excellence program began. Millions of dollars of added value to coffee exports can be attributed to the efforts of the El Salvador industry in placing its major focus on increasing top quality coffee.

The Pacamara variety, which was relatively unknown before the Cup of Excellence program brought it cupping accolades, dominated this year’s event with eight winning coffees, including the first place coffee, being of that variety. The winning coffee with a 92.8 score from Raul Ochoa’s La Montaña farm was described by the international jury as having an extremely long finish, bright lively acidity with spine and an enduring sweetness from start to finish.

"I am very pleased with the results of this auction especially since we obtained a price we wouldn't have otherwise received. Thanks to the organizers of this event, our region is positioning itself very well in the minds of respected buyers. I, along with the rest of the producers from the Chalatenago region, feel very honored with this recognition,” Ochoa said during the live internet auction for the coffees.

PTs Coffee Roasting Co. along with Stumptown Roasters and Solberg & Hansen Coffee Roasters from Norway purchased Finca Los Planes prior to the Cup of Excellence Auction this year and paid 2x the fair trade price for the coffee. An exceptional price for an exceptional coffee, and family that grow the coffee, at Finca Los Planes . "We look forward to a long relationship with Sergio Ticas," owner of Finca Los Planes , "and his family. We will support them in every way we can."

This was the 34th Cup of Excellence program overall. Since its inception in 1999, competitions and auctions have been held in Brazil, Nicaragua. Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Bolivia, Colombia and Costa Rica.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

TWO MORE 90+ COFFEE REVIEWS...

Ken Davids once again has found PTs coffee to be worthy of a 90+ rating. Thats right, we just got word that our new crop Costa Rica La Minita scored 92 out of a possible 100, and our Ethiopia Biloya Selection One also scored a 92. We are proud and honored to continue bringing you such outstanding coffees.

PTs Coffee Roasting Co.

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