Zoka Blog

Notes on Nicaragua: Happy Farms Make Happy Coffee

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:23:25 -0800

Nicaragua has a lot going for it: great coffee, great landscape, great friends. For the past few years I have been cultivating a relationship with two coffee growers, Roberto Bendana and Erwin Mierisch, and this month I flew south to see them face-to-face, check out their operations, and cup some of this year's prime Nicaraguan coffees. Fellow Zoka friends Jeff and Jerome tagged along. I love my job.

We flew Seattle to Houston to Nicaragua where Roberto's farm agronomist (the science-guy who studies soil and crops) picked us up. It was a good flight, but the beds at the Hotel Ritzo in Managua were welcomed that night. A traditional breakfast preps us for my favorite kind of day: cruising farms and cupping coffee. Roberto has a full day in store for us, cupping from three of his farms - El Quetzal, Paraiso, and Los Arcedes - and visiting El Quetzal to see the farm in action.

Travel tip: Heading to Nicaragua? Get ready for tasty breakfasts of eggs, fruit and beans - the country's traditional breakfast fare.

Mug Shots: 16 Cool Coffee Mugs, Send In Yours

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:44:35 -0800

Welcome to Mug Shots, a space dedicated to exhibiting your favorite mugs and drinking vessels. You know what we're talking about - the one you always grab for your morning brew, the one that has left the permanent ring on your desk at work, the one that makes your Zoka coffee and tea taste that much sweeter.

We're kicking off this series with our favorite mugs (Zoka's, of course) as well as some of the zaniest, wackiest, most creative coffee mugs out there.

Perhaps your favorite flagon wasn't designed by physicists to hold the perfect tea temperature for upwards of 20 minutes. It probably doesn't come ergonomically enhanced to create the most comfortable hold available on the coffee cup market. But it is your favorite for a reason, and it deserves recognition.

Email zokablog@portent.com with a picture of you and your mug (bonus points if your mug contains a piping hot pour of your favorite Zoka brew) and get it featured on the Zoka blog Mug Shots. It'll be a hoot.

Mix and match Zoka coffee mugs for a rainbow of coffee-licious moments.

Greetings from Bolivia: What Goes Into Cup of Excellence

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:29:19 -0800

By: Jeff Babcock, Founder & President

The plane touched down in La Paz, Bolivia just as the sun began to sail up and over the horizon. The first thing I noticed is how clear and bright the sky is - so bright that I immediately reach for my sunglasses. It instantly feels different up here - we landed 13,000 feet above sea level, and I am puffing and panting up here in the thin air.

Cool Travel Fact: One of the oldest civilizations, Bolivia is the birth place of the Aymara civilization that predates the Incas.

Cup of Excellence Judging, the First Few Days

After the Zoka team and I collect ourselves at the Casa Grand hotel and eat a short lunch, it's off by bus to Coroico where we will stay for a week and judge some of the best and highest grown coffees in the world. That's not an exaggeration - Bolivia has many towering peaks; the highest is Nevado Sajama at 21,463 feet.

When we arrive in Coroico, the coffees have already been whittled down from 260 farms to the select top 58 National winners. We work with a very knowledgeable international judges group, made up of 23 expert coffee cuppers from the around the globe who will judge the coffees in a blind format for days.

On Monday, the Calibration Begins

Coffee Talk: The Calibration is a gathering so everyone can get used to the judging protocol and format - we cup several series and then coordinate to make sure all the judges are on the same page with their scoring.

Tuesday is the first real day of the judging process. We cup for about five hours and judge the first 30 coffees. Every coffee is given a code and we hand in and review our scores. If the scores are above 84, the coffees make it to the next round. Typically judges score 10 at a time and it takes an hour and a half from start to finish. After five hours, we break for lunch and in the afternoon, it's off to a coffee farm and then home and dinner for an early start on Wednesday.

Friday's Final Coffee Countdown

This process is pretty much the same for three days. By Friday, we have the top ten selected. On Friday, we cup and score these top coffees and then sit down to review the scores. We were amazed that for the first time in the history of the competitions 7 out of the top 10 coffees had an average judges' score of over 90 points! That is truly astonishing - usually only one or two coffees score this high, but this year the coffees were exceptional and the scores proved it.

The verdict:The Bolivia coffees for 2010 are insanely delicious! And they're coming soon, so stay tuned.

After the Cup of Excellence

At the international auction, which occurred 6 weeks later, Zoka purchased the no. 6 coffee from the farm of Luis Huayhua Chiji. His farm is called Café Central and is located near the city of Caranavi in the region of Yungas. It scored a 90.71 and is an outstanding coffee that comprises the best flavors found in any Bolivian coffee.

Expect to savor these sensational flavors in our Bolivia Cup of Excellence: cherry, orange spice, cocoa, rum acidity, brilliant red wine, coconut, raspberry, sweet and cinnamon, hints of Jasmine.

Now that you know what goes into a Cup of Excellence, you can appreciate why these coffees don't last long. We purchased 7 bags of it and we're sure we'll sell out quick. See our Central & South American coffees and explore this wonderful growing region.

Your Daily Dose: Dosing an Espresso

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:24:24 -0800

The Zoka website features a fairly extensive article on how to brew espresso at home, which I studied before heading off to my very first Zoka Barista Jam last week. (Don't worry, I didn't know "Barista Jam" was part of the coffee dialect either. And no, there is no live music involved. Just some Beyoncé to help us get our coffee groove on.)

I thought I was somewhat well-versed in the art of the espresso, especially after reading Zoka's educational guide. I figured if those coffee slingers at the big chains could serve a shot in under a minute what was stopping me? It's pretty straightforward right?

The answer is yes and no. Yes, I could potentially make good espresso. No, it's not so straightforward. A five-hour training session (my layman's term for barista jamming) in the Zoka headquarters covered two necessary barista skills: pulling near-perfect shots of espresso and steaming milk. Two skills in five hours. Nope - turns out, not simple at all.

Robbie Britt, barista extraordinaire, headed my small group of beginning baristas where he expertly led Zoka's future latte laureates through every step of the espresso. I will do my best to debrief you on that same process, so in case you ever find yourself in a barista jam, you'll be ready.

Robbie Britt, giving the barista jammers a morning pep-talk.

Get Your Coffee Beans Dosed

What is the correct dose of grounds for the perfect espresso? If you answered between 18.5 and 19.5 grams, congratulations. You've got a good head on your shoulders, and should perhaps think about going into the barista business. Around 19 grams will make a very tasty espresso - professionals like Robbie Britt can eyeball 19 grams within a half-gram.

What does 19 grams look like when heaped in the basket? A tiny coffee mountain, rising up out of the middle of the basket about one inch above the recessed edge. Not a lopsided peak, not a rounded dome, but a regal, perfectly centered mountain.

To make sure things are settled soundly into the basket while you are sifting the grounds, give the portafilter two nice sturdy taps as the mountain builds. But not enough to make everything spill (dare I say, erupt?). That's wasteful, and Robbie will make you do it over. And over. And over still, until under his masterful tutelage, you eventually get it right. Excellent Zoka coffee will only get you so far in attaining the ideal espresso - the rest is up to you, barista.

Achieving this perfectly dosed mountain on a regular basis took upwards of thirty minutes in training... and my mountain was more still more St. Helens than Rainier.

Mold That Sucker

Smoothing out your coffee-grounds mountain into a nice, sealed puck means the water will filter through at the right rate and hit as much of the coffee as possible. Filling the basket unevenly gives the water an easy route through which to flow, and your espresso will be weak and lacking buzz.

With a stiff, flat finger (meaning not curved in any way... you will be surprised how tempting it is to round your finger to fit over the mountain), smooth the coffee back and forth so the grounds are spread evenly to the edges creating the perfect seal. The key is not to spill or wipe any coffee off the mountain and onto the floor.

In the professional Zoka barista world, you are allowed 1/2 gram of spilled grounds - referred to as "acceptable waste." Granted, if you are making espresso at home, you could just wipe the excess grounds from the counter back into your grinder and call it a day. But we all like to pretend we are professionals right?

Sealing the puck is not the time to push or compress the grounds into the basket, so don't start packing in the grounds with your fingers. That task is reserved for tamping... a whole other art unto itself.

And the subject of our next Daily Dose.

Stay tuned!

Win Free Coffee by Giving the New Zoka Facebook Page a Warm Welcome

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:33:34 -0800

Times are changing Zoka lovers, and while our coffee only changes for the better, the business side of Zoka also needs to keep evolving... Twitter, Facebook, blogging, oh my!

When those Facebook fellows spilled the beans on the updated Business pages last year, we knew we had to get on board. So sleek, so personalized - what a great way to keep coffee lovers in touch with Zoka news! And so with open arms we welcome the brand-spankin' new Zoka Coffee Roaster & Tea Company Facebook fan page to the world.

We want you to welcome the new Zoka Facebook too. Would free coffee help?

What this new-fangled Facebook fan page can do

By converting our Facebook to a business page, we have more control over what we can feature on the site. That means all the news, all the interactive components, all the Zoka-ness we wanted to give our fans and friends from the beginning - now we can!

What Zoka Coffee needs from you

We don't want to lose you, loyal Zoka friends. Please join us on our quest to the new Zoka Facebook page by becoming a fan.

To sweeten the deal, everyone who becomes a fan of the new Zoka page by 12:00 pm (PST) February 24 will be entered in a running to have a bag of Zoka Espresso Paladino coffee sent to their door.

Delicious coffee and a snazzy Facebook page? Zoka has never been more on top of its game.

Barista Spotlight: A Behind-the-Bar Look at Competitions

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:59:15 -0800

It's the eye of the tiger, it's the foam of the fight. Rising up to the challenge of our rivals...

He's known as Tripp Gandy and he's eyes are on the prize. He has one shot to make it big. He's a crusader, a competitor, a trained tiger ready to give it his all. No, he's not an Olympian. He's a barista.

Barista competitions are heating up across the country with regionals going on right now and nationals coming up in April. We talked to Tripp Gandy's coach, Sarah Parrish from Metto Coffee & Tea to get a behind-the-bar look at the South East Regional Barista Championship in Atlanta. She gives us a quick dose on what barista competitions are all about.

What happens at a barista competition?
Parrish: This year, the Southeast Regional had a record 35 competitors. Competitors each have 15 minutes to prepare four espresso, four cappuccino, and four specialty beverages. These drinks are presented to four sensory judges for evaluation. There are also two technical judges and a head judge. The competitors have to explain what coffee they are using and why they chose this particular coffee.

So they are judged not only on technique, but also on knowledge and the presentation itself. All of which are required of a good barista.

What is Gandy's signature drink?
Parrish: Tripp's drink was an avocado con panna -- an espresso shot with a drop of honey and topped with fresh whipped cream, with an avocado and brie puree folded in. The barista gets to pick what specialty coffee he or she brews and they sometimes change it up by putting a different origin of bean in it.

How do competitive baristas prepare for the events?
Parrish: It's a lot of work. After hours when the shop closes, a barista practices his or her technical abilities. You have to be very dedicated and be willing to put in extra hours. It takes a lot of patience and skill.

How do the baristas like to have fun when they're not competing?
Parrish: A lot of fun things happen while we're down here. The first night, all the baristas get together for a party. It's healthy camaraderie -- there are some familiar faces from last year and some fresh faces. We all go out and have fun and of course, there's a lot of coffee talk going on.

You've been a barista for 12 years. How has the industry changed?
Parrish: It's always changing. Everyone's trying to make a better coffee, better espresso. Last year, there were 18 competitors in the Southeast Regionals; this year, there are 35. It's come a long way in the past five years and many more baristas are entering the competitions.

Look out for Lem Butler from Counter Culture Coffee. He won the 2010 Southeast Regional Barista Competition with 617.5 points! For more information on barista competitions, visit Barista Competition 2010. Stay tuned to the Zoka blog for all your barista news.

My Life with Coffee: From the First Cup to the First Cupping

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:04:04 -0800

By Amanda Halm

My coffee obsession started on a humid morning in July, an hour before the heat really set in. My dad and I sat on creaky old chairs on the porch of a cottage in a little vacation town in Michigan.

I remember the moment vividly because before that, like most 13-year-olds, I crinkled my nose at the smell of coffee. I considered it an "adult" drink because it doesn't taste like candy and it's not a fun color like fuchsia or tangerine (before coffee, there was Slurpee). I wasn't even allowed to drink it, which might be why my first taste seems so significant.

I blame my dad for my caffeine headaches, my 3:00 p.m. latte fixes, and late-night java jitters (I refuse to succumb to a coffee curfew). He opened one of those silver commuter coffee cups and filled a mug with a beautiful chestnut brew, spooned in a little cream and sugar and I was in heaven.

Maybe it was just me acting all grown up or the way he prepared it. Maybe it was the simple act of sipping coffee, sharing a rare moment with my dad and watching steam rise off the lake. Whatever it was, coffee turned into something special that day.

Since that vacation, I've been a java junkie. But I must admit, although I admire coffee, I'm by no means a connoisseur. I grew up far from Seattle coffee country, around Chicago, the "city of broad shoulders," a city where "drip" is not part of the dialect (go there and ask for it sometime - expect raised eyebrows).

To my family and a large portion of the Midwest, coffee isn't a beverage to savor and enjoy; it's fuel. Until I was an adult, I didn't even know coffee outside the blue or red canisters that graced our cabinet (depending on the sale). Even now, all grown up and slurping it down three times a day, I don't know nearly as much about what goes into "liquid heaven" as I should.

I recently had another coffee moment that could change my drinking habits forever. I attended my first cupping at Zoka. Sniffing, sipping and slurping with notable coffee experts made me realize I'm not getting enough out of coffee.

The Kenya Thangathi Coffee was my personal favorite- and yes, it really does smell like freshly popped kettle corn. I also got to sample the Brazil Condado Estate Coffee and the Organic Ethiopia Sidamo Coffee and found myself falling for coffee in a way I'd never have before. For me, cupping was like being reacquainted with an old friend but finding out they've developed into something new and incredible and that you want to spend every waking second with them.

I don't stop and smell the beans. Or the roses. Or really anything before 9:00 a.m. And I should. Life is short. It's time to enjoy more moments like my first sip. Only with better coffee.

Do you remember your first cup or cupping? When everything changed, and coffee was suddenly the nectar of the Gods? Comment below!

Zoka Provides a Year's Supply of Coffee to One Dedicated NPR Listener

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:02:26 -0800

That's right. A whole year of spectacular, savory, sweet-smelling, soul-warming Zoka coffee delivered to your door. Why? Because you love your coffee. And you love your public radio.

Fresh Air alongside a fresh refill of Costa Rica Calle De Copey Cup of Excellence.

This American Life and a percolating pot of Espresso Paladino.

Midday Jazz mixed with a mug of Organic Ethiopia Sidamo.

A brewed combination too sweet to be true? Face it - you've always wished you could muse over All Things Considered while you sip on your favorite Zoka brew, but just never got around to stocking up on those perfectly-roasted beans.

The good news

Zoka is donating a year long, three-bags-per-month supply of coffee to the Western Sates Public Radio Online Auction (WSPROA), to be awarded to the highest bidder. The coffee is "roaster's choice," so bidders know they are going to receive the best, most delectable, Zoka-roastmaster-approved blends with each delivery. Are your taste buds doing the tango yet?

How you can get your hands on such awesomeness

The WSPROA opens bidding on Thursday, February 18 and runs through Saturday, February 27. All proceeds will benefit partner public radio stations.

Register to enter bidding and, starting February 15, be sure to check out all the fantastic donations given by local and regional business that are almost as cool as Zoka.

Here is the Zoka bid page - check it out and place your own bid! You won't be able to resist...

Until next time, coffee lovers. Stay tuned!

Variety Rocks

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:21:40 -0800

by: Prestin Yoder

Coffee needs care. Not just in the specialty coffee shop or the roastery, but in the home as well. What makes Zoka so great is that you can get an espresso and cup of coffee in the shop, or take a bag of our fresh roasted coffee home. Adding even more variety to this set up, you can brew with several different methods and taste the same coffee in a whole new way each time. If you haven't done this, pick up a Chemex, French Press or Melitta from one of our stores for a new experience. Finding the differences between these brewing processes offers a wide range of body, acidity and palate variation.

Single Origin Espresso, Taste and See

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:31:20 -0800

by: Prestin Yoder

I love espresso. I should rephrase that; I love good espresso. For you espresso-lovers out there, Zoka has started a new thing for your endearment of good coffee. Our Kirkland store has a full bar dedicated to single-origin espresso drinks. It has been getting a lot of local espresso drinkers stoked, and is truly espresso to fall in love with. As you may know, most espresso that you get either in your latte, doppio, macchiato, or cappuccino, is a blend of different beans. You will find this at any shop you go to. Our Paladino, for example, has beans from regions around the world. If you get a straight shot of this espresso, you can pick up on the nuances of each bean. Conventional espresso machines work well with this type of espresso.

Freshly Cupped: Kenya Kirimara

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:23:30 -0800

by: Prestin Yoder

The Zoka roasters hosted a cupping of the new Kenya Kirimara this week for our baristas and the consensus was clear: the Kirimara is a beautiful coffee. With tasting spoons in hand, we blindcupped this coffee, not knowing what to expect. As we started to slurp up the Kenya Kirimara, you could see our eyes light up. People tried not to comment on the coffee until everyone had a chance to sample it. After the tasting and note taking, our staff had nothing but good things to say for the complex profile and great acidity of this coffee.

Zoka's Getting "With It"

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:05:27 -0800

by: Erik Evenson

There's a great scene in a Simpsons episode where a teenaged Homer and Barney are listening to loud music when Abe, Homer's dad, walks in. "What's that racket?" Abe asks.

"It's called rockin' out," Barney says.

"You wouldn't know, dad," Homer says. "You're not with it."

Abe declares, "I used to be with it, but then they changed what 'it' was. Now what I'm with isn't it and what is it seems weird and scary to me."

Gettin' The Love...

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:09:42 -0800

Zoka and nine other coffee joints that really know their coffee, were featured in November's GQ issue. I also forgot to report back in August that we were also in Details magazine with four other caffeine slingers. We sure are hitting the publications lately. Is it a trend or are they just now starting to realize there's more to coffee than Starbucks--there's also premium coffee.

What I Learned From This Guy

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:07:43 -0800

by: Erik Evenson

Well, it's official. The twenty-somethings of today are now known as "The Lost Generation" according to the magazines. Don't believe me? Read about it here. The unemployment rate for 16 to 24-year-olds is 18%, and only 82% of college graduates ages 22-27 are finding jobs. We've got many reasons to feel down, and it's not just the numbers that are grim. How many of us know someone who has been laid off in the last year? How many of us are trying to find jobs? My fiancee has been trying to find a job for months now--it's not the rejections that bother her so much as the no-replies at all.

Chat with the Zoka Roastmaster

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:31:50 -0800

by: Prestin Yoder

Just this last week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Zoka's roastmaster John Battaglia to talk about the basics of coffee roasting and what kind of care goes into getting a perfect roast. Not only did I learn a lot, I was surprised by some of the answers he had for my questions. There is a lot more than meets the eye to getting Zoka coffee to the level it's at. John has been in the coffee business for nearly a decade now and his professionalism speaks to this.