Did you ever walk into a specialty coffee shop and look at all those menu options and have no idea what you were going to get? Well, we're going to clear up some of that stuff for you. This post, we're talking all about the most basic of drinks - espresso.

There are very few coffees that our customers get as excited about as our Bourbon Barrel Aged coffees. They are, without a doubt, fantastic. If you've ever wondered exactly how we make our barrel aged coffee, here's all of the gritty details.

Interested in home espresso? This is the first in a series of what to look for in home espresso machines. We break down some of the key things you need to look for before you buy.

If you haven’t tried an shakerato yet, you’re missing out. This wildly popular summertime drink is all over Italy and we’re starting to see variants in specialty cafes in the US. We’re a little bit past the summertime drink season here in the US, but it’s worth checking this one out anyway.

Shakerato Recipe

• Ice
• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
• Double shot of espresso or 3 oz Black Ice Brew cold brew concentrate

Put the ice in a cocktail shaker. Add the simple syrup (two pumps if it’s in a pump bottle). Pour the espresso or Black Ice Brew over the ice. Shake violently for 20 seconds. Strain into a small gibraltar cup and serve.

Some variants that we’ve seen:

• Add between 1/2 and 1 oz of grapefruit San Pelligrino sparkling water to bring out the citrus notes of your espresso.
• Instead of straining, serve the whole drink – ice and all – in a cold to-go cup.
• Use flavored syrups instead of simple syrup – hazelnut seems to be a popular choice.
• Serve it in a martini class for a touch of ultimate class.

Give it a shot (pun intended) and let us know how it works for you.

It’s Fall ya’ll! Anytime this time of year rolls around everyone starts putting pumpkin in everything and I love it. However, they are craaaaaaazy sugary or either too “spicy.” So I went on ever trusty Pinterest and found a winner that inspired me to make my own pumpkin spice latte and was way healthier.

 

The geisha coffee varietal is an enigma in its own right. There are many high priced coffees in this world. Kopi Luwak, (*ahem* “cat poop coffee” – stay away), Jamaican Blue Mountain, Kona and a few others. But something sets a geisha coffee apart from the rest. Namely, the amazing taste. If you want substance AND taste, geisha coffee is the way to go.

You might remember from some of our other posts that there are many varietals of coffee – just like there are varietals of grapes. There are two main strains of coffee – arabica and robusta – but many varietals beyond that. Geisha coffee is certainly one of the most prized of these coffees and, in our opinion, the only one that is worth the extra money.

Where did Geisha Coffee Come From?

Geisha coffee is an original varietal that was found in the 1930’s in the mountainous southwestern town of Geisha, Ethiopia. It then traveled to Panama and became a staple in the coffee growing community. Panama is one of the most popular sources for geisha coffee. Geisha is also grown in Costa Rica, Ethiopia and other countries.

Like most coffees, geisha loves growing at high elevations. The higher elevation, the more it will improve in taste. After migrating from Ethiopia to Central America, coffee farmers in Panama started to cultivate this exotic coffee variety. What kind of variety could one coffee plant possibly have, you ask? Well, that is where the geisha coffee shines the most! Taking coffee conferences by storm and winning cupping competitions left and right.

What Makes Geisha Coffee so Great?

Ok so we’ve talked about its background. Now it’s time to open up this monster palette wheel this bad boy has. Geisha has a good sweetness, clarity and sparkling flavor. Depending on the origin, those flavors can include mango, berry, guava, citrus, papaya, peach, jasmine, and pineapple. Which is a huge range of notes in a coffee cup! So it makes sense that geisha coffees have taken top honors at Cup of Excellence events around the world. Geisha coffee has certainly become been the mover and shaker on the coffee scene, as well as in all coffee championships worldwide.