January | 2008 | The Onion-Bean

Cupping and Skimming

There is a point during the cupping process when you must skim the floating grounds and CO2 foam off the top of the cups. Brent Hall in Charlotte call it “skimming the Chum”. I was taught to do it using two spoons held together and to pull from one end of the cup to the other. Usually a second pass is used to get any stray floater.

Peter Giuliano claims to have seen cuppers in Central and South America skim with one spoon. Upon hearing this, I took it as a personal challenge to master the skill.

Tim Nobel, a coffee enthusiast here in the Philadelphia area (and soon to be coffee shop owner), shot a little video at our cupping today at MilkBoy Coffee in Ardmore.

I can’t seem to embed, but just click this.

2008: 01/25
CATEGORY: coffee
2 comments

This is the Big One

Remember about a year ago when we were promised the Barista event of a life time, or of the decade, or the event to end all events? Remember how it never came together? There is a Barista Jam coming up in March 5-6-7 that I think embodies the spirit of what could have been, but wasn’t. The Mid Atlantic/Northeastern Barista Jam boasts a line up of coffee personalities and a workshop schedule that makes this a MUST-BE-THERE event. And you don’t have to be an “advanced” Barista to attend.

DISCLAIMER: I am employed by Counter Culture Coffee, the head line sponsor of the Jam. I just think that coffee people will be seriously enthusiastic about getting to this event, and I wanted to folks to know.

Here is the line up:

James Hoffmann…Square Mile Coffee, 2007 WBC Champ
Jon Lewis…Bumper Crop Coffee
Ellie Matuszak…Coffee Solutions
Rob Stephen…Coffee Solutions
Chris DeFerio…Carriage House Cafe
Jay Caragay…’Spro Coffee
Daryn Berlin…Counter Culture Coffee
Jamie Schoenhut…Royal Coffee New York
Kim Bullock…Counter Culture Coffee

Educational Sessions:

Sustainability
Process of Coffee
Cupping for Defects
Espresso Extraction
Milk Frothing/Latte Art
Cupping/Alternate Brewing Techniques
How to Compete in a Barista Competition

You can find some more details here.

Matt Milletto of the American Barista and Coffee School made this logo for the Jam.