The Season is here, and I hope everyone is enjoying this time of jolly abandon as much as we are–finding an uplifting tonic (figuratively, if not literally) to fend off the doldrums of these long, dark days of the winter solstice. I wish this, indeed, but maybe not as much as all that if you must drive, do calculus, or study for the GRE’s.

But if you are in fair Seattle this holiday, Slayer hopes you seize the opportunity to enjoy the heffeweisens, stout ales, and hearty brews of all descriptions that are being poured by the flagon-full at the numerous breweries and public houses around town. You never know for sure what the future will bring your way, so make sure you enjoy these boisterous beverages and the merry companionship of your groupies, hearties, and special someones in a way that warms your soul and brings a smiling to your heart.

This season has been so merry for our tribe that I nearly forgot to post this one last note–before we bid 2007 farewell and welcome in a new and hopeful year. Forgive me for keeping this missive un-customarily brief. However, I know you will understand what a pull the winter festivities have on our time and attention–and what a toll these activities can wreak on clear writing and logical narrative. However, if you are one of the ones reading this (which is to say, you are) you are welcome to join our table no matter where, so we may hoist a glass of good cheer to you and yours. So to begin. . .

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We recently had the privilege of hosting a group of guys from Fratello Coffee. One purpose of their trip was to visit Slayer and witness some break through in brewing technology and experience the ability to develop new characteristics in espresso brewing techniques. Day two’s purposed was to educate them on some of the great Seattle 3rd Wave café’s and bring this knowledge back to Calgary to help their clients elevate their skills in offering excellence to their customers.14 cafes were chosen (click here for a map of our tour), all different and all excellent in what they are doing. Let the madness & caffeine begin. You can also view the entire tour on our Flickr page.

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A tour of Seattle cafes reveals that some prominent wholesale roasters are both coffee suppliers and cafe operators. This is especially true in the emerging Third Wave segment. Notably, Stumptown, Caffe Vita, and Zoka roast coffee as well as operate their own cafes. 

The dual role of these companies raises a question: Should someone who plans to open a cafe view the cafe operations of a potential coffee supplier as a competitive threat?

The answer to this question might seem obvious. Afterall, a roaster has a huge advantage in terms of their coffee price. The highest quality green coffee can be had easily for $3-4 per pound even in small quantities. And with the economies of scale that go with roasting commercially, each additional pound of coffee that is roasted diminishes unit costs.  Fixed overhead costs remain constant and at higher volumes, green coffee generally gets cheaper the more you buy.  Meanwhile buying higher quality pre-roasted coffee can cost $10-14 per pound.  This seems like a wide spread. However, there is more to this than meets the eye.

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There is something about the espresso extracted from a lever machine that is clearly distinct from what we can pull of a standard pump driven espresso machine. Lever shots tend to be much softer and smoother, often sweeter. As well, those who have pulled lever shots are keenly aware of the distinct visual appearance of the espresso as it begins to appear & flow from the portafilter during the initial infusion.

So, the obvious question is why? What is happening during this lever extraction process that is different than what happens on a pump driven machine? Recently we decided to identify the difference and answer some of these questions.

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