Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
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can provide are unlimited and sometimes surprising. I talked with a number of professionals about the topic recently and, unprompted, almost every person stated their most memorable espresso shots were in the single-origin realm. Unexpected flavors often leap out of the cup, leaving first-time tasters dazed and reconsidering their previous conceptions of the beverage. When dealing with people wary to break the seal on single origins, presentation is paramount. There will always be some individuals ready to run headlong into new experiences, but many are creatures of habit, with coffee serving as a reliable comfort in their day-to-day lives. In a café setting where you're trying to increase your number of regulars, you must take the needs of both customer types into consideration. For some, the single-origin name on the menu board and exciting tasting notes will be instantly enticing. For others, it will take time: Earn customer trust, and if they seem willing, persuade them to try something outside their comfort zone. You might end up rocking their world. Keep in mind also that if a customer who is used to drip delves into the world of S.O. espresso, the taste they encounter may be overwhelming. As an espresso, by way of its concentrated disposition, the coffee will be a game changer. The flavor notes that have often eluded a customer in drip suddenly become unmistakable in that tiny little cup. With a little finesse (and gentle persistence from someone they spend a little time with every day), the customer's eyes can be opened to a whole new world through an experience with a single-origin shot. In addition, this type of espresso can help us further articulate the stories of the farmers we rely on. In the midst of blowing consumers' minds with a couple ounces of coffee, you have a captive audience ripe for the picking. You can easily tell them more about where that coffee came from, how processing and terroir played a hand in its flavor, and who toiled to make this experience possible for them. With their often vivacious characteristics, single origins can tear down walls of preconceptions, allowing room for genuine and potentially powerful connections to take place. It's easy to see why so many baristas and shop owners have made single-origin espresso a top priority. THE DEPENDABILITY OF THE BLEND Blends, on the other hand, fill an entirely different role. Shots crafted from blended coffee can be said to comfort customers' minds, not necessarily to stimulate thought. Don't get me wrong—I have had some of my most influential taste moments with a well-crafted blend. But typically, blends provide a home base for the palate, and they have the ability to be more forgiving. With multiple coffees in play, they provide a little wiggle room for unexpected variables and, whether by the blender or the barista, the flavors can be manipulated a bit more easily while still maintaining a sense of balance. A good blend is designed to be handled by differing sets of hands and undergo varying interpretations. continued on page 50 freshcup.com February 2013 49