It works!

Did the wiring for my motor today.  It works!  Even has an on/off switch.  I’m sure I can make it look more professional, but it looks very DIY chic right now.

It’s a used Bodine in-line motor, I found it used on Ebay for about $80 with shipping.  While not the same, the specs are similar to those in a Diedrich IR-7.  The company’s spec page here.

The owner, is knowledgeable and has a real DIY attitude, happy to answer any questions you could have about roasting.  So swing by, give roasting a try!

Of course, you can shop online too, check out their website.

The roaster will be based on a Brinkman 4 burner propane BBQ. A friend does industrial pipe-fitting and is handling all the welding needs. His expertise has been invaluable so far, and we’ve only just started! Currently, he is beefing up the structure of the side shelf of the BBQ and designing a brace to take the weight.

Today, I began assembly of what will be the cooling tray and am continuing a search for a motor. The best bet so far appears to be a used motor that is 3 times what I really need.  The motor in a similarly sized Diedrich is easily $450, and I’d like to keep it under $200 if possible.

Stumptown had flown in several coffee growers and exporters for an open panel discussion. The panel consisted of 2 Kenyans, 3 Columbians, and 2 Costa Ricans.

There was an exporter and co-op manager from Kenya, they grew the Gaturiri which Stumptown has been selling. Due to the economic conditions there they can only afford the most traditional methods of processing coffees. The parchment is removed by fermentation; the whole processing method is fairly “natural” using little water. Due to the risk of coffee berry disease they cannot afford to produce any organic coffees. They must also be careful of their use of shade trees because an overabundance increases the risk of the disease affecting their crop. Kenya is also working its way out of a commodity market for coffee and into one which allows differentiation between farms and beans. This allows the growers to be paid more for better quality, as opposed to simply by weight.

The growers and exporter from Columbia are in a similar place as the Kenyans as in they are working towards a market which recognizes and pays for quality coffees. In Columbia they have access to more technologically advanced processing methods, using more water to more quickly remove the fruit and parchment. Because of the higher humidity in the region, and greater use of water, the protein for citric acids can more readily form. The harvest will take place while they are still receiving rains. This means their drying beds need to be covered and have increased air circulation to allow the beans to dry. In order to achieve increases in quality, Stumptown and companies like Viramax (sp?) are on a mission to educate farmers. Once they know the good verse the bad, they are able to recognize if they are being paid appropriately for their crops.

The Costa Rican exporter and grower seemed to have the best access to “high-tech” processing equipment, using only 1000 liters of water to process over 2000 kilo of beans per day. The laws there require they use no more than 1000 liters per 100 kilo, which they come nowhere near. Similar in climate to the Columbians, the terrain of Costa Rica is much more forgiving. In Columbia, because of the limited space the drying beds are stacked where in Costa Rica they are one layer. Because of the humidity though, the beans are stirred and stirred while drying to prevent any fermentation simply from the moisture in the air.

The methods used to encourage farmers to only pick the cherries in their prime or ripeness each region has their own methods. Kenya will pay differing amounts for ripe verses unripe cherries, requiring the farmers to sort the two themselves. This is a huge inconvenience for the farmers and means they are paid less, encouraging them to be more selective and only bring the perfectly ripe fruit to the mill. In Costa Rica and Columbia family run farms do help with this problem to start with, but some will pay pickers by the day as opposed to volume picked. Essentially saying “Take your time and a smaller quantity of the high quality fruit rather than a lot of the mediocre”

Other issues raised were the drought in Kenya, and Ethiopia’s conversion to a commodity market. The Kenyans don’t believe they will be hit hard by the drought, as thanks to Stumptown they have already doubled their production and expect it to double again. There was not much to say about Ethiopia except that we all must wait and see what affects it has.

One over-arching theme heard again and again from all on the panel was education. Educating everyone through the whole chain will only lead to better quality, conditions, everything. Teach the farmer how to tell that their coffee is good/bad and what to do to improve it. Teach the millers and exporters that it is worth paying up for quality as it leads to more loyalty among their growers and clients. Teach the consumer to recognize and appreciate the quality so they will be willing to pay the increased prices necessary to “pass the buck” all the way down the chain.

It will require global changes to really alter the way the industry works. Personally, I think it deserves as much respect as wine and could easily go the same direction. Who knows, within a few years people could be clamoring to go on trips through Columbia or Kenya stopping at a dozen farms and visiting their posh cupping labs. They will buy memberships for exclusive early access to beans which they will put in their living-room “coffee coolers.” There is a lot of potential here; people just need to realize it.

The neighborhood is not like the trendy Pearl, or even hipster 23rd. It shares much more in common with Belmont and Hawthorne. A family friend recently had her wedding at the park just a few blocks from Coffeehouse 5, it was gorgeous. The Acadian ballroom is near by and where the reception was held, it’s a great area though it does pretty clearly is missing that those higher tax bracket citizens.

Plus, I just learned they do occasional cuppings, so I’ll need to hang around for that.  Anyway, if you like the feel of places like Fresh Pot, Stumptown, or Vivace, you’ll like Coffeehouse 5. Check it out.

In a renovated house on the corner of Belmont and 25^th a frog sits in a rocking chair, sipping a cup of coffee. Not really, but that’s is the image on the shop’s sign. Inside this house has been turn into a café, similarly to Vivace, but in this case I almost feel it was done better. The bookshelves are packed with books, knick-knacks, or items for purchase. The dining room looks out into the street. The backyard was even preserved and turned into a wonderful patio. But of course there’s the coffee. On my visit I had a double macchiato. The shots seemed decent, but there was simply too much milk, it was like a mini-latte. Using Ristretto Roasters, for the non-snob coffee drinker it would be fantastic.

Being in a renovated old house, they have a kitchen, which means they serve food. Their menu includes breakfast and lunch items such as:

Waffles, pancakes such as the Elvis with peanut butter and banana

B.L.A.T. – Bacon Lettuce Avocado Tomato sandwhich

Pink Mohawk – Cucumber, avocado, tomato, lettuce, red onion, and cream cheese

BBQ pulled pork panini

Soups and salads

Build your own bagel

And more!

They even have their own donut shop in the back-yard! Donuts are $1 each (or $5 for 6) and made on demand. They are only served on Saturdays and Sundays and in my opinion were quite good (I had the cinnamon and sugar).

So that’s the Rock Frog Café. They’re good, they’re not Barista or Coffee House NW, but has much more character. I would visit again, if for nothing else but to try their food as it did sound good.

This May, my family and I, all went to Missoula Montana for my little brother’s college graduation. After hearing about all the cool coffee shops and bakeries around the town I couldn’t wait for the grand tour. He took me to Cafe Dolce, The Catalyst, and La Petit Outre.

First up, Café Dolce. The building, specially built for the café has 2-story ceilings covered in French country designs, lots of blue/yellow. You can get an idea from the picture of my latte and palmier. The latte was decent, I’ve had much better. I’m not sure they even attempted a rosetta, it’s just sort of a blob. I was surprised to see a bag of Café Umbria beans beneath the counter. The pastries were great, they were from La Petit which I’ll cover later. They have a great patio area out back too, feels very European. On a side note, we found out a while ago, my favorite barista at Barista here in Portland use to work there. She probably had served my brother a number of times. Anyway, for where and what it is, it is a fantastic café. If I lived in Missoula I’d visit often.

Second, we visited The Catalyst. My brother’s landlord in Missoula also owns this shop. Similar to Café Dolce it has a modern feel. The Catalyst has some fantastic soups and sandwiches. It is definitely more of a local café, as opposed to a “coffee shop.” There is local artists’ work around the walls, and big glass windows view onto one of the city’s downtown streets. It has a great atmosphere.

Both of these reminded me of Sydney’s here in Portland. That more modern, clean, feeling with decent coffee but great food.

La Petite Outre is a local bakery in Missoula with fantastic breads and pastries. My brother would regularly stop for baguettes while biking home. I was able to try one of their baguettes, it was fantastic. They are larger than most I have had, but it was delicious. Trying a shot of their coffee wasn’t anything to brag about, but they are a bakery. Lots of great looking breads, delivering all over Missoula. If I was living in the area I’d make regular stops for bread.

So that’s some of the shops around Missoula. They don’t have quite the hipster scene like we do here in Portland, but they have great people trying to make great food and drinks and I would say for the most part they’re succeeding. If you’re visiting the city and are curious, here are the addresses for each shop.

Café Dolce

500 Brooks St, Missoula, MT 59801

The Catalyst

111 N Higgins Ave, Missoula, MT 59802
Get Directions

La Petit Outre

129 S 4^th St W, Missoula MT 59801

An amazing ¾ view of the Fremont bridge greets you when arriving at Sydney’s. A loading-bay door serves as a window, and is opened on nice days for an open-air feel. Clean wooden tables and white chairs contrast with the brick walls leading up from hardwood floors. The overhead lights at most tables provide plenty of electrical outlets for laptops, and of course they have free wi-fi. They even have a little area for kids to play around in, and a few toys to keep them busy. They have very cool looking cups and saucers too.

This is a great place for those web 2.0 entrepreneurs, people that want to go to a Portland café without the grunge or hipsters, or want a neat place to meet for work. Personally I think the hard-core coffee drinker may be left wanting more. Their drinks are more of a café style, rather than coffee shop or brewpub. That is, their mochas are very sweet with plenty of whipped cream and chocolate. Don’t get me wrong, they taste great, but I wouldn’t have one every day. I did try their shots too. They come out smooth and creamy, they’re really not bad. I’m not sure if it is manual or the machine timing the shots. Personally, if I wanted Café Umbria coffee, I would go to Sydney’s not Umbria.

Anyway, to sum it up. Sydney’s is a classier coffee shop, more modern and clean feeling than many in Portland. While not a hipster hangout, it is definitely a Portland café. I don’t feel the coffee alone is worth the trip, I would recommend going for the atmosphere, the view, the people, or as a great place to meet-up and chat.

The Lowdown:

Location: 1800 NW 16th Ave, Portland, OR‎

Roaster: Café Umbria

Shots: Smooth, creamy mouth feel, very drinkable

Other drinks: Café style, the mochas are almost a dessert

Food: In addition to the normal café pastries they have soups, salads, and sandwiches. A little expensive but good.

View: Fantastic view as long as you don’t mind the occasional train (they’re not bad at all)

Music: Calm and classy, but not jazz, it stays in the background