I have a lot of things I want to get down on paper, so to speak, before I forget them. Experiments part-completed... recent learning experiences, and new ideas. Just gonna make a list for now:
- A bunch of stuff relating to the UK Barista Championships. At first I thought it would be a short post, then it turned into a bigger one, then perhaps multiple blog entries, and now perhaps a bit of a lengthy paper. Analysis of my scoresheets, some acknowlegments of fantastic people and their UKBC work, constructive feedback for organisers (which I hope they want to read, and not just be defensive about), learnings to improve (my) next year's performance, etc. Gotta get this one written quick as the brain is already starting to fog.
- An update on my water quality experiences and learning, including the impact of finding out more about the pesticides and lead in my domestic private water supply. Water that tastes great and has 110ppm TDS can make REALLY bad coffee, even in the Gold Cup range. TDS alone is nowhere near enough of an indicator of water's suitability for coffee, despite claims to the contrary from leading baristas. My firm view is that water desperately needs to become a cool thing to talk about if the predominantly "coolness-oriented" barista community is going to get the best from speciality coffee.
- My experiences with the VST Refractometer in Espresso mode. After a few months of using it with manual brew methods, I have just taken the plunge started measuring my espresso. The insights have immediately led to deconstructing and then rebuilding my espresso-brewing technique... with some surprising results.
Now to find time to pull everything together...
No comments:
Post a Comment