The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.
– Bertrand Russell
COFFEE TRAVEL STORY NO.1
When I was travelling around Asia, I spoke with many local baristas. I also used the chance to participate in various coffee brewing workshops.
I am amazed, how baristas in Asia generally have a strong desire to really understand the complex processes of coffee growing, harvesting, processing, roasting, brewing and tasting. They want to know, how one process has a causal effect on the other processes. Many Asian baristas enjoy to taste coffee knowledgeably. It brings them happiness to understand why for some brews the most notable flavor is blueberry or dark chocolate.
During my coffee workshops in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I did not learn any brewing recipes that I would always follow once being back in Europe. Instead, we exchanged our ideas and philosophies why we like to drink coffee. My teachers explained to me how the process of brewing works. Before we started the brewing process, we decided what style of coffee we want to make and we also got to know our coffee beans and the chemistry of our brewing water. My teachers recommended me different grind sizes for various brewing methods. I also learned what goes on, when water passes through the coffee grounds. My teachers helped me to understand, how flavors are distracted from the coffee grounds into the water.
COFFEE TRAVEL STORY No.2
Only those who have patience to do simple things perfectly ever acquire the skill to do difficult things easily.
-James J. Corbett
Good coffee does not only depend on the coffee beans and accessories. The skills of the baristas make a significant difference.
Nine one coffee estate
When I was travelling in Thailand, I had been inspired by many local baristas. One Thai coffee-lover said to me: “Bad coffee does not exist. There are only bad baristas.” He told me that baristas, who understand coffee and know how to work with it, will have no problem to get the maximum result out of each coffee. According to him, skillful baristas are capable to bring out the best aspects of each coffee, while covering its weak sides.
