Good Coffee Makes You Sing

Honduras Finca Las Canas

2012-01-22T12:15:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, Chuck Rabonowitz called me and told me that he had some Honduran beans from a friend's farm. He wanted me to roast them for him. I never say no- you never know whether that batch of beans will be the best coffee you've ever tasted. I am quite prejudiced against old coffee beans, though-that is, coffee that was picked 3 or more years ago. Most of the time, I find that older beans aren't stored properly with the proper humidity. They are either dried out or over fermented. Chuck told me that the beans were three years old. Great incredulity was kept private. I invited him to Chazzano and I roasted the beans. Shocking. The "old" beans were bursting with berry, specifically dark cherry, cinnamon and it was a lovely medium bodied coffee.

Carlos, the plantation owner, has a full-time job in the states and owns the farm in Honduras. It is extremely difficult to grow high quality coffee and to ship it to the states. There are so many crucial steps that occur months before you experience the coffee at Chazzano Coffee Roasters.
1. Planting the coffee and ensuring that the soil quality remains high.

2. Picking the best ripened coffee cherries.

3. Drying and processing:

4. Bagging, Shipping and delivering- If the coffee beans are not dried carefully, once they are bagged and shipped, the coffee beans will continue to ferment and the coffee will be unusable.

Chazzano Coffee Roasters has continued to roast the Honduras Finca Las Canas ever since I met Chuck, but now we have crazy fresh samples of the coffee just picked in November 2011! With my first cupping of the coffee, there are some notes of pomegranate with a leathery, smokey finish. I wonder how the coffee will change over the next 3 months, 6 months or 1 year. Coffee beans are just organic matter. As they break down, the different natural chemicals will change and produce different flavor profiles over time. I don't have enough of this coffee to sell it by the pound, but come in for a great cup of coffee from beans that were picked in November.

Here is Chuck, (on the right), the supplier of the Honduras Finca Las Canas with one of the coffee farmers:

Reflux and Decaffeinated Coffee

2012-01-12T10:42:00.000-08:00

If you are someone who suffers from reflux and other issues when you drink coffee, there is a solution: decaffeinated coffee. Chazzano Coffee Roasters roasts only Fair Trade Organic, Swiss Water Process coffee. I've blogged elsewhere about the decaf process, but what is important to note is that you can drink with great joy a decaf soy latte, decaf double espresso, or a large cup of decaf in a French Press. Sadly, for those who are having issues with coffee, the main culprit is caffeine. According to the A.M.A. and other medical professionals, there are great medical benefits to regular coffee drinking. The caffeine is perfect for a quick intensive workout. The caffeine in coffee hits you immediately, unlike the caffeine in tea. In tea, you'll find a naturally occurring chemical that slows down the absorption of caffeine so that you stay alert for a longer time.

So, here are a few choices for those of you suffering from stomach related issues:

1. Drink awesome fresh roasted Chazzano Coffee Swiss Water Process decaf- you'll never know that it's decaf.
2. If you can tolerate some caffeine, many of my customers have told me that the Ethiopia Sidamo Cold Brew with a bit of cream is smooth on their digestive tracts.
3. Drink our fantastic fresh loose- leafed tea that has about 30mg of caffeine, compared to 130mg. of caffeine found in an equivalent cup of coffee.
4. Lastly, drink some of our naturally decaffeinated teas like Rooibos (from Zen Tea Traders) that will have you singing, as in, Good Coffee Makes You Sing.

Rwanda Cup of Excellence Coffees

2011-12-06T10:50:00.001-08:00

All of our coffee is specialty coffee. If you've taken a tour of our roasterie, I highlight the fact that there are very few defects, e.g. over-ripe, under-ripe, black, insect damaged, broken beans. In addition, our coffee is roasted to my version of perfection, and then ground and brewed perfectly. That's a short summary of specialty coffee. Although we roast and serve only specialty coffee, there are some extra special coffees- the Cup of Excellence Coffees.

Below is the description of Cup of Excellence from the Cup of Excellence website,

The Cup of Excellence is a strict competition that selects the very best coffee produced in that country for that particular year . These winning coffees are chosen by a select group of national and international cuppers and are cupped at least five different times during the competition process. The final winners are awarded the prestigious Cup of Excellence® and sold to the highest bidder during an internet auction.

In a few weeks, I expect a delivery of two very special lots of Rwandan coffee. The first is Rwanda Kirorero Lot #11 which has notes of pear, citrus, lemon, with a tea like finish. The second selection is Rwanda Nyakizu Lot #19 which has fruity notes of Rhubarb, peach, strawberry, with tremendous brightness.

Last year, we devoured 66 lbs. of 2010 Cup of Excellence Honduras Finca Fernandez. It had glorious notes of banana, banana foster, vanilla, dark chocolate, pipe tobacco, citrus, currant- let's just say that it was like manna falling from heaven. Anything that you liked, you could taste it in the coffee. I expect that the two lots of coffee from Rwanda will be equally spectacular.

Yemen Mocca Sanani and Why do the angels drink it?

2011-11-27T14:56:00.001-08:00

There are about 100 lbs. of Yemen Mocca Sanani left in my holy green bean room. I'm beginning to miss it like you miss a dear friend who is about to leave town for 4 months. Before we say our farewells, I'd like to share some information about one of my favorite coffees that causes me to claim, "The angels drink Yemen Mocca Sanani."

Mocca (you say Mokha and I say Moka) was the main port for San'a, the capital of Yemen. Mokha was a famous port for coffee from the 15th to 17th centuries. Mocca Sanani also means from San'ai but originally was the name of the special arabica beans found in Yemen. Our Yemen Mocca Sanani has strong notes of chocolate which reminds us why many Americans order Cafe Mochas or Moccachino. These are often a combination of espresso, hot chocolate, and milk. Mocha used to be the port city of San'a, but they moved the city because of some sand bar issues. You should also know that there are some Ethiopian beans that are called Mocca Harrar because of their similar shape to the Mocca beans found in Yemen. It is believed that the Yemen coffee was brought over from Ethiopia Harrar region during the 6th century or earlier. Chocolate was never imported or exported in Mocha.

If you pay attention to what is happening in the world, Yemen and especially San'a are experiencing painful growing pains and the people are revolting in the city of San'a and elsewhere.

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Another fantastic mistake: The Mystic Blend

2011-11-09T13:52:00.000-08:00

This week, we shut down the coffee roaster for a few hours and did some much needed maintenance. We replaced some parts before they failed and tuned it up so that it now roasts with a smile. However, we allowed too much space between the face of the roaster and the roasting drum. For 10 hours yesterday, about 5 lbs.beans dropped into a pan inside the roaster and accumulated all day long. There were so many orders to complete that I could not shut off the roaster, let it cool down and then fix the problem. I decided to place all of the beans that accumulated in the roaster pan into a bucket and Julie named it the "Mystic Blend." I roasted the full 5lbs today after fixing the roaster.

So, with mystery blends, there are two possible outcomes. One, it's horrible and barely palatable. Two, it's one of the best coffee blends I have ever tasted. The outcome was fortunately the latter of the two. Get it while it lasts because it tastes like a chocolate milk shake- notes of banana, chocolate, and milky cocoa creaminess. I call this a great mistake.

Return on Luck: ROL

2011-11-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

What's Luck Got to do with it? This was the title of one of my favorite recent business articles found in the New York Times. It was cleverly written by Jim Collins and Morton T. Hansen.

The authors discuss and study a new metric, Return on Luck or ROL. Businesses talk about ROI, Return on Investment, but we don't talk about ROL because it's not discussed until you get lucky and you capitalize on that luck.

Mr. Collins and Mr. Hansen write about people who are 10 times more successful than others in their same industry. They call them "10x-er"

For example, Bill Gates grew up lucky. He is the product of an upper middle class family and we went to a school that had one of the rare Teletype that was connected to a computer in the 60s and early 70s. Truly, he was born at the right time.

But then...

His friend, Paul Allen, saw an article in Popular Mechanics about the Altair computer.
They then guessed that Basic would work well to make a personal computer out of the Altair

Then some luck again:

Mr. Gates went to school at Harvard where they had a PDP-10 mainframe computer that Mr. Gates could test out the Basic program.

But then, he got a warm introduction tothe Altair CEO- got hired, and spent several days programming,debugging, and installing Basic on the Altair. He seized theopportunity presented to him by luck and made the most of it.

These are some of the ways, in my opinion, to increase your ROL:

Do you have a well crafted 30 second commercial at your fingertips at all times that fit the situation? If I introduced you at the cafe to someone who needed your services, could you turn the intro into closed business? You must be well prepared for meeting anyone who is in your target market.
Bring business cards everywhere- If you are so successful that you don't need to carry business cards with you, then don't. It drives me absolutely mad (crazy) when someone who clearly needs and wants more customers, doesn't bring them whenever he/she leaves home or the office.
Be highly visible and be credible when you're visible. Be a homerun king- hit it out of the park with every customer.
When you receive a great warm introduction, be prepared for anything, but just be prepared.
Talk to everyone- You never know who and what they know.
Convert leads into closed business. When someone says, "Here's a lead," respond to them, "Thank you for the referral, but I don't want to mess it up- could you please call them and set-up an appointment for me to meet them." In that way, your referral partner must call the lead, toot your horn and explain your business to the lead, and then set-up an appointment. If they are not prepared to do that

The authors conclude with this great advice:

Gettinga high ROL requires throwing yourself at the luck event withferocious intensity, disrupting your life and not letting up. BillGates didn’t just get a lucky break and cash in his chips. He keptpushing, driving, working — and sustained that effort for more thantwo decades. That’s not luck — that’s return on luck.

Costa Rica La Amistad Organic

2011-10-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

One of our best selling coffees is Costa Rica La Amistad. This is a cool coffee. The cupping notes are extraordinary- sweet, chocolaty, filled with luscious raisin notes, and finishes with cinnamon and pepper.

The large family owned farm is located in the extreme southern region of Costa Rica on a mountainside over 3900 feet above sea level. The family helps maintain the integrity of the rainforest by leaving bands of primary forest in between parcels of land used for coffee cultivation. In this way, wildlife have a corridor by which to travel back and forth through the rainforest. The farm maintains a low-tree canopy, in effect, shade grown to allow birds to flourish and to lower their need for more rain. The harvest begins in October and runs through March. Clear, fresh water that runs from the rainforest is used for the milling of the coffee. It is also used to generate power to run the machinery.

This is a great example of a farm that is not certified Fair Trade or Rainforest Alliance- it just is. They maintain strict organic growing processes, assist in the bio-diversity of the rainforest and recycle the water used in the milling process. Simply, it's a great cup of coffee- great for you and great for the environment.

Do you have Espresso beans? It depends on what you mean.

2011-10-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

We are often asked, "Do you have espresso beans?" or "I'm looking for an espresso roast." Any coffee varietal and any coffee roast profile(light to dark, city roast to French Roast) can be a great espresso if the following conditions are met: The coffee beans are fresh; the coffee is freshly ground prior to tamping that allows the coffee to be extracted between 25-30 seconds; the coffee is tamped down with about 30lbs. of pressure; the espresso machine heats the water to the proper temperature for that particular bean; 9 bars of water pressure is pushed through the puck of finely ground espresso; the portafilters and group heads are properly cleaned and finally, the espresso coffee produced has a tremendous aroma coming from its impressive crema, there is a balanced flavor profile with the proper degree of complexity, depth, mouthfeel, and interesting flavor notes.

Therefore, the best question to ask is: "What coffee would you recommend for espresso?"

Cooking with Chazzano Coffee

2011-10-04T14:22:00.000-07:00

Here are a few products that use Chazzano Coffee in their ingredients:

1. Atwater Block Brewery, Vanilla Java Porter

2. Bacco Ristorante, Espresso Biscotti

3. BNektar Meadery, Ethiopia Harrar Mead, and a top-secret Mead TBD

4. Dave's Sweet Tooth, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Toffee

5. Royal Oak Brewery, Java Porter

6. Corden's Chocolate, Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans (Ethiopia Yirgacheffe)

The greatest part of working with these awesome companies is testing the products!

El Salvador Apaneca Elite

2011-10-03T20:24:00.000-07:00

For the two coffee catering events, one at BNI-GRO in Pleasant Ridge and the other at Painting with a Twist in Ferndale, we are brewing fresh roasted french pressed El Salvador Apaneca Elite. I'm in a good mood. Business is booming. Life is good. Therefore, I'm serving a $36/lb. coffee for catering. What makes the Apaneca Elite so special? First, it's grown over 4500-5250 ft. above sea level. This is significant because plants grow and develop slower at higher altitudes. Therefore, coffee grown at high altitudes develop slower over a longer period of time and often produce exceptional flavor profiles with tremendous complexity. In addition, coffee grown over 4500 ft. above sea level are called SHB (Semi-hard Beans) and SHG (Strictly High Grown). Roasting them to a Vienna or French Roast often brings out great sweetness instead of rich pungency generally associated with dark roasted coffee. In other words, they don't burn or char very well. In addition, each coffee cherry is hand picked when they are at the peak of ripeness. Most coffees are sorted out later, but the coffee workers pick the ripest coffee cherries. Finally, (there's more?) they are sun dried until they read 12.5% of moisture and then they are set to rest a period of 60 days! This coffee is organic and fair trade. It is inspected and cleaned so lovingly that it's almost a shame to drink it. Yet, I must, with a great big smile on my face

Being Mindful

2011-09-22T13:20:00.000-07:00

Find a teacher or spend time with people who are smarter than you.

The beginning of the 6 orders of the Jewish Book The Mishnah (commentary on the 5 books of Moses) teaches us to find for yourself a teacher (k'nei l'cha rav). Find someone who is smarter or wiser and figuratively sit at their feet. Professional singers have voice teachers throughout their career. Psychiatrists see psychiatrists. I have been blessed in my life to have many people, including my wife, Lisa, who have filled my life with wisdom. Recently, I have been introduced to Chef George Vutetakis, who wrote a brilliant book, The Vegetarian Guy (www.thevegetarianguy.com or twitter @thevegguy). Chef George owned the great Inn Season Restaurant in Royal Oak for 20 years.

The following is what I've begun to learn from Chef George:

Chef George discusses how your mood when you cook (or roast coffee) changes how the food tastes. I was discussing this with Melissa and Dave Bihl at my cafe while another lovely customer, Genevieve listened patiently. She then volunteered that her husband makes Love Toast every day for her. However, she knows when he's angry or upset, when the Love Toast doesn't taste the same. This is just a reminder that whatever we create, we need to do it with love, passion, and with a smile on our faces. I hope that every time that you walk into Chazzano Coffee Roasters that you feel that joy that we do...

A New Obsession-Turkish Coffee

2011-08-24T15:22:00.000-07:00

Chazzano Coffee has gone to the dark side, but in a good way. We now serve Turkish coffee. We brew coffee at Chazzano Coffee Roasters in French Presses, Vacuum Syphon, Pourover, Espresso, Iced Pourover, and Toddy Cold Brew. We analyze the flavor profile when we brew coffee with the French Press- what is an ideal brew time? 2, 3, or 4 minutes? Well, it depends on the coffee and the notes that you wish to extract. Do you stir the coffee when it's brewing in the Vacuum Syphon brewer? It depends on whom you ask. We stir the coffee when it's brewing and when it's cooling down to fully extract the coffee flavor. We carefully cup every single coffee roasted at Chazzano Coffee to make sure that the particular brewing method brings out the best flavor profile.

However, Turkish coffee brewing is completely different from all of the other methods. I've been reluctant to tread on that path of Turkish coffee because there are so many different traditions of brewing Turkish coffee and they all reside in Detroit. For the Yemenite, Israeli, Chaldean, Albanian, and Greek and dozens more, the Turkish way is the only way. In addition, each tradition has different methods of brewing the coffee-sugar, cardamom, rose water, or pistachio grains. Some cultures boil the coffee 4 times, other 3 times. To stir or not to stir, that is also the question. I have finally found the courage to learn the art of Turkish coffee, despite the many acceptable ways to brew it.

I purchased an Ibrik (traditional Turkish coffee pot) and a butane burner. In all of the discussions about Turkish coffee, one question remains: What kind of coffee works best as Turkish? I have 40 different coffees and they're all fantastic, but what will work best as a slow boil, and quick boil 3 times? My first choice was Ethiopia Yirgacheffe because it has sweet notes of citrus and chocolate. You know my motto: Put sugar or cream in my freshly roasted coffee-what happens? G-d cries and an angel loses its wings. I was worried that black Turkish coffee wouldn't taste authentic. On the first try, it was the best cup of Turkish coffee, ever-smooth, with the usual grittiness, a fantastic aroma of citrus and chocolate. If you want an awesome cup of coffee, start with crazy fresh roasted coffee.

Kosher Coffee? Really?

2011-08-19T07:31:00.000-07:00

If you are a regular customer of Chazzano Coffee, you probably know that you shouldn't bring food into the cafe and that I have a higher proportion of Jewish customers than other cafes. If you want an explanation about what kosher means concerning coffee, please keep reading. However, if you are now sitting on your porch in your pajamas, sipping some Ethiopia Yirga Cheffe, and noting how the lemony notes are dancing on your tongue, while the chocolate notes are covering your palate with a creamy euphoria, just put your tablet computer down, now...

According to the Jewish Bible, observant Jews do not mix meat and milk. No cheeseburgers, no veal cutlet parmigiano. There is a prohibition in the Torah (Jewish Bible), "Do not cook a kid (baby goat) in it's mother's milk." Over thousands of years, the Rabbis developed more laws to protect the basic sentiment of the law. Jews are also prohibited from eating anything from a pig or any fish that doesn't have scales and fins. No pork, no shellfish, no meat and milk on the same plate. Hey Frank! What does this have to do with coffee? I'm glad that you asked.

Chazzano Coffee Roasters is supervised by the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Metro Detroit. This Kosher authority is the highest authority in the land because they are the most strict. Judaism contains the concept of a slippery slope- if you cut corners, eventually you'll cut more than that. Traditional Judaism teaches us put a wall around the Torah and Jewish Law. Chazzano is considered Kosher, because we follow the following Jewish laws found in Jewish tradition.

*We are not open on the holiest days of the year including the Jewish Sabbath (from Friday night to Saturday night).

* All food brought into Chazzano Coffee has the highest level of kosher supervision by some Orthodox Jewish authority.

* We do not flavor our coffee, therefore there is no possibility that our coffee which is just a roasted seed from a coffee tree, has touched non-kosher food.

* All outside products made for Chazzano Coffee is supervised by an Orthodox Rabbi from the supervising kosher authority.

Why does an Italian-American Jew with a Jewish mother and Italian father keep Kosher?

It is a way to strengthen my communication with G-d.

Chazzano Coffee is certified Kosher and Kosher for Passover.

Good Coffee Makes You Sing.

New Nicaragua Maragogype Las Nubes Andrea Castro

2011-07-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read my last blog about this awesome and unique coffee, you should. I just cupped the Nicaragua Las Nubes and it is incredibly interesting. Here are the cupping notes:

As a Full City (medium) roast, you'll experience fruit forward notes, with a sweet scotch and winey finish.

The Vienna Roast (dark) is the most interesting: Cinnamon, French toast, chocolate, tremendous sweetness, maple syrup, and caramel.

I'm roasting this limited edition, never to be tasted again, coffee, fresh to order. I will custom roast your pound of coffee, either Full City, Vienna, or French Roast.

$40/lb. Whole Bean or Ground for French Press or Drip

Nicaragua and Coffee Mathematics

2011-07-10T11:56:00.000-07:00

The 32lbs. of Nicaragua Maragogype Las Nubes (the Clouds) from the Andrea Castro farm from the Matagalpa region will arrive tomorrow!

Why is this coffee so special? There are a plethora of reasons. When we cupped the coffee, we tasted notes of banana, peach, chocolate, marzipan, salsa, and much more. In short, it was like manna falling from the heavens. We also bought the entire crop of 38 lbs. The Andrea Costra farm is owned by women; the coffee is picked and sorted by women. The coffee is sun-dried or dry-processed/natural processed which helps bring out the crazy fruity notes . The coffee is strictly high grown (SHG) which means that it is grown above 1200 meters above sea level. It takes high grown coffee a longer time to develop, therefore increasing the tremendous flavor. Strictly high grown coffee beans and extremely fertile soil is a great formula for amazing coffee.

Why were women chosen to be the president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer of the Las Nubes Cooperative? They were believed to be more prudent! My 38 lbs. was so precious that they did not use machines to sort out the bad coffee beans, they didn't want the good coffee to be damaged.

Why did Andrea Castro have such a small crop of 38 lbs? Some coffee farmers are so poor that they cannot afford fertilizer for their crops. The lack of fertilizer causes farmers to produce lower yields. Andrea Castro works on other farms to help support her family and to help sustain her own farm. The partnership with Gold Mountain Coffee Roasters, Las Nubes, and Chazzano Coffee Roasters is allowing Andrea and other coop members to receive the highest return on their coffee. Chazzano Coffee is hoping to continue to help Andrea and other farmers of this coffee cooperative produce higher yields and bring more money home to their families.

Roasting Mathematics:

Did you know that every pound of coffee that we roast shrinks 20%? I need to roast about 1.2 lbs. of coffee to produce 1lb. of coffee. When I roast 132lbs. of coffee from those huge jute bags, it produces only 106 lbs. of roasted coffee. Therefore, the 32 lbs. of green beans from the Nicaragua Maragogype Las Nubes Andrea Castro farm will produce, after roasting, only 25.6 lbs. of roasted coffee!

Nicaragua Maragogype Las Nubes (Cooperative) Andrea Castro (farm) Matagalpa Region:

$40/lb.

Large cup of this coffee: $4.50

Small cup of this coffee: $3.25

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Chazzano Mystery Blend

2011-07-10T06:28:00.000-07:00

Many of our customers ask, how do you create your blends and why? The answer is that some of our blends are purely accidental. For example, six months ago, I accidentally mixed Decaf Peru with Ethiopia Harrar. The result was terribly bland. I left it languishing on my green bean shelves until Friday. I wanted to roast the Indonesia Bali and perhaps experiment with the roast profile. I placed about 5 lbs. of Indonesia Bali in the top hopper, forgot about it, and then placed the Decaf Peru/Harrar mixture on top of that. I realized what I had done, roasted the Indonesia Bali /Decaf Peru/ Ethiopia Harrar to full city, and cupped the result.

This blend is awesome when it cools- notes of raspberries, pineapple, and brown sugar. Ask for a cold brew of the Mystery Blend today and tomorrow. One of the best blends we've created, ever.

Mommy, where do coffee beans come from?

2011-06-29T15:07:00.001-07:00

If you've taken a tour at Chazzano Coffee Roasters, you might have heard me talk about coffee cherries. You may have heard about my crazy hope that my coffee tree seedlings may produce coffee cherries. Above, you'll see the coffee cherries growing on Coast Three Coffee farm in El Salvador. There are two coffee beans in each cherry. The cherries are handpicked from the trees because it is highly impractical to machine pick coffee grown on mountainsides.

Then the coffee is milled and processed. Will it be dry processed or wet processed? How much water do you have around your farm? What is the preferred flavor profile for your particular coffee varietals? Below: The cherry and most of the outer layers of the coffee bean have been removed and the coffee beans are drying out in the sun.

Brewing Temperatures

2011-06-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had an incredible cup of coffee at Chazzano Coffee Roasters, brought some beans home or to the office, opened the coffee bag, were astounded by the fantastic fragrance, ground it fresh, brewed it, and...it wasn't as fantastic as the coffee that you had at the cafe? Well, it could be your brewing temperature.

French press, drip, pourover, and vacuum syphon must all be brewed within the sweet spot of coffee brewing, between 195-205 degrees fahrenheit. If it's below 195 degrees, you will experience an under-extracted brew, and above 205 (near boiling), you'll experience an over-extracted brew.

Here are some hints to brew the best cup of coffee. For french press coffee, boil water and wait 30 seconds for the temperature to reach 200-205 degrees. For the usual cheap drip brewers, use this secret method. After you place the ground coffee in the brew basket, fully wet the grounds in the basket with hot water. This trick will help the coffee "bloom" and begin the flavor extraction process. When you turn the machine on and brew the coffee, the grounds will already have a head start. This will mitigate the usual lower brewing temperatures that make drip brewers my least favorite method of coffee brewing. In addition, make sure that the coffee is finely ground for the drip brewer.

Finally, enjoy the process. Enjoy life. Drink fantastic coffee.

La Nubes Andrea Costa Nicaragua Maragogype

2011-06-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

You know that we have over 40 different single origin coffees available and another 15 blends. I look for the best specialty coffee available. Smart farmers sample different areas of their farms that may cup at a different level than the rest of the crop. Here's the problem: If a farmer has 50 hectares (2.471 acres) of coffee trees and discovers that 1/5th of the crop contains coffee that has a superior flavor profile, should the farmer seek to sell the portion of the crop at a higher price and possibly lower the quality of the entire crop? That's a tough question.

You've enjoyed some of our awesome microlots like Brazil Moreninha Formosa, Honduras Cup of Excellence, Yemen Mocca Sanani, and Honduras Finca Las Canas. We have now secured some incredible microlot coffees from Nicaragua. The first selection is an Andrea Castro Nicaragua Maragogype. They produced only 38 pounds of coffee and picked out (by hand) only the best beans for us! This is an extremely small offering, now, of 32 pounds. (Did you know that 32lbs. of unroasted coffee beans produces only 25.6 lbs. of roasted coffee.)

Maragogype is a large bean that is a mutation of a typica coffee tree. Each of the farms in the Las Nubes (The Clouds) Cooperative is managed by women. How cool is that?

Our 32 lbs. of coffee...

Just wait until you taste this coffee! It will become part of your bucket list.

Guatemalan Trio

2010-10-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

We (Frank, Klaire, and Talia) just cupped three coffees right now:

1. Guatemala FTO

2. Guatemala COMAL

3. Guatemala Finca Sabanetas

Guatemala FTO: This has tremendous acidity, creamy and milky mouthfeel, oatmeal and maple sweetness. When it cools down, there is an explosion of chocolate that takes over the fragrance and flavor.

Guatemala COMAL: This is a limited edition coffee that is a huge favorite at Chazzano Coffee. There is a pronounced honey sweetness, oak-like woodiness, chocolate bark, chocolate mousse smoothness. This is a crazy bright coffee where there is a great amount of dancing on your tongue.

Guatemala Finca Sabanetas: The fragrance while still hot has every winter spice imaginable: cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg. There is low acidity (brightness) in this Guatemalan. When it cools it you'll experience malted milk balls and licorice notes.

I just cupped the Guatemala FTO as an iced pourover. It has a Kahlua and milk syrupy sweetness. We're going to try a 12-hour Cold Brew of the Guatemala. Come in and try it tomorrow.

We're One Year Old!

2010-10-21T05:59:00.001-07:00

I'm roasting Costa Rica Tarrazu Santa Laura now. It's truly bringing a tear to my eyes, because it is the first coffee that I roasted 10 years ago. My wonderful mother-in-law always sends a nice check every October in honor of my birthday. Ten years ago, with that act of lovingkindness, I bought a small Fresh Roast Plus from thecoffeeproject.com, a great home roaster's site. After roasting a small 2-3 oz. portion of green coffee beans, I immediately ground them for French Press and tasted a coffee that was syrupy, chocolaty, and nutty. It was the best coffee ever-just like a fine glass of wine. Thus began my journey and my passion for coffee roasting.

I want to thank you, our loyal customers, for helping us to reach this one year anniversary. There is a blessing that Jews say when we reach a special moment in our lives - Praised are You, L-rd, our G-d, King of the Universe, who gives us life, who sustains us, and brings us to this (special) time.

Please come in today and tomorrow and say hello. If you find the coupon on the website, print it out, and we'll take 50% off of all of your purchases on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22). www.chazzanocoffee.com

Thank you,

Frank

Frank Lanzkron-Tamarazo, Chazzano Coffee

2010-09-19T19:12:00.000-07:00

You don't have to be Jewish to drink coffee at Chazzano Cafe at the J

2010-08-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

We're opening Chazzano Cafe at the J at the JCC of West Bloomfield on August 25. We'll be open from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 6:30 a.m.-3p.m. Friday, and Sunday 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Many people have asked the question, "Do you have to be Jewish to go to the JCC (Jewish Community Center) of West Bloomfield?" The answer is definitely, NO! There is a tremendous amount of parking, at least 50 seats at the cafe including 15 seats at the coffee bar, and some awesome food next door at Jerusalem Pizza. Just walk in and say, "We're going to the cafe" and you're in. I hope that many of Chazzano's customers who live and work around the West Bloomfield area will visit us frequently for the same crazy fresh roasted coffee that you will find in Ferndale.

While you're at your computer, please Vote 4 the Best Coffee Shop in Detroit here: http://ctvr.us/chazzano

Lapsang Souchang-New Black Tea

2010-06-03T16:50:00.001-07:00

I often joke (a bit) that G-d drinks Ethiopia Harrar and the angels drink Kona. I have an addition-G-d definitely drinks the Lapsang Souchang. This black tea has a rich color, and a smoky, caramelly, campfire smoke aroma. It will either produce a strong reaction of distaste or pure joy. With Lapsang Souchang, there are no moderate opinions. This is the most interesting around and it reminds me of fresh roasted French Roast coffee.

The origins of this tea come from a story from the Qinq era (Manchu Dynasty-1644 to 1912 C.E.). It is believed that the passage of armies delayed the usual time of drying the tea. Therefore, they didn't want to disappoint everyone, so they dried the tea, unnaturally over a fire. Our Lapsang Souchang tea has been dried and roasted over Asian pine. All of our tea comes from Zen Tea Traders in Royal Oak. Go to their website for more information. www.zenteatraders.com

Roaster brews up new career | detnews.com | The Detroit News

2010-06-03T14:28:00.000-07:00

Roaster brews up new career | detnews.com | The Detroit News

The "Americano"

2010-04-29T07:10:00.001-07:00

Recently, I have been experimenting with the "Americano," half espresso and half hot water. Many of you have been ordering this beverage and commenting on how great it tastes and how wonderful the crema looks. From where did the name "Americano" come? During WWII, our GIs in Europe were not used to the small cup of coffee that was extremely strong, the espresso. Some may have been given a "ristretto" which is the first couple of seconds of the espresso pour. Remember, espresso bars and specialty coffee roasters were not the norm before the advent of Starbucks. Therefore, the baristas diluted the espresso with hot water to make it more palatable to our men and women in the armed forces. When they came back from the war, they began to ask for an "Americano."
The perfect recipe for an "Americano" is freshly roasted coffee for the espresso, followed by a perfectly pulled double shot of espresso. What temperature should the hot water be and what is the ratio of espresso to hot water desired? Let us know if you have a particular way that you like your "Americano."

New Tea Offerings! Matcha, Sencha, Pu-Err, and White Peony

2010-03-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

Chazzano Coffee Roasters is now offering the freshest tea around, courtesy of Zen Tea Traders, a Royal Oak company. We offer 4 awesome green teas, Matcha, Pu-err, Sencha, and White Peony.

Matcha is a powdered tea used as a Japanese Ceremonial Tea. It is an intensely fresh green tea, whipped into a froth like the milk used for cappuchino. I am enjoying as a refreshing iced beverage that is filled with anti-oxidants. Our matcha is also organic. A luscious green concoction.

The White Peony tea is full of flavor and is lovely iced or hot. The Sencha has fantastic fresh notes of peas, asparagus, and broccoli. As a dry loose leaf, it looks like your grass cuttings, but it explodes with freshness.

Finally, there is an argument brewing (get it?), concerning the question: Is Pu-err green or black tea? Much that I have read points to the fact that Pu-err begins as a Green tea and is often mislabeled as a black tea because of its notes and dark color. Green or Black-why can't we all just get along? Our Pu-err from Zen Tea Traders, is rich, bold green(black?) tea that is aged over 4 years in a cave or underground.

Coffee and tea have a crazy amount of anti-oxidants. I'll never promote the many health benefits that have been promoted by the media and health professionals. I just promote how a great cup of tea or coffee enhances the quality of your life.

Barbara Gulley has shared this information on her blog on The Detroit Tea Examiner.
Also, here's a video demonstration for the preparation of matcha from the awesome owner of Zen Tea Traders, Anthony Capobianco. Here's the Video

Kosher for Passover Coffee and Decaffeinated Coffee

2010-02-26T05:16:00.000-08:00

Chazzano Coffee Roasters' Coffee is Kosher for Passover, even the organic decaffeinated coffee. All of the decaffeinated coffee that Chazzano Coffee sells is organic, decaffeinated by the Swiss Water Process (a British Columbia company). We will guarantee delivery in time for your Seder, if ordered one week before Passover. Chazzano Coffee is certified kosher by the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Detroit.

What makes coffee not Kosher, and not Kosher for Passover? Some coffee is decaffeinated using chemicals, paint strippers (no, really), Methyl Chloride and Ethyl Acetate. Beyond my disgust with using chemicals to remove the caffeine, the chemicals created a nasty taste in the cup.

The chemicals used in some decaffeinated coffees are not considered Kosher for Passover. There are coffee roasters who add various other food products, like soy beans (which look like coffee when roasted), into the coffee bean mixture to add more weight to the coffee. Anyone who knows my feelings about adding sugar, cream, or flavorings to my coffee, know that Chazzano Coffee Roasters would never participate in such sacrilege. With Chazzano Coffee, all you get is 100% fresh roasted coffee. Finally, what makes coffee kosher? When the local or national council of Orthodox Rabbis have inspected it and certified it as Kosher.

When I discovered the organic Swiss Water Process method of removing the caffeine from coffee, I created a Decaf Extravaganza Blend that was incredible. After drinking this new blend for 4 days, I developed a sudden throbbing headache. The decaf coffee was so incredible, that I didn't need the caffeinated coffee. Now, I dare you to tell the difference between the Decaf Peru and my caffeinated selections.

Do you have a little nosh? Some Biscotti?

2010-02-01T05:09:00.000-08:00

The most popular question at Chazzano Coffee Roasters is: Do you have a little nosh? Some Biscotti? No Food?

I answer definitively, but with a smile on my face: We will never have food. I want you to truly appreciate the different notes of the coffee. If you had some great biscotti with your Ethiopia Harrar, you would not notice the lovely notes of blueberry, cherry, pipe tobacco, with a red wine finish. Some Mandel bread with your Guatemala COMAL would make you forget the dark cocoa notes of that great coffee. Will a delicious cup cake with your Kenya AA hurt your chance to explore the fruity notes of apricot, caramel, apple, grapefruit, chocolate oranges, with a half&half-like finish? Absolutely.

After roasting, grinding, and brewing coffee for 10 years, I still smile when the fragrance of freshly ground coffee flows through the air. I want you to experience that fragrance when you visit us at the cafe.

A few months ago, a customer asked, "Is the reason that you don't have food in the cafe because you want your customers to appreciate the nuances of the coffee?" I'll remember that for a long time.

To Freeze or Not to Freeze, that is the question

2010-01-31T10:48:00.000-08:00

This is one of the top five questions that I am asked every single day at Chazzano Coffee Roasters: What do you think about freezing coffee? Here is my answer.

Unless you are a scientist living in Antarctica for several months and it is difficult to receive regular shipments of fresh roasted coffee, you should NOT freeze your coffee. You should find a local roaster who delivers and roasts fresh roasted specialty coffee, daily. When you request coffee by the pound at our cafe, I will ask you, "How quickly do you expect to consume this coffee?" If the answer is more than two weeks, then I will suggest that you buy less coffee.

The problem with freezing coffee is that it does not adequately slow down the aging process of the coffee. The natural aromatics, awakened by the freshness and expert roasting, begin to dissipate immediately when it is roasted. Refrigerating coffee is even a greater sin. There is too much chance of the aromatics of the coffee becoming tainted by the other food smells of the refrigerator. Coffee has a shelf life of 2-3 weeks, the most. So, before you even think about putting that coffee in the freezer- buy a small amount of coffee from your favorite local roaster, instead.

Fox2 Early Show

2010-01-27T19:07:00.000-08:00

The Fox2 Early Show staff decorated the set with great creativity.

Nicaragua Maragogype and other New Coffees

2009-12-16T17:35:00.000-08:00

If you haven't been to Chazzano Coffee Roasters recently, you haven't tried at least a half dozen new coffees. Have you tried the Nicaragua Maragogype as a Full City roast (medium) with its notes of strawberry and rhubarb? Or the Nicaragua as a Vienna Roast (Dark) with its notes of walnuts? Or the Nicaragua as a bold French Roast (really, really dark) with notes of orange? I just roasted the Mexico Chiapas a bit darker than usual and we have been tasting strong notes of cocoa and dark chocolate. Have you tried the new Ethiopia Organic Sidamo with its notes of chocolate raspberries?

What about shots of espresso with either Kenya AA, Bolivia Cenoproc, Ethiopia Harrar, Brazil Moreninha Formosa, or our Chazzano Espresso Blend?

Chazzano Gift Boxes are Available

2009-12-16T17:03:00.000-08:00

Have you found a great thoughtful gift for the coffee lover in your life? Chazzano Coffee Gift Boxes are perfect for the person who always has a cup of coffee in their hands. We have gift boxes available from $25-$55 and up. Come in and ask Jill to explain all of the coffee and coffee equipment available.

Holiday Hours

2009-11-24T19:01:00.000-08:00

We're open on Thanksgiving from 9am-12noon and on Black Friday from 6am-4pm. Do you need some relief from your family? Come by to the cafe, bring your i-pod, bring your laptop, and just relax. We'd love to see you. We won't criticize your life choices or who you bring in. We won't judge you even if you put sugar in our coffee.

We're Open on Saturday Nights!!

2009-11-20T12:21:00.000-08:00

Chazzano Coffee Roasters will be open on Saturday nights from 7pm-12 Midnight.

Cupping Party on Monday, November 23 6:30 p.m.

2009-11-20T12:13:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for an evening of great coffee tasting? We'll learn about the journey of coffee- from bean to cup. Take a tour of Chazzano Coffee Roasters. Slurp, sip, smile, and laugh your way through 4 different kinds of coffee from around the world. The cupping party begins at 6:30 p.m. sharp and concludes at 8:00 p.m. You must RSVP by Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. $8/person.

Warning: Do not eat spicy food before you arrive. It will ruin any chance for you to experience the 1500 possible taste profiles that coffee has to offer.

Guatemala El Injerto Huehuetenango

2009-10-19T19:28:00.001-07:00

This fine coffee from Guatemala is certified RainForest Alliance. The main product of Huehuetenango in Southwestern Guatemala, is coffee. This is one of the most responsible farms environmentally, ethically, and with respect to human rights. The water used to process the coffee is reused throughout the farm. El Injerto farm has a sophisticated compost system and they grow many different plants and trees that provide shade for the coffee. Come to Chazzano Coffee Roasters to taste(cup) this coffee. Chocolatey notes and great body.

Chazzano Coffee Roasters in Ferndale

2009-10-19T17:58:00.000-07:00

We are now certified Kosher by the Vaad HaRabonim of Greater Detroit. We are not Cholov Yisrael, but Cholov Yisrael will be available upon request.

Chazzano Coffee Roasters is Open

2009-10-18T19:22:00.001-07:00

Chazzano Coffee Roasters will officially open on Wednesday, October 21. Our hours are Monday through Friday 7 a.m.- 2 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m.-12 Noon. Our Grand Opening will take place soon afterwards. The tremendous staff from Chazzano Coffee Roasters is dedicated to brewing awesome coffee and providing a new paradigm for cafes. We are selling fresh roasted coffee, espresso-based beverages, and coffee brewing equipment. We are training on Monday and Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please come by, drink some awesome coffee, and stay awhile.
We're at the corner of Nine Mile and Wanda, in Ferndale. 1737 E. Nine Mile Rd.

New! Honduras Santa Rosa Fair Trade Organic

2009-07-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

Santa Rosa de Aguan google satellite maps

I just acquired this great coffee from Honduras. It is actually my first acquisition from Honduras. Wow, what a great mouthfeel. My beginning impressions include strong licorice and anise flavors, and smooth as silk. I brewed this in my 4-cup Chazzano Coffee Fresh Press and my syphon coffee brewer. I also served it at Greater Royal Oak BNI. Just absolutely great coffee.

Chazzano Coffee Roasters Opening Soon!

2009-07-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

Here is the new building on 1737 E. Nine Mile Rd. in Ferndale. All of the building plans have been submitted to the MDA and the Ferndale Building Department. This is truly a dream come true. I just hope that the dream happens quickly. I would love to be up and running at the new site in September.

CoffeeFest 2009

2009-03-10T21:44:00.000-07:00

Recently, I spent the weekend in Chicago at CoffeeFest 2009. Again, I had a great time. It is worth the expense to spend a few days with other people who have a passion for coffee and coffee roasting. I learned how to repair my espresso machine, to make Latte Art (only a heart and rosetta) and the art of blending for espresso and coffee (there is a difference). Some of the best and the brightest in the world of specialty coffee were present at CoffeeFest. I enjoyed getting to know many coffee professionals and the convention floor displays and stores exploded with great ideas.

I will write about my new coffee brewing toy- a vacuum siphon- later... I am a sucker for new (or old) ways of brewing excellent coffee.

New Coffee Offerings!

2009-03-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

I am going to start cupping some new Papua New Guinea Purosa (Fair Trade Organic (FTO)), am El Salvador Organic Cuzcachapa Rainforest Alliance as well as a SWP (Swiss Water Process) Decaf Peru (Fair Trade Organic).

Even though I have cupped the PNG Purosa for many years and it remains one of my favorite coffees, with each batch and with each new crop, I need to experiment to find the sweet spot. There is a process by which I investigate the roast profile that will bring out the awesome character of the particular coffee. I roast the coffee at different roast profiles- from a light City Roast to a Full City+. Rarely do I roast a coffee to Vienna- the coffee flavor profile has too much to lose when coffee is roasted too dark. (However, Sumatra Mandheling is superb at Vienna roast- there is a great bittersweet chocolate that survives and thrives at that profile.

I'm interested in how the El Salvador will work as part of a blend. I have not been impressed with coffee from El Salvador- yet. I'll let you know.

I buy only Decaffeinated coffee that became that way through the Swiss Water Process. I have found that the coffee does not lose all of its aromatics and complex flavor profile. Besides, I appreciate the lack of chemicals in my cup of coffee. Several years ago, I forgot that I was drinking my Decaf Extravaganza blend. It was so good, I forgot that it was Decaf. If coffee isn't full of aromatics with a great mouthfeel, it just isn't worth drinking. Besides it won't make you sing- only, Good Coffee Makes You Sing.

Papua New Guinea

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New "Frank's Late Night Special Espresso Blend"

2008-12-11T19:47:00.000-08:00

We are introducing a new Espresso Blend that we like to call "Frank's Late Night Special Espresso Blend." "Late Night Special" is appropriate because anyone who knows me well, knows that drinking a few shots of espresso at midnight has no negative effect on my sleeping habits. This is an interesting blend of some awesome single origin coffees from Indonesia, Brazil, and India. I love cupping coffee and experiencing the surprise and wonder that comes from blending coffees with their own specific taste profiles. With this new Espresso Blend, you will enjoy a complex palate of dark chocolate and blueberries. Of course, there are many single origin coffees that are wonderful all by themselves as espresso. My favorites include- Mexico Chiapas and Sumatra Mandheling.

Chazzano Carefree Coffee Club has arrived

2008-11-30T08:35:00.000-08:00

The Chazzano Carefree Coffee Club is here!

Every month, we will automatically ship fresh, delicious, expertly roasted Chazzano coffee to your door. Just tell us how many pounds, and if you prefer a specific coffee or would rather we surprise you, you will always have delicious Chazzano coffee on hand. Never again will you face that moment when you realize that you have just scooped out the last bit of coffee in the bag and may settle for someone else's coffee. With the Chazzano Carefree Coffee Club, there will always be more of your favorite, "singing good" coffee.

Free Shipping to all United States destinations.

Take a look for yourself at our website

Rainforest Alliance- Ethiopia Sidamo Koratie

2008-09-01T21:24:00.001-07:00

From the Rainforest Alliance website

Rainforest Alliance Certified means:

Less water pollution as all sources of contamination (pesticides and fertilizers, sediment, wastewaters, garbage, fuels and so on) are controlled.Less soil erosion as farms implement soil conservation practices such as planting on contours and maintaining ground cover.

Reduced threats to the environment and human health as the most dangerous pesticides are prohibited, all agrochemical use is strictly regulated, farmers must use mechanical and biological pest controls where possible and strive to reduce both the toxicity and quantity of chemicals used.

Wildlife habitat is protected as deforestation is stopped, the banks of rivers are protected with buffer zones, critical ecosystems such as wetlands are protected and forest patches on farms are preserved.

Less waste as farm by-products such as banana stems, coffee pulp, orange peels and un-marketable foliage are composted and returned to the fields as natural fertilizer. Other wastes, such as plastics, glass and metals are recycled where possible.

Less water used as water conservation measures are applied in washing and packing stations, housing areas and irrigation.

More efficient farm management as the certification program helps farmers organize, plan, schedule improvements, implement better practices, identify problems and monitor progress.

Improved conditions for farm workers -- who are getting fair wages, decent housing, clean drinking water, sanitary facilities and a safe and wholesome work area. Workers and their families have access to schools, health care, transportation and training.

Improved profitability and competitiveness for farmers who have increased production, improved quality, reduced worker complaints and increased worker efficiency. The Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval gives the farmers more leverage at the time of sale, product differentiation, premium prices and improved access to credit.

Ethiopia Washed Organic Sidamo Koratie-New Offering!

2008-09-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

Sidamo is often wild and winey. It adds a spicy addition to many of my favorite blends. This Sidamo is as smooth and clean as any Central American that I have cupped. This is lighter than the Mexico Chiapas- a bit closer to a Kuaia coffee. Certifications include Certified Organic and Rainforest Alliance.

What does "Washed" mean? In this method, the fruit covering the beans is removed before they are dried. It is called wet processed or washed coffee. The green coffee is sorted by immersion in water- unripe fruit floats and good ripe fruit sinks. After the pulp is removed by various methods, what is left is the bean surrounded by two additional layers, the silver skin and the parchment. The beans must be dried to a water content of about 10% before they are stable. Coffee beans can be dried in the sun or by machine but in most cases it is dried in the sun to 12-13% moisture and brought down to 10% by machine. Drying entirely by machine is normally only done where space is at a premium or the humidity is too high for the beans to dry before mildewing.
When dried in the sun coffee is most often spread out in rows on large patios where it needs to be raked every six hours to promote even drying and prevent the growth of mildew. Some coffee is dried on large raised tables where the coffee is turned by hand. Drying coffee this way has the advantage of allowing air to circulate better around the beans promoting more even drying but increases cost and labor significantly.

After the drying process (in the sun and/or through machines), the parchment skin or pergamino is thoroughly dry and crumbly, and easily removed in the Hulling process. Coffee occasionally is sold and shipped in parchment or en pergamino, but most often a machine called a huller is used to crunch off the parchment skin before the beans are shipped.
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Processing_of_coffee

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Mexico Chiapas Fair Trade Organic

2008-09-01T20:36:00.000-07:00

I have just cupped and roasted my first batch of Mexico Chiapas. When I enter a cafe that roasts their own coffee, I order the Mexico Chiapas, if available. For me, this is an easy test to determine whether their coffee is fresh and the artistry, or lack thereof, in roasting. In my preliminary roasts of this coffee, I taste an extremely smooth and full-bodied coffee with some berry aromatics and nutty and chocolately notes.
Chiapas is the southernmost state of Mexico, near Guatemala. It contains only 3% of Mexico's population. Chiapas is an economically underdeveloped state. For these reasons, I am happy to carry this Fair Trade coffee so that the coffee farmers can receive a decent price for their green coffee beans.

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Chazzano Carefree Coffee Club- Coming Soon!

2008-09-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

We are introducing a new service- the Chazzano Carefree Coffee Club. Every month, we will automatically ship fresh, delicious, Chazzano coffee to your door. Just tell us how many pounds, and if you prefer a specific coffee or would rather we surprise you, you will always have delicious Chazzano coffee on hand. Never again will you face that moment when you realize that you have just scooped out the last bit of coffee in the bag and may settle for someone else's coffee. With the Chazzano Carefree Coffee Club, there will always be more of your favorite, "singing good" coffee. Good Coffee Makes You Sing.

Technivorm Moccamaster CD coffee maker

2008-03-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

As I have stated before, the french press or press pot is the easiest, cheapest, and simplest way to brew incredible coffee. However, a month ago, I purchased my first Technivorm coffee maker. I have no faith in the majority of drip brewers because they are notorious for low temperatures that cause an under-extraction of the coffee and a loss of the many flavors that specialty coffee offers. Technivorm brews the coffee at temperatures of 195-200 and even soaks the grinds like a french press. If you regularly drink great fresh roasted coffee, this is one of only a few machines made for perfect coffee.

New Single Origin Coffee Offering

2008-03-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

The description below can not describe the depth of flavors that come from a full city roast of this Peru La Florida. I have cupped this coffee several times and have found sometimes nutty and chocolate flavor profile. This is my favorite coffee available. There is something very shocking when I taste this coffee. I explain to everyone who will listen that great coffee does not need milk, sugar, or flavoring. It would truly be a shame to add anything to this coffee.

Below from www.freshcoffeebeans.com

PERU LA FLORIDA ORGANIC FAIR TRADE
La Florida was founded in 1966. Initially the cooperative consisted of 100 farmers who hoped to combine and market their coffee at better prices and thereby attain a greater level of development. Today the cooperative has over 1500 producer associates, all small coffee farmers, representing 36 communal groups, including Peruvian Sierra colonies and indigenous communities. The coffee comes from the slopes of the Andes Mountains in the region of Central Peru. There are 183 certified organic producers participating in La Florida’s organic program. These members are now training their neighbors to improve their harvest using sustainable agriculture practices. The coffee boast USDA and TransFair USA certifications. A European Preparation grade coffee, grown at 4800 - 6000 feet. Spicy floral aroma with hints of citrus. Full flavored with light creamy body and a clean finish.

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Tosta Caffe Roaster

2008-02-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

I have been roasting all of my coffee with the 8lb.-capacity Tosta Caffe Roaster from http://www.cafecoffees.com/ for several months. I have always worried that this line of electric drum roasters could not compete with the gas burning large roasters. There is nothing to worry about. The coffee roasted by any of Don Hudson's machines (cafecoffees) is always delicious and consistent. Someday soon I may even purchase the new 20lb roaster from CafeCoffees.

Stay tuned. I am working on finding new warehouse space to roast Chazzano Coffee.

Check out the Costa Rica Tarrazu, Rwanda 100% Bourbon, and the Decaf Extravaganza. If you are looking to cut down on your caffeine consumption, buy some Decaf Extravaganza and blend it with some of my Costa Rican or Guatemalan coffees.

About Chazzano Coffee

2007-10-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

About 5 years ago, my mother-in-law asked me what I wanted to for my birthday. I had been searching about coffee on the web and I spotted a Fresh Roast home coffee roaster and a few pounds of beans for $65. I was used to ordering through Starbucks Encore program several pounds of coffee every month. After the first roast using the Fresh Roast roaster, I was hooked. Up to that point, that was the best cup of coffee that I had ever tasted. Throughout the years, I used the Fresh Roast Plus, Fresh Roast Plus 8, Cafe Rosta, Nesco (formerly Zach & Dani's) and then the I-Roast and I-Roast 2 with great success. After several years of roasting for myself, I needed a larger roaster so that I could share my passion for specialty coffee with my friends.

I began to use the AeroRost which roasts about 2 lbs of beans. When I was working in Chicago for two years, about 30 people came over to my house to drink my coffee. It became an incredible time to spend quality time with friends, an easy cupping party and a way to experiment with different blends. During my first year in Chicago, a great friend, Eric Diamond, designed the Chazzano logo for me as a present. The logo and graphics were so clever and connected to my personality. That was when Chazzano Coffee LLC was born. (The "ch" in Chazzano is pronounced like the "ch" in "Bach" or "Loch.") The logo provided the impetus for me to found Chazzano Coffee (tm). I invested in a 4lb roaster from cafecoffees.com called the MicroTosta Cafe and then the 8lb Tosta Caffe. I have over 300 lbs of green coffee from different countries throughout the world. I am enjoying the adventure in the world of coffee roasting and specialty coffee.

I can't believe it's not Caffeinated!

2007-08-18T20:00:00.000-07:00

I am ashamed to admit that my new Decaf Blend is delicious and full of chocolate and berry notes. I have finally found decaffeinated green beans from my favorite broker, http://www.freshcoffeebeans.com/, that rival many caffeinated specialty beans. I have been drinking this coffee for the last two weeks because I still don't believe that it is really decaffeinated.

I quote freshcoffeebeans.com, "We find the Royal Select (Mountain Water) Process to retain significantly more flavor than other water processed coffees. There may be a number of reasons for this - most likely the freshness and qualilty of the beans that are being decaffed, and the fact that RS decaf is not polished after decaffing."

This is the first time that decaffing has not also removed the flavor.

French Press/ Press Pot Continued

2007-08-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

I must remind you if you use a coffee press pot/ french press that it is important to use the proper amount of coffee. For a 32 oz. press pot use 5 somewhat heaping coffee scoops. For a 48oz press pot, use 8 somewhat heaping coffee scoops. Please don't brew specialty coffee that is roasted with care in a drip coffee maker and G-d forbid in a coffee urn. I have the same reaction to coffee urn coffee as Harry Potter's friends have to Lord Voldemort. My main fear is that I will die and go to the world-to-come and find out that they only serve over cooked coffee.

The Art and Science of Roasting Coffee

2007-08-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

For the past two years, I have been roasting with the Micro TostaCaffe from cafecoffees.com. I can roast up to 4lbs. with excellent results. It comes with a puffer module that blows the smoke away from the beans and away from the house. A thermometer is easily used to determine the temperature of the beans. I purchased a Data Acquisition Module that Don Hudson of Cafecoffees developed that allows me to collect data about the roast on my laptop computer with either spreadsheet or graph capabilities. This last piece of equipment has allowed me to repeat favorite roasts more accurately. I prefer this roaster to other excellent roasters on the market because of the large capacity of the drum. It is easy to see the development of the roast both by hearing the cracks (1st and 2nd crack), by the color, and by the smell. Before I attempt to duplicate a favorite roast, I examine my meticulous notes.

Coffee roasting combines both science and art. Each roasting batch has different flavor potentials depending on the temperature- the speed at which it reaches that temperature and the duration of roast at that temperature. If the beans are roasted light, I am sometimes surprised at the complexity of the cup. If the beans are roasted towards full city, the beans now have a different flavor profile. The length of time that the beans degas (release CO2) changes the bouquet (smell of freshly roasted beans) and the aroma (the smell of the brewed coffee). Sometimes coffee beans are best if consumed within 3 days. Sometimes, I forget about a roast and let it sit in vacuum sealed bags for 1 week and I am surprised at how mature the coffee smells. By mature, I mean that the coffee has begun to develop new interesting flavor characteristics. Like wine, coffee can remind you of flavors as diverse as tobacco, flowers, fruit, leather, chocolate, caramel, medicinal (bad), or herbs. In fact, coffee has double the amount of flavor characteristics as wine: 1500 to 750.

There are a plethora of steps to an outstanding cup of coffee. 1. The science of planting the coffee trees with the optimal levels of nutrients in the soil. 2. The care by which the pickers choose the best batch of beans and separate the defects(moldy, insects, debris, unripe, etc.) from the rest of the batch. 3. Shipping the green beans quickly to the coffee roaster. 4. The art of the coffee roaster that brings the freshest and most interesting flavor profile to the coffee. 5. The science of brewing the coffee at 190-195 degrees Fahrenheit with the proper amount of coffee to make sure that the coffee is neither over or under- extracted. 6. Serving the coffee quickly after brewing. There are over 100 steps from the coffee plant to the coffee cup.

Blending different coffees is also an art form. Coffee roasters (people) need to cup their single origin coffees at different degree of roasts to determine what are the characteristics of the particular bean. Beans from Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil, Panama, India, Rwanda, Hawaii, Kenya, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Sumatra, Indonesia, etc. all have different potential. From one year to the next the quality of the beans from a particular region can increase or decrease. Roasters (people) know what to expect from each of their different beans but there is still a great deal of guesswork and experimentation involved to create an interesting and delicious blend.

A French Press or Press Pot

2007-03-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

There cannot be a simpler way to make excellent coffee consistently. Here is one model of a press pot. I just purchased a 32 oz. stainless steel press pot from Starbucks that will come with me for vacations or business trips.

Highlander and the Golden Cup of Coffee

2007-03-18T14:28:00.000-07:00

The TV show "Highlander" was one of my favorite shows ever. The main character would say after a battle to the death (of his foe) and after he cut off the other highlander's head, "There can only be one!" That is how I feel about the French Press method of brewing coffee. For me, there is only one way to brew coffee. The French Press is ideal because you can control the temperature of the water carefully. There is no paper filter basket that causes the flavor oils to remain in the basket. With the French Press, one has complete control over the brewing time.

Here is the simple formula for making excellent coffee.
1. First, use fresh and expertly roasted specialty coffee.
2. Grind the coffee in a burr grinder a few minutes before you need it (if possible), not too coarse, not too powdery. Coarse grinds will be under-extracted and powdery grounds (espresso) will be over-extracted and will produce gritty tasting coffee.
3. Measure 5 somewhat heaping scoops of freshly ground coffee into the 32 oz. French press.
4. Pour water that is between 195-202 degrees Fahrenheit into the press.
5. Let it steep for 1.5 minutes

A Decent Decaf? Maybe...

2007-03-12T10:11:00.001-07:00

I just roasted 2 lbs of decaf Panama. It is not bad- a bit smoky and a bit sweet but not very interesting. There are no flavors that are comforting or intriguing. I will continue to experiment until I can roast and brew a decaf that is worth drinking. Life is too short to drink mediocre coffee.

Cupping and Blending- The Best Blend, so far...

2007-03-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

At the Chicago CoffeeFest, I learned how to cup coffee. Cupping is just advanced tasting. The goal is to carefully document the flavor, aftertaste, and defects of each single origin coffee. Cupping is very similar to wine tasting. In fact, coffee has twice the amount of flavors and chemicals than wine has. Coffee is actually more interesting to cup or to taste than wine. Great coffee should be interesting to drink. One should be able to taste different flavors without adding milk, sugar, or artificial flavors.

I have finally developed a blend of Central American coffees with some African coffees that is creamy and sweet and has an incredible floral aroma. I have been told that blending more than a few coffees is not recommended. However, I added a few scoops of another coffee to my Giggles Blend which includes 5 different coffees and I truly found the best coffee that I have ever had. I have read that blending should be done after each individual coffee is roasted. Again, I roast them all together. The new "Rock the House" blend will help you give up adding milk- I hope.

Decent Decaf Coffee?

2007-03-04T17:26:00.000-08:00

I have roasted some of the most interesting single origin or blends with notes of chocolate, sometimes berry, sometimes with hints of nuts, sometimes just a smooth full bodied elixir. I have never tasted a good decaf coffee. The hunt is on for a decaf coffee that one can compare to a complex and intriguing glass of wine. Will I succeed? Stay tuned.