coffee is good

I don’t have many photos as Andy, the chief photographer was a little to shakey from all the coffee to focus well… but here’s a few of the good ones from the jam! Also check out Pacific Bay’s pictures from the event… Kerry Laird got some beautiful “shots.”

A huge thank you. Thank you. Thank You. Thank You.

All of the great sponsors that made this event possible. You are true friends of the Barista.

All of the great roasters that sponsored the fuel (coffee) that let us all play like coffee roadies.

Thank you to the amazing volunteers who made the whole event seem effortless and sweet.

Thanks to all of the coffee kicking Baristas and cafe owners who made the journey to work towards great coffee.

And most of all the hugest thanks of all goes to the amazing, talented, coffee passionate, Barista friendly, super Jam manager and all around ass kicker:

Confirmation is in… the beautiful Heather Perry (United States Barista Champion 2003, Western Regional Barista Champion for as long as I’ve known her) has just confirmed that Coffee Klatch will be bringing the world famous Belle Kara Yirgachefe, and the Coffee Klatch Belle Espresso!!!

From the “Best of Ethiopia” auctions comes another of our “World Exclusives”. The Belle Kara is a Natural Washed Yirgachefe and was far and away the Best Coffee in the Auction. This process produces a naturally sweet and fruity cup, Apricot, Blueberry, and Tangerine with a hint of Chocolate with tantalize your taste buds.

Kenneth Davids of Coffee Review’s take on the Coffee Klatch Belle Espresso:

Intense aroma: brandy, chocolate, caramel. In the small cup medium in body but smooth in mouthfeel, crisply pungent yet caramelly sweet, with a tightly knit, understated complexity: brandy, caramel, cedar and flowers, hints of which persist in the roundly rich finish. Masters milk with a gentle, brandied chocolate authority.

this is definetly in MY top 7 reasons to attend!

While you’re in the Bay Area… if you’re looking for cool things to do… it might be a fun idea to check out Ritual Coffee Roasters up in S.F. A hip little joint with good coffee, fun baristi, and a neat atmosphere… They use the famous Stumptown’s beans and they’re always rockin’ rad drinks. They are located at 1026 Valencia St. San Francisco… about 45min. from Barefoot…

Also Check out Pacific Bay Coffee Co. An amazing Micro-Roastery… beautiful roaster I might add… (I’m not talking about Keith and John.) Total 3rd wave coffee crazies! Besides their coffee, which rocks, their staff is some of the friendliest… I don’t know how they do it, but they always remember my name while making my perfect capp… Check them out… 1495 Newell Ave, Walnut Creek… about 45min. from Barefoot as well!

Hey Baristi!!

Getting excited about the event, only 5 days away! Can’t wait to show off my skills…

Bring your tampers, and tools, whatever you feel most comfortable working with…that’s the only way to guarentee you’ll have what you are used to using at the event. All of the tools provided at the jam are from … they’ve got a ton of great tools, everything you could ever need for you or your store. Check them out and drool over all their cool products!

Top seven; comrades:

1. Monica R Hill will be there
2. Attending is the ONLY way you can get one of the “Make Coffee. Not War” tshirts
3. Mirage, GB5 and lever all in one spot
4. Ken Davids cupping with YOU
5. Iron Barista Competition
6. Breakfast and lunch is included
7. You are breathtakingly close to the Barefoot

So what are your top seven reasons for going?

Is it the coffee we profess to hold so dear? Is it the spot where we work the coffee magic? Could it be the particualrly peculiar way in which we work said magic? Is it the ideal of some oft forgotten lore?

the proposal of my lips is this:

To coffee do we owe our love.

To CoffeeLove above all else.

Join your Barista peers in making great coffee together and join forces to fight coffee mediocrity. Stop fighting each other and fight bad coffee together. The espresso revolution needs you.

Make Coffee. Not war.

Fight bad coffee. Not each other.

Be there.