What comes to your mind when you think of gourmet flavored coffee? Mmmm….maybe one of the all-time favorites like Hazelnut or Irish Crème pops into your head. But what about some of the newer alternatives? You can find just about any flavor you desire, from White Chocolate Mousse to Kiwi Syrup to Georgia Pecan and even Banana Nut Cream. And at what point does coffee quit being coffee? Are you drinking some coffee with a little crème or are you drinking crème with a touch of coffee? The good news is that as the consumer, you can drink whatever you like and decide for yourself when you want to quit calling it coffee.
The idea of gourmet flavored coffee probably seems like a new concept; however, flavoring coffee dates back to the very beginning of coffee history. Looking back on the history of coffee, you can see where cultures regularly added nuts and spices, including cinnamon, cardamom and even pepper to enhance the flavor of the coffee. The difference today is that with modern science and technology, one can create almost any synthetic flavor conceivable. The flavors themselves are acquired from either the natural plant itself or are created artificially by copying the natural oil and aromatic flavor components of the desired taste. The synthetic flavor agents are chemicals which have the same chemical structure that the naturally occurring flavor has. Some examples of naturally occurring flavoring oils include various nuts, berries, spices, cocoa beans and vanilla beans. The number of different compound combinations required to achieve some of these subtle flavors is dizzying. Next time you purchase gourmet flavored coffee, read the label to see if it is “naturally” or “artificially” flavored.
The flavoring process is usually performed to the roasted bean itself before it is ground, although you can flavor the ground coffee bean by blending in a dry form of the flavoring agent. When flavoring the whole roasted bean, the concoction of oils is added very gradually to the beans usually through a spray mechanism to thoroughly and evenly coat all of the beans, avoiding spraying too fast or too much to decrease the chances of concentrating the flavor in any one spot. The beans are then agitated for a set amount of time to ensure an equal and uniform coating of the oils is achieved. The beans will display a glossy finish when the process is complete and ensures a balanced dispersion. On the other hand, the dry form of flavoring includes mixing the ground coffee with the powdered form of flavoring for a period of time, usually at least 24 hours. The natural moisture in the coffee promotes cohesion of the flavoring and color with the coffee grounds. In a nutshell (pun intended), that’s how you get gourmet flavored coffee.
Gourmet flavored coffee is all about enhancing the natural flavor of coffee and making the cup more inviting by adding complimentary flavors that the individual consumer prefers. The possibilities are endless as new flavors take root in the imagination. Whether you choose flavored or non-flavored coffee or whether you add syrups or flavored creamers, I think all of us can agree that a fresh cup of coffee sure makes the day go smoother.
Every now and then you need something to break the monotony of your daily routine, something that is purely entertaining and lacks any definitive purpose. And that is why we have Coffee Trivia!
Let’s test your coffee knowledge, or better yet, let’s test your ability to match ‘famous people’ with their respective coffee related quotes. Read through the quotes, select your answers from the list below, and then check the answer section (located at the bottom of the page). No cheating! See how you rank on the coffee trivia scale!
(A) “The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce.”
(B) “Way too much coffee. But if it weren’t for the coffee, I’d have no identifiable personality whatsoever.”
(C) “Coffee, the finest organic suspension ever devised.”
(D) “Coffee, which makes the politicians wise, And see through all things with his half-shut eyes.”
(E) “I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon.”
(F) “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.”
(G) “Coffee leads men to trifle away their time, scald their chops, and spend their money, all for a little base, black, thick, nasty, bitter, stinking nauseous puddle of water.”
(H) “The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee and I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun.”
(I) “I never laugh until I’ve had my coffee.”
(J) “Tis pity wine should be so deleterious, for tea and coffee leave us much more serious.”
(K) “Like everyone else who makes the mistake of getting older, I begin each day with coffee and obituaries.”
As a coffee drinker, you may have heard of coffee cupping, but have you ever heard of tea cupping? Similar to coffee cupping, tea cupping is the process of tasting and evaluating the quality of loose leaf tea, determining the quality, taste, aroma, briskness, body and color. The cupping process is an art and science to ensure that the finest and highest quality of tea is procured. Before tasting the tea, an assessment of the tea leaves is performed, taking in not only the appearance of the leaves themselves, but also the scent they produce. With the exception of green and oolong teas, the appearance and smell of the dried leaf is a determining factor in the quality. The cupper is looking for a leaf that exhibits a uniform appearance and is well-involuted, firm and small. The reasoning behind this is that an open leaf will steep quickly, whereas a closely curled leaf takes longer to saturate and thus offers a better second cup. After this careful observation of the physical dried leaf, the tea is ready for the steeping process. Pure water is required to ensure no contaminants, such as natural minerals in the water, affect the taste of the tea. You should prepare 6 oz. to 8 oz. cups with 2 gm. of dried tea leaves. After bringing your water to a boil, pour directly onto the tea leaves. Be sure to avoid oversteeping in your tea cupping process! The flavor from the tea leaves is released while steeping and if oversteeping has taken place, the release of acids can occur and elicit a bitter cup. Steeping times vary from tea to tea. Oolong teas take longer to fully release their flavor and can take up to 7-8 minutes. Green and white teas may take only 3-4 minutes and do not require fully boiling the water. The general rule of thumb is 5 minutes for black teas. To stop the steeping process, pour off the tea from the tea leaves. A perfect black tea will be rich and thick looking in the cup with bright shining characteristics immediately after pouring. Oolong teas will display a cloudy effect as the tea cools. If the black or oolong tea has not been fermented enough, the color will be distinctively bright and the leaf will have a green tint. While there are different requirements for each type of tea, the basic indicators of the color and tint are as follows: dark green indicates inadequate withering and over-fermentation; green-yellow indicates a sharpness or unsavoriness; golden indicates quality; reddish indicates fullness and richness; dark indicates a low grade or common tea. The final step in the tea cupping process is to taste the flavor. Briskness, body and aroma are the three criteria you are searching for in tea cupping. Regarding the briskness, decide whether the taste makes a strong impression in your mouth and evaluate how it makes your mouth and tongue feel. The body refers to how the tea fills your mouth and how smooth it is going down. The aroma should be a healthy, strong aroma. The above suggestions for tea cupping are very broad guidelines and are only highlights of the very involved process. No single method is considered the only way to cup teas. The most significant aspect of tea cupping is consistency. Whether you experiment with different quantities or different steeping times, you must be consistent throughout your process. Remember, you are looking for quality, taste, aroma, briskness, body and color. With these in mind, test your tea cupping skills!
Coffee Shop Business Plan B worked for me !
Everyday I am encouraged to hear from people who have re-invented themselves and gone on to run profitable business‘.
When people come to JumpinGoat Coffee Roasters retail store in Helen, Georgia’s Nacoochee Village, often times I have a chance to speak with them one-on-one and I always try to understand what people and their families are experiencing out there.
I want to know what they see, what they feel, and what they hear about our economy.
The most pervasive belief among these folks is that they have no appreciable respect for big business any longer. Big business, and old media have lost their footing…They have been found out by the American people, and a significant portion of relevance has shifted back to small to medium business. What I see and hear is that the ground is swelling with a new sense of trust in small or “locally owned” business. I am also seeing a sincere interest and curiosity in the rise of entrepreneurial spirit.
My sense is that small business, and cottage industries will see a very strong comeback in the years to come…largely born from job loss. Like my own story seen on ABC International News – Coffee Business Plan B, and CNN Live…people are realizeing that “The Free Enterprise System” is alive and well. I see many positive people rising to the economic challenges that face us all.
Let’s face it, “jobs” are in short supply, but we still have our freedom. I know people who have turned down promotions because they would rather pursue their dreams than money or title. Independence, your independence, is only as strong as you are willing to make it. People want their freedom back…people want America back.
Trust me when I tell you you will never know greater independence, freedom, or a greater liberty than when you are standing on ground that you have won !
ABC World News executive producer BETH TRIBOLET and Business Correspondent BETSY STARK came all the way from New York City with Cast and crew to tell my story. It’s a story of hope. The story, my story, is not without it’s challenges. Everyone should have a Plan “B”. This is My Coffee Business Plan B, and I hope you enjoy it. Here is the video that aired at ABC<
If you are thinking of opening a coffee business there are many considerations when picking your business model.
Ideally, you want to deploy a successful business model, so strongly consider the advantages of a coffee business franchise vs. licensing a brand.
Many would argue that franchises are expensive, too restricting, and that in many cases you end up paying hefty fees. However, a franchise can help with demographics, location, and the charter is largely a “baked in” model; however, the purchase of a franchise will not guarantee your success.
You may also consider licensing a successful coffee shop business brand. Licensing is often times far less expensive because the onus rest upon the entrepreneur that purchases the license to deploy his or her business.
Some of the most difficult aspects to building a coffee business is ‘branding” and keeping your cost down while mitigating your risk for start-up failure. Wile licensing will not insure your success, it may be a far lower barrier to entry. In addition, licensing a successful and recognizable brand may be far cheaper in terms of ongoing fees, and much less risky than trying to create a “successful” brand identity for yourself.
Ultimately you and your attorney will need to weigh the pro’s and con’s of each opportunity.
Just realize that there are two distinct opportunities: coffee shop brand licensing, or a coffee shop franchise.
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