Commentary
48 hours until the 2010 UK Barista Champion is announced
Last weekend saw the UKBC South East Heat held in London (at Rich Mix in Shoreditch / Bethnal Green)
22 of the top Baristas from London and surrounding areas were competing for a chance to progress to the UKBC Semi Finals & Final this Sunday/Monday (28Feb/01Mar) at Hotelympia in London
Some photos [...]
So many beans, and not enough hours in the day in which to drink them
2010 has got off to a roaring start and our diary has been pretty full so far, and there is still a lot to look forward to.
Since the New Year we have conducted a number of training sessions for new cafes and home baristas, giving them an insight into the exacting processes of making a [...]
Footfall (can you rely on this alone to turn a profit?)
“Location, location, location”, a phrase we are all familiar with. Many cafe owners would have spent countless hours searching for just the right location, near a bus stop, opposite a pedestrian crossing, at a junction, opposite a hospital (and the list goes on), but not everyone seems to have that mindset.
I have visited a small number [...]
Surrounded by coffee porn…
Yesterday I paid Paul at CoffeeHit a visit at his new premises in Brockley.
The showroom was larger than I expected and it was great to see so many products and parts in one place.
Most of us are familiar with coffee suppliers websites, with nice images of the products, but many of us never imagine the [...]
An opportunity missed
Whilst out shopping today (loitering around the coffee machines section of a major department store, checking out new features and familiarising myself with new domestic models on the market) I watched a transaction take place for the sale of a brand new Gaggia Classic.
The elimination process of which machine to buy had begun before I [...]
Introducing people to new coffee and brewing methods
This weekend I went fly fishing with the members of a UK fly fishing forum. We camped overnight at a fishery in Leicestershire and spent 2 days trying to outwit the residents of the lake (Rainbow Trout).
My boat partner on each day both had an interest in coffee so I purchased a number of coffees [...]
Pay attention to your keywords
Enquiries and referrals come in many different forms, and today’s phone call from a Search Engine AdWords Consultant was a complete surprise. When the consultant introduced himself I was braced for a sales pitch but instead was asked to describe my business as they had a prospective client for me.
Completely caught off guard, I happily [...]
Filming a Tantrum…
Tamper Tantrum is the coming together of two minds, those of Colin Harmon, Irish Barista Champion of 2009 who placed a credible 4th at the World Barista Championships, and Steve Leighton, Coffee Roaster and owner of Hasbean Coffee, discussing life in general and occasionally dipping into Coffee.
The location for todays filming was Dose Espresso (68 [...]
Storing contacts in the digital age
Not too many years ago, most contacts were kept on paper, in address books or on a rolodex. Nowadays most contacts are stored digitally.
With the recent surge in social media and web 2.0 technologies, we are embracing technology in new ways, storing contacts, client data and supplier details electronically.
When Twitter went offline for a few [...]
Good coffee (and fresh food) can be right under your nose
If you live in Barnes (SW London) and you have not yet visited the market on Station Road on a Saturday morning then I suggest you make your way there the next time you are free (rain hail or shine)
Good coffee is right under your nose, in the form of a coffee concession turning out [...]
