Cash-Free Coffee Shops: A New Trend?

There are a few cafés that have adopted this method.

Technology has been dictating the way we live ever since we can remember. It had going like this: we discovered how to make paper, and then paper money came along. And now we’ve discovered how to stop needing cash, so it’s only a matter of time until we get rid of it once and for all. At least that’s what some coffee shop owners believe and why they’ve transformed their shops into some of the first cash-free cafes in the world.

And it’s weird because cash actually comes in handy when buying a cup of coffee on your way to work, right? It’s a good use for that extra money that you have laying in your pockets or your purse, right? Well, maybe we should think about it more carefully because there are good reasons as to why some cafés in countries like Sweden, Norway, United Kingdom and Australia are only allowing plastic as a form of payment now.

Why should cafes go cashless?

One of the reasons is efficiency. As there is no need to waste time with cash, orders can be taken quickly, without having to worry about counting or giving change. Using debit and credit cards can keep things running faster and smoother. It makes a daily activity as streamlined as possible, and it avoids adding errors at the end of the day.

It can also be safer. Chip technology has made electronic money a lot safer than carrying a lot of cash around. If there’s a robbery, your money won’t be at risk, and you won’t need to go to the bank with thousands of dollars on you.

It’s true that baristas and coffee shop workers won’t get tips anymore with this method, but you can raise their wages with the money you’d be saving yourself since bank deposit fees and staff cashing up would no longer be a problem.

If, in addition, you establish a method of payment where customers can order their own drinks without having to go to the cashier, you’ll be saving them time as well. Besides, it also gives workers a better way to run the coffee shop, since they’re not bound to walk to or stay at a certain point to take an order.

How can it impact revenue for coffee shops?

Making the best use of time, especially at busy hours, means you can serve more customers, which subsequently means your business will be making more money. However, not all people are ready to take the final step to a cashless world, and most coffee shop owners admit switching to a cash-free type of business has made them lost a few clients.

Nevertheless, they insist that it hasn’t really impacted their finances because tap-and-go card payments make things much more efficient and quicker. Besides, they believe that cashless economy will be eventually inevitable. They’re just doing it first. With time, people will come along.

What about you? Would you rather your favorite cafe to simply let you order your drink and make the payment by yourself? Would you like to be free from the need to carry cash with you at all times? Whether we like it or not, it seems that’s the road technology and humanity are taking! It’s alright, as long as our cups of joe are as good as That Coffee Roasters’ coffee, it should all be worth it.

Would you ban cash from your shop?

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

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Alan Adler: The Inventor of the AeroPress Coffee Machine

How do these coffee machines work?

If you’ve ever looked for the best coffee makers to have in your home so you can brew the daily cup of joe that wakes you up every morning, chances are you’ve heard of the AeroPress, or you might have one in your kitchen. But what’s an AeroPress in any case? It’s a device for brewing coffee that was invented back in 2005 by an engineer called Alan Adler. In these coffee machines, the coffee is steeped for 10–50 seconds and then forced through a filter by pressing the plunger through the tube. The final result is a delicious espresso-like coffee thanks to which the AeroPress has become one of the favorite brewers among coffee lovers.

And it’s all thanks to its inventor. AeroPress machines are simple to use, easy to clean and let you regulate the amount of pressure you put into your coffee brew so you can finish the whole process in less than a minute. Nowadays, people use their AeroPress however they prefer, and there are even competitions especially dedicated to this style of brewing.

How did the AeroPress come to be?

Adler is convinced that most of the time, inventions work when you think of a new way to improve something that already exists. Before the AeroPress, coffee brewing could take around five minutes to complete, and there was no way to actually make a drink as strong as espresso without an espresso machine. About home espresso machines, he says: “There’s no way to adjust the temperature, and it was that problem that led me to start designing my own coffee maker. Because I wanted the freedom to use whatever temperature tasted best, and I didn’t have that freedom with a home espresso machine or with an automatic drip machine.”

At the same time, Adler found out about the benefits of brewing coffee at lower temperatures and decided to create a machine that would allow him to make a single shot for himself at home. He realized a closed chamber that he could pressurize to speed up the process was what he needed, and so he started to work on a prototype in his store and that’s how the first concepts of the AeroPress were born.

A machine that inspired competitions

One thing that’s absolutely great and unique about AeroPress machines is their versatility. It allows you to experiment and create your own personalized ways of brewing your coffee. You can find many different videos on YouTube of people using non-traditional methods to reinvent their drink with the AeroPress. It has even inspired the World AeroPress Championship in which baristas get ready to innovate and try to make the perfect cup of coffee.

However, Adler never saw the competitions coming. In an interview with Sprudge, he explained “Not in my wildest fantasy dreams did I ever consider that (...) When I reflect on it now, the AeroPress really is a perfect thing for a competition because it’s so flexible. It encourages innovation. You couldn’t really have that with an ordinary espresso machine because it’s pretty set with how it works–but the AeroPress, there’s just an unlimited amount of ways you can use it.”

The original recipe

If we go back to the origins of the AeroPress though, we’ll find that Alan Adler experimented quite a lot before coming up with the final AeroPress machine and the recipe that worked best for him. It stands out for its simplicity. If you want to brew your coffee just like the inventor of the AeroPress, all you’ll need will be your vessel, your coffee, and water. First, follow these recommendations:

• The coffee should be of espresso-like grind size.
• Water should sit at 80℃–85℃ temperature. 80℃ for medium to dark roast, 85℃ for lighter roasts.

Then, for the less-than-one-minute brewing process, follow these steps:

1. Place the filter in the filter basket.
2. Screw the basket onto the AeroPress.
3. Sit the AeroPress on top of a decanter or a mug.
4. Put one scoop of coffee in. That equals about 15 grams of coffee.
5. Add water up to the #1 mark. It should be about 85–90ml.
6. Stir the coffee well for about ten seconds, making sure all grounds are wet.
7. Connect the plunger at the top of the vessel.
8. Press the plunger down for about 20–60 seconds, depending on the pressure. It’s recommended to simply put your hands on top of the plunger and let them push the plunger with their natural weight.
9. The result of this recipe is a coffee concentrate. Add hot water based on your taste preference.
10. To clean the brewer, remove the cap, throw away the coffee grounds, and wash your brewer.

Are you ready to brew your coffee Alan Adler’s style? AeroPress is very simple and fun to use! Besides, its practicality makes it the perfect coffee maker to take on a trip or quickly prepare a single shot. Our espresso ground coffee selection is great to try with AeroPress machines, so head to That Coffee Roasters’ online store and prepare to have the most amazing cup of coffee of your life!

Brew strong coffee with them.

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

Colombian Coffee Facts and Traditions

Learn more about our heritage.

There’s coffee, and then there’s Colombian coffee, which is worldwide known for its diversity and rich flavors. Some people claim that it’s the best coffee in the world and, honestly, it’d be hard to argue against it. If there’s a culture that takes coffee seriously, it’s Colombian. In the Latin American country, coffee is always the perfect excuse to meet with friends and talk. It’s there in the mornings and late afternoons and at least 89 percent of Colombian people consider it the national beverage.

Coffee is never absent in at least 8 of 10 Colombian homes, and it’s always present in 86 percent of the stores. Colombia perceives around $3.5 billion per year thanks to coffee revenue, and most of this is thanks to the thousands of coffee farmers around the country. The Colombian coffee you drink every day comes from one of the 66.387 hectares worth of coffee crops.

And that’s where most of the Colombian coffee magic resides. Every day, coffee farmers follow a long tradition of producing top-notch quality coffee. Colombian coffee cherries are manually harvested when they’ve reached ideal ripening levels, and they’re immediately cleaned from the paste to make sure it won’t impregnate beans. This way, Colombian coffee differentiates itself from others because of its handcrafted tradition and culture. Every farmer works to pick just the very best of their crops.

Manual harvest results in better quality beans, and it employs a vast part of the Colombian rural population. Around 95 percent of Colombian families that work with coffee have their own farms, which is why coffee production is seen as a family activity by Colombian people (and by us as well!). Everyone participates, and the coffee traditions pass from one generation to the next, allowing consistency in quality.

In addition, Colombia has been putting extra efforts in developing social responsibility programs to support coffee farmers and give them the tools they need to improve their production and learn new ways to grow better coffee. They’re also focused on developing environmentally friendly solutions to face climate change, which is already affecting coffee crops all over the country.

One thing’s certain: for Colombian people, coffee means family, well being and tradition. It’s part of our identity and part of our pride. Black coffee helps us feel close to those we love the most, as well as it gives us vitality and energy to go through our days. It’s the perfect host for home and work. Coffee with milk evokes feelings associated with coziness and safety. It brings back the memories of the best moments shared with our families, and it simply makes us happy! At That Coffee Roasters, we have a special place in our hearts for all Colombian coffee, and we continue to carry on the traditions of our lands to offer coffee’s best virtues and qualities to you!

What's your favorite thing about Colombian coffee?

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

Coffee Is Served by a Robot Barista at This Melbourne Coffee Shop

How much can a robot barista do?

Is your favorite barista an actual human being? Ugh, you’re so outdated. Non-human coffee shop workers are what’s in now, didn’t you get the fax? So pick your new one at your nearest café for only $9999,99 and name it something fun like... Francis. Seriously, jokes and saltiness aside, this is becoming a thing! There’s a robot barista serving coffee at a coffee shop in Melbourne, and it looks like a cool work of engineering. Let’s dig into it!

Once Alike  is the café and Rocky is the robot’s name that could potentially catapult Australia’s coffee culture into the future. It replicates a barista’s work in almost all accounts, grinding beans, tamping them, and pulling the espresso shots. Of course, you won’t get the human experience of actually talking to your barista… or getting your name written wrong, but it seems like you could enjoy a fantastic cup of coffee courtesy of Rocky.

In words of Liam Wilkie, one of the engineers behind the project, Rocky makes coffee as well as any barista. And the advantages? “When you’ve been in the industry so long, you realize the most important things are quality and consistency. People want their coffee the same every time they go back to a cafe that specializes in coffee. There are limitations to having a human behind the bar. We get stressed and emotional during busy periods. It’s not fun to make 1000 lattes on a Saturday – it’s really hard work,” he explains.

It makes sense. However, it’s only natural that baristas should also be worried that this becomes a threat to their jobs. They are still very superior in one thing though: Rocky takes roughly anywhere from 2 to 6 minutes to brew a cup of coffee, much slower than any experienced barista would take. Nevertheless, this is still an experimental project, so we can expect that robots in the future will be able to get every order right at a much more efficient amount of time.

Rocky is not the only one of his species

Previously, in January 2017, another robot barista also made the news at a coffee shop in San Francisco, called Café X. It was more like a robotic arm that operated an already-automated coffee maker, but it did mark the beginning of something that could potentially become a trend in the future.  

Are these things even sold commercially though? Well, this year they might. A company called Bubble Lab, based in China is working on a robot barista they showed at last year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. It’s also a robotic arm, and each one of them could cost $30,000 this 2018. Quite the investment, right? It still looks slow, so we’re not sure if it’s worth it for now.

But if we’ve learned something since the beginning of the 20th century, it’s that technology advances way faster than we realize. So it’d be no surprise to see a full-fledged, self-cleaning robot barista, which brews coffee as quickly and as efficiently as any human today, soon. Would you change the personalized factor of each cup of coffee for the robotic approach?

At That Coffee Roasters, we believe coffee is not only a beverage but also an experience that depends on the way each person sees and lives coffee. We’re not against technology but think about it as food and chefs. Every chef has their craft, their value. Baristas are the same, so we believe replacing them might not be as simple as it seems. What do you think? Let us know in the comments and keep joining us every Friday to talk more about innovations in the world of specialty coffee!

Could technology replace baristas?

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

What Is Steeped Coffee and Is It Any Good?

Quick and easy.

The battle between coffee people and tea people has been going on for ages. Alright, it’s not so much like a battle, but we do tend to compare them, have our preferences and pick one over the other. It might be because how similar both beverages are and today we’re here to discuss yet another similarity: the brewing method they share. We’re talking about the traditional steeped coffee!

You’re probably used to brewing your cup of coffee every day in a drip coffee maker. Gone are the days when people prepared their morning cups of joe by boiling water in a pot and then pouring coffee in it, just like you would do with tea herbs. Now the closest thing would be doing it with a French press. But would there be any benefits in bringing this method back? And how should you do it to guarantee a great result?

Nordic coffee expert, Tim Wendelboe, says about this antique brewing method: “Steeped coffee produces a strikingly full-bodied coffee because you don’t filter off the coffee oils that add to its good mouthfeel and taste. Since the coffee is ground relatively coarse, the taste will be clean and clear.” Sounds like an experience worth trying, right? Here’s how to do it!

How is steeped coffee made?

The Nordic call it kokekaffe, and they claim simplicity is key in this brewing method. You won’t need more than a pot or a kettle. Grab 65 grams of coffee per liter of water (or more or less depending on your preferences). Then, simply follow these instructions:

1. Bring water to a boil.
2. Once boiling, remove from heat.
3. Add the coffee to the water, stirring to ensure all the grounds are wet.
4. Cover the container and let the coffee steep for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the cover and gently push the coffee down, so that it starts sinking.
6. Wait for approximately one minute before slowly pouring all the coffee into cups or a different container.
7. Like with a French press, letting the coffee sit in contact with the grounds for too long will lead to over-extraction and an excessively bitter and unbalanced cup of coffee.

You can enhance the qualities and virtues of steeped coffee. Try brewing naturally rich and full-bodied coffees, especially those from countries like Colombia or Brazil. But don’t worry, any kind coffee will taste great with this brewing method. Almost like a ritual, steeped coffee allows you to connect with the entire process of coffee brewing. This can be a great exercise to relax the first hour in the morning and fill you with energy.

Coffee bags

How do you feel about taking coffee even a step closer to how we prepare tea nowadays? That’s what coffee bags are for! There are now companies that are trying to offer single-serve coffee bags that you can steep to produce a cup of joe as quick and simple as possible. But how do they keep it fresh for so long? Each bag comes in a nitro-sealed package that removes the oxygen and eliminates the use of glue and staples. This halts the coffee’s aging process, keeping it fresh for months instead of days. You can actually pre-order samples on a kickstarter page.

So are you willing to try it? If you have a thing for oily, thick coffees, then this might be your soulmate brewing method! You can find the best Colombian ground coffee on That Coffee Roasters’ online shop to try steeped coffee and keep exploring the world of specialty coffee. Discover a different way to enjoy your daily dose of caffeine!

It's similar to tea bags.

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

The Top 5 Best Countries to Grow Coffee

Where do coffee farmers do better?

Picking the best coffee producing countries is no easy task. As we’ve discussed before, coffee beans are highly susceptible to the climate conditions and soils in which they grow. For example, most of the great quality coffee come from lands that are close to the Equator, because of the warm temperature. Coffee also has very specific harvest seasons and depending on the country where it’s produced, different characteristics and flavors will flourish in your cup.

So yes, it’s also a matter of taste and preferences, but when it comes to defining which countries produce the best coffee, we need to consider quality, profiles, how much they produce per year, among other factors. There is no official list, but considering what we know from each region and how much they’ve grown over the last years, you should definitely keep your eyes open for coffees that come from these places.

Kenya

Kenya has definitely made itself a place among the world coffee industry and producers. It produces around 750,000 bags per year, and they’re known for their high-quality and acidity. Coffees from Kenya have a unique profile, they’re sweet and bright, leaving a lingering tingle on your lips. This is in part because its primary coffee production regions are on deep, fertile and acidic volcanic soils, found in highlands between 1,400 to 2,000 meters above sea level.

However, despite being famous for its high-quality coffee, Kenya hasn’t been able to recover from the decline in the commodity prices during the 80s. Kenyan producers have to fund coffee research, and there’s still much work to be done to increase the effectiveness of cooperatives.

Honduras

Honduras is an example of how coffee can help a country’s economy grow exponentially over the decades. In the last 25 years, coffee production has become a story of hard work and success for Honduras. In 2011 it became Central America’s most prominent coffee producer, and in 2012 it ranked seventh in the world and was the second-biggest exporter of high-quality Arabica beans on the planet, competing ably with heavyweights such as Colombia and Brazil. Quite impressive for a country that has historically struggled with poverty and violence. It has fairly earned a place on our list.

There are now around 110,000 coffee producers registered in the country, 92 percent of which are classified as small producers. So when it comes to artisanal coffee, Honduran single-origins are very popular among the specialty coffee lovers. Honduras produces around 4.2 million bags of coffee per year, and their coffee is known for their hazelnut and red currant flavors.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is pretty much a bastion of progress and environmental policies in Central America; it’s also home to some great specialty coffee. Costa Rica produces around 1.4 million bags of coffee per year and its beans are known to have a medium body and sharp acidity, enough to balance flavors like honey or toasted nut, so the coffee is never too sweet or too dull.

In Costa Rica, small estates and cooperatives have been developing relationships with coffee buyers for years, which allows them to work together to focus on quality, increased production, and environmental sustainability. Over the last years, Costa Rica has transformed itself from a volume producer of average quality coffee to a significant producer of high-market specialty coffee. Worth a try, huh?

Colombia

As many people know, one of the greatest things about Colombian coffee is its diversity. The country’s different micro-weathers allow coffee production to be unique and nuanced all across the land. Here you can find both low and high acidity coffees, as well as fruity and nutty notes. Colombia was also responsible of producing 11 million bags of coffee in 2013, and due to its close location to the Equator, many regions experience two harvest seasons, giving us the opportunity to have fresh Colombian coffee all year round.

Colombia has also been ranking high regarding sustainable production, and many small-scale producers are thriving in Colombian coffee culture. Craft, handiwork and great climate conditions explain the extraordinary flavors of Colombian coffee.

Ethiopia

This list wouldn’t be complete without the birthplace of our favorite beverage. Ethiopia has the perfect climate and biological conditions for coffee. Wherein other countries, coffee is “produced,” in Ethiopia coffee naturally grows. Ethiopian coffee tends to be bold and full-bodied, although flavors differ according to how the bean is processed.

Ethiopian beans come both natural (where the fruit covering the grain is dried before being removed) and washed. Ethiopia produces around 6.6 million bags of coffee a year, making it one of the world’s greatest coffee producers. Because of being a natural plantation to these lands, it rarely incites climate or disease-born chaos. Coffee still grows wild all over Ethiopia, and there are thousands of undiscovered varietals, it’s a real coffee paradise.

Have you tried cups of coffee from any of these countries? Which one is your favorite? Tell us what you think! At That Coffee Roasters, you can find coffee roasts and products coming from all these countries. Contact us and start living an authentic coffee experience!

Sources: Solidaridad Network, Thrillist, The Daily Meal, Telegraph, Huffington Post, Time, Agriknowledge, Business Daily Africa.

Have you ever thought about having your own coffee farm?

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters