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 Ugh, you’re so outdated.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

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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

Coffee People: The Stories Behind This European Coffee Trip

They've visited over 30 cities.

What would be of cities like Paris or Vienna without their famous coffee houses? Europe is home to some of the most renowned personalities, places, and festivals related to the world of specialty coffee. For coffee lovers, European countries are a fantastic destination that begins and ends with great coffee and experiences. It’s definitely a world worth exploring and that’s exactly what Ales Pospisil and Radek Ruzicka decided to do when they started European Coffee Trip.

A love for coffee and exploring

These two friends had in common their love for coffee and traveling. So with a camera in hand and a project in their minds, they started to explore European cities looking for the best cafés and baristas to make the ultimate tourist guide for coffee lovers that want to experience only the very best of the cultural coffee scene.

Filled with beautiful photography, rich interviews and reviews and wonderful videos, European Coffee Trip has become, over the last three years, a community of people with a great love for our favorite drink. Ales’s and Radek’s initial goal was to create an online platform or magazine that could connect all people interested in specialty coffee across Europe and post all the information in English, with the purpose of overcoming the European language barriers.

Initially, they studied engineering, but then, Ales and Radek switched from wires and mechanics to specialty coffee. They’ve visited over 40 cities and have produced over 100 videos. They’ve learned how espresso machines and grinders are made,  they’ve tasted some of the best coffees in Europe and they have interviewed, and become friends with, coffee professionals from all different backgrounds, such as coffee school and espresso bar founder, Tim Wendelboe, coffee author Colin Harmon, 2009 World Barista Champion, Gwilym Davies, 2015 World Brewers Cup Champion, Odd-Steinar, 2016 World Coffee Roasting Champion, Alexandru Nicolae, among many others.

The ultimate coffee tourist guide

Over the years, they’ve expanded their trips and have begun to explore places like Tanzania and Brazil, with the hopes of learning more about coffee origins and how it’s produced, from the land to the cup. Last year, they even went to Korea for the media coverage of 2017 World Barista Championship, where they met many talented artists and baristas that share our love for specialty coffee. Also, they’re also currently working on their first documentary about the Aeropress machine and have gathered up to $15,000 to finish their project.

As they keep growing and growing, you can now go to their website to explore all the different destinations they’ve visited over the years. All you have to do is pick a city, and they’ll recommend you the best cafés they discovered while they were there. Of course, they keep adding new places as they continue to learn about new destinations, that’s because one thing’s for sure: coffee culture is far from declining. Recently opened cafés are thriving in all European cities and, as people become more educated about coffee, the experiences are getting all the more interesting and fun!

Wouldn’t that be the job of your dreams? A life of travels and the best coffee in the world? Ales and Radek have worked really hard to get where they are, looking for new sponsors and opportunities as they go. They’re definitely an example of perseveration; when you set your mind on a good project, very few things can really mess with your resolve. Join them today on their trip and let us know if you’d like to make their European Coffee Trip anytime soon! In the meantime, at That Coffee Roasters, we’ll keep enjoying what we all have in common: a cup of our favorite coffee.

Source: European Coffee Trip, Daily Coffee News

Have you been to any of these places?

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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 You Need to Start Doing Your Own Latte Art at Home

The harder you practice, the better you'll get.

Latte art is incredibly pretty and looks very good in pictures, it’s no wonder it quickly became a must on almost every person’s profiles and stories on Instagram. If you’ve ever seen how it’s done, you’d have noticed it’s a mesmerizing practice to watch. However, transforming your little cup of coffee into a canvas full of beautiful designs requires practice, precision, and hard work. Are you interested? Then keep reading to learn what you need to start improving your skills and make latte art at home!

You don’t need to be a professional barista at a fancy coffee shop to begin your own journey through the world of latte art. Actually, practicing at your place, serving cool coffee art for your friends and family might be an excellent way to start. You can do it in your free time and fail as many times as you need before mastering the process. You can also consider it a form of meditation since you need to stay focused and relaxed.

What is latte art made of?

So the first thing we need to learn is the essential elements you’ll need to create latte art. Of course, if you want your cup of coffee to taste just like it does in the cafés, then you’ll have to brew espresso. Besides, espresso works better for latte art because regular coffee is not strong enough to cut through the milk. Here are some ways in which you can have your own espresso without buying an expensive espresso machine.

The second thing you’ll need is microfoam steamed milk. This is the tricky part because ideally, you’d need to put your milk through a process called denaturing; this means adding steam to the milk and then rapidly heating it to change its composition, giving it some texture and making it sweeter. After that, baristas pour the steamed milk in a specific way, so the milk drains first and finishes with the foam, providing them with what they need to create the design in your coffee cup.

Making the foam

Making a good foam will be crucial for you to get your latte art just right. For this, many baristas use a milk steamer, but since we’re trying to do things as low-budget as possible, we’ll give you a different alternative. In this case, all you need is a small handheld milk frother, a small metal pitcher with a pointed spout, whole milk, and a ceramic coffee mug. The steps to make a heart shape latte art go as follow:

1. Heat your whole milk to between 140-160°F. If you’re using a microwave, put the milk in a microwaveable bowl or container, heating in 30-second increments until you reach the desired temperature. You could also heat the milk on the stovetop using a thermometer to check the temperature.
   
2. Transfer the milk to your metal pitcher.
   
3. Place your milk frother in your pitcher so that it’s almost touching the bottom of the pitcher.
   
4. Froth milk according to your model’s instructions and recommendations.
   
5. Once finished, tap your pitcher on the counter and swirl the milk gently to get rid of any big bubbles.
   
6. With your espresso in your ceramic mug of choice, begin pouring milk from your pitcher into your mug. Start by pouring high and tilting your coffee mug (at about a 45° angle) as you pour a very thin stream of milk into the center of your cup.
   
7. Once the cup is about 80% full, lower the pitcher to just above the surface. Use your wrist to move the pitcher back and forth, so the milk begins making ripples.
   
8. To finish, slowly tilt the pitcher back towards you, drawing the steam back through the center of your heart.

Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work out the first time. Creating coffee art is a complex process that demands a lot of patience and perseverance. Nevertheless, learning is a lot of fun! You can create your own designs or look for new tutorials on the Internet. And if you want to get inspired, check out this article on That Coffee Roasters’ blog to discover some of the best baristas and latte artists out there!

Source: Contigo.

What do you love the most about latte art?

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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

How Hard Is It To Produce Specialty Coffee?

Learn the whole process of coffee production.

You’ve probably heard about the term specialty coffee before. It might even sound a little snobbish sometimes. After all, what makes one type of coffee so special and different from all the others and why should you care about that? Well, as the coffee industry started to diversify itself and new technologies began to flourish in agriculture practices, changes in culture and consumption patterns allowed specialty coffee to make its way into the market.

What do we love about specialty coffee?

It can even be hard to define what counts as specialty coffee. Generally speaking, it’s high-quality coffee that’s produced, processed, and sold taking into account its origins and growing methods. It can sometimes be environmentally friendly and come from sustainable production. The basis in which specialty coffee is built upon should also consider ethics, fair trade, and fairly paid farmers. However, this is not always the case.

The reason why specialty coffee has become so popular over the years is that the market’s demands have been leaning towards more ethical forms of consumption. People want to know where the products they’re consuming come from and how they were produced. Of course, they also want to taste higher quality coffee, because they see this commodity as something more than just a beverage that keeps us awake. They see the potential for an intimate and special experience.

For some countries, specialty coffee is harder to produce

Many markets across South America and Africa have successfully made their way into the industry and are producing specialty coffee now more than ever; but for poorer countries and farmers, the new wave has been leaving them behind and making it difficult for them to find a place and fair pay for their work. Sustainability is expensive, for one part, and coffee farmers in third world countries often lack the knowledge to understand the real value of their beans. They’ll often accept a lower payment than they should.

According to research made by organizations such as International Women’s Coffee Alliance and CARE International, and quoted by The Perfect Daily Grind, authoritarian regimes, weak institutional frameworks, a lack of transparency, red tape, unfriendly business climates, and poor infrastructure all plague coffee producers. As a result, these producers can struggle to access international markets. This is particularly difficult in Burundi, Cameroon, Columbia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda.

The truth is that many of these farmers need resources and education to meet their full potential. Specialty coffee needs technology and heavy workforce. Many farmers are part of poor families that live in rural areas and can’t simply afford nor even understand specialty coffee. However, if they did, it could do wonders for them and their country’s economy. For now, we can continue to buy consciously for coffee that meets ethical means of production, so we let know the industry that this is a future worth investing in.

Do you think there's room for improvement?

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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

Learn How to Grow Your Own Coffee Trees Successfully

Coffee can't grow well in hot climates.

The process that every cup of coffee undergoes through to end up on our tables is seen as an art by many people. It’s a long, carefully crafted practice that begins with growing trees and harvesting the gifts of nature. Today, coffee has been transformed into a worldwide industry that has distanced us from those very first steps. Now, we barely think about the way beans are produced. Fortunately, coffee trees are not only perfect for satisfying our caffeine cravings whenever we want by growing our own coffee beans, but they also make for some wonderful plants for our garden, and it’s an excellent way to connect with our roots.

However, coffee can’t grow in all climate conditions, and although it’s a fairly easy plant to tend to, there are some details that should be taken into account if you want your tree to be strong and healthy. Are you ready to grow your own coffee and enjoy the benefits of your efforts and hard work? We’re sure that those cups will be like nothing you’ve ever tasted before. Follow these tips and give it a go!

Climate conditions

As you might already know, coffee never does well in hot, dry areas. They need very specific amounts of water and sunshine to grow healthy. Temperatures between 21°C and 22°C, 1,800 hours of sunshine annually, and a yearly rainfall between 1,500 and 2,000 mm are perfect for arabica seeds. In case there isn’t enough water, or there’s too much sunlight, you can plant coffee under shade trees to make up for the lack of humidity.

When it comes to the soils, they should stay moist and have good drainage. You can set it on a water-filled pebble tray to keep the humidity. Use organic potting soil that’s rich in nutrients as well. When the winter comes, you need to keep your plants from freezing temperatures. They won’t need as much water as in the summer. Coffee trees love the shade, so make sure to provide an indirect source of morning light.

Seeds

Seedlings that are planted in small pots or bags will have development problems in their roots. Use 17 cm x 23 cm as the ideal size at first. Once it’s grown and its roots have spread, you can move it to a 30 cm pot. You can use nitrogen to help it keep growing. If you want your tree to keep going up, tall and strong, then move it to an even larger pot.

You also need to make sure that your seeds are fresh. They shouldn’t be older than 3 months old. Fresh seeds should germinate in 2.5 months, but old seeds can take as long as 6 months. It is advisable to pre-germinate the seeds. For this, soak the coffee seeds in water for 24 hours.  Then sow the seeds in damp sand.  You can also place the seeds between moist coffee sacks, which should be watered twice a day and drained well.

Daily care

A happy coffee plant can grow up to 6 feet tall. Provide enough space for the plant and fertilize it once every two to three months in the spring and summer. It can take around 3 or 5 years for the plant to fully mature and start producing coffee berries. Unless you take really good care of all conditions in which the plant grows, you shouldn’t expect high-quality coffee. It’s possible to do it, but you need to take it seriously.

Water the tree twice per week in what is known as a full watering and a half watering.  In a half watering, simply add some water to the soil and allow it to drain.  In a full watering, add water, allow it to drain, and then add water with fertilizer and allow it to drain once more. Arabica coffee pollinates itself, so you don’t need to worry about that.

In any case, coffee plants produce a very sweet aroma and good shade that will give a great touch to your yard or garden. If you can grow more than just one, then you might be able to produce your own coffee and go as organic as you can when it comes to your coffee consumption. Have you ever tried to grow your own coffee trees? Tell us about it at That Coffee Roasters!

Live the whole experience!

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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