Behind the Curtain of Quills Coffee Standards

Down at the Quills coffee ranch we are always striving for better. But who decides what is best in the coffee world? We get inspiration from many pros in the coffee industry, roasters, baristas, and reps alike. As specialty coffee culture is growing in America and across the globe a standard is being set.
One of the primary associations to set this standard is the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). The SCAA is based out of Long Beach, CA but serves as a resource and network for coffee industry professionals all over the US. Among being smart and cool, the SCAA organizes and regulates the United States Barista Competition (USBC).
In addition to being a big deal among baristas, this competition helps to establish the standard of coffee brewing and barista stylings. The competitors must make a single espresso, a single cappuccino and a specialty espresso drink for each Judge. Within their fifteen minute barista presentation, they present each beverage in the order of their choice. Baristas are judged on taste, aesthetic, creativity and presentation. Unlike Latte Art Competitions, the barista is graded on taste and use of their imagination in their specialty drink. The winner of the USBC then goes on to compete in the World Barista Competition (WBC), which is a really big deal. The regulation established by the SCAA in these competitions has influenced the standards we hold at Quills.
This process may sound similar to the presentation Chris DeFerio gave at the Prima Barista Bash Quills hosted last spring. DeFerio, a winner of multiple Barista Championships, detailed the process of the barista competition and wowed the mock judges with his smoked milk and orange espresso drink. No wonder he is a winner.  
Who knew being a barista was such a big deal? Well it definitely is, and we aren’t the only ones that think so. There are competitions all over the country. Coffee Fest is also a convergence of coffee enthusiasts that influence Quills. Holding fests allover the country, even Hawaii, this meeting of hundreds of growers, roasters, baristas, equipment reps and every kind coffee lover under the sun come together to talk coffee. Hosting workshops and competitions, the goals is consistently learning and improvement.
Coming into coffee full force has led Quills into the path of such prominent and important coffee folks and we hope their standards keep raising, so ours do to.

http://usbaristachampionship.org/
http://www.scaa.org/
http://www.coffeefest.com/

Quills Drinks: The Miéle and The Velocé

At the Quills Coffee ranch we are always exploring the best and brightest ways to serve espresso. On top of the traditional espresso renditions, we offer some unique ways to imbibe that delicious black gold. The top on the list of fancy finds you will get at Quills is the Cafe Miele. A Latte with a special blend of honey and cinnamon, this drink is a classic at Quills. A customer favorite, and perfect for Latte Art, this tasty bev is perfect for a winter day, or iced in the summer for a just a little sweet and a lot of awesome. 

The Veloce, or fast in Italian, is just that. An espresso drink not to sip but to shoot. Don't be shy, just turn it up. The perfect balance of a flavor shot, half n half and espresso, goes down smooth and well fast. Perfect for on the go Joe or to accompany our bottomless French Press, the little sweet gets ya going. Just a couple more ways we can brighten your day. Like rainbows and stuff. 

Barista of the Week: Kent Plenge

Barista of the Week: Kent Plenge

Secret Weapon: German aficionado. "Ich bin Kaffee"

Current Aural Enjoyment: metal. 

Is the Proprietor of: an Innumerable amount of tattoos. 

Loves the Text: Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan

Incognito Aspiration: To be an Astro-Physicist. 

Guilty Pleasure: "I am supposed to feel guilty about something in which I find pleasure?"

Heros of Influence: "Conan the Barbarian and my dad, I thought he was Indiana Jones when I was little."

Coffee Drink of Choice: Iced Americano. So good. 

Barista Love: "The science of coffee."

Word around the campfire about Kent: "A real sweetheart. A softy and a hard worker, so much to love." 

Travel: Windy City Coffee Extravaganza

Quills baristas love Chicago, it’s true. When we make a getaway to the Windy City, what else could we do but venture to some of the finest coffee establishments in the country? One of our favorite hot spots is the infamous Intelligentsia Coffee. With multiple locations around the city, it’s easy to locate a spot near a Chicago fun time destination. A real inspiration to aspiring espresso bars, the high quality and attention Intelligentsia pays to coffee is unparalleled. Aiming equally for high quality coffee roasting, barista training and shop experience, Intelli gives specialty coffee shops a run for their money. On any random visit an array of high quality, delicious beans can be found for purchase, a barista champ on bar to deliver, and a cozy yet classy atmosphere to take it all in. Chicago coffee win.

But Intelligentsia isn’t the only shop in town we love. Star Lounge on Chicago Ave is also a favorite. Friendly and knowledgeable staff that love talking one-on-one about their air roasting process, their hand selected goodies and methods of brewing, this unassuming shop is a real gem. Pulling ristretto shots for their espresso drinks, or a short, thicker extraction, Star Lounge adds a twist to traditional espresso bar standards.

Kickstand, a small espresso bar located on the edge of Boystown on Belmont Ave, is a bright spot in the colorful neighborhood. The bright blue walls and colorful paintings are a different twist to the typical brown and whites of coffee shops that adds to the fun atmosphere of the shop. Serving Metropolis coffee, another Chicago favorite, this shop does the high quality coffee justice.

Slinging espresso is a fun but tough gig. All hale fellow baristas, much love to you.

http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/

http://www.starloungecoffee.com/

http://www.metropoliscoffee.com/

http://kickstandcoffee.com/

Quills Drinks: Tea for You

At Quills we love coffee, duh. But we also have a special place in our hearts for Tea. The finest loose leaf tea, in fact. The fun thing about Tea is there are so many delicious options. The second most consumed beverage in the world next to water, speaks for itself. There is often confusion about what constitutes Tea. Like most things, the classification of Tea is up for interpretation due to language differences and cultural practices. But the most common use of the term is used for the steeping of leaves from a type of Camellia sinensis plant. The most popular market Teas are White, Green, Oolong, and Black. Containing varying degrees of caffeine, these Teas are specifically different than what are known as Herbal Teas. Herbal Teas are a loose interpretation of Tea, because they are steeped plant leaves, but do not contain Camellia sinensis, and are typically concocted of leaves from flowers, fruits or herbs. The South African Rooibos Tea or Red Tea named for the red bush it is derived from is in this loose category of Herbal Tea.

At Quills we offer a variety of Teas in these categories from Townshend’s Tea Company. Located in Oregon, they specialize in high quality Tea with immense variety. Our fine barista Adam Pike, with roots in Oregon, hand picked this company and Quills’ selection. Some of our favorites are the Oolong Tea Iron Goddess of Mercy. With pungent flavors similar to Black Tea and grassy undertones like Green Tea, this bender is a personal favorite. The Crème de la Earl Grey is a form of the traditional Black Tea, but blended with bergamot to add a subtle sweetness to its typical intensity. Another highlight is the Jaimaca Blend Roiboos. Added to the smooth qualities of the Red Tea is hibiscus, lemongrass and a sundry of fruits, creating a luscious beverage perfect for sipping.

The delectable variety of Teas we offer is one of our luring techniques, but in typical Quills fashion we offer our fine Teas in an aesthetically pleasing in-house Tea service. The classic Tea pot and cup come on a variety of hand-crafted Tea trays especially made for Quills by Eric Scholtens. Carved from wood and painted with many inspiring and beautiful designs. From simple, classic wood trays, to dramatic owl and bird designs that coincide with Quills’ winged mascot, the trays add that little extra pizzazz to the Tea Service you can only get at Quills.

In addition to the loose leaf Teas, we also offer the ever popular Tea Lattés. Your choice of Chai, a spiced Black Tea, or Red Tea has a prominent place on our specially selected menu. A creamy, delightful option, the Tea Lattés are one of our special-Teas! Oh, you love it.

http://www.townshendstea.com/

Barista of the Week: Allie Sailor

Barista of the Week: Allie Sailor

Secret Avenger of: Middle Eastern Languages; Turkish sounds super rad. 

Last Spontaneous Adventure: Grocery Shopping, with no list!

Guilty Pleasures: Science Fiction and Rap music. Mutually exclusive, of course.

Dream Weaver: As a young lass she aspired to be Indiana Jones. It's not too late, Allie. The lasso might come in handy. 

Love of Louisville: The perfect combo of Southern and Northern Culture. 

Coffee Drink of Choice: Café Solo of PT's Panama Elida Estate. The total Jam. 

Barista Inspiration: "I like being part of a group of people that collectively push each other to work towards being the best coffee shop in Louisville."

Word around the Espresso Machine: "Allie is on top of it. Whatever's going on Allie is working hard to make it right."

Quills Drinks: Pour-Overs Are the New Thang

The newest addition to Quills is the infamous pour-over method. Assembled to deliver the best in coffee brewing is the Pour-Over Bar. Constructed so that the pour-over cone is positioned over the cup, it allows the fresh coffee to brew directly into your cup, then sip directly into your mouth. The pour-over has become a quality standard in coffee and offers a unique experience because of its slow brew method, like a French press, but has a paper filter that creates a barrier between liquid and grounds, using gravity as the means of extraction. 

Baristas at Quills are practicing daily, working out their wrist muscles and zen coffee skills to provide the best brew we can. Increasing our skill level at Quills is part of the fun. Prepared at the time of order, the freshness factor is superior. Offering this fancy brew method is part of what we do at Quills. Giving you the best of the best.

http://coffeegeek.com/guides/howtouseapourover

Quills Drinks: Cappuccinos and Lattes

Quills is obsessed with espresso, that’s obvious. But the 6 oz. cappuccino is taking over the love for coffee geeks as of late. We love all of our coffee drinks, of course, but there is something about this little cup of espresso and steamed milk that has become a customer and barista favorite.

This little drink enters the long debate of what is really the difference between a cappuccino and a latté. At Quills, we are striving for enhancing the coffee quo, and that means quality and accuracy. Since the explosion of specialty coffee in America and around the world, the interpretation of what constitutes the difference in these drinks has been immense. 

Inspired by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) judge regulations for what constitutes a cappuccino in barista competitions, Quills has settled on the difference being in the measurement of the beverage. The SCAA defines a traditional cappuccino as a “beverage of ratios, producing a harmonious balance of espresso, steamed milk and frothed milk” in a 5-6 oz. porcelain cup. Leaving room for interpretation on how much of each there should be.

In this loose interpretation there is still a long debate on the ratio of espresso, foam and milk. Some have adapted a precise one-third of each. This is more fitting for baristas that use a spooning method for precision. At Quills we have adapted a free pour method that integrates the foam and milk into to the pour instead of pour the milk then spooning the foam on top. We like this method because the result tastes and feels better in the mouth.  The light, fluffly consistency of milk used in the spooning method does not achieve the same balance and integration that the free pour method achieves.  Secondly, the free pour method allows for more aesthetic beauty in the cup with the addition of latte art. 

This leaves the latté in the interpretive category of the non-cappuccino. The common desire for a latté is less foam than a cappuccino. This naturally happens when there is less espresso ratio in the drink and the same amount of foam created for both styles but more milk is poured in to fill the mug, which is 10 or 12 oz. Ya dig?

Barista of the Week: Philip Revell

Barista of the Week: Philip Revell

Currently Immersed in the Harmonies of: Till The Sun Turns Black by Ray LaMontagne

Thrill of Life: Expedited himself on a whim to Chicago to enjoy the wide range of coffee happenings. Four days of coffee, who needs to sleep anyway?

Playground Excitement: The Swings. The most dangerous and the most exhilarating. 

Love of Louisville: That people make it their own. 

Coffee Drink of Choice: Espresso Accapiato. It's Perfect. 

Coffee Roots are Measurable: "I tend to be analytical about everything I do. The world of coffee is so vast, there is so much to learn, so much to experience. Both the science and the art behind it really fascinate me."

Word on the Street: "Philip enjoys good dialogue and good coffee. What more is there?"

Quills Drinks: All About the Espresso

Espresso is the lifeblood of Quills. Our bread and butter. The very thing we live for. Coffee is awesome in most every form, but the art and technique of espresso extraction holds a special place in our hearts. Well how many different ways can I have this fine method of coffee? More than your mind can imagine. In pursuit of the all things best in coffee, we focus on refining the classics. Bring it on.

Double Shot

One of our top favorite ways of experiencing the nuanced flavor of coffee is in the demitasse or little bitty cup. Simple. Delicious. Enough to sip on but with a concentration of flavor, the double comes near to perfection. Insider secret: There is a misconception that straight espresso tastes bitter and harsh—BAD espresso tastes bitter and harsh.  Hand crafted, perfectly extracted espresso should be velvety, syrupy, and sweet.

Americano

Espresso immersed in hot water. Getting all there is to have from espresso and more. The name is just what you think. American soldiers in Italy during WWII inspired the drink when the short espresso shots were too strong, and they were homesick for good old homebrewed coffee. So the tender hearted baristas served up their classic espresso diluted in hot water to satisfy their thirst, and the new classic was born.

Macchiato

This little drink is sure to be a winner. Serving up espresso with some steamed milk is an obvious favorite in our Latté Nation, but this tiny take gives an opportunity to taste more of the espresso with the compliments of the milk. With an ounce to an ounce ratio, you get a drink full of flavor.

Espresso Accoppiato

The mother of all espresso drinks, this double wammy is taking over favorites at Quills. New to the menu, we are unveiling what we think is a great way to get it all from espresso. Two shots of espresso in separate cups, one macchiato style and one straight up. There’s lots to love in this combination. Think of it as the best of both worlds. You get a chance to taste the full flavor of the straight espresso and then a little drink to sip on with the macchiato. So good.

Next we’ll get down and dirty with Lattés and Cappuccinos as we get the inside scoop on the milk that makes it happen.