I’ve just received some photos from Ernesto of the El Salvador Alaska cup of excellence let we won, being loaded up into the container. I think its fantastic that Ernesto has kept us posted and sent photos an emails all the way along.

As I said before it’s the little things. Heres a link to the pictures its very cool to see them being loaded up, something I’ve not seen before.

So I’ve decided the Probat is called Günther (thanks Marcy), partly because of the Friends link with Gunther who runs the coffee shop but also because I just like the name.

Updates on the roaster its been all installed and commissioned and the first roast has been done. Pictures can be found at this link here

We could have just run into it, but I wanted to make sure everything was as it should be and have a chance to question people who understand the machine of its capability’s limitations etc.

First (and very early impressions) are I love it which is a good job the amount it has all cost, now to start using all the spare capacity we just haven’t had for the past six months. Its been difficult running at full pelt 90% of the time so let the good times roll. But its not perfect, we have issues with gas pressure, and we had an issue with some of the buttons tripping (all sorted now) but we are getting there.

Lots has been said in blog world about James Hoffmann the UK Barista Champion winning the world Barista Championships providing the UK with its first ever champ, but I know lots who read here aren’t as obsessive about the coffee community as I am. So I thought I would share the news.

I have been lucky enough to work with James, last year and this year on his UK championships blend, and I’m so proud of what he has achieved.

When I first met James a number of years ago, he was at the very beginning of his professional coffee journey and I’m sure he would be the first to admit he had a lot to learn.

Now he has become the best in the world at his craft. No one has put as many hours in becoming a great barista, and for me no one deserves the accolade more than he.

So well done friend, enjoy the moment enjoy the year I’m sure its going to be a busy one that will fly by.

So yesterday we had our first ever official open day. We have had days where we have hosted friends at the roastery, but this was the first Has Bean Open day that was open to everyone.

First of all I feel the need to say we are a very lucky company. The customers who came yesterday were the nicest people you could ever wish to meet, without exception. Of course I’m going to say that but I truly mean it. Some really nice folk.

We started the day with coffee from the Guatemalan coffee bus, with Ian and Judy pulling some of our favourite Guatemalan coffees. The bus is fantastic and luckily the weather held off enough for us to enjoy some coffees outside too. Everyone was impressed with the bus, it really made the day it being there.

We then moved onto a triangular cupping. For those who don’t know what this is, you have three bowls, one with one type of coffee in it and two with another, and you have to use your senses to pick out which is which. We made it easy for the day with some fine fresh coffee and some pre packaged pre ground supermarket offerings. With hindsight it was too easy and it would have been more fun to push this a little more and have some that were a little closer, but everyone who tired them knew obviously which was which. This is something I really want to work on, I think its good to keep you on your toes, and keep the taste buds going. But I rarely have time as when I’m cupping I’m normally looking for new beans or quality control. But it made me realise this something I want to do more.

Then I have to throw a big thank you to my Family who helped with the food, not least Nicola, Bez, Philip,June and Daniel thanks without you it would have been tough to feed everyone.

After Lunch we did a more familiar style of cupping going through the number one cup of excellence winners for Colombia, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatamala, Honduras and last years Best of Panama Panama Esmerelda La Especial, this years Best of Panama Panama Esmerelda. Quite a distinguished table me thinks, and everyone enjoyed it although everyone had a different favourite on the table. But if I was to take a guess at the most popular it was the La Esperanza from Colombia, it showed really well on that table. I was disappointed by the esmereldas, in that company it didn’t really shine, sure was great coffee, but was down below 5^th in my list. Its the first time I’ve looked at it in that kind of environment, a real eye opener.

So then we moved onto a roasting demonstration on my Ambex 15kg with the computer profile, everyone seemed to enjoy this part which seemed strange to me, but then when you do it every day I guess I wouldn’t see the fascination.

And then we sat around drank coffee chatted and this was great, a perfect end to a perfect day (thanks to a fantastic Cuban Cigar brought by Fred) I sat in the sun and chilled. Unfortunately i was so busy I didn’t get many pictures so any one who was there that did please send them on. The ones I have (that I could use) can be seen here.

Thanks for everyone who took time out of their weekend to come and see us it was a memorable day and great fun, but if you don’t mind I might leave it 12 months until the next 🙂

It’s arrived. Yesterday Has Bean is pleased to announce the birth of a new big boy from Probat. With a dual German/ UK passport its settling in well. As yet no name, but I’m working on it.

How do you move over 1 tonne of cast iron from A to B and then off its crate and into place. Well I can now tell you with great difficulty. ITS HUGE, and I mean massive. Its all very exciting and all those coming to the open day next Saturday will get to see it (I don’t think it will have its flue’s by then so we wont be able to sue it but you’ll be able to take a look at its hugeness).

Like any proud farther I’ve taken some pictures for you to take a look at here, but excuse my disheveled and dirty appearance, unpacking and locating a roaster is not a clean or easy job.

The last one, we made it, we survived the highs of Costa Rica (two great coffees) the lows of Guatemala (missing out on a lot and refusing to accept second best). Today the last of the auction season with Honduras. Click here to see full results

Last year Honduras suffered with a bagging mistake that meant that the great coffee to come out of there was tainted with a jute bag taste. This was massively disappointing, as the coffee was great and potentially financially devastating for farmers and roasters alike. Due to the fantastic work of the specialty association of Honduras and the cup of excellence people it all got sorted out, every one got paid and no one lost out. A good news story.

So this year its been sorted, the lessons have been learnt (not just for Honduras this could have happened anywhere) and again the samples presented are some very fine coffee. I don’t stock an Honduras coffee and haven’t for many years. Why I hear you ask, well the samples that hit these shores are ok, they are alright quality, they tick all the boxes they need to, but they fail to excite like a good El Salvador or a wonderful Guatemala. As I have already said this year we decided not to take a Guatemalan because we have four wonderful examples of its coffee. But the reason for the cup of excellence is to find these great coffees from countries where you are unable to find them. To show the roaster that a country you didn’t think could produce fine coffee can way beyond the expectations you might have.

We Honduras have delivered. We cup half of the coffees offered that were in the lot sizes we were able to take and out of those coffees well over half wowed me. On a blind cupping table number one was very special. Solburg and Hansen have a wonderful coffee. On the table it was like drinking old style lemonade mixed with fizzy sherbet. Sounds strange tasted strange and was strange. But a character coffee. But number ones are hard to get with short pockets, one day, one day.

My second favourite was number 24 out of 24 in the auction. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the positions mean nothing on a cupping table, you taste buds mean everything. A fine coffee that reminded me straight away of green apple, during the cupping I said “apple, apple, green apple” out loud. This is going to be a great brewed coffee, and a challenging but wonderful espresso. I see its real strength as a blend component and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Here in lies another problem this is the first ever lot we are going to have to ship ourselves, hard work you bet, a big pain in the backside for sure, worth it for sure.