Monday, September 29, 2014

The Perfect Latte

Coffee fanatics search high and low to find that perfect cup of coffee. Why? Well, if you're a coffee fanatic you know why...but to the rest of you, it's like finding the perfect pair of shoes that go with every outfit or the perfect car that has the ultimate balance of good mileage and beauty. There is just no better feeling. Once you find that perfect latte or mocha or black cup o' joe you keep going back over and over again.

Many baristas are left with the thought, "How DO you make a perfect latte or mocha?" These common drinks are consumed by coffee lovers daily, but a good barista knows just how much work truly goes into making one.

Consider these things when preparing an espresso based beverage.

Fresh Coffee:
If you have fresh roasted, quality coffee you'll usually have great espresso. I recommend North Pole Coffee's Dark Espresso Roast. Not only is it roasted specifically for an espresso, but it also has a sweet aftertaste. Coffee that is not only freshly roasted, but also freshly ground will give your shot a much better taste than preground espresso. To ensure this freshness, grind your espresso for each customer.

Standard Extraction:
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) sets the standard for all specialty coffee. Their standard delineates that a shot of espresso is a 25-35ml beverage prepared from 7-9 grams of coffee through which clean water of 195F-205F has been forced through at 9-10 atmospheres of pressure, and where the grind of the coffee is such that the brew time is 20-30 seconds.

Milk:
Many baristas find steaming milk to be a challenge. To get velvety, glossy textured milk follow these simple steps.
    1. Begin with cold milk
    2. Measure the amount of milk needed for the drink being prepared so there is little to no waste (never RESTEAM milk!)
    3. Purge the steam wand.
    4. Insert the tip of the steaming wand into the milk and turn on the steam.
    5. Listen for a "Ch Ch" noise and position the pitcher so the milk begins a whirlpool
    5. Once the milk is body temperature, submerge the steam wand (allow the whirlpool to continue)
    7. Once the milk has reached standard temperature, turn off the steam and clean the steam wand (be sure to purge the steam wand again).
    8. Let the milk rest a moment and then bang the pitcher on the counter once to pop any large bubbles on the surface of the milk.
    9. Polish the milk by swirling it
    10. Combine with espresso
This is a sure fire way to get a consistent texture time after time.

Iced Espresso Drink
When making an iced drink the order of components should be as such:
      1. Add cold milk to cup
      2. Add any flavoring to the espresso while still hot
      3. Add the hot espresso to the cold milk (this ensures no ice will melt)
      3. Stir well
      4. Add ice
This formula maximizes the flavor of the espresso and allows it to cool without melting the ice.

After much trial and error, our barista team here at North Pole Coffee stands behind the procedures discussed. Take it from us, your customers will love it!

Monday, September 22, 2014

North Pole Coffee at YOUR Fundraiser

Many of our customers ask us where they can find our coffee. Our answer is generally the same, "Come to our warehouse, check Fred Meyer, Safeway, Sam's Club, and Walmart or one of the many coffee huts and cafes we supply." However, there is a special time of year when our coffee can be found at local fundraising events too. Around the office we have all come to know this time of year as "Fundraising Season".

North Pole Coffee prides itself on being a locally owned and operated roasting company that is entrenched in the Fairbanks community. We strive to provide a partnership with non-profit organizations that aids in raising funds for things like exciting new projects, important research, or activities for children.


 Are you interested in partnering with North Pole Coffee for your next fundraiser? It’s easy!

1. Give us a call and let us help you decide the best option for your personalized bags.


2. Send us your organization’s logo in JPEG format.

3. Choose 2-4 coffee varieties.


4. Presell your orders and collect all payment from customers at the time of sale.
 **Example of customer order form available upon request.

5. Place your presold order with NPC and provide payment. **Single Check Only

6. Allow a three week turnaround period for us to fill your custom order.

7. Distribute the coffee to your supporters.

If you are gearing up for your non-profit fundraiser, let North Pole Coffee give you a hand. Drop by our office or give us a call and let us walk you through the process.


Bring Alaska Made coffee to your next fundraising event. You can't go wrong!

Friday, September 12, 2014

Butter Coffee

Alright, by now you've heard the hype or seen our Facebook posts about trying butter coffee. What is this new trend that sounds frightfully overindulgent and frankly, downright disgusting?

Butter Coffee got its start in countries like Tibet where putting yak butter in your coffee is a daily occurrence. Tibetans enjoy the yak butter's flavor and the energy it gives. A coffee connoisseur traveled to the Tibetan mountains and in his coffee he had, yep, you guessed it....yak butter.
He thought about the idea behind this odd (at least to the western world) dietary practice and after research and testing, he founded a coffee company dedicated to creating a product with all the benefits of caffeine and none of the caffeine crash. This is where Butter Coffee comes in, also known as "Bullet Proof Coffee", it boasts an ability to give you mental clarity and energy all day without any negative effects.

North Pole Coffee followed up on this odd new trend and what we discovered was both enlightening and tasty.

We used grass fed, unsalted butter because the Butter Coffee trend suggests that this kind of butter not only gives you more energy and the ability to burn fat all day long, but it is healthier for you because it has good fats and oils that do not raise cholesterol.

We used coconut oil because the founder of the Butter Coffee recipe suggests that it aids in the body's absorption of the important minerals found in the coffee.



Want to try it for yourself?
Here's our recipe:

2 cups     of hot, freshly brewed, NPC coffee (we recommend organic or single origin)
2 tbls      coconut oil
2 tbls      unsalted, grass fed butter

Blend all ingredients until bubbles start to form. Serve and enjoy hot!

Like all fads, we found the results to be varying, however, we did enjoy the creamy texture and delicious nutty flavor. We cannot confirm that the Butter Coffee gave us long lasting energy without a crash or made us feel fuller longer. What we can confirm is that the delicious taste and caffeine kick makes this new trend a must try for all coffee lovers.