We’re mixing it up this month! Our group visited the house of Port Melbourne based mostly Standards Espresso’s founder Craig Simon.
Craig took us via his morning espresso routine and gave us some tremendous useful suggestions and methods alongside the best way. However, earlier than we get into the brewing, right here’s slightly little bit of a background on Standards Espresso and the spectacular roasting and academic operation they’ve nurtured and grown over the previous decade.
Craig launched Standards again in 2018. At the start he needed to create a studying surroundings the place individuals may come collectively to have a good time espresso via a co-roasting mannequin. It’s no small feat launching a startup, and there’s been many moments over the previous 6 years that they’ve needed to navigate challenges – the largest being COVID-19 which actually impacted how the espresso business functioned. From value will increase to produce challenges to overcoming working with distancing, it was a testing time, however they labored via it and are pleased with their achievements up to now.
Standards offers instantly in small volumes and has a detailed and reliable relationship with their companions who provide them with their inexperienced beans. Their companions play an important position, advocating for Standards as a buyer, but in addition ensuring the producers are paid appropriately and that the inexperienced beans arrive on time and to everybody’s high quality requirements. With this in thoughts, they search for coffees which have a clear provide chain, and are of specialty grade. High quality and transparency is extremely vital to them.
This yr Standards is wanting ahead to internet hosting one remaining roasting workshop with a small group of scholars in November. In addition they have some very particular new coffees dropping simply in time for festive get-togethers. They positive are sending the yr off with a bang!
The Roaster
We caught up with Standards Espresso founder, Craig Simon, at house to study extra about his house brewing methods in addition to snagging just a few espresso making suggestions and methods.
Inform us about you!
Hello, I’m Craig Simon. In a former profession I used to be a touring Jazz Drummer, my fascination with music began at age 5, I performed all via highschool and went to the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney. The fact is, music is tough to make a sustained residing from and with a small household to assist I picked up some informal barista work to bolster gigging. Slowly, espresso making began to devour extra of my time which led to a full time position at a good roastery. They had been very supportive of my curiosities and after a interval of studying I used to be working as a part of the roasting group.
This was early 2000 and the motion in direction of specialty espresso in Melbourne was quickly rising. I used to be fortunate to have the chance to compete in Barista Championships, which led to creating direct connections to origin, working with producers to supply and produce my very own beans for presentation at competitors. Almost 20 years on, my profession in espresso has been devoted to unpacking this easy, but very advanced product. I’ve labored around the globe and made lifelong mates. Like music, each particular person concerned within the creation course of has a task to play, when there’s a unified intention for the most effective final result, it truly is magic.
How do you make your espresso?
A advantage of proudly owning a roastery is we have now entry to contemporary beans on a regular basis, we
brew filter within the morning for its simplicity. Espresso tends to occur on weekends, together with visits to native cafes and roasteries to understand different individuals’s work.
What’s one piece of espresso tools you will have at house you could not reside with out?
The Origami Dripper is my filter go-to at house, however the important thing piece of apparatus that makes for excellent espresso can be beginning with a high quality grinder and selecting contemporary complete beans to grind on demand.
Say, I am simply beginning my at-home espresso journey. What recommendation would you give me?
Get curious. There’s one million methods to method your espresso making approach
and much more espresso manufacturers to discover. I’d say when you arrive at a way
you want, purpose to be constant so there’s repeatability.
The Producer
Since each of the coffees by Standards come from the identical Brazilian espresso farm we
needed to offer a particular shout out to the group over at Fazenda California on this
month’s function.
Fazenda California, owned by the Saldanha household, is positioned within the Norte Pioneiro do Paraná area of Brazil, identified for its fertile volcanic soils and superb coffee-growing local weather. The area’s average temperatures, constant rainfall, and altitude of 750 metres create an ideal surroundings for producing high-quality Arabica espresso. Craig and the Standards group have been working with Luiz, from Fazenda California, for a very long time. In 2004, the late Dr. Paulo Cesar Saldanha Rodrigues started the farm’s transformation right into a specialty espresso producer. After his passing, his son Luiz and daughter-in-law Flavia, each agronomists and authorized Q Graders, continued his imaginative and prescient. They modernised the farm’s infrastructure and adopted sustainable manufacturing practices, renewing 100% of the espresso crops.
In the present day, Fazenda California is a frontrunner in specialty espresso, pushed by a ardour for high quality and sustainability. Luiz and Flavia, together with their daughters Heloisa and Maria, are devoted to persevering with the household’s custom of manufacturing distinctive espresso for future generations.
The Espresso
BRAZIL – FAZENDA CALIFORNIA
FILTER & ESPRESSO COFFEE
Espresso Origin:
Brazil
Tasting Notes:
Notes of milk chocolate, hazel nuts, malt and orange marmalade.
Espresso Recipe:
Dose: 18g
Yield: 32.5g
Brew Time: 25-30 seconds
Temperature: 93.5°C
Brew Ratio: 1.8:1
Filter Recipe (V60):
Dose: 15g
Water: 250g
Brew Time: 2-3 minutes
Temperature: 93°C
Brew Ratio: 1:17