We are moving the new training center. Here is a pic of the beginning stages.
Hello everyone!
We will be holding the Cupping Leader’s Lab this month at our Charlotte Training Center on January 26th.
This lab is for those who wish to develop their skills as cupping leaders, participate as qualified judges in cupping events, or just take their cupping skills to the next level. Topics include a detailed review of cupping practice and etiquette, various cupping forms, aromatics in coffee using the Nez du Café set, coffee flavor perception, descriptive coffee analysis, and guidelines for leading groups of tasting professionals. This lab is required for Counter Culture Coffee Steward Certification.
Who should take this lab: Prospective Coffee Stewards, coffee professionals, and prospective cupping leaders.
Prerequisites: Students should be familiar with and able to perform the cupping ritual. Comparative Cupping Lab attendance is recommended, but not required.
To register, contact Laura Darby by emailing training@counterculturecoffee.com or by phone at (919) 361-5282 or toll-free (888) 238-5282.
We hope to see you there.
cheers,
Brent
Hello…
We are regrouping for the coming year. Therefore we are taking a by-month on TNT in the Queen City in January. Look for more news for next month.
cheers,
Brent.
What a year. As the holidays come to full swing things get a little chaotic in the Charlotte area. So, I apologize for the gap in posts. I resolve to blog more, and take more photos for 2010 to keep you informed to the best of my informing abilities!
Holy City and Queen City TNT’s were awesome events this month. Queen City TNT was held at Counter Culture Coffee’s Training Center in Charlotte. The air was not working, so things started a little heated. With the comfort of some Ole Meck ale and some serious latte pouring, no one noticed it was 85 degrees. Below are just a few of the pours from the competition. 2010 should bring even better competition and pours.
Holy City TNT was held at Caviar and Bananas in Charleston, SC. 2 rounds of pours. The 1st round was free choice of cup, 2nd round had everyone pouring 6 oz lattes to even the playing field. Here are the pours!
2009 was a good year in Coffee. SCAA in Atlanta was a blast, SERJ in Charlotte broke ground on the South East Community, and now more people than ever are getting involved. 2010 will surely be a better year as we continue to grow as an industry and a community.
Happy Holidays and New Years everyone. Travel safely, and I will see you next year!
Cheers,
Brent Hall.
12/11/2009
Total Attendees: 3
Finca El Puente
• Fragrance: tomato, black pepper, beefy, nutty, old flowers, nutty, blonde
• Aroma: hot milk, savory spice, sweet bbq sauce,
• Break: Lemon zest, vodka tonic with lemon, Milk chocolate bar
• Brightness: apple bright, granny smith, tangy
• Flavor: baked sweets, roast beef with thyme, caramel, sugar.
• Body: medium, light, and clean.
• Aftertaste: clean, and beefy. Berry trifle.
Los Luchadores
• Fragrance: white chocolate, grapefruit, musky, sweet, clean fruity ,
• Aroma: brown butter, vanilla, sugar cookies, creamy marshmallow
• Break: savory gravy, hay ?, Earthy
• Brightness: crisp, grapefruit, granny smith
• Flavor: doughnut? Meringue, apples and oranges, sweet, cinnamon
• Body: Light to medium, slick.
• Aftertaste: clean, crisp, mellow, toffee, chicken pot pie, nice.
.
2 favorite.
Natural Shakisso.
• Fragrance: Melon, strawberry, lemon, citrus, naval oranges, strawberry confection.
• Aroma: peaty, bitter chocolate, blueberry, caramelized sugar
• Break: blueberry scone, raspberry, melon, cedar wood fire.
• Brightness: muddy, yogurt, flat, mellow citrus
• Flavor: horse stable, earthy, lemons, chocolate chips, sweet red wine.
• Body: full, heavy, yogurt.
• Aftertaste: cotton candy, portabella mushrooms, earth and fruit, smoky chocolate.
12/4/2009
Total Attendees: 6
La Golondrina
• Fragrance: spicy flowers, corn stalk, steamed carrots, fruity, citrus, savory, piney, spicy, olive oil
• Aroma: nutty, dark chocolate, chicken, gooseberries, citrus, melting marshmallow with vanilla, syrup
• Break: hushpuppies, corn, carrots, stew, sweet, Indian spice, malt
• Brightness: Delicate, medium, light with slight tart, grapefruit, sweet, slight sour
• Flavor: grapefruit rind, nutt, black eye pea salad, soft fruit cocktail, apple cider (spiced), brown butter
• Body: Medium, thin, light.
• Aftertaste: plesant, grapefruit, soy vanilla icecream, tangy, clean
Finca Mauritania
• Fragrance: toasted pine nuts, caramel, sweet, leeks in butter, raspberry, earthy, brown spice, chocolate,
• Aroma: roasted veg, pine resin, roasting beer, malt, wheat, wood chip
• Break: vinegar, wing, backed tart apple, sugar roasted peanuts
• Brightness: tart, bitter, cran apple, light and bright, crsip, medium, doughy
• Flavor : pear and butter, field grain, vinegar, sweet, brown sugar, toasted almond with brown sugar, caramelized apple, caramel, hay, green grass
• Body: medium, thicker, soymilk, creamy
• Aftertaste: smoky, camp fire, buttered burnt toast, sweet, chocolate, malt, dark chocolate, peppermint candy.
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Finca Nueva Armenia Holiday Blend 2009.
• Fragrance: peat fire, fig Newton, brown, old chocolate, green, hazelnut, nutty, choclate, floral, flat
• Aroma: smoky, banana, sweet, savory, floral, green, boggish, soft, squishy earth
• Break: brown, soft icing, smoky, fig, smoky sweet, bbq, mild tart, sharp
• Brightness: mild tar, pleasant, grapefruit, lemon, eye opening
• Flavor: canned tuna, beef BBQ, chocolate, cream, roasted hazelnut, complex, soft, caramel, cherry, smoky spicy, sweet.
• Body: full, viscous, silky, medium thick, smooth,
• Aftertaste: dark molasses, dark honey, lingering, roasted chocolate peanuts, smoke, cherry trifle, vanilla. .
Hello all…
Queen City TNT will be held at Counter Culture Coffee’s Training Center December 10th starting at 7 PM.
The address is 1435. W. Morehead St, suite 235, Charlotte, NC. This is our 14th TNT (yes, we missed the one year anniversary in SERJ madness), so come out and enjoy a good time.
Cheers,
Brent
