On my long and complicated trip back from a weekend visiting my girlfriend and favorite London cafes I took the opportunity to listen back to a few of the coffeegeek podcasts that Mark Prince puts out. One thing that he discussed amongst others is the exisitance of the untouchables. “Who are the untouchables?” I hear you ask. Well, if you read my blog you arn’t an untouchable. You have at least a passing facination with quality coffee, the profesional Barista or just a good eye for a cup of properly brewed coffee. The untouchables are the guys who drink coffee just for it’s caffeine and thirst quenching properties. The guys who drink their gold blend/nescafe instant every morning and who’s brains don’t function until they get it. Mark talks about how these people account for 80% of the coffee consuming public! He says that it doesn’t matter what you say they will just not get it nor will they have any desire to ‘get it’. How can we get these type of coffee consumers to change their ‘habits’ and get them to take more care with brewing? How do they start to enjoy quality coffee? How does someone get from the untouchable stage to buying a home grinder any brewing a freshly roasted coffee to enjoy the nuances that we all love coffee for?

Hi guys Just got back to the UK after Trieste Espresso Expo and the European Team Coffee Challenge. I thought you guys might want to see a selection of the ‘millions’ of the photos I took. Hope you enjoy them (I’ve tried not to incriminate anyone too much) http://tinyurl.com/5fhs82 Please tag anyone you know so we can all be buddies!!!

Hi guys! As you’ve seen in previous posts, I like a good Etch from time to time. As I went to art college (yes i did!) this side of coffee really appeals to me. A big blank canvas that you can make into what you want and then drink all of its creamy goodness afterwards. Perfect. Here’s the challenge: Submit your etches/links to etches in the comments and we’ll all have a judge when the the deadline comes To get you in the mood or thinking of all the etches you can do here is a little tester I did in my coffee break today. If it isn’t obvious it’s Stewie Griffin from Family Guy. Deadline 1st of December! - should give us enough time to get some good etches in! Can you etch?

Look at the picture above! It’s a picture of the machine in my shop when it’s been put ‘to bed’. What immediately springs to mind? Are you thinking ‘God that’s anal’ or are you thinking ‘Ohh that’s a good idea’? Maybe you’re looking at the picture and thinking ‘What the hell is that’. More and more over the past few months I have spotted a need for consistency in cleaning and bedding an espresso machine. In my experience if staff can’t see what needs to cleaned it will not be cleaned. If it’s not checked then it won’t get done. Cynical perhaps but that’s just what happens over time. Staff will cut corners from time to time which will lead to the general quality of your coffee slowly dropping almost undetected. I know I’ve been guilty of that in the past too. Laying the screens, blocks, screws and group handles out like this means that everything that needs to be cleaned is visible to everyone. This will hopefully decrease the likelihood that anyone will cut corners as it would be obvious if anyone had been slacking. Good idea or too much?

Hi Guys, Here are the dates for the heats - venues to follow when I get them from Helen @ B the B. ‘Competition season is here’ January N. Ireland in Belfast - 14th / 15th Scotland in Edinburgh - 21st W. England & S. Wales in Cardiff. - 28th February S.W. in Exeter - 4th / 5th Midlands in Derby - 11th North in Newcastle - 18th S.E. in Lewes - 25th

Hi blog followers. I’m posting this here as I know there are quite a few Pumphreys customers who follow my blog. I’m very proud of everyone. Well Done! Pumphreys Grainger Market Shop Scoops Local Award Stuart Lee, Lauren, Nita and Anna The staff of Pumphrey’s Coffee Centre in the Grainger market have won a local award for outstanding customer service. The Newcastle Grainger Market Customer Service Challenge is an annual poll of the grainger market’s customers, with the winner taking home the prestigious award. The 170 year old Grainger Market prides itself on its reputation of friendliness between staff, stallholders and customers, with the Customer Service Challenge honouring this. This year, the award was won by Lauren, Nita, Anna and Stuart Lee at the Pumphrey’s Coffee stall, and they have all been invited to attend the prize giving ceremony at the Civic Centre on Wednesday the 15th October. Stuart Lee Archer had this to say: “We are extremely proud of everyone at our Grainger Market outlet. It is fantastic that their ongoing efforts have been recognised with such a prestigious award.” Our Grainger Market stall has been in place for over 50 years, and continues to sell our entire range of coffees and teas. The opening hours are 9am til 5pm, Monday to Saturday. Visit the Pumphtreys Coffee Centre in the Grainger Market

I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank my ever dutiful girlfriend Lorna. She puts up with my coffee obsessed rambling and is even going to come with me to Trieste (I hope she knows what she’s in for). Lorna works at ‘Based Upon’ in London and is a very skilled sculptor. She made me this fantastic tamper for my birthday which is surely worth a fortune. I’ve been so scared to even touch it, until today, keeping it in its little box out of harms way. It’s was made by taking a cast of one of my other tampers and making a mould. Lorna then sprayed individual beans with gold and silver coloured alloys (based upon speciality) polished them all by hand before setting then in the mould with clear and dark resins. A final polish and some a good gluing to the base and you get one very happy barista. Thank you so much

Hi Guys, I just thought I’d keep you guys in the loop for the up and comming Barista jams which are happening in Bristol and Newcastle! The UK section of SCAE together with Pumphrey’s Coffee and Beyond the Bean will be hosting Barista Jams for future budding barista champions. The jams will focus on all aspects of Barista Competitions, from roasting and blending to perfecting milk and espressos, and the all important WBC rule changes. Following the impressive 10th place win (competing against 51 other countries) by Hugo Hercod the UK now needs to get behind the 2009 UKBC, to compete in Atlanta, Georgia next April. The jam’s are a great place to start! Leading industry speakers will be on hand to lead the workshops throughout the day. Places are limited to 25 per jam and can be booked as follows - Please send a cheque for £25, payable to ‘SCAE UK’ to: Bristol: Helen Ostle, Beyond the Bean Ltd, Unit 6, Cala Trading Estate, Ashton Vale Road, Ashton Vale, Bristol, BS32HA before Friday 20th October or email helen@beyondthebean.com for further information Newcastle: Stuart Lee Archer, Pumphreys, Bridge Street, Blaydon Tyne & Wear, NE21 4JJ by 25th November or email stuartlee.archer@pumphreys-coffee.co.uk for further information. Events on Facebook: BRISTOL http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=29537132676 NEWCASTLE http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=39442520030 Pumphreys Coffee Facebook Page for directions: http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/Blaydon-United-Kingdom/Pumphreys-Coffee-Showroom-Roastery-and-Barista-Training-Centre/8360553225 Hope you’re all well. Pass this on to anyone who might find it interesting please! _________________ StuartLee (Mentness)

Just thought I’d cross post this from the Pumphreys Coffee news as It’s pretty relevent here…………. Pumphreys Coffee are proud to announce that they are hosting the Northern Regional Competition of the United Kingdom Barista Championships on the 4th February 2009. Every year more British Baristi enjoy friendly competition around the country to become regional winners and go for the top award of UK National Champion. The winner has the right to represent the UK at the world championships fully sponsored and supported by the UKBC committee. Whether you are an independent Barista or employed by a coffee shop owning company, the prestige of winning at any level enhances your career development prospects in the fast expanding coffee lifestyle industry. Those organisations employing award winning Baristi in customer facing positions have been shown to improve sales through the prestige gained and skills exhibited. Pumphreys own barista trainer Stuart Lee Archer competed last year in the Scottish regional event placing second. He went on to compete in the National Championships held at the Hotelmpia event the Excel Arena in London where he finished 12th. He said ‘ I’ve made some great new friends, learned so much and improved my skill enormously. The preparation for the event is just a exiting as competing. It has been great for business and changed the way I think about coffee for good. I can’t wait to compete again next year and apply what I’ve learnt.’ If you would like to enter this year or would like just like to know a little bit more about barista competition please don’t heitate to drop stuartlee and email. stuartlee.archer@pumphreys-coffee.co.uk