Amen. Blog

About Thought Leaders:  Every Friday, we peer into the Amen universe, have a look at what’s buzzing and extract a topic for discussion.  We’ll look at the current opinions out there, then consult with a thought leader from the community for their professional analysis.  We encourage you, our Amen community, to join the discussion - on Amen or the blog.  Thought Leaders can be about ANYTHING - niche, broad, specific, conceptual.  Want to suggest a topic?  Offering your expert analysis?  Drop us a line.

Amen?

This week, we met with Ralf from The Barn in Berlin to hear his thoughts on community business, coffee culture and all things bean.  As someone who invests more in his baristas’ education than on marketing, Ralf displays deep-seated appreciation for his craft. 

The Barn is all about good coffee — and good coffee orbits around a different moon than, shall we say, something you might buy from somewhere shaded by green umbrellas.  It is a non-comparable good - blue cheese vs. cheese whiz — (let’s talk economics and trade!).  And truly, when you hold a crafted cup of coffee, it feels different.  It looks different.  It smells different.  And the taste is an entirely different story filled with notable characters and sensory adjectives.  It’s no wonder people have such strong opinions about it. In any genre, particularly the edible variety - wine, pastries, coffee - what separates good and great often relates to the care and attention paid to every step of the chain from source material to consumer and consumption environment.  

“There’s exceptional complexity in a bean,” Ralf explained.  “We start with high quality beans, and have a focus on traceability, sustainability and acceptable farm conditions.  You should look for a roast date less than 20 days prior.  The roasting process is also important, but that depends a lot on the bean.”  The Barn sources its coffee from roasters around the world and maintains strong ties with farms.  Blackburn Estate in Tanzania, he mentions, can even tell you which picker picked the beans.  

As with any specialty, there’s a high degree of fine-tuning. Ralf’s team adjust the machine calibrations to suit the humidity and clean them on an hourly basis. They employ a reverse osmosis machine to purify the water.  “The perfect water makes a big difference,” he says, “No one would start an F1 race in a dirty car.”  Likewise, there is emphasis on the precision of the brewing process and subtleties of the flavors.  “We stopped giving out spoons to encourage people to enjoy the flavor without sugar,” he said. For customers with an affinity for the sweet, The Barn orders pure cane sugar, getting deliveries in April or May after Costa Rica’s March harvest. 

Current opinion on Amen may disagree, but that merely highlights the educational gap when it comes to coffee.  “When it comes to taste, everyone has a different background and approach,” Ralf explains. I’m reminded of the Don Draper quote from Mad Men, “When a man walks into a room, he brings his whole life with him.”  People approach a situation with a history,  and as Ralf says, “what matters is awareness.”  Whether a person prefers a hazelnut syrup-infused coffee-scented milkshake or an expertly filtered cup of Kenyan Kieni is a matter of taste, but cognizance of the subject is a matter of fact. Education, to Ralf, is the most important part of the coffee experience.  “We want to educate people - to teach them to demand better coffee.” There is complex subtlety to coffee that a lot of people are not exposed to.  For example, many baristas burn the milk, losing flavor. At 55-60 degrees, lactose caramelizes, but above that, it burns.  On a specific level, a person’s taste profile is shaped from an early age and when one person detects notes of blueberry, another might sense raspberry.  For that reason, tasters remain quiet after the first sip in order to form their own thoughts before articulating them. The Barn staff meet every morning to taste the day’s brews to know how to advise visitors. 

I asked Ralf what the hotly debated topics in the coffee world are at the moment. “Crema on espresso,” he said. Is it the best part? “Hell no!”  He explained that crema, the slightly frothy bit at the top of espresso, is not important and should actually be mixed into the coffee so the sipper doesn’t taste it first. “Filtered coffee is also big on the scene now,” he explained. It’s the best for showcasing characteristics of the coffee. “The aftertaste and mouthfeel are very pleasant and it’s not bitter or sour.”

Amen?

Honored on Amen, food, travel and coffee publications, The Barn has become a local institution in its 1.5 years of existence.  Its place, Ralf discusses, is in in its local community, while having strong ties to international growers, roasters, baristas and purveyors.  The shop encourages international exchange both with its highly international flow of baristas and the knowledge sharing they have with other shops across the globe. They have a clear vision for what the coffee experience means to them - intentionally located in a neighborly area, they are close in touch with regulars -  it seemed like everyone who entered the seemingly revolving door was a friend (and - I noticed - somehow exceptionally good looking and understatedly well-dressed).  “People have an identity here,” he says, “There’s no wifi, and not enough space for strollers or dogs.” This keeps the atmosphere centered on people, conversation, beverages and well-crafted food (Ralf’s mother’s cake recipes!).  

Curious to learn more?  Ralf recommends speaking with and listening to baristas as the best education.  Also, The Barn hosts tastings at 11AM on Mondays.  

Ralf showed me this awesome barista calendar. Proceeds go to Coffee Kids, which rocks. 

1 week ago 3

Embarrassing maybe, but sooo good.  Nominate and vote for your favorite “Worst Song Ever” here.

Mmmm, Bop.  Come on, don’t act like you have never hummed it once….or twice.

2 weeks ago 1