January 15, 2014 · 4:59 pm

Big Eastern US Coffee Championships Come to Durham!

Big Eastern Coffee Championships

Image courtesy uscoffeechampionships.org

The Triangle is going to be the center of the east coast coffee scene this weekend. The “Big Eastern” US Coffee Championships will be held at the Cotton Room in Durham  this weekend (January 17th-19th). The event is hosted by Counter Culture and Dallis Brothers Coffee.

The event will be 3 full days of coffee competitions featuring the top baristas in the region.  It is FREE and open to the public.  I am volunteering at the event but will also have down time to watch the Barista and Brewers Cup competitions as local and regional baristas battle it out for the regional titles.

The Big Eastern encompasses 21 states across the eastern seaboard drawing baristas from up and down the coast. Competitors train months in advance. They spend countless hours developing their own “signature drinks” and presentation styles taking great care in selecting their coffees, brewing devices, music selection and perfecting their presentation techniques in hopes of impressing the judges and securing the regional title.

Local Shops & Baristas Competing
There are 13 local baristas registered for the event. Their competition times below are provided below. View the full schedule the “Big Eastern” competition here.

Triangle Barista Competitors:

  • Andrew Cash:  Jubala Coffee  1/17 @ 11:42
  • Tim Jones:  Jubala Coffee 1/19 @ 1:39
  • Steph Corona : La Farm Bakery 1/17 @ 11:23
  • Jen Hall:  Sola Cafe  1/17 @ 12:39
  • Dylan McFatrich:  Morning Times 1/17 @ 2:33
  • Katie Rant:  Sola Cafe 1/18 @ 5:27

Triangle Brewers Cup Competitors:

  • Helen Flowers:  Morning Times 1/17 @ 11:52
  • Brian Maiers:  Joe Van Gogh 1/17 @ 12:00
  • Miles Murray:  Carrboro Coffee 1/17 @ 12:08
  • Kyle Ramage:  Mahlkonig 1/17 @ 12:16
  • Josh Kimbrough:  Carrboro Coffee 1/17 @ 12:40
  • Jonathan Bonchak:  Counter Culture Coffee 1/17 @ 12:48
  • Trevor Patton:  Morning Times 1/17 @ 1:04

Watch Online Live
If you can’t attend the event in person you can still follow the action Live online all weekend long. Sprudge is broadcasting the event on livestream. Watch the BigEastern Livestream here.

Barista Competition Explained (From the Official Website)
“The regional coffee competitions include performances from professional baristas over a 3-day event. In a 15-minute presentation, competitors prepare and serve three courses of espresso based beverages to a panel of four sensory judges, two technical judges and one head judge. Competitors strive for a harmonious balance of sweetness, bitterness, acidity, and aromatics. A signature beverage is a highly innovative, freestyle espresso-based beverage created by the barista for the competition.”

Brewers Cup Explained (From the Official Website)
“The United States Brewers Cup is an exciting competition that highlights and celebrates the fine art of manual brewing. Competitors are judged in two rounds by skilled coffee tasters. The first round is a blind tasting, the competitors all brew the same coffee on their chosen manual deceives. Those who advance to the second round will brew and present their chosen coffee to the judges’ panel. The winner of the US Brewers Cup will represent the United States in the World Brewers Cup Championship.”

Event Details
Competition Dates: January 17th – 19th, 2014

Location:
The Cotton Room
807 E Main St,
Durham, NC 27701

For More Information
www.uscoffeechampionships.org
Follow the conversation on Twitter by following #BIGEASTERN

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January 14, 2014 · 4:01 pm

Top of the Hill Distillery – Chapel Hill

Top Of the Hill Distillery - Chapel Hill, NC

Top Of the Hill Distillery – Chapel Hill, NC

Did you know you can buy vodka, gin, and whisky that is made right here in the Triangle? I didn’t either until earlier this year when I visited Top of the Hill Distillery (TOPO) located in the former Chapel Hill News building off Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill. Scott Maitland, founder and owner of the iconic Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery, opened the distillery because he wanted to make spirits from organic ingredients local to North Carolina.

Top Of the Hill Distillery - Chapel Hill, NC

Touring the Distillery

I took a tour of the distillery with several of my foodie blogger friends where I tried samples and learned about how TOPO sources local ingredients to make their organic spirits.  TOPO Distillery is the only certified organic and fully local distillery in the South. They use local, organic ingredients (all obtained within 100 miles of the distillery) and transform the grain to spirits using equipment sourced from a fifth generation German still maker.

Top Of the Hill Distillery - Chapel Hill, NC

Esteban Pouring Samples!

Tours of the distillery are a lot of fun because you get a behind the scenes look at how the spirits are made and you get to sample them. Esteban, our guide was great explaining how TOPO’s spirits are different from other brands on the market. I tried all three of the spirits(Vodka, Gin, and Whiskey). Each was excellent in its own way but as a gin drinker my favorite was the TOPO Piedmont Gin. It is American Dry gin with a natural smoothness featuring botanical  flavors like citrus, cardamom, coriander, and cucumber. It has become my “go to” gin for homemade gin and tonics

Top Of the Hill Distillery - Chapel Hill, NC

TOPO Age Your Own Whiskey Kit

TOPO also makes a great Carolina Whiskey.  It is made using 100% organic soft red winter wheat from Scotland Neck, NC. It won a silver medal in the 2013 San Francisco International Spirits Competition and a silver medal at the Beverage Tasting Institute in Chicago. Top of the Hill Distillery is one of only six distilleries in the United States making wheat whiskey.

Top Of the Hill Distillery - Chapel Hill, NC

Mini Wiskey Barrels

They also sell “Age Your Own Whiskey” Kits that allow you to age 2 liters of Carolina Whiskey to perfection at home! Because of the increased surface area to volume ratio of the two liter barrel, the whiskey ages approximately 12–15 times faster than in a normal 53 gallon barrel. So the aging process only takes about three months and results in an incredible Wheat Whiskey. These make great gifts for the home brewer!

Tom & Esteban of TOPO Distillery

Tom & Esteban of TOPO Distillery

Guided tours and tastings of the spirits are  typically held each week on Thursday & Friday at 6pm and 7pm and Saturday at 4pm and 5pm. Tours must be scheduled in advance on the Top of The Hill website. Tours cost $20 per person but you can typically find groupon and living social deals online offering 50% off. The tours are a fun for locals and out of town guest and a great way to enjoy a visit to Chapel Hill.  Bottles of Top of  The Hills spirits can be found in ABC stores throughout the Triangle and North Carolina.

Topo Distillery
505 West Franklin Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Website: http://topodistillery.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TOPO.Distillery
Twitter: @TOPOdistillery

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January 7, 2014 · 12:28 pm

Wine Authorities in Raleigh – Open House January 11th

Wine Authorities Raleigh 4

Yesterday founder Craig Heffley opened the doors to Raleigh’s newest wine store – Wine Authorities – located downtown at Person Street Plaza (211 East Franklin Street).  To celebrate the opening of their Raleigh location Heffley will host an Open House January 11th from 11am to 5pm. The open house will feature at least two food trucks, beer & wine tastings, and local product demos. There will even be a magician for the kids.

Wine Authorities Raleigh 1

I had a chance to swing by the shop yesterday to take few pictures and sample some wine from the Enomatic wine machine. The shop has a great vibe with a fun lounge and bar area to sample beer and wine. I love their huge selection of affordable wines (all under $50) and great local product offerings: counter culture coffee, slingshot cold brew, big spoon peanut butter – just to name a few. The staff and owner were very helpful and friendly. I think this new local shop is a great addition to downtown Raleigh and I plan on being a regular there.

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OPEN HOUSE – January 11th (11am-5pm)
Heffley and his friendly staff will pour a variety of wines and beers at the open house this Saturday.  Their Enomatic wine dispensing machine will provide 24 wines for sampling before purchasing (1 ounce tastings range from 80¢ to $5). Visitors will also discover a wine-by-the-glass menu and cheese & charcuterie plates to enjoy in the indoor lounge seating and outdoor café seating.

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Local Products
Heffley, a longtime supporter of independently owned businesses, has invited local food and beverage entrepreneurs and vendors whose artisanal foods and brews will be available at the store regularly, to sample on January 11th.

Wine Authorities Raleigh 8

At the open house, and on-going, guests will find local craft beers like the much-anticipated Ponysaurus, as well as Trophy Brewing and Crank Arm, Scratch Bakery’s crackers and granola, Yellow Dog Bakery’s breads, Greensboro’s Giacomo Santomauro’s charcuterie, Toast’s salad dressings, Big Spoon Roasters Nut Butters, Counter Culture Coffee in bag, Slingshot’s coffees, as well as local and imported cheeses. Food trucks will also be part of the festivities.

Fun for the Kids
Children are welcome to join in the celebration! Just like the Durham store, Wine Authorities’ Raleigh store will be a family-friendly wine store, offering a kids coloring table for designing little works of art that will be displayed in the store. A kid-friendly magician will also be on hand at the open house.

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About Wine Authorities
Since opening in Durham in 2007, Wine Authorities has blazed a new trail in wine retailing. Eschewing big brands and critic-appointed ratings, Heffley has focused on a selective inventory, creative, informative and even humorous marketing, and wine education. As a result, loyal fans and national press followed; Wine Authorities has repeatedly won Durham Magazine and Indy Week’s “awards for Best Wine Shop, and in 2013 The New York Times’ wine critic Eric Asimov praised Wine Authorities as a “shop devoted to removing intimidation from the wine business.”

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“We believe that our customers care as much about what they put into their glass as they do about what’s on their plate, so we don’t carry any factory made wines… only wines made by small family-owned wineries; and we’re excited to finally bring these wines to Raleigh,” exclaimed Heffley. And what’s more, Wine Authorities focuses on value and doesn’t cater to collectors. As a result it’s become a haven for drinkers of everyday wine, all under $50 a bottle, with the majority of their selection under $15.

Wine Authorities Raleigh 9

Wine Authorities takes great pride in sourcing delicious, value-oriented wines and has even been quite successful as one of the largest retailers of artisan “bag-in-box” wines. Heffley continues to source delicious wines from small, estate-owned wineries in an effort to deliver hand crafted wines at an affordable cost – in the same way that he’s experienced at many tiny restaurants and corner markets in European villages.

Wine Authorities Raleigh 5

Since education is at the core of their mission, free tastings will take place every Saturday and Tuesday, with Tuesdays howcasing more obscure wines, and regular classes providing an opportunity for more in-depth tasting and study, often with winemakers and importers – just as they are at the Durham store. Tastings at the Raleigh store will begin immediately after opening, and the first wine class, “Vine to Wine,” will take place in January.

Wine Authorities – Raleigh
211 East Franklin Street
Raleigh, NC 27604 (map)
website: http://www.wineauthorities.com/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WineAuthorities
twitter: @wineauthorites

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January 5, 2014 · 8:55 am

Coffee Cupping at Counter Culture Coffee in Durham

Counter Culture Coffee Durham Training Center 2

Counter Culture Coffee Durham Training Center

It wasn’t until the very the last week of 2013, but I finally made it to one of the free public coffee cuppings offered every Friday morning at the Counter Culture Coffee training center in Durham. Counter Culture has done a lot to support the Triangle’s coffee community and culture and I’m a big fan of their coffee and the shops that serve it around the Triangle. Attending one of their cuppings has long been on my list of local activities to explore and the experience from my first visit to their training center did not disappoint!

Counter Culture Coffee Durham Coffee Cupping 10

Leading the Coffee Discussion

The weekly cuppings are held at 10am each Friday at the Counter Culture Training Center located off S. Alston Avenue in Durham. Counter Culture has similar training centers in Asheville, Atlanta Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. These training centers are where they hold classes, educational demonstrations, and barista certification training for coffee professionals. The Durham location is a bit unique in that it is attached to a neighboring building where Counter Culture roasts all of their coffee before it is shipped out to retail locations and coffee shops across the country.

Counter Culture Coffee Durham Training Center

Counter Culture Coffee ~ Durham Training Center

The cupping lasts about an hour and is followed by a quick tour of the coffee roasting facility. On the day I attended they were cupping three wonderful coffees harvested from the African country of Burundi. The three coffees cupped were MPEMBA, Buziraghindwa, and a natural sundried Burizaghindwa. How a coffee tastes is influenced by the growing environment (climate and soil type etc.) in addition to the botanical variety of the coffee how it is is processed. The three coffees we cupped ranged in flavor and aroma from earthy & spicy to very bright & fruity.

To learn more about the different coffees we cupped visit the Counter Culture Coffee online store to read the coffee descriptions and details about the origin and processing of each.

Counter Culture Coffee Durham Coffee Cupping 2

Coffee Cupping Setup

In general a “coffee cupping” is the practice of observing the tastes and aromas of brewed coffee. Cuppings are a lot of fun because you learn about new coffees and how they are different from one another. These public cupping are particularly engaging since they provide the opportunity to share thoughts with others and discussing with the group what you each noticed and experienced.

There are no wrong answers in cupping, just different perspectives and experiences. Cuppings can help you develop a reference library of flavors and taste sensations that can become a background against which you can examine new coffees. Over time a cupper can begin to associate particular flavors with geographical regions and different botanical varieties of coffee.

Counter Culture Coffee Durham Coffee Cupping 8

Initiating Brewing With The Hot Water Pour-Over

The cupping procedure follows four primary steps. As you progress through each step you begin to notice how the aroma changes or is enhanced as the coffee transitions from dried ground beans to complete brewed coffee. The  overall goal is to measure aspects of the coffee’s taste, specifically the body, sweetness, acidity, flavor, and aftertaste. The cupping steps include:

  • Sniffing the dry coffee grounds
  • Smelling the coffee after the hot water pour-over
  • The “breaking  of the crust” (breaking through the floating layer of coffee grounds as the coffee brews)
  • Tasting or “slurping” the coffee.
Counter Culture Coffee Durham Coffee Cupping 6

Smelling the Brewed Coffee

During this particular cupping there were about 15 cups of each coffee lined up in stations along the counter. There were roughly 30 or so people there and we all took turns going from station to station smelling the different coffees during each step of the cupping process. After each step one of the coffee buyers at Counter Culture would lead a short discussion with the group about what everyone experienced from each coffee. It was interesting to hear the different flavors and aromas others picked up. By the way, if you are like me and sometimes need a little help describing coffee flavors, check out Counter Culture’s Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel.

Counter Culture Coffee Durham Coffee Cupping 5

Preparing To Taste The Coffee

This all lead up to the final step when we finally tasted each coffee. The brewed coffee is first prepped by the Counter Culture staff. Using two spoons, they skillfully removed the floating layer of brewed grounds from each cup. Once this is done we all took turns taking a spoonful of each coffee and slurping it loudy. Slurping loudly is done by sucking the coffee in with such velocity that it is aerated and sprayed across your entire palate. This allows the full flavor profile of the coffee to be expressed and experienced by the taster.

Counter Culture Coffee Durham 3

Touring Counter Culture Coffee

The room was somewhat divided on which coffee was their favorite. My favorite was the fruity natural sundried Burizaghindwa. I enjoyed its brightness and the hints of orange and blackberry I tasted. After the cupping was completed we transitioned into the other side of the building where the group was given a brief tour of the coffee roasting operation. We were lead through the area where they stage their coffees delivered from around the world and even got to see where the coffee is bagged and labels are applied to each bag of coffee by hand.

Counter Culture Coffee Durham 1

Coffee Roaster

The final stop on the tour took us to where the real magic happens. We witnessed the coffee roasters in action! The day of my visit was just two days after the Christmas holiday so things were hopping with two large roasters creating batches of delicious freshly roasted beans. It was interesting to see how all the pieces of the coffee operation fit together to deliver those 12 ounce bags of freshly roasted coffee on the grocery store shelf. The cupping and the behind the scenes look at the roasting process gave me much to ponder the next time I am enjoying a delicious cappuccino in my favorite local coffee shop.

If you would like to learn more about coffee cupping I highly recommend attending one of the free public cuppings held at Counter Culture each Friday. Visit their website below for more information about their coffees and upcoming events.

Counter Culture Coffee – Durham Training Center
4911 S Alston Ave, Durham, NC 27713 (Map)
website: http://counterculturecoffee.com/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/counterculturecoffee
twitter: @Counter_Culture

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January 2, 2014 · 4:33 pm

Picture of the Week – The Station Patio Bar!

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The Station at Person Street – Raleigh, NC

I’m kicking off 2014 with a picture of what might very well be my favorite new bar in Raleigh. I took the above shot during a recent walk along person Street in downtown Raleigh. I love the natural wood look of the outside bar featured prominently in the center of the patio of the new restaurant “The Station” at Person Street. They serve american pub style fare and have a bar inside and outside along with great patio seating. This is sure to be a hot spot of activity along the increasingly popular Person Street corridor.

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