December 05, 2014

Episode 92 - The DoubleShot Holiday Edition

For the first time ever, we recorded a live event that took place at the DoubleShot. During this event, I talked about the background for our big holiday package of this year, Brazil Sitio Serra Natural. The DoubleShot pastry chef, Shelly talked about the delicious food pairing she put together, and my co-host Mark Brown read an excerpt from a book he wrote, which comes in the Brazil holiday package.
After the event, Mark and I sat down to discuss all the holiday coffees and merchandise available at the DoubleShot and at DoubleShotCoffee.com.
Brazil Sitio Serra Natural

Costa Rica Pastora Yellow Honey

Pourover Holster
White Buffalo Track Jacket

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November 24, 2014

Episode 91 - Jim McEnaney of La Minita Coffee

Jim McEnaney, who is a coffee quality manager at La Minita Coffee, visited us some time ago and I sat down and listened to him talk about La Minita and some of the other coffees they produce and source.
Mark and I talk through the longest preamble ever, fairly dominating the entire show with funny memories of Autumn and Halloween and a few sad thoughts of life and loss.
You can find all the coffees mentioned on the podcast here:  http://www.doubleshotcoffee.com/collections/podcast-features

Music for this episode is by Lyndon Scarfe and Kai Engel.

This was a difficult episode for me to finish because I felt compelled to mention my dad's passing on September 3.  It's an overwhelming loss.

 coffee pickers at La Minita
 Jim in the nursery at La Minita
 sorting room at La Minita - looks like a peaberry
 me picking coffee at LM
my dad and mom at a coffee farm in Tanzania
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September 15, 2014

timeclock/alarm

I'm updating the alarm codes, and have decided to make individual codes for each person. For better security and accountability, it's nice to know who's coming and going.  So anyway, I'm going to make your time clock code the same as your alarm code.  It's important that you don't tell other people your code, because in the unlikely case that something should happen, one person could use a different person's code, and implicate someone in some unjust criminal activity, which would cause me to use the debt collector on the wrong person.  No, but you understand- it's important to keep things secure.

So if I haven't already talked to you about changing your code, please either tell me in person or shoot me a text with what you want your new code to be.

Thank you.

Secondly, I've heard a few stories lately of baristas being on edge.
a) We all have to work together in this small place, and we all have to be happy and get along and appreciate each other.  Please be courteous to other staff.
b) The customers who walk in here have been hard-won. If you are rude or short with someone, it's a potential loss of one customer, but more importantly, people love to tell negative things about businesses.  So if someone feels slighted, I promise they will tell a lot of people, which means a lot more people that we may never see.  People come in here for great coffee (hopefully).  Most people have questions - whether they ask them or not.  It's our job to be polite and patient, even in the heat of the moment, and to assist customers as best we can.

Shelly just told me about a customer who bought a Thermos cup and the lid stopped working.  This is extremely common.  We've had to replace probably 40 lids on these cups.  Apparently James and Sam were working on Saturday and told the guy we couldn't do anything about it?  That's ridiculous.

Every product we sell, we stand behind.  If the product doesn't function properly, we need to take care of it.  If you have a question, call me.  But I would advise you to replace a broken part from one of our units in the basement, just to get the customer up and running again with whatever item is malfunctioning.  Then tell me, and I'll deal with the manufacturer.  We have good relationships with manufacturers and they want people to be satisfied with their products.  As do I.  If it's something you're concerned about or something expensive, call me.  If you can't get me, take care of the customer, and take their name and phone number so we can contact them if we need to.  We should probably follow up and make sure the fix worked anyway.  If it's something I need to work on a repair for, have them leave the grinder (or brewer, if that's the problem) and their name and phone number, and I will get to it asap.  It's important that our products stand up to normal use, and people trust us to sell quality products and stand behind them.
August 28, 2014

Episode 90 - Colorado

Mark and Brian both took trips to Colorado in August, both took DoubleShot Coffee and the new DoubleShot Coffee Concentrate. It's adventure and awakening and brewing and tasting life in the mountains.  In this 90th episode of AA Café, Mark and Brian discuss the minutiae. Mark Brown, currently of argentfork.com, and Brian Franklin of DoubleShotCoffee.com are your hosts on this summertime vacation podcast. 
Music in this podcast is by Lyndon Scarfe and Kai Engel.  
If you listen to the podcast and still can't get enough of the live commentary from the field, and you want to hear Brian's ramblings as he descends Mount Belford, listen here: http://assets.doubleshotcoffee.com/aacafe/aacafe90extras.mp3
Brian on the summit of Mt. Oxford (14,153 feet)
Mark looking for trout
Chipmunks
Mountain goats
The DoubleShot Proprietary Coffee Travel Kit
Moose
View from the summit of Mt. Harvard
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June 25, 2014

Episode 89 - Savoy Restaurant

The Kelamis family has been in the restaurant business for almost 90 years in Tulsa, and operating under the Savoy Restaurant banner for 60 of those years.  Evan Kelamis, the fourth generation in the restaurant lineage, sat down to tell us about his family, the heritage, and the Savoy Restaurant. Mark Brown (of Argentfork.com) and Brian Franklin (owner of DoubleShot Coffee Company) banter about the generations, the Savoy, and how in the heck this podcast got started. 
Music in this podcast is by 2ndMOUSE, Tardiss, The Polish Ambassador, Shadow Priest, and Lyndon Scarfe.  Mark says this is my breakout into a career as a DJ.  I'm not so sure.
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April 08, 2014

Episode 88 - Ariel Montoya

Ariel Montoya, the owner of Hacienda El Boton, from Bolivar Colombia is the guest on this episode. Ariel talks about the farm, how he processes our coffee, and the importance of the rainforest at El Boton. Join Mark Brown of Argentfork and Brian Franklin from DoubleShot Coffee Company as they transport you to Colombia and back. Music for this episode by: Lyndon Scarfe Oskar Schuster Possimiste Psychadelik Pedestrian
March 03, 2014

AA Cafe #87

Brian and Mark celebrate the 10th birthday of DoubleShot Coffee Company with a conversation about the history of the DoubleShot; lessons of being 10, 40, and 50; and a new set of coffees available online, called The Decade Collection. Music for this podcast by Nate Wooley, Friendly Foliage, and Jahzzar. Mark Brown writes at Argentfork.com. Buy coffee online at DoubleShotCoffee.com.
October 22, 2013

Coffee Journey: Panama

An audio excerpt from a short story written by Brian Franklin about his trip to Panama, visiting a pair of coffee farms.  Learn about the people, plants, animals, the history, and the coffee of this beautiful place.  To read the entire story and to taste these amazing coffees, visit www.doubleshotcoffee.com/panama. Special thanks to Daniel Myers, who played John Henry Patterson. Music:  Process #5: a'Go Ajha by Century Of Aeroplanes Into The Mist by Lee Rosevere Irsen's Tale by Kai Engel
October 22, 2013

Coffee Journey: Panama

An audio excerpt from a short story written by Brian Franklin about his trip to Panama, visiting a pair of coffee farms.  Learn about the people, plants, animals, the history, and the coffee of this beautiful place.  To read the entire story and to taste these amazing coffees, visit www.doubleshotcoffee.com/panama.
July 29, 2013

episode 85 - the future of coffee brewing

This episode of AA Cafe is a little different. My editing went a bit off from normal. Mark and I discuss the future of coffee brewing, along with a little reminisce of our personal coffee histories. DoubleShot baristas chime in with their ideas for the coffee brewer of the future. Music from this episode from the Free Music Archive: FUN FUN FUCK-A-DEE FUN FUN (Jared C. Balogh) / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0  Dissent From The Pedastal (Lee Rosevere) / CC BY-NC 3.0 The Wilhelm Scream (Jeff Kolar) / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 Check out Mark's Argentfork and my DoubleShot.