Barista Jam at Oddfellows in the Bishop Arts District

My neighbor and roommate are big coffee fanatics on the Snob level. I wouldn’t consider myself a snob quite yet, unless you consider avoiding Starbucks as often as possible being snobby.  And I don’t say snob as a derogatory term.  I would more equate it with being true artisans.  They appreciate a good roast and a talented barista that can pull a tasty espresso.  Living with them, I’ve definitely been exposed to the mastery involved in a good cup of coffee, and now I can’t turn back to my old ways.  So when they told me about a “coffee cupping” at Oddfellows, I grabbed my camera and hopped in the car.  For those of you that don’t know, Oddfellows is in the Bishop Arts District and boasts of one of a dozen espresso machines in existence in the world.  The technology being utilized is so rare that it hasn’t even been perfected yet, although I don’t doubt the folks at Oddfellows will find a way.

A coffee cupping isn’t too dissimilar to a wine tasting.  You smell the grinds, you smell the “puck” (the grinds after the pouring), you smell the “break”, then you get to taste.  It was an awesome time of really getting to taste/smell the differences in different beans and roasts from around the world.  More than that, it was just great to be around a bunch of folks whose job it is “to stay overly caffeinated throughout the whole day”.  These guys are true artists with their coffee.  So it was cool to learn from their passions and energetic ramblings.

The Lineup of Beans

Smelling the Dry Grinds

After hot water is poured into the cup, the grinds float to the top like a puck.

When you break the puck, a new arrangement of scents come from the freshly brewed coffee

A fresh pull of espresso coming out of the La Marzocco Strada

A group of fanatics crowd around to taste this new confection