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Random Picture Friday #26: Mustache Mugs

From designer Peter Ibruegger. (Source)

The Moustache Mug

Enjoy effortlessly masquerading behind a character moustache while
drinking your favourite tea or coffee. Every mug has a different design
on each side to explore your favourite masculine expression! Choose
between feisty Fu-Magnum, ambiguous Mustafa-Chaplin and cheeky
Maurice-Poirot!

So, yes, it has been awhile since I had done one of these.  I found this and just couldn’t pass it up!  It reminds me of the Soda ‘Stache.  If you haven’t seen it yet, don’t worry.  It has a planned appearance as a Random Picture Friday feature.

Have a great weekend!

Creative Summer Drinks

It’s big.  It’s bright.  It’s hot.   Right now, it’s taking it all out on us.

It’s the middle of June, and while it’s not officially summer, you probably wouldn’t know it from stepping outside.

Here in Lubbock, we’ve seen a massive increase in cold and blended beverage sales, and a nose-dive in hot espresso sales.  Like any season, summer is an opportunity to turn a changing demand into an increase in sales.

There are a number of things to implement as “limited time” products, such as shakeratos, affogato, and other common menu items, but why limit yourself?

There is an abundance of seasonal fruit available these days.  Why not make use of them?  Syrups are the common go-to item for many “signature drink” categories,but it doesn’t have to be this way!

Why not try adding blueberries to an iced blended latte made with a single origin Harrar or Sidamo espresso?  Or why not add a hint of mango  to a shakerato made with a chocolate-and-fruit noted espresso?

These are just off the top of my head, but I know there are LOTS of creative drinks out there, and we want to hear about YOUR ideas.  We’d like to hear from customers as well as baristas, on this one.

(photo source)

Bearcat Beanz: Aledo, TX

I received an email a few days ago from Dan at Bearcat Beanz.

Dan writes,

How does one get added to your list of roasters. We are a specialty coffee roaster in north Texas, in Aledo, providing over half dozen different regional Mexican coffees to Mexican restaurants, coffee shops and for fund raisers.

How?  Just like that.  Shoot us an email or fill out our Contact form.

Bearcat Beanz has a website, but does not have a logo or much in the way of branding besides the name.  The only way to get ahold of them is via email, which can be found at their website.

Their website is simple and informative, focusing entirely on convincing the reader that coffee is a fantastic way to do fundraising, and that they are just the company to help you do it.  It’s most certainly an interesting business model, and while it may already have existed, this is the first I’ve heard of it.

Bearcat Beanz has been added to our list of Roasters.

BearcatBeanz.com

San Antonio Coffee Roasters Now Kosher Certified

I got this tip from Facebook (via)

San Antonio Coffee Roasters, also known as What’s Brewing, a company that produces one hundred percent Specialty Gourmet Coffee has gone kosher. The oldest individual coffee roaster in San Antonio, they have a full line of coffees from various countries as well as blends that they have created for over 25 years.  More…

Is Kosher the next big certification in coffee?  It’s been Fair Trade and Organic and Rainforest Alliance, and Bird Friendly, and on and on for a long while now, but a few people are starting to see through the marketing front that seems to have become the dominant aim these days.

Is there such a thing as non-Kosher roasted coffee?  What all is required to make coffee “Kosher”?  Is this certification significant, or is it another label intended to move more product?  I don’t have the answer to that, but if the goal was publicity, I’d say that it has worked already.

It also turns out that San Antonio Coffee Roasters is not already in our list of Roasters.  They have now been added.

San Antonio Coffee Roasters

138 W. Rhapsody

San Antonio, Texas 78216

Phone: (210) 308-8882

Fax: (210) 308-8883

Has anyone tried their coffee?

Random Picture Friday #10: Drinkable

Do you find yourself muttering this while leaving a coffee retailer? I have. Recently, too. Friends, it simply should not be this way. But… at least the coffee was drinkable today.

Have a Great Weekend!

Random Picture Friday #9: BEVERAGE CADDi

http://www.barbco.biz/

Animated version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdcqSAtEn6s

Houston Coffee Retailer Doubles Clientele with Twitter

Who knew?

I stumbled across this piece via arizona-coffee.com

Source: Mr. Tweet

When J.R. Cohen, Operations Manager for CoffeeGroundz (@coffeegroundz) Cafe in Houston, Texas first heard about Twitter from one of his customers, he was puzzled but intrigued. Today, he credits Twitter with almost doubling his clientele and with opening his eyes to a whole new way to build Community.

…Shortly after joining Twitter, Cohen started following members of the local Houston Twitterati and in no time had amassed over 1000 followers. Cohen is a naturally charismatic, giving, and friendly guy – traits that make him a natural on a network like Twitter….

…On October 31st, 2008 Sean Stoner (@maslowbeer) was hungry. As a regular customer at CoffeeGroundz he sent the following Twitter to Cohen:

Cohen quickly replied and Sean went through the drive-thru at CoffeeGroundz to pick up his burrito.

This simple exchange got a lot of coverage on Twitter and was hailed as potentially the first time that Twitter had ever been used to place a To-Go Order. more…

I’m not really sure what to think about this.  It’s not direct, but it seems like its saying that a guy increased his business by turning his specialty coffee retailer into a fast food joint, though that’s from an article written by someone who doesn’t work in the business. That having been said, I could be wrong!

Have any of you Houston readers been there?

How many readers are on Twitter?

Random Picture Friday #4: Coffee Straw

Photo:  Think Geek

Okay, so the picture looks like tea.. because it is tea.  But there are two versions!

Suck Your Coffee

Photo:  Think Geek

This gadget is a new materials (and uses) approach to the classic bombilla used for enjoying yerba maté.

How useful is it?  To be honest, I don’t rightly know.  It may be a good way to brew a cup with limited supplies on hand, but I’m not so sure you’d reach the bottom of the before the luscious liquid became bitterly over-extracted.

It might be good if you’ve ever had a glass filter vacuum brewer stall on you.  You can pull up on the filter and let the whole coffee water slurry fall into the lower vessel, pour yourself a cup of the muddy water, and sip away.

If nothing else, it sure makes for a great Random Picture Friday!

Have a Great Weekend!

Random Picture Friday #3: They're Everywhere!

EVERYWHERE!!!

And while they have cut back their plans to open 200 new stores down to 120, they have plans to close down 300 additional stores since the last decision to close down about 600 stores.  (source)

While it may seem like the independents are winning, keep your eyes open.  Starbucks didn’t get where they are from being unattentive.  EEK!

Good News for People Who Drink "Too Much" Coffee

Coffee Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

Published: January 23, 2009

Drinking coffee may do more than just keep you awake. A new study suggests an intriguing potential link to mental health later in life, as well.   more…

…After controlling for numerous socioeconomic and health factors, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure, the scientists found that the subjects who had reported drinking three to five cups of coffee daily were 65 percent less likely to have developed dementia, compared with those who drank two cups or less. more…

As though knowing that brewed coffee is full of anti-oxidants weren’t enough!  (of course, the LDL cholesterol found in non-paper filtered coffee is supposed to be bad for you, but I suspect, and I am no scientist nor physician, that this is only an issue for those in whom high cholesterol is already a concern)

Funny.  Cooking acidic foods in reactive vessels (like aluminum cookware) drastically increases one’s chances of acquiring Alzheimer’s disease.  It seems drinking copious amounts of coffee has the reverse effect, keeping neurons properly “lubed up”, as it were.  I wonder.  What would happen if one were to brew a highly acidic or astringent coffee, like a too-light-roasted Costa Rican in an aluminum moka pot?  I kid, I kid!

Chock up another big “+1″ for coffee!  I love it when a Monday starts out with good news.  Who’s with me!

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