Run Fast Run Free...

Posted out a special Christmas gift package this week. Any body who has put on a pair of runners and fronted up to the start line will know of Collis Birmingham an Australian representative long distance runner. This guy runs fast and does not mind a brew when not clocking smoking PB's 5000m 13:10.97 10000m 27:29.73 .
Hope you enjoy the Costa Rica Herbazu!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

"Thank you for all your support throughout the year. We recognise that every customer is important to us and hope you all have a safe and joyous Christmas and New Year.”
From our family to yours.

DAVIDS’ (the other brother) cold brew coffee

Fresh roasted coffee saturated with cool water brewed for sixteen hours sweetened with agave nectar and blended with fresh milk. The Toddy produces a naturally low acid, bold yet smooth coffee concentrate.
In the short term we will only preparing drinks for immediate sale at a later date we will be exploring bottling DAVIDS' once we have a better understanding of shelf life and labeling requirements.

Christmas Single Origin Offering...

Costa Rica Herbazu

Origin: Costa Rica
Region: West Valley Costa Rica
Supplier: Costa Rica Cafetalera Herbazu
Altitude: 1500 - 1700mts
Crop Year: 2010
Varietal: Villa Sarchi

About Costa Rica Herbazu Estate...
This coffee is a leader in the Costa Rica micro-mill revolution and to boot it’s a proven winner, with a consistently bright, dynamic, clean cup flavor.
Herbazu won 4th place in the 2009 Cup of Excellence!

About Costa Rica Cafetalera Herbazu...
The Herbazu Estate is owned by the Barrantes family and is both a well known and leading coffee producers the West Valley region of Costa Rica. It is one of the early pioneers in independent, small mill coffee farms. They grow a type of Villa Sarchi cultivar which is a dwarf mutation of Bourbon. The mill and drying patios are right in the center of the farm, which ranges from 1550 to 1700 meters.
The cup will surprise you with its winey, Kenya-like acidity

General Comments...
A bright, clean and light bodied coffee with a sweet and slightly nutty aroma. A lovely zesty acidity and sweetness are complimented by clarity and balance in the cup.

Trading Hours for Christmas Period...

We will be closed from 25th December 2010 and back trading on the 4th January 2011. Seasons Greetings!

Online Shop...

Fifth Battery Coffee Roasters has its own independent store to sell our coffee stuff online.

Detpak Queensland Barista State Championship

Date: December 05, 2010

Location: Wolff Rost Haus 14/23 Ashtan Place Banyo, QLD 4014

The Australian Barista Championship seeks to discover the best barista who embodies the following rules and guidelines from the WBC.

A Champion is someone who aspires to the following:

• To promote the growth, excellence & recognition in the Barista profession.
• To grow the Barista’s knowledge of and expertise in, the preparation and serving of specialty, espresso coffee through competitions.
• To promote the knowledge and consumption of specialty coffee to the consumer through the Barista.

Baristas are required to serve 4 espresso, 4 cappuccino and 4 espresso based signature drinks (no alcohol) to 4 sensory judges. Technique is assessed by 2 Technical Judges and the process is overseen by 1 Head Judge. The Baristas are allowed to use their choice of coffee and must complete the presentation within 15 minutes to avoid a overtime penalties up until 16 minutes whereby the barista is disqualified.

Amazing Ken Evans Bike featured @ Fifth Battery

Daniel "Gypsy" Licastro built up this Ken Evans bike to feature in the Biking Brisbane exhibition (we decided to extended its time in the spot light) . The frame was built by Ken Evans (once owned the the Fifth Battery family) late 1980s for Dean Woods, who used it as a pursuit bike in the Australian cycling team. For more photos check out this.
Thanks heaps Gypsy & Gear Brisbane for making it possible.

Single Origin Offering...

Guatemala Sierra Azul
Origin: Guatemala
Region: HueHuetenango
Altitude: 1200-1400 mts
Crop Year: 2010
Varietal Bourbon: Catuai Caturra
Sierra Azul is sourced from a cooperative mill in Huehuetenango. It is just classic Huehue (unlike El Injerto which cups like what Antiguas used to be), fruity, winey acidity, medium body.

About HueHuetenango...
Huehuetenango is both a city and a municipality in the highlands of western Guatemala. It is located about 250 km west from Guatemala City on the Pan-American Highway & the last major city before the Mexican border.
The coffees from Huehuetenango can be exceptional for both its consistency and quality; some believe this is from the higher altitudes and remoteness of the region and that is has been least compromised by “advances” in mechanization and hybridization. While “Antigua” may be the better known Guatemalan region, many have begun to identify Huehuetenango as their favorite.
Huehue’s typically have distinct fruit flavors with winey acidity, medium body.

Cupping Notes:
A clean coffee with candied fruit, a buttery body and balanced by a lively acidity. Deeper rich fruits, some caramel sweetness and hints of cocoa as it cools tie the cup together.

Current Specialty Coffee ...

El Salvador San Emilio Estate (Red Icatu Varietal)
Origin: El Salvador
Altitude: 1600mtrs
Varietal: Red Icatu

About:
This is from the San Emilio Estate, a small plot of Red & Yellow Icatu varietals were planted onto a really high spot on the farm (about 1600mts).
Cupping Notes:
Well balanced, full bodied, clean cup with intense dark fruit flavours.

Valley Fiesta 2010

Valley Fiesta www.valleyfiesta.com is a not to be missed celebration of the arts, fashion, culinary delights and of course Brisbane’s renowned live music scene.
Check out our friends Nine Lives, the guys have made a massive contribution to the Ann Street Party with a really exciting collaboration between their artists and Valley Fiesta.
Don't forget to eat and drink grab a brew and bite @fifthbattery.

Brewed Coffee

After much consideration a brewed option will feature on our coffee menu. Our brewed drinks will be made using the Aeropress coffee brewer which we have been selling since June 2008. It's simple, easy to clean, and produces clean and full bodied coffee which can be easily replicated at home.

Coffee Only...

Coffee this Wednesday through to Friday closed over the weekend and come Monday 30th officially open the doors for full service.

Sneak Peak!

First Roast!

Spent Saturday learning the Diedrich, creating a few profiles manually roasting and then recalling these profiles and letting the automation do its thing.
The automation system has blown us away!
This does not replace the job of the Roaster, you still need their skill set and experience to produce the roast profile.
But it is a tool which enhances the Roasters experience and allows him/her to hone their skills while recording the profile which then can be stored, recalled and duplicated obtaining consistent results time again.
Can't wait to cup!

Lets get roasted!

Delivered to our door today the brand spanking new Diedrich IR-12 commercial 12kg batch in-store coffee roaster with roast profiling automation control system. Check out the colour - the PANTONE Army palette was put to good use!

Blend Development...

After much consultation with green bean merchants our baristas and some helpful advice from the boys at Brisbanes newest specialty roaster and cafe (Cup) we have reserved our greens for the remaining period until next years crop arrives.

Being mindful of availability and quality we set out to achieve the following.

Brother Espresso House Blend....
Aroma: Spice and toffee
Flavor profile: Berries, sweet citrus and caramel

Fifth Battery Seasonal Blend…
Flavor profile: Chocolate and fruit notes

After cupping and throwing a few ideas around and some sacrifices this is what we come up with…

Brother Espresso House Blend (4 bean blend)
40% Indonesian (twisty notes, good body, clean aftertaste and fruity/earthy flavour/fragrance)
20% Indian (spice)
20% Nicaraguan (sweet caramel/refined notes)
20% Ethiopia

Fifth Battery Seasonal Blend (3 bean blend)
40% Brazil
40% Ethiopia
20 % Nicaraguan

Stay tuned for Taste Descpriptions

A taste if things to come....

Got some greens to sample... Brazil, Ethiopian, Indonesian, Indian and Guatemalan. Our focus is the Brother Espresso House Blend and Fifth Battery Seasonal Blend.

Easter Greetings!

Happy Easter to you with all best wishes.

First in the world...

Diedrich have advised that our new IR12 roaster should be ready to ship mid February.
Diedrich have also advised us that we are getting the very latest version of their automation software on our roaster (the first IR roaster in the world to get it, actually!). This brand new software was developed for the larger CR roasting plants, and Diedrich have decided to utilize the same platform on their IR roasters. This new system we are told is a step up in sophistication.