Follow your dreams
But be careful what you wish for…
When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. — Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Be very careful what you wish for.
I was sharing a coffee with a friend Kelly. Keith, why do you not stay longer in Athens? Next day, Keith what are you doing here? Be careful what you wish for Kelly, I missed my flight.
I treated a friend Georgia to a coffee. Georgia hates coffee. Take a sip, if do not like it, leave it, you do not have to drink it. Whilst the barista was brewing a coffee as per my instructions with the coffee beans I had brought along I explained to Georgia why she did not like coffee.
Rubbish coffee, lack of good equipment, not a skilled barista, served too hot, an unpleasant bitter taste. Yes she replied, it is always too hot and always an unpleasant bitter taste.
She took a tentative sip, then drank the entire cup. I thought you did not like coffee? I don’t, but this I enjoyed. I hope you noticed you did not add any sugar. Oh no, I did not add sugar.
Now Georgia has an espresso machine in her house. When she picks me up at the airport, she asks I bring her specialty coffee.
Oh what a difference that first cup of specialty coffee brewed by a skilled barista makes. And once tried, there is no going back
Santiago in The Alchemist follows his dreams.
Federico Bolaños refused to touch coffee, it was an unpleasant drink. Until at the house of a friend he was offered a coffee made with beans from the family farm. He could not believe coffee could taste so good. There was no looking back. Why was no one drinking coffee this good? He decided to open a coffee shop serving the best coffee in El Salvador. With business partners he co-founded Viva Espresso.
Federico Bolaños became the co-owner of three coffee shops in El Salvador.
Alejandro Mendez had to drop out of university after his first year, his father had lost his job, he would now have to support the family and find a job.
He applied for a job at Viva Espresso, he knew nothing of coffee, indeed he hated the stuff, it was the disgusting instant coffee his mother drank.
When Federico Bolaños hears his story he sees he has potential and offers him a job.
Federico Bolaños has a dream. A barista from El Salvador to win the World Barista Championship.
Federico Bolaños fulfils his dream of helping a young Salvadoran win one of the hardest championships in coffee, he wants to aim higher. But his business partners tell him he risks losing their business.
Alejandro Mendez wins the World Barista Championship in 2011, but Federico Bolaños does not stop there, he sees the hunger in the eyes of his young baristas, they too want to be world champions.
He tries again, his barista William Hernandez makes it into the top three.
But it all exacts a heavy price on his coffee business, they require an investment of external capital to keep the business afloat. The new investors want him out.
El Salvador never again wins the World Championships.
Federico Bolaños makes a come back, a South Korean company seeks his help, they want a crack at the world championship.
His protege, a girl, wins the World Championship, only the second time in its history has a female barista won.
An unbelievable three baristas, all thanks to one man having a dream.
Many of the baristas of Viva Espresso, now ex-baristas, have moved on to open coffee shops with their colleagues.
Federico Bolaños has established Alquimia Coffee, Alejandro Mendez established 4 Monkeys Coffee Roasters.
Our modern day alchemists take coffee beans, use fire, and turn it into an elixir.
Something all independent coffee shops can do, should do, tell the story of the coffee they are serving.
A discussion I had a couple of years ago with Stephen Leighton of Hasbean, how much information to put on a coffee bag? Coffeeography tells the story of the coffee farms he visits.
For the farmer it means so much.
Ceylon House of Coffee in Guildford tells the story of how it came into being.
Ceylon is known for tea, but a century ago until coffee leaf rust struck, it was known for coffee.
The story of the Victorian plantations, discovery of coffee trees a century old, selecting the best coffee cherries, establishing new plantations.
We are seeing the emergence of a Fourth Wave in coffee. The first three waves were determined by the West. The Fourth Wave is led by the coffee producing countries, specialty coffee shops are opening with close ties to the growers.
In Indonesia a coffee tasting wheel has been developed referencing local fruits and berries. [see Drift no 9 Bali edition]
The Fourth Wave takes coffee forward. It improves the quality of coffee grown, higher prices are paid.
We rarely see Mexican coffee. It is not that Mexico does not grow coffee, coffee shops in Mexico City are willing to pay a high price, which drives foreign buyers out of the market, as price too high once include shipping costs. [see Drift No 6 Mexico City edition]
One of the rare exceptions to the rule, Coffee Gems has Monte Alban, Bourbon, Typica, from Oaxaca. Tasting notes of vanilla, mandarin, buttery body and almonds.
Buy coffee from specialty coffee shops and roasteries. Always check the roast date for freshness. If no roast date it is for a reason, old coffee.
The story of Federico Bolaños and Alejandro Mendez following their dreams is now a Duolingo podcast.
James Harper is host and producer of Filter Stories, a documentary-style podcast revealing the often dark reality but with glimmers of hope of the world of coffee. The untold stories hidden in your cup of coffee. He has also produced Adventures in Coffee, a Caffeine Magazine podcast (hosted by Jools Walker and Caffeine founder Scott Bailey).
A shorter version of this post has been published on wordpress. [see Follow your dreams]
