Wow! So that’s 2019 almost done! What a year! We are amazed at how much we have done and grown, thank you for your support and custom! Without you, there would be nothing!
We are finishing the year with a bang, not only do we have our amazing holiday box specials, we are also feature in our regular subscription the amazing Stiller’s Coffee. Read on for our interview with the man himself, Søren Stiller Markussen.
Don’t forget to check out our webshop, where you can purchase additional coffee for the holidays or indeed anytime! There is always coffee roasted by Bean Bros available, we also feature some limited stock of specials and of course some amazing equipment. Buy now as a treat forthose you love or simply love yourself!
We wish you a wonderful holiday season, all the best for 2020 and we lookforward to sharing more great coffee with you!
Please tell us a bit about your Coffee philosophy.
Basically, it’s very simple. Do the best you can or don’t. I don’t like to make it too complicated. I think coffee needs to be digestible for the consumer, and not complicated to manage.When I started roasting in 2008, after becoming no 6 in the world, I thought coffee was so complicated. I was finding times that the coffee tasted less/or not good at all. So, I started to roast because I thought therewas a much simpler approach to coffee. Not so volatile, more flavours andhigher margin for doing it right. Finding coffee that is recognizable – but still leaves the customer feeling “Iwant to learn more”.
Ju-jitsu - Coffee roasting and brewing.... discipline, focus, practise, fine margins...all build to success – are there similarities? Is there an approach to your life that brings results for you, in things that you do?
Yes definitely, focus and practise, but practise on the wrong thing doesn’t really leave you anywhere! I spend around 1-2 years trying to make latte art wasting it all in the drain,because no one was able to explain to you how and why, even though I worked together with some of the best in the world!It was a different decade then, but also an industry with people who didn’tleave you with anything other than myth. You can take the 25 sec rule, everyone made their espresso extracting for 25 sec with 1 oz and if you used the David Schomer technique you could basically consider yourself as one of the best in the world. For me practise never stops. Finding new ways, new methods – better results. Understanding the smaller margins that makes a difference.
Tell us about your partnership with El Salvador, Finca Santa Petrona
I have worked together with the Pacas family for 6 years now. And for me, it’s important to retain and keep a mutual partnership that keeps retaining the quality of coffee in the long run. They are always adjusting on their production methods trying to do things better. Same approach as I have myself. It’s a family with 5 generations of people working with their hands. And I really like this approach. Any other key aspects you would like to highlight about your work at the source with other partners?I always try to find partners that can help me to get a better understanding of what I do. This is basically a simple rule I have.
How do you recommend our subscribers get the best from your coffee this month?
Washed caturra:
I would recommend starting out with the washed Caturra variety. Grind it coarse, as I like this to be a brighter version, highlighting the more perfume like aromas. I can also recommend grinding it finer, if you want the chocolate note to appear more.
Best on Hario, Chemex, December dripper.
Dose = 15g
Preinfuse with = 50g water
bloom for 20 sec.
2 step pour water until 150g
3 step pour water until 190g
4 step pour water until 230g
Yellow honey Sudan/SarchiIs best when its 12-15 days old. Same method as washed Caturra, but best on Hario, December dripper or Siphon. I really like this one when it brewed on the brighter side.
Red honey Geisha:
It is best on 19 days and further. If you leave it to rest for 6 weeks – the flavors appear more distinct. Best on Hario and with a course setting.
Dose = 15g
Preinfuse with = 50g water
Bloom for 20 sec.
2 step pour water until 150g
3 step pour water until 190g
4 step pour water until 230g
Why is competition important to you and what are your plans in this area?
Competition strengthens my ability to push boundaries, sharpens my mindand the mindset of improving yourself. Most important, it brings me out of
my comfort zone and widens my learning curve. I don’t know if I would ever stop competing. Not to win, but to always challenge myself
