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63 www.baristamagazine.com brewer, I would tweak different variables one at a time and taste the results blindly. So, for example, I would brew the same coffee with the same brewers at the same time, but change the grind setting slightly. And then I would change the ratios. I did the same type of preparation for the compulsory coffees. And I definitely used a TDS meter. My preparation for the open service was closely tied to a script that I memorized and rehearsed many, many times. I didn't want to have to think much about what I was saying so that I could focus on how I was preparing and brewing the coffee. If I were to compete again, I think I'd be a little less tied to a script, and more focused on how the judges are perceiving everything. For example, am I repeating key things that I want them to remember? Am I giving them enough time to write down what I am saying? Am I smil- ing and making them feel comfortable, or am I losing them in a whirl- wind of words and coming across as too serious? Am I talking too much about myself and what I've experienced with this coffee? There's a lot to balance when competing, but now seeing the competition from both the competitor's side and the judge's side, I think there is much to be said about a genuine and comfortable presence with the judges. SA: On to Sweet Bloom: How has the first year been? AS: Despite a whole lot of worry, serious freak outs (I may have kicked a coffee barrel across the roastery, and slammed my hand very pain- fully on the desk after discovering I blended Brazil into four barrels of what was meant to be a single-origin Ethiopia), and the general and persistent feeling of, "I have no idea what I'm doing and what I've got- ten myself into," we've had an amazing first year. Our numbers are well above fairly conservative projections—we are grateful. After a lot of debate about what roaster to choose, in the end I decided to go with the roaster I learned on: a 25-pound San Franciscan. These machines are workhorses and are super heavy, so they hold their heat very well. And there is much to be said about familiarity. I've been greatly blessed to have my nephew Caleb as my first employ- ee. He was here from day one of leasing our space, and has gone from a tea-loving freak to one of the best baristas in Colorado. It has been fan- tastic to see him take over the café and make it his own. He takes great pride in what he does and our customers love his gracious service. And if you want to know the secret to much of our success, it comes from a gentleman named Lloyd, who is 82 years young, and who volun- teers three days of his week to be by our side helping us with whatever needs to be done. Lloyd joined us during the build-out, and he is hugely responsible for making our café look like the work of a craftsman rath- er than the work of a coffee roaster with a skilsaw and a $20 drill from Wal-Mart. These days, Lloyd helps with the coffee bagging and coffee delivery. Don't be surprised if you see him competing in the 2015 Brewers Cup. And our most recent employee is Chey. She's a seasoned barista who has joined our team to mostly help behind the bar. This nearly com- pletely frees me to focus on sourcing, roasting, and growing wholesale. And I should mention that my father comes in on roast days to help out with entering orders so I can get an earlier start to the day. When my mom drops by, you'll find her in the back doing the dishes and helping to keep Sweet Bloom tidy. SA: Tell us about the program you're starting to bring your producer partners to visit Sweet Bloom in Colorado. AS: I will travel a little to buy coffee, but our real mission is to connect producers with end consumers. What this means to us is to invite rep- resentatives from specific farms or growing groups to come to Sweet Bloom. We want producers to visit Colorado and meet the people who serve their coffee. We plan to set apart an evening where retail and THE ONE-STOP PRO SHOP All of your specialty coffee needs in one, convenient location. WWW.BARISTAPROSHOP.COM/AD/BAR 1-866-PRO LATTE High-quality products and professional service to help your business succeed. CHECKOUTTONSOFPHOTOSOFBARISTASAND CAFÉSFROMAROUNDTHEWORLDANDSENDUS PHOTOSANDNEWSFROMYOUROWNCAFÉ! FINDOUTABOUTCOFFEEEVENTSINYOURAREANEW CAFEOPENINGSANDINDUSTRYUPDATESONOUR FACEBOOKTWITTERANDINSTAGRAM! follow us on Facebook at Barista magazine follow us on twitter! @BARISTAMAGAZINE follow us on Instagram @baristamagazine