New Roaster

Found a new to me roaster with a cafe on Lark street yesterday.  Caffe Vero.  You’ll have to learn more about them from them, as in ask when you visit, as their website does little to educate.   You can get most of the information offered on their site from their card.

The space is beautifully done, but I knew they were serious when I saw their bright and shiny, dare I say magical, Synesso machine on the counter.   Seeing that machine, for better and worse my expectations went through the roof.

The verdict?  They pulled a shot I enjoyed.  Not the best I have had, but easily the best available in a retail joint in Albany.  To get a bead on my palette and preference, I place the shots I have had at Victrola in Seattle on the top of the heap.  For a localish point of comparison, never pass up a chance to enjoy an espresso at Swallow in Hudson (they use a Synesso machine and Stumptown roasts).

I wonder whether the barista at Caffe Vero had adjusted the grinder since the morning, as I think I pulled as good a shot at home with their beans on my first try.   I suspect they let the store get cold at night and then as the heat comes on in the day the air dries out and, along with the air, their beans.  Drier beans probably call for a finer grind to get the best result.  Just a guess, though.  My shot is below (maybe over-extracted…  is that what the white froth indicates?  Blonding?). 

With  their machine and experience, they should have easily shamed my effort.   I’ve  seen baristas toss  one or two shots  as they got things  dialed in (generally adjusting the grinder each time).  On my visit to Caffe Vero, I am not even sure they ground the beans after I ordered.  Unless I am mistaken,  they just dosed into the filter  from what was already  ground in the chamber of the grinder.   Maybe it was only minutes old.  Better than some places in town (which shovel grinds from a bucket holding  hours worth of pre-ground beans), but I expected more.  I hope I am remembering their performance incorrectly.  Its just that I am struggling to  find a reason why their shot  wasn’t  to the moon.

At home I got a nice inky pull suggesting the beans I bought there were probably very recently roasted.  Very fresh beans are half the battle (much over a week and flavors start to check out).  Maybe they roast a little longer than would be my preference.  I wonder whether some of the fruits were lost, but they are aiming for Italian espresso (something I know nothing about), so maybe they are hitting it out of the park in which they mean to be playing.

I do know that espresso roasts are all different.  You need to find the one that appeals to you.  I encourage you to give this cafe and their roasts a try.  I’ll be going back there for shots on the run if not for beans for home.  Maybe sometimes for beans at home.

Even if you find another roaster that appeals more, I will be surprised if you don’t agree that the folks at Caffe Vero are very nice and care very much about their product.  They also seem to focus a fair amount of energy on latte art.   Examples abound on their site and on their walls.  I don’t order lattes, though, so that energy is wasted on me.   You into lattes?  Put them to the test, then snap a picture and share it with me!

By the way, Joralemon is back to normal.  Still signs of the great flood, but all holes on the front 18 are now playable.  Didn’t check out the back holes, though.  If you are playing the front only, feel free to leave your Wellies at home.  I dropped back into the 60s this morning, fueled by an espresso I pulled with Caffe Vero beans (really enjoyed it this morning) and a couple of apple toaster pastries.  Life is good!

Be well!