Slayer

The Top Ten Coffee Gifts for the Home Barista in Your Life

December 1, 2014 By Michael 1 Comment

The holiday season is upon us, and you need relevant gift ideas. Whether you’re looking to find something special for the caffeine-addict in your life or a hint to drop around your rich relatives- we’ve got the coffee gift guide to meet all of your consumerist needs.

1. The World Atlas of Coffee by James Hoffmann

Coffee professionals have long lamented the absence of an authoritative, single-volume introduction to coffee. Coffee luminary James Hoffmann’s The World Atlas of Coffee aims to change that. Hoffmann is a former world barista champion and the founder of one of England’s most esteemed coffee companies, and he claims writing the book was his most challenging endeavor yet. After reading it, we understand why. The World Atlas offers concise, clear explanation about coffee varieties, farming practices, brew methods, and history. Perhaps most impressively it has a profile of every major coffee producing country, from America to Zambia. This book belongs in every coffee drinker’s library….

Could These Slayer Espresso Machines Be Any Cooler?

July 16, 2014 By Michael 2 Comments

We’ve been in love with Slayer for some time. Our first post at The Compass featured Sunergos Coffee’s downtown espresso-focused concept shop, which boasts the first Slayer ever installed in Kentucky. Photographer Brian Moats’s snapshots of Barista Parlor’s machine made us feel strangely patriotic (perhaps because Slayer espresso machines are designed and built in the USA). And Slayer’s recently released single group machine had us wishing the limit on our credit card was slightly higher. Given our long time crush, we couldn’t be anymore giddy to welcome Slayer to our growing list of sponsors. To commemorate this momentous occasion (for us anyway), we’ve curated a list of our favorite customized Slayer espresso machines….

You Should Be Following These 5 Baristas on Instagram

June 12, 2014 By Michael 3 Comments

Perhaps the only thing better than sitting down with your first cup of coffee in the morning is living vicariously through a picture of someone else’s. Baristas tend to be creative types, so it’s little wonder many barista Instagram accounts are as carefully curated as an art gallery or lifestyle brand. The following 5 baristas consistently dropped some of the most inspiring photographs on the interwebs. …

Interview: Chris Elliott of Slayer Espresso

May 8, 2014 By Darren 1 Comment

Our intimate coffee community in Louisville recently lost one of its brightest young coffee professionals to the coffee Mecca known as Seattle. We were excited to catch up with Chris Elliott at SCAA and ask him a few questions about his new role at Slayer Espresso.

It’s safe to say a lot of baristas would kill to work for a company like Slayer (get it?). What exactly will you be doing? Is this your dream job?

Usually, my work here fits quite neatly in a couple of categories: marketing and content. My job is to make Slayer look good, mostly through social media and writing for our website. Slayer is a small company, though, so I wear a lot of hats. Actually, I joke that I own the hat store. That should hint at the range of my work. Also, isn’t there a word for “hat store”? Let me ask @hermitudinous. Anyway, I’ve joined some serious momentum because the product has already made a lot of noise and the brand’s image is somewhat established. That makes my job a lot easier. And, yeah, this is exactly what I want to be doing right now. I’m crazy about coffee, but I really enjoy this unique view of the industry – from behind a desk, that is. I like to write and it turns out that there’s a lot to say about …

On the Road: Travels of a Barista Dirt Bag, Part I – Barista Parlor

October 11, 2013 By Guest 3 Comments

Day 1: 10/6/ 2013

Editor’s note: Travels of a Barista Dirt Bag is an ongoing series of dispatches from barista/ guest blogger Zach Hester. The search for a delicious cup of coffee is taking Zach from his native Kentucky bluegrass, down the Mississippi Delta, across the Southwest to the shining Pacific Ocean. Tune in each day for a fresh update.

On The Road

We took off a day and several hours past what we had originally planned. By “we,” I mean myself and long time friend and vagabond, Ian Herrick, who has just made his way back stateside from a long stay over in Costa Rica as a hired hand on a sustainable farm. His latest addendum to his diverse CV: planting a banana orchard. It’s no wonder we’ve left Louisville with something to be desired in the department of punctuality, although I am mainly to blame for this. It’s October 6^th and sometime around three in the afternoon. We’re driving south on 65 and still some miles north of Nashville. Tropical Storm Karen’s rains are very much present in the atmosphere. Everything has cooled over the last 24 hours and our field of view comes in and out with the rhythms of windshield wipers. We’re listening to the Beta Band, loudly. …

The Coffee Compass is at CoffeeFest NYC 2013

March 7, 2013 By Michael 1 Comment

photo: Javits Center

CoffeeFest NYC 2013

CoffeeFest. It’s like the Woodstock of the coffee world. Baristas from Japan, Korea, and all over North America (including this barista) are flying in to compete in the mother of all latte art throw downs: the Latte Art World Championship Open. Bragging rights and $2,500 in the form of an oversized check await the winner. On the trade show floor the latest equipment in the industry is on display and exciting new coffees are ready to be sampled. But of course for most attenders it’s all about the networking.

If that weren’t enough for you, CoffeeFest NYC, hosted at the Jacob K. Javits Center, March 8-10, will feature a couple of exciting new competitions. Making its CoffeeFest debut is America’s Best Espresso Competition, a head-to-head tournament featuring 24 leading baristas and coffee roasters. Baristas will have six minutes to prepare a round of espressos on a Slayer espresso machine for a distinguished panel of judges (which also includes a certain Louisville-based coffee writer). The espresso will be evaluated for its flavor complexity, mouthfeel, and aftertaste.

America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition, presented by Davinci Gourmet*, is a newer event that pits the best cafes in the USA against each other. Entire crews from coffee shops around America are tasked with running the convention’s cafe in shifts. Secret judges will evaluate each team on coffee quality, teamwork, and customer service.

Don’t forget to watch it live

Wish you were going but can’t make it? Before you go and drown your tears in a conciliatory cappuccino, check out the livestream of the Best Coffeehouse Competition.

Friday http://new.livestream.com/accounts/2830840/events/1894089
Saturday http://new.livestream.com/accounts/2830840/events/1894203
Sunday (FINALS) http://new.livestream.com/accounts/2830840/events/1895080

Also, stay glued to our Twitter feed for live updates from the Latte Art World Championship Open and the floor of the tradeshow. I’ll be available for chatting at the Center. Contact me by sending a DM to my twitter handle @mjbutterworth or @CoffeeNESW. In the mean time, start practicing those rosettas and tulips – there’s still time to apply for CoffeeFest Chicago, June 7-9.

*America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition is made possible by the generous support and sponsorship of the following companies: Deviancy Gourmet is the proud presenting sponsor. Design & Layout Services designed and fabricated the coffeehouse competition venue. SelbySoft, Inc. point of sale systems and Natvia the 100% Natural Sweetener are proud to support this competition and coffeehouses across America. Mahlkoenig has provided the whole bean and espresso grinders.

Barista Parlor: Anchoring Nashville’s Coffee Scene

September 13, 2012 By Michael 3 Comments

You’ve probably heard your favorite band being played in your local coffee shop, but you probably have never seen your favorite band there, unless your local coffee shop is Barista Parlor in Nashville, TN. But then again, Barista Parlor is far from your typical coffee shop.

Tucked away in a remodeled garage just off of Gallatin Ave, East Nashville’s main thoroughfare, Barista Parlor is marked by a giant horizontal anchor and a rather garish orange and blue exterior. The high-ceilinged interior has the aura of an abandoned WWII hanger, which may be influenced by BP’s penchant for 1940s and 50s music and vintage decor. Customers chat at hand-crafted tables that circle an island of high end coffee machinery. The far wall is filled with a contemporary art piece of a pixilated ship which only becomes visible when viewed through a smart phone or camera. Owner Andy Mumma’s meticulous attention to detail has even attracted the attention of the New York Times, whose article talked more about the furniture than the coffee.

If there’s one word to describe Barista Parlor’s approach to specialty coffee it’s…

Concept Espresso Bar Invades Downtown Louisville

August 23, 2012 By Michael 9 Comments

Louisville is a city that was built by the craft beverage industry. In another era, its location on the Ohio River made it the primary port for shipping bourbon across America. Recently it’s seen the burgeoning growth of a craft coffee community, featuring a slew of latte art throw downs, eccentric home roasters, and even the premier of a comic short film about barista culture. But perhaps the coffee community’s biggest step forward is a new concept espresso bar in the heart of downtown….