“Coffee is a process, not a destination”
“The offering at TRUTH. coffeecult consists of our five blends, namely Resurrection Blend, Vengeance Blend, Antithesis Blend, Donde’s Chaos and Organic, with an emphasis on the preparation technique. The blends themselves have names that should hopefully resonate with each of the people they are developed for” says Donde.
TRUTH’s coffee is sourced from all over the world and roasted in the Artisan process, this means there isn’t a formula for roasting, that each coffee is roasted according to its own needs to maximize the flavour profile of that individual coffee. TRUTH prides itself on coffees which are roasted and sold fresh, producing beans that are never bitter and with the emphasis being on fullness of flavour.
Coffee as religion?
Not all coffees are created equal.
The streets are overflowing with watery brew; and this taste bud nightmare continues to exist because good people remain silent.
No longer! This travesty of coffee justice ends right here with this institution. At Truth. the bitter horror of the over-roasted bean is avoided, the coarse grind is banished and poor preparation is shunned.
Say no to mediocrity!
Experience coffee as a religion.
TRUTH Offerings
RESURRECTION BLEND: “How Strong?’ You ask. “Well,” we reply, “strong enough to resurrect even those that stupidly chose to drink Kool-Aid.”
VENGEANCE BLEND: A forgiving blend that is never forgotten. We drink it. Others live it. Some would die for it.
ANTITHESIS BLEND: “Do you have a pacemaker?” We ask. “Yes.” You reply. “Then this is perfect for you,” we say only with the slightest hint of ag-shame, “It’s coffee without palpitations, or caffeine.”
DONDE’S CHAOS: If you aspire to be: a megalomaniac, the dictator of a small oil-producing country or the charismatic leader of a cult, then this one is for you. Coffee for the crazies inspired
ORGANIC: Leaps tall buildings in a single stride, saves innocents and maintains coffee justice on a daily basis. All this without any of the nasties. Goes well with barefeet and lentils.
The Benefits of Coffee
Despite some critics reporting the negative effects which coffee has on your health, as with anything there is always another side to the story…Coffeehas been said to:
- Lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer
- Lift your mood
- Purported to have 14x more anti-oxidants than blueberries
- Can interestingly treat headaches in some cases
- Makes you more alert and boosts concentration
- Coffee is a good source of antioxidants
- Coffee drinkers have shown a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular causes than non-drinkers
- There’s also some evidence that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication is unavailable
- Coffee causes the release of dopamine which makes you feel good
“Overall, coffee research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful,” says Tomas DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies.
Interesting Coffee Facts
- 1.4 billion cups of coffee are consumed on every full turn of our planet (however, not all taste good!). It’s the planet’s biggest drink, by far.
- The average coffee drinker in South Africa consumes 0.6kg of roasted coffee per year (2006); but this figure is growing by about ten percent per year
- Coffee is the world’s second largest traded commodity after oil by value. We spend more on coffee than on steel
(http://www.coffeecompany.co.za/coffee_facts.htm)
A Word or Two from Donde on Coffee…
Why is it that the first and last things given to the average restaurant patron are often the least thought of and worst items at the venue? How often is the bread hard and stale and the coffee old, cold and bitter? How does this make our punter evaluate the experience?
What is expected of coffee and what can it do for us?
Coffee is a driver. By this I mean it is one of the few things that will get someone in their car to drive out of their way for. (Bread & Cigarettes will do this too) What can this mean for us?
SA is at the beginning of a boom in Café culture. What this means for us is an opportunity is available for both up-selling and return business if only we can exceed client expectations.
Most of us will have noticed a decrease in coffee sales at our venues while in a coffee boom. How can this be?
Coffee is no worse at our venues. Expectations have got higher. We are not delivering on these expectations.
But I hear: “I get no complaints about my coffee” all the time. Why bother complaining? The same mistakes will be in the second cup as the first, and they probably only needed caffeine fix anyway.
What happens if we can exceed the expectations? Our experience is that the AVERAGE coffee sale starts approaching 2 cups per customer. So here we have it the choice is out there. If current standards are maintained and a mediocre coffee is delivered the odd patron will order the odd cup. With a great coffee reputation in place, the coffee geeks are ordering two cups a piece!
My personal goal is to have coffee deliver the taste that the aroma of freshly ground coffee promises. And no, bitter coffee is NOT strong coffee! Why don’t we serve sugar as a dessert, sweet tasting enough, it should meet our dessert needs? It lacks complexity. We need the same concept of complexity from our coffee. We want a variety of interesting flavours and mouthfeel.
Different terroir’s (growing conditions and locations aka territories), make different flavours available to the coffees. Altitude, soils, macro & micro climates, are all location specific factors altering the characteristics of the coffee.
Storage conditions, roasting techniques, age of beans, freshness after roast and preparation techniques and conditions will all have dramatic effects on coffee character, or lack thereof. Unbelievably coffee is only fresh for 2 weeks after roasting and 4 minutes after grinding.
There are no Magic Coffee beans, Magic Espresso machines or even Magic Baristas. If all three are in place and the equipment is cleaned hourly, the magic can begin to happen. Lest we not forget filter coffee can be a magical experience. Not after it is heated by an element or the cheapest beans available are used and what we remember as cheap motel coffee is produced! But filter from single estates with a balanced bespoke roast, freshly ground and brewed into a vacuum urn 2 approximately 60g of coffee per litre of just-under-boiling-water can change your perspective forever.
So save a little money on each cup through non dedicated staff, preparation equipment, and of course cheap coffee or… up your game and see the other side. What is the GP on two cups? !
