Cafe Virtuoso

The Festival of Arts in North Park

Julie — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:33:22 +0000

Come find us this Sunday in North Park at the festival of Arts. We will be located on Ray St. in front of Oh My Dog! Photography. This is a great event for families with Art, Music, Great COFFEE, and Food.

Visit NorthParkfestivalofarts.com for more information and location.

Taking Single Cup Brewing to a New Level

Stephan — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:07:08 +0000

For the last few years, one of the biggest trends in coffee has been single brew cups. Coffee companies like Intelligensia have found a way to make pour over work on a large scale basis. When I talk to our friends / customers, there always seems to be a common thread to the comments – consistency. My own experience with pour-over has been that I have had some of the best and some of the most mediocre cups of coffee. The skill and experience of a Barista is probably more evident here than on an espresso machine. Furthermore, different coffees respond differently to pre-wetting, total length of extraction and number of pours … etc. For all of these reasons, many of the cafes here in San Diego that have implemented Hario bars have soon abandoned them.

We have been intermittently using a number of methods in our cafe over the last couple years including vacuum, Chemex and the Clever dripper but until now have not committed ourselves to a single cup program. Enter the Gold Cup Brewer! This machine was conceived to address exactly these issues. From rinsing the filter to setting the pre-wet and pulsing for every coffee, this machine is fully programmable – and consistent. If we don’t like the way a particular origin is coming out, we can adjust it until we get it right and then know that the result is repeatable.

This Brewer offers a wonderful solution for a great many venues who wish to focus on quality but need to eliminate waste. A fine dining restaurant can now produce a perfect cup of coffee for every customer and not worry about throwing away pots of coffee.

So what are you waiting for? Come on down and try a cup of our Honey Processed Costa Rica.

La Mesa Fair Trade Gift Faire

Stephan — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 18:28:15 +0000

The annual La Mesa Fair Trade Gift Faire will be held on October 16, 2011 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stop by and get a cup of coffee to accompany you on your trip through the faire.

Mocca Java Blend

Stephan — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:39:34 +0000

Mocca Java is likely the world’s first coffee blend. During the Ottoman empire, coffee came through the Yemen port of Mocca which lead to its nickname of “Mocca” in europe. After the Dutch were able to successfully cultivate coffee on the Indonesian island of Java, it probably didn’t take long for this blend to be created. One of the most well-rounded cups of coffee available, you will find notes of citrus swimming in a heavy bodied chocolate base. As your cup cools, a remarkable range of flavors and characteristics are paraded across your palate.

Certifications: Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance

Virtuoso Espresso

Stephan — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:50:17 +0000

Born in the traditions of the finest European Espressos, this coffee is a premium blend that is designed to be enjoyed by the connoisseur. Sweet, rich creamy body with a panoply of flavors that evolve and linger pleasantly.

Certifications: Organic, Fair Trade

Podcast with Jubilee Economics

Stephan — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:34:34 +0000

October is Fair Trade month and as part of the celebration, Cafe Virtuoso was featured in a Podcast with Jubilee Economics.

Jubilee Ecomomics mission is to promote practices, ideas, and stories for living economically on Earth, our one-planet home. For more information visit their website at

http://jubilee-economics.org/

Listen now to “Coffee As A Virtue”

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

Stephan — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:06:54 +0000

Billed by Ken Davids (coffeereview.com) as “one of the world’s most remarkable coffees,” Yirgacheffe (pronounced YERG-AH’-CHEF-AY) comes from the birthplace of coffee.

The distinctive characteristics of Yirgacheffe are a smooth bodied coffee with complex citrus flavors and chocolate overtones.

Certifications: Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance

Peru (French Roast)

Stephan — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 04:15:58 +0000

Peru is home to some of the best coffees in the world. Introduction of Fair Trade and Organics into the communities of this country has resulted in many poster stories for these programs. The coffee from this cooperative is shade grown under Inga and other native trees and is a blend of Typica, Pache, Bourbon and Caturra varieties.

The resulting coffee yields a wonderful French Roast that is smooth and smoky, with a full body, low acidity and exceptionally clean finish.

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic and Bird Friendly

Guatemala – Guaya’b

Stephan — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 03:37:11 +0000

Guaya’b is located in an extremely remote region of Huehuetenango in the highlands of western Guatemala. The coffee is grown under lush shade canopies, to reduce erosion while creating a natural habitat for native and migratory bird species. From the introduction of coffee into the Jacaltenango region 40 years ago, the natural habitats, flora and fauna have slowly made a comeback from the once de-forested land. In addition to coffee, Guaya’b members also cultivate honey, offering additional income for the farmers.

This coffee has a sweet floral fragrance and is full of cherry, raspberry and chocolate flavors.

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic and Bird-Friendly.

Costa Rica

Stephan — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 00:00:49 +0000

The majority of Costa Rican coffee comes from Tarrazu, near Volcan Poas, in the Southern Pacific region. Tarrazu is the most densely planted, high altitude region and is celebrated for its rich soil. The region is referred to as “Los Monjes de Tarrazu,” by the indigenous group Huetar and is characterized by its humidity, mountainous paths and an extraordinarily green landscape, conditions which produce high quality coffee. This is a sweet chocolaty coffee with soft berry notes, smooth rich body and long pleasant aftertaste.

Certifications: Organic, Fair Trade.