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We are nearing completion of our new shop at 50 21st Street. This week should be a very productive week. I’m not about to make any guarantees, but if the counter tops are installed in time we’ll be in pretty good shape by week’s end. Following the counter tops we have a few things to do, namely:
- Install our second Synesso Cyncra espresso machine
- Install Western Pa’s first Clover coffee brewer
- Install our new refrigerators and food prep stuff
- Move our bulk and espresso grinders
- Move our airpot coffee brewer - we’ll still use it for catering and filling up the 160 ounce “Box o’ Joe”
- Move our ice maker, deli case, refrigerator, cash register
The Synesso and Clover are very significant because we will be able to brew each shot of espresso and each cup of coffee at the optimal temperature (and time) to bring out the best attributes of each particular coffee we’re using. Given that all of Intelligentsia’s coffees are outstanding, this should amount to some wonderful drinks.
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So we can have our new air conditioning unit installed 
Sorry, we’re not closing early to move our stuff over to the new place, we just need to get some cool air going after our current unit gave up the ghost. Scaffolding must be set up and it will pretty much prevent us from serving customers.
On another note, the new place is almost done! Hopefully the next special hours announcement will be for the move.
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Geoff Watts of Intelligentsia discusses how Organic Certification factors in to the Direct Trade model.
“It is most definitely true that there is a lot of coffee grown in situations where zero chemical fertilizer, fungacide, herbacide, or pesticides are applied, but where the coffee carries no certifications of any kind. Most of the time these are “organic by default” coffees where the farmer cannot access or afford chemicals, so it’s not a choice to be organic, but simple necessity.”
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Geoff Watts of Intelligentsia explains the ins and outs of Shade-Grown Coffee.
In the article, he provides some arguments for and against shade-grown certification (courtesy of the NW Shade Coffee Campaign)…
For:
- Without certification growers can’t earn a premium for shade-grown coffee.
- Without certification consumers can’t be confident that they are getting true shade-grown coffee.
- Without certification there is no basis for holding companies accountable for their claims.
- Major companies say they can’t ask the market to trust them the way a small company might; they have to have certification to have credibility.
- Companies may tell the public, “Most of our coffee is shade grown,” lulling customers into thinking they are helping the environment. Even if much of the coffee is shade grown, it’s not helping growers as much as certified shade-grown coffee.
- Certification ensures reliable scientific standards are met, as opposed to subjective judgments by people who don’t necessarily know all requirements for viable habitats.
Against:.
- It is difficult to hold certifiers accountable or to enforce truth in labeling in the face of political instability and endemic corruption.
- Certification does not eliminate the possibility of fraud. Even if certifiers are on the up-and-up, there is nothing to prevent labeling sun coffee bags as “shade-grown.”
- Brokers who actually visit the farms and are known and trusted in the coffee industry are more reliable than certification.
- Shade certification in and of itself doesn’t insure a premium for farmers.
- Requiring certification limits the availability of shade coffee to consumers because certification is expensive and time-consuming. Certification will make the retail price too high.
- Some brokers do far more for the growers than certification demands. They provide market access and technical assistance and pay well above market prices.
- It should be brokers, not growers, that are certified since brokers provide a trail.
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With the grand reopening of our Strip District shop at 50 21st Street, Caffé Intermezzo will become 21st Street Coffee and Tea.
With recent articles in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Pittsburgh Magazine, Pop City Media, and many others… why would we want to change our name?
It boils down to this… “Caffé Intermezzo” translates roughly to “coffee break”, but it also was meant to be a break in your day. It was also an intermission of sorts from our previous lives in the corporate world. Since opening our shop in early 2006, our business has evolved significantly.
While there are many shops that strive to recreate an authentic Italian/European experience, we did not want to limit ourselves to that. The coffee industry in the United States is where much of the innovation is happening today. We are always looking at ways to improve our business, so bringing top quality equipment manufacturers such as Synesso and Clover (both of Seattle) to Pittsburgh helps us achieve this goal.
21st Street Coffee and Tea also puts the emphasis where it belongs. We are devoted to espresso drinks, coffee, and tea. That is what we want our new customers to understand. We are not a restaurant, but we will offer an expanded food menu at the new shop. We will also continue to grow our catering business.
You’ll begin seeing the new name downtown as well, and on our website (a new and improved version is on the way).
By the way, if you get a chance, go to the “Find a Clover” map to see Western Pennsylvania’s first pushpin… we’ll be opening in a few short weeks.
