http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/ Current news, events and coffee specials from Alterra Coffee, Milwaukee, WI. en alterra@alterracoffee.com Copyright 2010 2010-03-11T17:50:14-06:00 http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/join_us_for_alterra_celebrates_brazil/ http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/join_us_for_alterra_celebrates_brazil/#When:17:50:14Z When: Saturday, March 13th 2010 @ 6pm Where: Sabor Brazilian Churrascaria Address: 777 N Water St., Milwaukee Attention Alterra fans! Please join us on March 13th for an exciting celebration of Brazilian coffee and culture. As part of the event we are excited to be having Brazilian coffee farmer Alexandre Gonzaga with us to speak about his work as well as some of the Great Lakes’ finest baristas there pulling espresso shots of Senhor Gonzagas and other single-origin, micro-lot coffees. Sip and sample authentic Brazilian beverages and appetizers in Milwaukee’s finest Churrascaria, Sabor! Dance to and enjoy live music from Chicago’s Luciano Antonio & Planeta Azul featuring the Passistas Samba Dancers, as well as Brazilian and world music spun by DJ Marcus Doucette (Chalice in the Palace, 88.9 RadioMilwaukee). Don’t miss this chance to experience a slice of Brazil here in Milwaukee and a great opportunity to connect with the farmers, baristas and everyone that makes our coffee culture possible! See you there! 2010-03-11T17:50:14-06:00 http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/brazil_fazenda_sao_domingos/ http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/brazil_fazenda_sao_domingos/#When:17:28:17Z We are very proud to have 2 outstanding coffees from Brazil to offer you this week. They are an extremely limited edition so if you want to try some of the best coffee Brazil has to offer don’t miss this chance! Alexandre’s Perfect Place Alexandre Gonzaga has had something to do with almost all of the Brazilian coffee we’ve sourced over the last 10+ years. He’s a coffee farmer, agronomist, exporter, and all around nice guy. His farm in Jaboticatubas, Fazenda Vista Alegre, was the first in the world to use drip irrigation and pioneered the silo-aging process that contributes to the wonderfully complex flavors found in the beloved “Natural Dry” coffee. Over the years, Alexandre has partnered with other farmers in Brazil who share his passion for quality coffee and have the potential to produce it. When Alexandre first arrived at Fazenda São Domingos in 2003, he spotted a plot of land with poorly managed coffee trees soaking up the morning sunshine. From his perspective, this plot, known as Engenho, had the perfect combination of factors to produce great coffee. This is the “perfect place to produce quality coffee,” he said (qualified with a humble smile), and the folks at São Domingos took his lead. The plot was replanted with new coffee trees, and the soil was restored to promote healthy production. Seven years later, with the coffee trees in peak production, the Engenho plot produced a coffee that received one of our highest scores out of nearly 100 samples, tasted blind. This lot was carefully managed by Flavio Batista, the gentleman responsible for São Domingos’ best coffees. It was hand-picked from Catucai variety trees at 1,100 meters above sea level, on an east-facing slope that receives bright, morning sunshine. It was then sorted according to ripeness, dried on Kenyan-style beds, and rested in a coffee house before milling. The plot was named Engenho after an old sugar mill, but since Alexandre’s vision came to fruition, we prefer the other definition of the Portuguese word engenho - “ingenuity”. The coffee from Alexandre’s “perfect place” delivers incredible depth and sweetness, full, buttery body, and flavors of custard and molasses. Flavio’s Reserve When we visited Fazenda São Domingos last October, Flavio Batista Faria (one of the managers of the farm) took us through a converted house where he stores his best coffees. Every room in the house except for the kitchen was filled with bags of very small lots of very high quality coffees. It was an exciting moment to say the least, especially since the bulk of Brazil’s coffee production is of generic quality and most farmers are interested in one thing – volume. It quickly became clear that owner Danilo de Castro and the folks at São Domingos have something else in mind. The smell of perfectly dried naturals inside the house was incredible – big, heady aromas of cherries, clove, wine, pipe tobacco and cedar filled each room. We could only hope that these aromas would carry through to the cup, and after tasting dozens of samples in our lab in Milwaukee, we had some very exciting results. Flavio’s Reserve is a blend of 4 tiny lots from 3 different plots within São Domingos – Serrinha, Serra de Araponga and Alto da Grama – which were chosen not only for their quality, but because they are a particularly lively expression of the unique flavors that come from this region and this style of processing. The coffee was hand-picked from 6- to 10- year-old Bourbon and Catuai variety trees at the crests of the hills (1,100-1,200 meters above sea level) and sorted according to ripeness. The coffees from the final stage of ripeness (over-ripe, raisiny pods) were then pre-dried on raised Kenyan-style beds - an uncommon practice in Brazil - and transferred to the house to rest until they were ready for final drying, milling, sorting and export. Flavio’s Reserve features a full, sweet, satisfying mouthfeel, subtle cherry-toned acidity and all of the aromas and flavors that we first smelled in the house. Enjoy! These two amazing coffees will be our café special through March 21st and will be available online through March 18th. Don’t miss it! Coffee Special 2010-03-11T17:28:17-06:00 http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/great_lakes_regional_barista_competition_2010/ http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/great_lakes_regional_barista_competition_2010/#When:21:29:59Z CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE STREAMING VIDEO OF THE COMPETITIONS! (scroll down a bit and click play) Where: Discovery World When: Friday, March 12th - Sunday, March 14th Address: 500 North Harbor Drive, Milwaukee Press Release: PDF Competitor Schedule Competitor Practice Schedule Alterra is honored to once again host this annual competition of the best and brightest baristas of the 5-state area! This year the event takes place over 3 days at Milwaukee’s Discovery World Museum. Come on out to see the Great Lakes area’s (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio) finest baristas vie for a chance to compete at the U.S. Barista Championship in Anaheim, CA this April. What exactly does a barista competition entail? Fifteen minutes, four cappuccinos, four shots of espresso, and four signature drinks prepared in front of a panel of judges. A strong focus is placed on presentation, cleanliness, professionalism, and of course, the quality of the drinks prepared. Find more info about regional barista competitions at usbaristachampionship.org. Event Schedule Friday March 12th - Competition from 11am - 5:30pm Saturday March 13th - Competition from 11am - 5pm Saturday March 13th - GLRBC Party @ Sabor 6pm Sunday March 14th - Finals from 10:30am - 1pm Sunday March 14th - Award Ceremony from 1:30pm - 2pm We encourage every coffee enthusiast to come out and experience the fascinating world of barista competitions! Spectators at the event are welcome to step up to the “4th machine,” where fans can sample the coffees, espressos, and signature beverages being prepared by competitors. Come cheer on your favorite Alterra baristas, including the 2009 GLRBC Champ Scott Lucey as well as Colin Whitcomb, Nathan Hoida and Cody Kinart. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP for this event on our Facebook event page and be sure to invite your friends! Alterra Events 2010-03-09T21:29:59-06:00 http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/win_tickets_to_the_milwaukee_reps_production_of_seven_keys_to_slaughter_pea/ http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/win_tickets_to_the_milwaukee_reps_production_of_seven_keys_to_slaughter_pea/#When:21:29:08Z Our friends at The Milwaukee Repertory Theater have generously shared several pairs of ticket vouchers with Alterra customers to the upcoming production of Seven Keys to Slaughter Peak and you could be eligible to win a chance to see fact and fiction dissolve into delicious mayhem and hilarity in Joe Hanreddy’s grand finale as Artistic Director.  (Please note: vouchers can be redeemed in advance for any performance of Seven Keys between March 23rd and April 11th.) How can you qualify? Play the Alterra online scavenger hunt! Here’s how it works: Look for the logo above hidden somewhere in our webstore (BIG HINT! It’s on one of our coffee pages.) * Note the individual product page where you found the logo * Email that page/product name to alterra@alterracoffee.com with the subject line “Seven Keys” * Include your name, phone number, and mailing address in your email. * The deadline to enter is noon, Monday, March 15th. * Our ticket winners will be contacted within 2 days of the drawing. * One entry per person please. Click here to visit our online store and start hunting! Read below for more info about Seven Keys to Slaughter Peak… Seven Keys to Slaughter Peak by Joseph Hanreddy. Based on the novel by Earl Derr Biggers and the play by George M. Cohan March 23 - April 18 Quadracci Powerhouse Theater On a stormy winter night, a brash pulp-fiction novelist holes himself up in a deserted Wisconsin summer resort to win a bet. He has wagered that he can write a best-seller in 24 hours, and Slaughter Peak Lodge is the perfect place to get his creative juices flowing. Best of all, he’s got the only key – or so he thinks. It’s not long before his night of perfect solitude unravels into a tangled web of criminal conspiracy, romance, intrigue, and murder that could have come straight from one of his novels! Fact and fiction dissolve into delicious mayhem and hilarity in Joe Hanreddy’s grand finale as Artistic Director. Based on (and formerly titled) Seven Keys to Baldpate, this delightful comic caper features The Rep’s Resident Acting Company. As always, thanks for reading the Alterra News and Events page and keep checking back here for the latest in ACR happenings! Want to stay informed about our coffee specials, events, giveaways and more? Subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter and/or join our mailing list! Alterra News 2010-03-08T21:29:08-06:00 http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/cafes_will_close_early_saturday_march_13th/ http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/cafes_will_close_early_saturday_march_13th/#When:16:40:15Z Saturday, March 13th, Alterra Cafes will be closed early so that our customers and staff can attend the post-GLRBC festivities! We hope you can join us at Sabor that evening as we welcome Brazilian coffee farmer, Alexandre Gonzaga, to Milwaukee. Click here for further details about the event. Café close times for Saturday, March 13th: Alterra Prospect - 6pm Alterra @ the Lake - 8pm Alterra Mayfair - regular hours, closed at 9pm Alterra Bayshore - 7pm Alterra Foundry - 7pm Alterra Grafton - 7pm Alterra Tosa - 7pm Alterra Humboldt - 7pm Alterra US Bank - regular hours, closed at 4:30pm Alterra News 2010-03-05T16:40:15-06:00 http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/prospect_cafe_renovation_cafe_to_close_at_6pm/ http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/prospect_cafe_renovation_cafe_to_close_at_6pm/#When:18:45:13Z Pardon our dust! Alterra Prospect is undergoing some exciting changes in the months to come, including an expanded seating area, an “outdoor room” and the same great food menu that’s available at our other locations. Some of the minor construction work has already started, and we’ll be in full swing beginning Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at which point the café will be closing nightly at 6pm. We expect the renovation process to last about 4 months and hope that you’ll continue to visit Kate and her crew during the day and our other cafes at night. Looking forward to a new-and-improved Prospect Avenue café later this year! (Check out renderings of the new facility below.) Alterra News 2010-03-01T18:45:13-06:00 http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/announcing_the_mso_mondays_2009_concert_series_schedule/ http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/announcing_the_mso_mondays_2009_concert_series_schedule/#When:14:45:57Z In conjunction with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, we are proud to bring you another year of amazing performances featuring members of the MSO at select Alterra cafes. Come on out and enjoy a coffee, tea, or espresso drink and a wonderful sampling of some truly outstanding musical talent. Hope to see you there! Full series schedule for 2009/2010: Mondays @ 7pm October 5th - Alterra Humboldt November 2nd - Alterra @ the Lake December 7th - Alterra Prospect January 4th - Alterra Foundry February 1st - Alterra Tosa March 1st - Alterra Bayshore April 5th - Alterra @ the Lake May 3rd - Alterra Humboldt June 7th - Alterra Grafton (outdoor performance) Alterra Events 2010-03-01T14:45:57-06:00 http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/uwm_cycling_club_froze_for_a_cause_congrats/ http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/uwm_cycling_club_froze_for_a_cause_congrats/#When:19:06:34Z As a 2010 sponsor of the UWM Cycling Club, we at Alterra would like to offer our congratulations on the club’s recent efforts to raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society - Wisconsin Chapter. On Saturday, February 20th, 2010, twenty-five members pedaled their bikes from 11am - 5pm on stationary training devices in the snow. The event, called Freezing for a Cause, took place outside Alterra Bayshore and brought cheers from shoppers passing by and helped to raise over $400. Anyone interested in making an on-line contribution to the cause can visit the MS Society website and support UWM Cycling Club at the National MS Society-Wisconsin Chapter’s 2010 Bike MS - Best Dam Bike Ride on August 7th & 8th. 2010-02-22T19:06:34-06:00 http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/alterra_to_host_2010_great_lakes_barista_competition_this_march/ http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/alterra_to_host_2010_great_lakes_barista_competition_this_march/#When:21:39:08Z (For complete information on the 2010 Great Lakes Regional Barista Competition please click here.) Just a heads-up that Alterra will be hosting the 2010 Great Lakes Regional Barista Competition set to take place this March 12th - 14th at Milwaukee’s Discovery World Museum! Alterra is honored to once again bring the annual competition of the best and brightest baristas of the 5-state area back to Milwaukee. Winners of the competition go on to compete at the U.S. Barista Championship held at the Specialty Coffee Association of America Exposition in Anaheim this April 2010. (By the way, Alterra will be an exhibitor/lecturer at the national event - come visit!) What exactly does a barista competition entail? Fifteen minutes, four cappuccinos, four shots of espresso, and four signature drinks prepared in front of a panel of judges. A strong focus is placed on presentation, cleanliness, professionalism, and of course, the quality of the drinks prepared. More details are coming soon, but in the meantime check out the U.S. Barista Championship web site for more information and details on how to register as a judge or volunteer. Alterra Events 2010-02-21T21:39:08-06:00 http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/win_tickets_to_the_milwaukee_reps_production_of_the_seafarer/ http://alterracoffeepro.com/blog/win_tickets_to_the_milwaukee_reps_production_of_the_seafarer/#When:17:35:52Z Our friends at The Milwaukee Repertory Theater have generously shared several pairs of ticket vouchers with Alterra customers to the upcoming production of Radio Golf and you could be eligible to win a chance to see this Tony Award-nominated finale of August Wilson’s unprecedented ten-play cycle chronicling African-American life in the 20th century.  (Please note: vouchers can be redeemed in advance for any performance of Radio Golf between March 3rd and March 21st.) How can you qualify? Play the Alterra online scavenger hunt! Here’s how it works: Look for the logo above hidden somewhere in our webstore (BIG HINT! It’s on one of our coffee pages.) * Note the individual product page where you found the logo * Email that page/product name to alterra@alterracoffee.com with the subject line “Radio Golf” * Include your name, phone number, and mailing address in your email. * The deadline to enter is noon, Wednesday, February 24th. * Our ticket winners will be contacted that same day. * One entry per person please. Click here to visit our online store and start hunting! Read below for more info about Radio Golf… March 3 - 28 Stiemke Theater “A dynamic and surprisingly humorous play about a successful real estate developer and the challenges he faces when he sets his sights on becoming the city’s first black mayor. Supporting his efforts are his wife, an ambitious public relations executive, and his business partner, a Tiger Woods fanatic (who gets involved in a radio station scheme). But when he’s about to demolish the decaying home of the legendary Aunt Esther, secrets are revealed that could be his undoing. This is the Tony Award-nominated finale of August Wilson’s unprecedented ten-play cycle chronicling African-American life in the 20th century.” As always, thanks for reading the Alterra News and Events page and keep checking back here for the latest in ACR happenings! Want to stay informed about our coffee specials, events, giveaways and more? Subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter and/or join our mailing list! Alterra News 2010-02-18T17:35:52-06:00