One early morning, we went to a coffee bar called Tim Wendelboe in the Grünerløkka district in Oslo in order to have a chat with the owner, Tim Wendelboe, and his employees.
We would like to know more about what happens from the coffee beans are harvested till the finished cup of coffee, taking photos of the coffee making and hopefully find out how good experiences of taste arise.
Origin and tracking
We didn’t choose the coffee bar in 1 Grüners gate just by accident. Leaving nothing to chance, the guys at TW have complete control of the coffee beans from harvest to arrival in Oslo. Direct contact with the producers and coffee farmers enable them to get first-hand knowledge of the ingredients they are using in the different coffee mixtures. Buying directly from the farmer makes it easier to ascertain that the price of the coffee has a direct benefit for the producer. In addition, this connection gives the coffee a reference and an identity.
From coffee beans to coffee mixture
After having bought coffee beans from different parts of the world, they have to be blended and roasted before they can be savoured. This is a job which requires knowledge, competence, passion and patience. Fortunately, the owner Tim W. together with Tim V. and Ola know how to make good mixtures. They smell, taste, look at and touch the coffee beans in order to make coffee which is uniquely their own. Since coffee consists of more than 800 components, there are many factors to relate to.
Roasting of the coffee blend
After having blended the coffee beans, they have to be roasted at a controlled temperature and humidity for a specific time in order to obtain the wanted result. It was a pleasure watching Ola working since he was responsible for roasting of the beans this morning. Manually controlling the sight and smell of the beans during the roasting in order to release the beans at exactly the right moment. The smell of the finished coffee beans isn’t let into the premises of the coffee bar. Instead, it is spread across the whole district of Grünerløkka. Nothing is left to chance when the beans are roasted at this coffee bar.
Blumenthal and TW
I’m thinking of the tv series with Heston Blumenthal when I see the coffee guys in action. When he’s searching for the perfect meal he’s very meticulous. As a curiosity, it can be mentioned that he owns and directs the world’s best diner, The Fat Duck. Expensive and delicious and 2 years waiting time for a table. Tim V is serving in the coffee shop this morning, and he’s treating the grinder and the coffee machine quickly and efficiently. Golden drops appear in cup after cup. We, that is the photographer John and I leave the place being overwhelmed and impressed by these guys’ capabilities. Tim Wendelboe has the immodest aim of having one of the best coffee bars in the world. Having won two world championships as a barista, he and his colleagues are well on the way. If you ask me, he’s already there after having drunk my cup of coffee at TW this morning.
Side effects of drinking coffee
Drinking coffee also has some side effects, which may be described in very different ways. Here is one view, here is another one and here is a a third one. A fourth view can be seen here. This web site shows another view
History of coffee
An article called The Complete History of Coffee can be found here and another one called A Guide To The History Of Coffee can be found here.
This web site gives advice on making the perfect brew.
