"COLD WAR" in HAYES VALLEY?

On the way to visit the signature Blue Bottle, Kiosk at HAYES VALLEY, something very interesting caught our attention: Red shipping container, Kiosk of Ritual Coffee Roasters.


Ritual Coffee at HAYES VALLEY??  
In 2011? 
It cannot be real…I doubted my eyes.

Ritual dominates Mission, not Hayes Valley.  Mission is for Ritual Roaster so that Blue Bottle would not step in.  It is the tacit agreement in Third Wave coffee industry in SF area which has never been broken.  James, the owner of Blue Bottle, respects the rule and silently follows so that he had never made decisions to open café’s anywhere might compete with other third wavers.
Here is now Ritual Roasters opened up Kiosk counter at Proxy 432 Octavia St., within 5min. walk from Blue Bottle Kiosk.  At least, they are not standing face to face.  Maybe, it is better for Ritual to stand face to face with Blue Bottle to find out the reality.  Behind Ritual, there is a new ice cream shop which graved attention of SF sweets lovers and this shop, actually the trash box of this shop, reveals reality.  The trash can was filled with Blue Bottle paper cups, not Ritual.  People buy ice-cream and Blue Bottle.

Can we prove it? 

Yes.  Sales of Blue Bottle at Hayes Valley has not been damaged nor shown any irregular decline since Ritual opened.  The fact amazed me even it was something could be guessed easily.  So far, “the cold war” between Blue Bottle and Ritual seems to end up with Blue Bottle’s triumph, about which Ritual may car about but Blue Bottle doesn’t.  Blue Bottle stays calm as the surface of a mirror reflecting truth of the world…

Ritual Coffee Roasters used to be the one of top runners which launched “the third generation” history in San Francisco coffee industry.  Ritual opened in 2005 with Seattle style, dark roast with storing body, but developed their own style and create uniqueness of SF coffee history.  Their eye catching package, Red with white symbol mark, appeal to the public as well as rich flavor of their coffee.  Ritual Coffee Roaster created history.  Ritual was the top runner…  Yes, “was”, in the past.  After Blue Bottle came in, the industry map was redrawn and repainted quickly; Red to Blue.  Blue Bottle was “Rising sun”.  Blue Bottle grew rapidly in the fast-growing market. 
Founded in Oakland, The Blue Bottle Coffee Company moved slowly but consistently with the vow of “48hrs policy”; Blue Bottle roasts beans good enough amounts to sell within 48hrs and uses the finest organic, and pesticide-free, shade-grown.  The company has kept the vow with enthusiasm and devotion to Coffee Beans since the beginning of their history.

It is loyalty to the customer that helps company grows.
It is honesty that keeps their customers loyalty.
It is enthusiasm and love that fascinates and influence the industry as well as the market.

This post is written totally on Blue Bottle side, so I understand there are series of counter opinion.  However, I still believe there is no counter on gentleman-ship as well as fairness of Blue Bottle. 

Finca Miralvalle

Beans: El Salvador Miralvalle

Roaster: Doi Coffee

Roasting grade: Full city

Estate: Finca Miralvalle

Region: Ahuachapan, El Salvador

Varieties: Pacamara

Altitude: 1600-1800m

Processing: Washed & Sun-dried

【Impression】
 Light and delicate body, mild texture with soothing aftertaste.  Citrus light acidity, orange like fruity aroma and sweetness mixed with nutty almond like flavor.  Meyer lemon zest in farm stand apple juice with a butterscotch finish.  Very sensitive, but full layered flavor.

【About Finca Miralvalle】  Miralvalle Estate is originally found by Juan Urritia, who introduced Salvadoran Bourbon varietal in 1970’s, and now run by his 5th generation.  The estate owns 80ha of the primeval forest, whose wellspring supplies water to 6000 residence around the estate.  Since 2002, Miralvalle Estate starts to grow and develop Pacamara varietal and their efforts were recognized in 2007 as COE winning farm.  Their 100% shade grown coffee beans traded only with exporters, so that high level of traceability is guaranteed.  
This Estate is not only producing high quality coffee beans, but also making high contributions to the societies/environments.  Due to shade grown methods, the estate produces about 36000Lbs oxygen daily.  There are full diversity of wildlife: wild varieties of mammals, birds, insects.  Also, in total of 600 employees are fully supported by the Estate from work to their private life: The estate supplies housing, educations, medications and so on.

Sight Glass to come?

One year feels very short but long enough to make a big change. 

"SIGHT GLASS " has "re-opened" fully with modern and simple, but warm and earthy feelings all together. 

 It was the last September that took a sip of the very first cup right next to SIGHT GLASS sign.  It was the last September that the windows were covered for construction but there were not much progress found in spacious room beside the roaster…  Here we are now, we all see “Sight Glass" Coffee bar and Roastery!! 

 

The historical German roasting machine is there as I saw on last visit in 2010, working diligently with an enthusiastic roaster, who might be called " the third wave mafia" who carries typical posture of SF coffee geeks.

Brew bar is equipped with Hario ceramic dripper.  I couldn’t check espresso machine this time, but I am sure that they carries the same machine before the grand opening.  It is funny to find out that most third wavers of SF/South bay are settled in equipments with same brand name among all the others.

 

For the next step, the Morrison brothers, Jerald and Justin, will opens brew bars and espresso bars on loft, which you can see in the picture on right.  When we were there, both Jerald and Justin told us about their plan, which I am looking forward to see and wishing to be the first one to have a seat there with them.  Mybe, they will be crazy busy by then, because we found the press setting up their camera for shooting.  Whatever happens, we believe both Jerald and Justin will be as friendly and enthusiastic as they are now. 

If there is a space to make a request, I would like to place one for “food & pastry” developments…  I know they buy them from the doughnuts shop, very popular one around that area.  I basically think they are not bad, but, at the same time, find a little room to work on.  Taste of Sight Glass might deserve something better: something more simple and plane to create better harmony, or flavor.  It is maybe because I am not doughnuts person.  It may be because I am not one with sweet tooth.  On top of all, I still think they might hire, or contract with, someone who can create, develop, special treats for Sight Glass…