Vienna Coffee Company

Another use for a Pour Over

2012-01-30T21:30:00.001-05:00

If you are looking for another way to use your Hario V60 (which we sell at VCH) or pour over cone, think about using it as a french fry holder.

Try making truffle oil Belizean Bologo fries...

When I lived in Belize that is what they called these bananas, but I think in other places they call them Burro bananas. You fry them up when they are still green and unripe. We didn't have them with truffle oil in Belize, but thought that would be a good addition.

Just make sure to clean out your Hario V60 really well before using it for coffee again!

Opening Vienna Coffee on the Run at Pellissippi State Community College

2012-01-11T22:17:00.000-05:00

We are happy to announce that we just opened a new kiosk in the lobby of the Blount County branch of Pellissippi State Community College.

We will be open from 8am - 2pm each day to help the students get that extra kick in the morning to help them through their next class.

We hope that if you attend Pellissippi State you'll come and say hi and grab a good ole cup of hot joe.

Coffee as Wedding Favors

2011-10-17T21:08:00.003-04:00

Guess who just got married and had delicious Vienna Coffee Company coffee as give-a-ways for their guests? I did! Jamie Clark now Jamie Stoneham.

On September 17th, I got married to Les Stoneham at Gorman Heritage Farm complete with a full service espresso bar, home-brewed beer, and most of the food from the farm (where I work full time). It was such a beautiful day, and it was so great seeing all my friends and family gather around us and share with us this special day.

My mom, Sue Clark, made these great table runners out of the burlap sacs from Vienna Coffee Company. They were such a great touch especially since coffee is so important to both my family and Les. So many people helped out with making the wedding just so special!!

Did you know that Vienna Coffee Company does wedding favors? Well they do and it was a huge success! Call the roastery if you are interested. 513.560.3986

T-shirt Design

2011-08-06T18:54:00.000-04:00

Help us design our new t-shirts! Please submit a slogan and/or graphic for the Vienna Coffeehouse and our staff will pick their favorite! The winner will receive a $10 gift card and a free t-shirt! You may send your idea to jaimiem@viennacoffeehouse.net

New Summer Hours

2011-07-07T15:58:00.002-04:00

It's too hot in the Roastery in the afternoon. Why not visit the nice air conditioned VCH instead and enjoy a frozen cappuccino, Mocha or fruit smoothie.

Still would like to check out the roastery here are our New Roastery hours:

Monday-Wednesday: 9AM-4PM,
Thursday-Friday, 9AM-2PM

One Shot Espresso Gun

2011-06-15T10:44:00.003-04:00

What will they think of next? Check out this website. It has a prototype of making an espresso shot without having an espresso machine. I have a feeling it might not taste as good as a good shot of espresso from a full blown espresso machine (like the one at Vienna Coffee House, but it's an interesting idea.

Check it out...
http://www.yankodesign.com/2011/05/10/one-shot-espresso-gun/

"Just like loading your double-barrel gun and taking a shot at the monster down the alley! I get the same kinda vibe with the il Tiro – One Shot of Espresso; a gun shaped dispenser that delivers the perfect shot of cuppa delight. The video explains the workings and if you ask me, it will definitely be a conversation starter with your local barista." - Yanko Design

Is Skim Milk Making you Fat?

2011-06-01T21:51:00.001-04:00

Enjoying your skim milk lattes every day and thinking that you are saving yourself your waistline? Think again. This week, indulge in a whole milk latte, it not only tastes better and froths better, but it also is better for you! Read below for more details.

Taken from:
Is Skim Milk Making You Fat? The Body: Details.com

Is Skim Milk Making You Fat?

How the "diet" dairy choice is putting your health—and waistline—at risk.

By Paul John Scott,

Photograph by Levi Brown

May 2011 Issue

You probably spend all of one second deciding what kind of milk to put in your coffee. What's to debate? If you want to keep the pounds off and avoid heart disease, choose skim. This is gospel, after all: It's recommended by the USDA and has so permeated our thinking that you can't even find reduced-fat (2%) milk at places like Subway—and forget about whole.

But is it true? Let's start with the question of what's fattening. Whole milk contains more calories and, obviously, more fat. A cup has 146 calories and almost 8 grams of fat, reduced-fat (2%) has 122 calories and almost 5 grams of fat, low-fat (1%) has 103 calories and 2.5 grams of fat, and nonfat (skim) has 83 calories and virtually no fat.

But when it comes to losing weight, restricting calories has a poor track record. Evidence gleaned from numerous scientific studies says that if you starve yourself for lunch, you typically compensate at dinner. And according to a 2007 report in the Archives of Internal Medicine, telling overweight and obese patients to cut calories led to only "transient" weight loss—it didn't stay off. The same goes for cutting saturated fat. In 2003, the Cochrane Collaboration, a respected source for unbiased reviews of research, compared low-fat diets with low-calorie diets and found that "fat-restricted diets are no better than calorie-restricted diets in achieving long-term weight loss." As Walt Willet of the Harvard School of Public Health wrote in the American Journal of Medicine, "Diets high in fat do not appear to be the primary cause of the high prevalence of excess body fat in our society, and reductions in fat will not be a solution."

It's becoming widely accepted that fats actually curb your appetite, by triggering the release of the hormone cholecystokinin, which causes fullness. Fats also slow the release of sugar into your bloodstream, reducing the amount that can be stored as fat. In other words, the more fat in your milk, the less fat around your waist. Not only will low-fat milk fail to trim your gut, it might even make you fatter than if you were to drink whole, according to one large study. In 2005, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and other institutions studied the weight and milk consumption of 12,829 kids ages 9 to 14 from across the country. "Contrary to our hypothesis," they reported, "skim and 1% milk were associated with weight gain, but dairy fat was not."

But surely low-fat milk is better for your heart? We are often told to watch our consumption of dairy because it raises our bad cholesterol, the kind known as LDL. But LDL comes in at least four varieties, and only the smallest and densest of them are linked with heart disease. Dairy fat, it turns out, affects only the large, fluffy kind of LDL—the benign kind.

And here's a final thought: How would you feel if you opened a carton and poured a chalky, bluish-white liquid into your coffee? That's the color many nonfat milks are before powdered milk is added to whiten them—a process that brings its own problems. Any way you look at it, there's been a lot of whitewashing of skim milk's image.

• • •

THE SKINNY ON NONFAT MILK

To turn skim milk white, "some companies fortify their product with powdered skim," says Bob Roberts, a dairy scientist at Penn State. Powdered skim (which is also added to organic low-fat milks) is produced by spraying the liquid under heat and high pressure, a process that oxidizes the cholesterol. In animal studies, oxidized cholesterol triggers a host of biological changes, leading to plaque formation in the arteries and heart disease, Spanish researchers reported in 1996. "OCs are mutagenic and carcinogenic," they wrote. In 1998, Australian researchers studied rabbits fed OC and found that the animals "had a 64% increase in total aortic cholesterol" despite having less cholesterol in their blood than rabbits fed natural sources of the substance. (A 2008 Chinese study with hamsters confirmed these findings.) Roberts says the amount of OC created by adding powdered skim is "not very much," but until the effects on humans are known, it's impossible to say what's a safe level.

Coffee Prices are on the rise due to Climate Change

2011-05-16T22:33:00.002-04:00

Interesting Article worth reading to understand why coffee prices are rising so much across the world...

By Adriene Hill Marketplace Morning Report, Monday, April 25, 2011

Listen to this Story

Thanks to unusual temperatures and rainfall, coffee production is falling in some parts of the world, just as emerging markets like India and China are embracing the drink.

Freshly-roasted espresso coffee beans cool in a refurbished 1918 Probat coffee bean roaster. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Jeremy Hobson: The price of coffee beans is above $3 a pound for the first time since the 1970s. And experts say coffee inventories are unlikely to build up in the forseeable future. Worse yet, some are saying we've reached "peak coffee" levels.

Here to explain is our sustainability reporter Adriene Hill. Good morning.

Adriene Hill:Good morning Jeremy.

Hobson: So what is going on here? Why are we talking about peak coffee?

Hill: Well, coffee production in some parts of the world is falling. Places like Colombia have seen their coffee production really just decline pretty dramatically since 2007. And a lot of what's happening seems to be related to weather issues. So they're seeing unusual rainfall, they're seeing unusual temperatures. These things are not good for coffee beans; especially the very finicky, the very precious arabica bean is not interested in big weather changes. And the problem is, it looks like, and some scientists think it could be related to climate change.

Hobson: Climate change, so it's not a temporary thing?

Hill: That's the big worry, and that's why we're talking about peak coffee. Right now, it's so concerning that some international organizations have actually turned to the United Nations and said that, hey, let's start talking about coffee crops. As you look for it, as you start thinking about climate change globally, we need to pay attention to the coffee supply.

Hobson: And what is all this going to do to coffee prices?

Hill: You want to guess?

Hobson: Uh, going up?

Hill: Up is right. Way up. So coffee production is falling at the same time that people in emerging markets like India and China are realizing just how delicious and wonderful coffee really is. And the price of coffee futures -- what the traders buy and sell for it -- has doubled in the last year.

Hobson: So not good news at all for coffee drinkers.

Hill: Not at all. Starbucks just upped the costs of its bagged coffee about 12 percent. Kraft announced it would bump the cost of Maxwell House by more than 20 percent. And that's just one in a series of price hikes. So our morning coffee is going to get a lot more expensive, which is bad news for me.

Hobson: And me as well. And probably most of the people listening right now. Thanks Adriene, Marketplace's Adriene Hill.

Hill: Thank you Jeremy.

SCAA's Annual Exposition and the National Barista Competition

2011-04-29T21:39:00.004-04:00

Specialty Coffee Association of America is having their

3RD ANNUAL SCAA SYMPOSIUM: THE EXECUTIVE SERIES in Houston, Tx this weekend paired with the
23rd ANNUAL SCAA EXPOSITION
AND THE NATIONAL BARISTA COMPETITION!

This is a big weekend in the specialty coffee world, and our coffee sourcer of our La Armonia Hermosa coffee, Les Stoneham, is taking a front seat. He's been able to listen to some of the most forward thinking people in coffee, and sit down and have a delicious dinner with them. We hope that he has a lot of fun and learns a lot!

Coffee prices are on the rise

2011-03-21T18:43:00.002-04:00

We found this article quite interesting. In fact just this weekend Starbucks had to raise their prices by $1 also. Please read below for more information. If you have questions about why this is happening, don't hesitate to call (865.681.0517) or email us (info@viennacoffeecompany.com).

By Marcy Nicholson

NEW ORLEANS, March 17 (Reuters) - Kraft Foods Inc

said Thursday it raised its U.S. list prices for Maxwell House

and Yuban ground coffees by a whopping 22 percent and its

instant coffee by around 10 percent.

The price hikes, which were effective on Wednesday, marked

the company's fourth coffee price hike in a year and came after

arabica coffee futures soared to a 34-year high this month.

"(The) increases are due to sustained increases in green

coffee," Kraft spokeswoman Bridget MacConnell told Reuters on

the sidelines of the annual National Coffee Association meeting

in New Orleans.

The company raised the price for Maxwell House and Yuban

ground coffees by 70 cents per pound equivalent, and for

instant coffees by 6.25 cents per ounce.

Excluded from the increase were single-serve Tassimo items

and the Maxwell House International line of specialty soluble

beverages, MacConnell said.

Arabica coffee futures more than doubled in price by early

March in a rally that began in June 2010 on fund buying and

tight supplies, with the benchmark May contract reaching

a 34-year high for the second position at $2.9665 per lb.

Roasters have been forced to raise their list prices over

the past nine months as a result of the sustained rally.

Kraft most recently raised its prices in December. J.M.

Smucker Co , known as the trendsetter for coffee price

changes, most recently increased its coffee prices last month,

by 10 percent.

Robusta futures trading on Liffe in London have

joined in the rally, soaring to a three-year high at $2,661 per

tonne on Thursday.

(Editing by Walter Bagley)

((marcy.nicholson@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 223 6043; Reuters

Messaging: marcy.nicholson.reuters.com@reuters.net))

The coffee that's Bigger than the Human Stomach

2011-02-28T18:07:00.003-05:00

This is a disturbing article we were sent from The Independent.

By Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

Thursday, 20 January 2011

GETTY IMAGES

At 916ml the Trenta is Starbucks' biggest coffee, 325ml larger than the next size down

Starbucks, the American coffee giant which translated Milan's espresso bars into an identikit global chain serving half pints of coffee-flavoured frothy milk, has launched another innovation: a super-sized cup that contains more liquid than an average human stomach.

Even a nation as obese as the United States expressed surprise at yesterday's introduction of the Trenta receptacle ("Thirty" in Italian), which carries 31 fluid ounces (916ml) in one cup – equivalent to more than an ordinary bottle of wine.

Launched initially in 14 US states, the transparent cup – 63 per cent larger than the chain's previous largest size, the Venti (561ml) – will carry only iced coffee, iced tea and iced-tea lemonade. Starbucks said it was launching the cup in response to demand.

The Seattle-based chain, which has not yet said whether the drink will head across the Atlantic, said its unsweetened drinks would have fewer than 90 calories and sweetened versions fewer than 230.

Its introduction, following Starbucks' decision to drop its name from its redesigned logo earlier this month, prompted one commentator to speculate whether the corporation was going through a mid-life crisis prior to its 40th birthday on 30 March. In mocking animations posted online, zombie customers lurch into Starbucks, staggering out carrying cups larger than their bodies.

The drink's arrival looks like an attempt to increase custom among Americans, the ninth-fattest nation on Earth and the most obese major nation. Fast food and grocery firms there sell an increasing number of super-sized colas and coffees: the grocery chain 7-Eleven has cups called Big Gulps which can carry three pints, while Starbucks' increasingly close competitor, McDonald's, sells ice teas in 32 fluid ounce buckets for $1.

The website HealthHabits described the Starbucks cup's introduction as "a breakthrough for human obesity". It assured readers that, although a Trenta was larger than an average stomach, their stomachs would expand after drinking three or four.

Howard Schultz, Starbucks' chief executive – a tough marketing executive raised in Brooklyn's housing projects who has revived the £7bn-a-year company since returning to the helm in early 2008 – is thought to have been behind the Trenta. Mr Schultz has been behind most of the innovations that have turned the company into a multi-national marketing success.

After a visit to Milan in 1983, as the company's new marketing executive he came up with the idea of recreating state-side the popularity of neighbourhood espressos bars where people stopped to chat and sink milk-less shots. Schultz persuaded senior management, which had been selling coffee beans, to sell fresh coffee and hit on the addition of milk, claiming to have discovered the latte in the Italian city of Verona.

Mr Schultz's borrowing of Italian words to name the drinks sizes has also paid dividends. "Of course not everyone is thrilled to have to use ridiculous-sounding made-up terms just to get a cup of coffee," wrote Taylor Clark in his even-handed history of the company, Starbucked: a Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce & Culture. "Some customers stick to 'small', 'medium' and 'large' as a display of personal integrity – but Starbucks-speak works." He added: "Consider this: for which of the following options would you be willing to pay more for: a 'grande caffe misto' or a 'medium coffee with milk'?"

To help customers to navigate its complex and – to the uninitiated – bizarre blend of Italian and marketing, Starbucks once published a 22-page booklet to its orders called Make It Your Drink. Writing for the Washington Post, Alexandra Petri described Trenta as sounding like "one of those hip gender-free monikers for kids ('Jayden, meet Trenta')" or a place where a Second World War summit may have taken place. She quoted Mr Schultz's remark in a memo four years ago that Starbucks had lost some "romance and theatre" and that customers lacked an "intimate experience with the barista". "We understand your worries, but this is ridiculous!"Ms Petri wrote. "Now look at you! Changes to appearance! Changes to diet! Next you'll buy a sports car, take up transcendental meditation, and leave us for someone younger!

"I know you feel threatened by McDonald's... doing all the things you used to... but cheaper, and with a taste less like cauterized rubber. But the answer is not to try to become McDonald's."

What's in a name?

Starbucks has three main sizes: Tall (354ml – more than half a pint); Grande (473ml), and Venti (561ml – one pint).

The new size, Trenta, is 916ml, or more than one and a half pints. The names are Italian: Grande meaning large, Venti is twenty (the cup is 20 fluid ounces), and Trenta is thirty – for a cup containing 31 fluid ounces. Starbucks trademarked Venti, prompting coffee consultant Bruce Milletto to say: "One day I expect to pick up La Repubblica and learn that Starbucks has purchased the entire Italian language."

La Armonia Hermosa - Origin Trip

2010-12-24T10:55:00.006-05:00

Jamie Clark and Les Stoneham along with other interested people in Ohio, Indiana, and Mississippi are going down to Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala again to continue their work with the farmers that bring us the wonderful La Amonia Hermosa coffee. Les Stoneham, founder of Deeper Roots Development and Vienna Coffee House's barista trainer, has been working with these farmers for the past five years, and just this October the now 20 farmers have developed their own government-recognized co-operative. We are very proud of their hard-work and coordination to make this happen.

We are very excited to be able to go back to down to Guatemala, help with the harvest, continue the conversation and planning of the beneficio (coffee-processing plant), and visit with the farmers. If you would like to receive updates from the field or want to know more about the story behind the delicious coffee please follow us at http://www.laarmoniahermosa.com

Research Brief: Java Justification

2010-10-20T18:29:00.004-04:00

We were sent this very interesting article about how coffee drinking changes throughout the generations...

Monday, October 18, 2010: Center for Media Research

Java Justification

According to Mintel research, a cup of coffee is a daily occurrence for 66% of Americans, but sales have been relatively unchanged in recent years. Demand for coffee is strong among those aged 45+, and over-55-year-olds are the fastest growing segment of coffee drinkers. In order to sustain long-term growth, says the report, marketers need to court their younger customers. The study found that while 40% of 18-24-year-olds believe coffee improves their concentration, only 27% drink coffee on a daily basis.

Bill Patterson, senior analyst at Mintel, notes that "Young adults are somewhat more likely than over-55s to associate negative health consequences with coffee consumption... understanding the choice between energy drinks and coffee needs significant marketing focus... "

Younger coffee drinkers also differ from their older counterparts in that they prefer sweetened coffee drinks to plain coffee... 40% of 18-24-year-olds say so, compared to only 22% of 45-54-year-olds. Furthermore, just 28% of 18-24-year olds like the taste of coffee on its own, compared to 53% of 45-54-year-olds.

The younger demographic often prefer to visit cafes for their caffeine fix, says the report. And, 22% of 18-24-year-olds like to have a cup of coffee on hand when they're running errands, while 46% say they like to relax with a cup of coffee.

For more on this study , please visit Mintel here.

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(c) 2010 MediaPost Communications, 1140 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001

Vienna Coffee Company at Taste of Blount in Maryville

2010-09-25T17:52:00.003-04:00

Our lovely ladies gave out samples of our new sipping chocolate and a variety of different coffees at Taste of Blount in Maryville on September 20, 2010. (Photo courtesy of Blount Today by Leslie Karnowski)

It was also our first time announcing to the public that Vienna Coffee House will be opening on Oct. 4th!

Vienna Coffee got 2nd place in this year's Beverage and Drink Category at the Taste of Blount.

For more information go to the newspaper article at http://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/sep/20/rain-goes-away-and-crowds-come-dinner-taste-blount/

Now Opening Vienna Coffee House!

2010-09-20T16:07:00.005-04:00

Love Vienna Coffee? Perfect! Then you will love Vienna Coffee House! We are opening our own Coffee House on High Street in Maryville (formerly Grounded Coffee and More) on October 4, 2010!

We are a cozy coffee house serving Coffee, Espresso Beverages, Italian Soda, Fresh Pastries, Bagels, Homemade Desserts.

We will also be introducing Bellagio Italian Sipping Chocolate; A true European experience. And featuring an all new coffee drip bar with five freshly roasted coffee selections daily that is ground to order and brewed just for you. This is the absolute freshest way to enjoy freshly roasted Vienna Coffee.

We are very excited to have former owner of Thunderhead Perk in Townsend, Jaimie Matzko, as our wonderful general manager! She and John Clark are working together to make a cozy coffee house that we are sure you will enjoy.

We will be open 7 days per week!

321 High Street
Maryville, TN
37804
865.233.1060

We are working on our website. So check out http://viennacoffeeco.com/viennacoffeehouse for more details in the future.

Roastmaster John is in the News

2010-08-28T10:22:00.003-04:00

Bad weather causes coffee prices to hit a 13-year high in commodities

Steve Butera Updated: 8/25/2010 6:43:38 PM Posted: 8/25/2010 6:35:06 PM

Sisters Marga Hinsley and Maureen Willis are making it a tradition to meet at Javerde, a West Knoxville coffee shop.

"This coffee shop happens to be equal distance from my house and my sister's house. So we can have a cup of coffee," said Hinsley.

However, getting that cup of coffee could soon cost more. Prices for a cup of java have gone up more than 30% in recent weeks, to about $1.89/pound. Experts said bad weather in coffee-growing countries in Central and South America is to blame. That in turn has some coffee shop owners keeping a careful eye on the markets.

"Across the board, coffee shops, it has made an impact," said Javerde co-owner Paul Grady. "If you look around, coffee beans are a commodity."

The caffeinated commodity has also affected local roasters. Maryville-based Vienna Coffee Company roaster John Clark, said he's made some changes to keep costs as low as possible for customers.

"We are modifying some blending so we can accommodate the same character in the end result by using different coffee beans," said Clark. Clark said three blends were affected, but coffee connoisseurs should not notice.

However, while costs stay low, customer said they will continue to come back.

"(Coffee shops) want to serve you, and they know that they're not going to be here unless we're here," Hinsley said. "So we're going to support that."

So far, only some store-bought coffee like Folgers and Maxwell House report that they will see a price increase over the coming weeks.

Maxwell House and other corporate coffee prices rise

2010-08-14T10:43:00.004-04:00

Just in case you need another reason to buy Vienna Coffee Company coffee...

NEW YORK Aug 6 - Reuters announced on August 6th the following information...

"Kraft Foods raised the list price on select Maxwell House and Yuban ground and instant coffees in the United States, a spokeswoman said on Friday.

The increases are 30 cents per lb equivalent on ground coffees and 2-1/2 cents per ounce on instant, said Bridget MacConnell, Kraft spokeswoman.

The price hike comes three days after trendsetter J.M. Smucker Co raised list prices 9 percent for most of its Folgers, Dunkin' Donuts, Millstone and Folgers Gourmet Selections coffees sold in the U.S. retail market.

The Maxwell House Cafe line of specialty soluble items is not included in the price change, Kraft said.

"Increases are due to sustained increases in the cost of green coffee," MacConnell told Reuters in an email.

Arabica futures KCc1 trading on ICE have surged 35 percent over the past two months, reaching a 12-1/2 year high on Aug. 2 at $1.8150 per lb. There are steep premiums on the physical market as top washed-arabica producer Colombia and Central America continue to face tight supplies. "

(Reporting by Marcy Nicholson - http://blogs.reuters.com/search/journalist.php?edition=us&n=marcy.nicholson &> )

Cupping for a new blend

2010-07-24T11:49:00.005-04:00

At Vienna Coffee Company we are always looking to improve our coffee, and make new blends of coffee that will tantalize your taste buds. Here are a few pictures taken from this Monday during one of our cupping sessions. "What is a cupping session?" you might be asking yourself.

Cupping is one of the coffee tasting techniques used by cuppers to evaluate coffee aroma and the flavor profile of a coffee. To understand the minor differences between coffee growing regions, it is important to taste coffee from around the world side-by-side. Cupping is also used to evaluate a defective coffee or to create coffee blends.

In this picture, Bob Knoll is doing the first step of the cupping process, smelling the ground coffee before water has been added. The next picture is Audra actually tasting the coffee once the water has been introduced to the coffee. The next step would then be to taste it again after it has been sitting for a little while. The coffee will have different aromas and flavors at each process of the cupping. Knowing all of these flavors and aromas can help to make the perfect blend for anyone's pallet.

Are you interested in learning more about cupping and would like to join us for a cupping? Please email cristi@viennacoffeecompany.com for more information.

Espresso and Latte Art Class

2010-07-07T22:08:00.004-04:00

On June 26, 2010, Vienna Coffee Company hosted an Espresso and Latte Art class at their roastery. With people from all around east Tennessee area attending, instructor Les Stoneham started the class talking about coffee from farm to cup. With beautiful pictures from his travels to the coffee growing regions, he helpped the students understand how much work and love goes into each and every bean. He also explained how important it is as a barista to create the perfect shot to allow all that hard to show through.

To further explain this point, the second half of the class was hands on where each student could create latte for themselves. He made sure that each student knew what to do and why it's important to do each step.

This is a picture of one of the lattes he poured as demonstration. To close out the class, student were invited to partake in yummy sipping chocolate and a plethera for munchies.

If you are interested in going to our next class. Make sure to sign up for our newsletters, check our facebook, or check back here for more details.

Thank you to our Veterans

2010-06-06T20:55:00.004-04:00

In honor of Memorial Day and all the wonderful men and women who lost their lives serving our country, we wanted to take this time to thank and remember their sacrifice.

Here are some wonderful and heartfelt stories from some of our customers...

"My daddy, Staff Sargeant E. Milton Heider U.S. Army. He hit the beach at Normandy the day after D-day. He was a proud veteran, man and the best daddy anyone could ask for. Quite a snappy dresser too! Love you daddy! Miss you :(" - Bobby Montgomery

"Honoring the service of my Groenhout men: son, 2nd Lt. Adam Groenhout (USMC); husband, LCDR Brian Groenhout (USNRet); and his father, Eddie Groenhout (USN, WWII - Pacific Theater). "Old Grandpa Groenhout" (the Dutch immigrant) would have been proud." - Angela Groenhout

Thank you to everyone who served and continue to serve our beautiful country!

Mag's Coffee's Inspiring Story

2010-05-31T09:34:00.009-04:00

We would like to take this time to show our support to Mag's Coffee in Clarksville. Husband and wife, Ken and Maggie Bradford have a real life inspiring story to tell about their small cafe located in Clarksville, TN that got hit hard by the floods this past month. Here is a great story about their perseverance through it all.

"Our adventure began with a rag-tag little building on the corner, and we began tearing out walls and practically removing every piece of wall material inside the building. Maggie has always been excited about the whole thing.

We decided to dedicate part of this property to our Mom's, neither of whom are with us anymore. The flower bed directly in front of the building was dedicated to Maggie's mom (Mille Linton), so we just named it "Millie's Garden". Closer to the street, we dedicated a small flower bed to my mom (Alma Bradford), thus "Alma's Rose". These pictures are the original flower beds (pre-flood).

Obviously, after being under water mixed with gasoline, most of the flowers did not survive. I feel it kind of ironic that the daylilies did survive and are now blooming. You see, the daylilies actually belonged to Maggie's mom in Houston, TX. I dug them from her yard many years ago and brought them to Tennessee. Somehow, we just thought that she was with us and wanted us to know that things would get better if we just kept on trying. All of the other flowers have been replaced and the beds look good again. Just yesterday, one of the city workers drove into our parking lot and told me that seeing those flowers back again was an inspiration to him. He said that the flowers told him that we are not defeated and everyone enjoys this one bright spot on a street of total destruction.

You must realize that even though we had 30 inches of water inside our building, some businesses had 8 feet of water inside theirs. A member of the Chamber of Commerce told Maggie that approximately half of the businesses on Riverside Dr. would probably not re-open. We haven't gotten the national news like the oil spill or Tiger Woods, but people are hurting down here.

I felt somewhat selfish about working only on our building and not helping other business owners with their disasters and told Maggie that we just had to do something. A couple of weeks ago I took the grill down to the shop and with the help of Maggie, Ashley, Dana and some others, we prepared some 220 meals and delivered them to the workers along Riverside Dr. That really wasn't much, but I guess it was something. By the way, my grill was stolen while I was letting it cool off overnight.

After drying out the building, removing the lower half of all the walls, replacing all of the electrical outlets, scrubbing down all of the new equipment that had never even been plugged in, getting our electricity restored (2 weeks), the local codes department informed us that the commode in our brand new handicapped bathroom was off by six inches. Now we had plumbers in our building cutting a giant hole in our ceramic tile flooring, throwing dust all over our freshly painted walls and trim. $2,200 dollars later, our commode had been moved six inches.

It seems that just because we are small that we are being watched under a microscope. We are really scared to do much of anything for fear that codes will require us to re-do.

We erected a partial fence around the front of the property (about 5 feet off Riverside Dr.) to prevent a young child from running into the street. The codes department called and told us to take it down, so we did.

Codes even went so far as to tell Maggie that her flowers were "questionable".

It has definitely been a journey and Maggie really does have a story to tell."

Mag's Coffee has definitely been through a lot, and we look forward to their opening coming soon! They will be serving Vienna Coffee. So if you are ever in the area please stop in and let them know how good their flower beds look, and how inspiring their story is.

Check out "Mag's Coffee" on Facebook.

NEW CLASS: Espresso and Latte Art Training

2010-05-15T18:25:00.003-04:00

Attention all coffee lovers! Vienna Coffee Company has just added a new class!

Espresso and Latte Art Class

Date: June 26, 2010
Time: 6pm - 8pm
Where: Vienna Coffee Company Roastery
(106 Everett Ave. Maryville, TN 37804)

Come in for a night of espresso and latte art magic as Les Stoneham, Great Lakes Barista Championship Finalist and trainer, teaches and demonstrates how to pour the perfect shot and create those stunning latte art designs that have won him barista competitions. This demonstration/hands-on class is great as a gift to any espresso lover or treat yourself and hone your own barista skills.

Delicious snacks and latte drinks will be provided.

Price: $24.00

Bike Month

2010-05-03T20:30:00.004-04:00

May is Bike Month! Celebrate bike month by biking into the Roastery this month and receive a 10% off your purchase. Not only are you helping the environment, but you are saving yourself gas money AND getting in shape. What better time to bike anyways, it BEAUTIFUL outside!!!

FREE COFFEE: Tax Day tomorrow

2010-04-13T20:24:00.003-04:00

Your dreaded taxes are due tomorrow. Don't forget to turn them in, and after you do, Come on over to the roastery. We are sampling some of our delicious coffee and get a free 2oz bag of any coffee of your choice. You deserve to get a little treat after working so hard!

A study shows that darker roasted coffee is easier on the stomach

2010-03-29T21:59:00.003-04:00

Scientific American released an article on March 23, 2010 with the title, "Stomach Cells Happier with Dark Roast Coffee." This interesting article explains, "

In a study presented at the meeting of the American Chemical Society, food chemists found that dark roasting coffee produces a chemical compound that keeps stomach cells from producing the excess acid often caused by coffee drinking."

To read the whole article go to: http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=stomach-cells-happier-with-dark-roa-10-03-23

If you are interested in trying one of our darker roasted coffee check out our french roast or our Organic French Roast.

Great Lakes Barista Competition

2010-03-22T13:59:00.002-04:00

Our friends Logan Demmy and Courtney Robinson put on a good show at this year's Great Lakes Barista Competition. In fact, their scores were best in their state, Ohio. Unfortunately this wasn't good enough to get them into the final round of the Great Lakes region, but we are still proud of them nonetheless.

Both participants had specialty drinks sure to make you wonder. Logan's specialty drink was a concoction of a fig and balsalmic reduction with a touch of creme anglais. Courtney's was created with roasted beets, celery seed, and pine nuts. Both intriguing in their own way. Who would have thought to put espresso with these combinations? Very interesting!

Good Job Logan and Courtney!

Great Lakes Barista Competition

2010-03-12T15:04:00.006-05:00

Our friends Courtney Robinson and Logan Demmy are competing again at this year's Great Lakes Barista Competition in Milwaukee this weekend! They both had stellar performances last year in Chicago, and we are looking forward to hearing about their performance this year. Our coffee sourcer and barista trainer, Les Stoneham has been helping prep Courtney and Logan while giving them suggestions on how to better their signature drink. The signature drink is one of the most exciting aspects of competition. I can't give away what Courtney and Logan's drinks are this year until after they compete, but they are sure to get high marks in creativity!

The Great Lakes Region always has a strong turnout. In fact the national barista champion was from this region last year.

You might be asking what is a Barista Competition. Let me tell you...
It's a competition where baristas from all over the region come and compete for the most creative signature drink, best espresso, and best barista skills. Each competitor has 15 minutes to make 12 drinks: 4 cappucinos, 4 espressos, and 4 signature drinks. That's not all though. In that really short time, they are also expected to tell the story of the coffee they are using and why they are making the drinks the way they are. They customize everything about their routine from the kind of milk, espresso, and grinder, to the music, table cloth, and cups. There are technical judges and sensory judges that judge their every move. If any competitor goes over the alloted time then they are deducted point for each minute they are over. This is one intense competition with big names representing all different kinds of roasters and coffee shops.

Here's to wishing them good luck in this year's competition!!!

This blog has moved

2010-03-12T14:44:00.001-05:00

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Now Hiring!

2010-03-05T15:38:00.001-05:00

Join VCC's team. We are now hiring an operations Manager. We're looking for the right candidate to help us get to the next level. Successful candidate will have at least 10 years commercial or industrial experience. Must be a coffee lover. Responsible for creating & executing operating procedures for packaging, wholesale and retail fulfillment, equipment maintenance and asset management.

Guate travels: Juan

2010-02-24T11:54:00.002-05:00

One of the days that we went to Alberto's field he took us to his son Juan's farm to meet his family. They were great and their coffee trees were very well maintained.

Due to the height difference of the trees and Juan's family who picks the cherries. The first picture shows how they work around this issue. They use a rope tied to the tree and pull is down with a hook tied to a stump on the ground. That enables them to get the cherries at the very top of the tree.

The next picture is Juan picking some of his great coffee. And the third picture is of his wife.

Their work is a whole family affair, Juan's daughters, wife, and Father (Alberto) all work the fields to produce the wonderful coffee that makes up La Armonia Hermosa.

Winter Seasonal Drink Competition

2010-02-18T16:51:00.003-05:00

Congratulations Jim Lindsay! He is our 2010 Spring Seasonal Drink Competition Winner.

Check out his delicious Marshmallow Mocha Latte on our website. Now this is not your average Mocha... check it out!

Jim Lindsay stated, "The snow and making hot cocoa, with marshmallows, for the kids inspired it, so I know it's perfect for coming in to from being out in the cold weather!"

Home Sweet Home

2010-02-15T16:42:00.005-05:00

John, Les, and Jamie are all back from a great trip in Guatemala.

There were so many great things that happened this trip that we will continue to update the blog with new photos and stories from this past month.

The first image is of Demetrio, one of the new farmers of La Armonia Hermosa Coffee. He is showing us his large arabica trees. He has a wide assortment of coffee trees of all ages and an assortment of shade trees. He's great! Incredibly animated, and very passionate about his crop.

The second image is Demetrio walking back from his farm to the path probably carrying about 40 pounds worth of jocote (a tropical fruit) on his back! The incredible part is he is 56 years old and barely broke a sweat!

Also incredible is this path that he and all the other farmers have to walk up with all of their products to go back up to Santa Maria from their farm! Wow... these guys are strong and fit! You didn't want to see us after climbing this hill without anything on our backs.

The last image is John and Les talking with Demetrio about his crop this year and eveything that goes into it. Very exciting!

Next edition: Juan's farm and family

El Salvador: Casa de la Tia Nena

2010-02-08T13:03:00.007-05:00

During our trip to Guatemala, we came in contact with Rodolfo, a finca owner in El Salvador close to Santa Ana who is part of the organization called Casa de la Tia Nena. He requested that we come down to visit his family's finca (camp). It was a great experience as we learned the coffee processes in El Salvador. Their farm/beneficio is much larger than the one we work with in Santa Maria. Rodolfo is incredibly hospitable and very willing to show us around. We learned a lot from both him and his land. Here are a few pictures from our trip...

The first image is of unripe coffee drying (with the cherries still on the bean) on the patio of Rodolfo's brother-in-law. When they sort the ripe coffee cherries from the unripe coffee, they keep the unripe cherries to use for themselves and dry them on patios around their land.

The second image is of a coffee tree nursery. Notice how good these seedlings look.

The third image is of the bags of coffee cherries that the pickers picked. Imagine carrying one of those on your back up a huge hill!

The fourth image is of Rodolfo weighing the bags of cherries that have been picked by his pickers. When Rodolfo took us around his land he had us walk up the mountains like the pickers do. We, however, didn't have 100 lbs of coffee strapped to our backs. The agility, strength, and determination of these pickers are incredible. I'm fairly in shape, and I was huffing, puffing and falling all over the place.

The fourth image is of their beneficio (wet mill). This is a large scale beneficio. The one we are constructing in Santa Maria will not be this large.

The fifth image is of Rodolfo giving Les some green samples of his coffee (these beans are not roasted) to take back for Vienna Coffee to sample roast. Notice in the background that they have a large warehouse full of coffee ready to be shipped to different roasters around the country.

Like I mentioned before, the trip was very informative. We hope to continue the relationship with Rodolfo, and see if we can help each other in the future.

Guate travels: Pictures

2010-02-05T11:53:00.005-05:00

Interested in what we have been doing while in Guatemala? Here is a brief picture summary of what we've been up to...

The first picture is outside of John's window the first two nights he was in Antigua.

We then went to Dometrio's land. We are taking a little break eating Jocotes. One of Dometrio's shade crops over his coffee trees.

These are the "chicken" buses that take people to and from the different villages and cities in Guatemala.

John, Les, and Jamie took a nice relaxing lunch at Epicure. It had a beautiful plaza in the middle of it, and the food was spectacular! We even received complimentary chocolate/ginger truffles.... yumm.

Then the day before John left for his "origin" tour with the Roaster's Guild, we all went to a great vineyard in Santa Maria which is supposedly the only winery in Central America. It is new, but has tasty wine and is in a BEAUTIFUL location!

The last photos is of the casa where we were able to taste the wine, and there's a little restaurant inside too. Also, Les was able to talk with the owner of the vineyard (Château Defay), and they might be willing to sell La Armoñia Hermosa coffee by the bag and by the cup at the winery.

John in Guatemala

2010-02-01T21:20:00.005-05:00

John made his way from Atlanta to Guatemala city this past week in preparation to take an "origin" tour of different beneficios (coffee mills) and fincas around Guatemala with the Roaster's Guild.

Before his official tour John spent the weekend with Les, Jamie and the farmers of Santa Maria de Jesus. These are pictures of John depulping 250 pounds of coffee! Now that's a lot of coffee!

In the first picture Julio, Les and John are picking out the green (unripe) cherries before they go through the depulper. These exact beans were picked by some new farmers who have decided to join the co-op. We are excited to have them because they had some of the best picked coffee we've seen. "Solo rojo."

The second picture is of John actually cranking the depulper. The cherries go from the top and get squished along the copper grate which pushes the beans out of the cherry pulp. This is some tiring work. The stuff coming out at the bottom of the depulper is only the pulp that is later composted back into the soil.

The third picture is the beans coming out of the depulper. There are a few of the cherries left with the beans, but those will be sorted out in the washing process.

More updates from the field coming soon...

Announcing FlourPower

2010-01-24T17:35:00.004-05:00

We would like to announce our newest Vendor of our coffee...

Please welcome FlourPower to our great list of vendors. Located behind Purple Dog Art Boutique in Abbeville, AL, this quaint boutique and bakery opened its doors at the end of November last year. Owners, Sarah Williams and Paulette Riley enjoyed a great Grand Opening with drinks, food, and entertainment from Clark Williams and Yuri Hoshino. Here's some pictures from that event. Thanks FlourPower for choosing Vienna Coffee.

Beneficio in Santa Maria

2010-01-22T14:22:00.003-05:00

Les had a great meeting with the farmers this week. They have created a contract for the land that the beneficio (wet mill) will be constructed on. Because of the demand during picking season, construction will not start this season. Things move quite slow here in Guatemala, but it looks like construction might start in April! This is great news!

Just yesterday Julio and his nephew received and processed more than 18 Quintales of coffee cherries from various farmers within the coop. That's a lot of coffee cherries to process on his small depulpper. Therefore the idea of having a beneficio with a larger depulper and drying patio is a great idea for efficiency, and it will allow for more of the farmers to get more involved in the processing of their own coffee.

This is a video of the land that will have the beneficio on it...

Photos of Alberto's land

2010-01-18T11:00:00.004-05:00

As mentioned before, here are some pictures from Alberto's field. The first image is of the coffee cherries from one of Alberto's trees. They are almost ready for their first picking!

The second picture is of Alberto on the left, Julio (the main contact and organizer of the cooperative) in the middle and his son Melvin on the right.

The third image is of a coffee cherry with the two coffee beans that are found inside of each cherry. The beans are covered in a sweet tasting mucilage (the tan color). This mucilage is what ferments after the cherries have been depulped (depulping is what I did manually to show the beans inside. It is basically just taking off the outside ruby red flesh). From there the bean (with the mucilage on it still), is set out on drying racks and the mucilage turns into paper-thin parchment (this phase is called pergamino). I will show more of the phases later.

And the fourth image is of the coffee bean flowers. Before there are cherries, these white flowers form on the branches. Once these are pollinated then they will turn into the beautiful coffee cherries. The cherries start out as green to yellow to orange to light red to ruby red. If you don't pick it early enough they kind of turn a reddish brown color. All of these pictures were taken at the same time. Therefore, as you can tell there has to be multiple pickings of ripe cherries because some of the cherries are ready to be picked while others are still in their flower form.

More to come later...

Guate travels: Alberto

2010-01-15T11:49:00.004-05:00

Jamie and Les left the freezing USA last Monday to go to the deliciously warm Antigua, Guatemala to work with and visit the coffee farmers of Santa Maria de Jesus. To their great happiness, their first week in beautiful Guate was great consisting of farm visits, shared meals, and many meetings.

Here is a snippet of one of their trips to Santa Maria de Jesus...
"After catching a ride on the back of a local's truck and taking the long hike down from the village onto the farmland, we came to Alberto's land where the harvest is looking great. (photos will come shortly). He has shade trees full of avocados, lemons, Kumquats, bananas, pacaya and many other delicious treats. His coffee trees are full and plump with beautiful coffee cherries ready for the picking. Alberto, a masterful farmer, has a great selection of different varieties of coffee which helps if a coffee blight takes over one of the varietals. You can tell Alberto has such great passion for his crops not only by his enthusiasm when showing off his land and the twinkle in his eye, but also the health of all of his trees and plants. BEA-U-TI-FUL!"

The picture is of Volcan Agua (the Volcano Santa Maria de Jesus is located on)

Please check back in the near future for more about Les and Jamie's trip and pictures.

INTRODUCING: Audra Doughty

2010-01-12T18:18:00.003-05:00

Vienna Coffee Company is excited to introduce to you our newest employee...
Audra Doughty.

Audra found Vienna Coffee Company in 2005 when she opened her own coffee house in Athens, TN. Supplying the best available product and supporting local business being key to her success, Vienna was the obvious choice. After three and a half wonderful years of self employment Audra now joins our company with a vast insight into both the café business and its customers' needs. She is thrilled by the opportunity to pass her "trial by fire" experience, love for coffee and passion to see others succeed in their dreams on to Vienna's existing and soon to be customers.

Audra likes to start her day off with a 3 shot breve latte with just a touch of Monin's Pure Cane Sugar Syrup using only the best; Vienna's Espresso Bella.

So if you see Audra around town be sure to tell her, "hey!"

La Armonia Hermosa coffee farm visit

2010-01-08T19:39:00.003-05:00

Les and Jamie are off next Monday to Guatemala to work with the coffee farmers of our delicious La Armonia Hermosa coffee. Keep up with the story of the project at their website.

During this trip the goal is to start construction on a cistern that is needed for constructing the wet mill. Creating a wet mill will let the farmers to process their own coffee which gives them more control over the quality, and it will also employ the farmers which will allow more money to stay within their community instead of the larger beneficios (processing plants). John will be joining them at the end of January where we will help pick the coffee berries. Everyone is excited about the trip and will take many pictures!

*The picture is of the wet mill at Azotea where they get their coffee processed currently.

Espresso and Latte Art Training

2010-01-05T15:03:00.005-05:00

Last month we had a record month and some exciting new classes. Les Stoneham held an Espresso and Latte Art Class on December 28th. The turn out was great with people from all over the world!

For the first half of the class, Les instructed all of the students on the history, agriculture methods, and what goes into pouring the perfect shot of espresso. Here is a short snapshot of this section of the class...

The second half of the class, the participants were divided into two groups. One group enjoyed some tasty treats (some people asked for these recipes, please check back soon. I'll post them in a later post) and learned how to create a latte on some of the high quality home espresso machines VCC has to offer (Nuova Simonelli Oscar, and Rancillo Silva). The second group was with Les again learning hands-on how to pour the perfect cappuccino, latte art included. With a sampling of our Little River Style Espresso and our Fair Trade Thunderhead Espresso, Each student was given the chance to pull their own shot and enjoy their own handmade drinks off of our Nuova Simonelli Appia compact commercial espresso machine. Then the two groups rotated. The class was incredibly enjoyable and informational with participants from all walks of their "coffee journey."

It was such a success that John has decided to make this training a seasonal training. If you are interested in attending the next class please don't hesitate to call or email us for more information. We have not planned the next event yet, but please check back soon.

Interesting Coffee Fact: Random acts of Kindness

2009-12-17T16:23:00.004-05:00

Did you know that on December 14th, 2007, in Exton, Pennsylvania a US army vet gave $10,000 to a Salvation Army bell ringer in appreciation for the coffee and donuts he had been given during World War II. Random acts of kindness like this, can help to change the world even if it is only a few people's worlds at a time, every bit helps.

This holiday season think about doing some kind of random act of kindness. Everyone could use a little holiday cheer!

Happy giving!

Latte Art Class

2009-12-14T10:59:00.003-05:00

Time is running out for your holiday shopping. So, we just wanted to remind you of a great gift for any barista or wanna-be barista...

Date: December 29, 2009
Time: 6pm - 8pm
Where: Vienna Coffee Company Roastery
(106 Everett Ave. Maryville, TN 37804)

Come in for a night of espresso and latte art magic as Les Stoneham, Great Lakes Barista Championship Finalist and trainer, teaches and demonstrates how to pour the perfect shot and create those stunning latte art designs that have won him barista competitions.

This class is a perfect gift for any espresso lover. The class is designed for beginner baristas and those who are interesting in touching up on their latte art skills.

Delicious snacks and latte drinks will be provided.

*when purchasing this product, a gift certificate will be sent to you or you can pick it up at the roastery.

Price: $18.00

Click here to buy a certificate online.

Interesting Coffee Fact: Coffee Filters

2009-12-11T15:53:00.003-05:00

Did you know that in December of 1908 in Dresden, Germany a housewife, Melitta Benta invented the modern day coffee filter by experimenting with her son's blotting paper after being tired of drinking coffee grounds. She then established a business for the manufacture of coffee filters. Want to know more? Please click here.

Thank you Melitta!

Cutshaw's Vacation with Vienna Coffee

2009-12-07T14:27:00.005-05:00

Our wonderful inside sales and fulfillment coordinator, Mary Cutshaw vacationed with her family this past October to Sanibel Island, and "took along our favorite Vienna Coffee to enjoy on the beach." This is a beautiful picture of her daugher Holly on the beach with a Vienna Coffee travel mug. Like the Cutshaw's you too can enjoy Vienna Coffee anywhere with our stainless steal travel mug, just click here for more information.

Avanti Savoi

2009-12-01T13:13:00.002-05:00

A couple Friday's ago, one of our wonderful vendor's, Avanti Savoia had an open house with our coffee out on display. It was a wonderful night had by all. Here are a few pictures of the event.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T11:27:00.002-05:00

Gobble Gobble Gobble...
Who said that,
big ole turkey
big and fat...

Gobble Gobble Gobble...
what did he say
"Eat me on Thanksgiving day."

or for the vegetarians out there, insert "big ole tofurky, big and fat"

Don't forget to grab a bag of our Pumpkin Pie Spice flavored coffee for your Thanksgiving feast today because starting tomorrow, the roastery will be closed the rest of the week. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

In this time of Thanksgiving we would love to hear from you. What are you thankful for?

We would also like to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and hope that you are able to spend time with friends and family this holiday.

Interesting Coffee Fact

2009-11-23T10:22:00.002-05:00

Did you know that according to Ricardo Levins Morales's Coffee Calendar, "coffee became a part of Arab weddings, early in its history. Freshly made coffee was poured in front of the bride's feet to please the spirits."

Sampling at EarthFare - Turkey Creek

2009-11-18T12:48:00.003-05:00

Come out this Saturday to EarthFare in Turkey Creek for a free sampling of Vienna Coffee Company's exquisite offerings! This week we will be sampling our delicious Fair Trade, USDA Organic certified, Guatemalan coffee.

This coffee is clean and crisp. A well-balance "classic" full-bodied coffee from the western Huehuetenango growing region. This full city-roast has variable sized beans yielding a broad roast profile. But you won't be able to understand the intricacies of this coffee unless you come out to taste it.

The store is located at:
10903 Parkside Drive
Knoxville, Tennessee 37934

Store Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 9am - 10pm Sunday: 9am - 9pm

Make sure to say "Hey" to our wonderful staff, Micah and Chuck!

We Need Your Help: Hoodie Design

2009-11-10T18:02:00.003-05:00

Hey customers, we need your help. We are working on a design for a new Vienna Coffee hoodie, and we would like your opinion. Please let us know which style of hoodie you like: the pullover or the zip down. The actual hoodies might not be these exact hoodies, but we are hoping you can get the idea.

Also, the designs are just sketches at this time, but please let us know what you think about placement and/or your opinion on the sketch ideas.

We really appreciate your help!

Please click on the image for a larger version (from there you can then click that image and view a larger image.)

Please either comment on here or email Jamie with your responses

Saul Bolanos: Cafegrafia

2009-11-09T16:52:00.004-05:00

Saul Bolanos from Costa Rica developed a photographic process using light sensative emulsion to transfer liquid coffee images onto tiles. Since then he has developed other forms of coffee printing including coffee art masterpieces on coffee filters.

It's incredible. "Coffee Images can also be produced on coffee filter paper. They have the Aroma, Color and Taste of Pure Coffee and are 90% Costa Rican Coffee with 10% humidity. There are no other ingredients. Each Coffee Filter Image is a work of art,
or just put it in your coffee maker and drink your coffee art." *taken from http://www.squidoo.com/coffeeprints

Check out his work at http://www.costaricacoffeeart.com.

Artsclamation 2009

2009-11-05T18:10:00.002-05:00

This Saturday Vienna Coffee Company will be serving coffee at the 2009 Artsclamation Art Show. This annual Fine Art Sale benefits the behavioral health services of Peninsula. Here's in the information: We'd love for you to come out and support Pennisula. They have a lot of talented work and artist at the show. We've gotten some really great pieces in the past!

November 7, 2009
9am - 5pm
Sacred Heart Cathedral
School Gymnasium
711 Northshore Drive
Knoxville, TN

Hope to see you there!

Fall 2009 Seasonal Drink Competition Winner

2009-11-03T12:44:00.003-05:00

Announcing this Fall season's Drink Competition winner...

Kayla Rush of Dayton, Ohio with her

Autumn Sunset Latte

medium size mug (16oz)
2 shots of espresso
1 1/2 oz of caramel
1/2 oz of raspberry syrup
1/2 oz of hazelnut
steamed milk

Kayla is a barista at a chocolate and coffee shop in Dayton Ohio, and said, "I was messing around one day with lattes and this is what I came up with. Also, the drink is still great without the hazelnut! Its a great drink for those who need the caffeine without the big coffee taste. : )"

She will be receiving two 12oz. bags of Vienna Coffee and a VCC mug. Congratulations

Thank you to all of our Participants. Don't worry you have another chance to win with our next competition. The Winter Seasonal Drink Competition has begun! Please send in your recipes by February 9, 2010, just in time for Valentine's Day. This is the best season for a good cup of hot coffee and tea! We'd love to hear from you. Need ideas? Check out our recipes or past winner's recipes.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2009-10-28T15:36:00.003-04:00

Halloween is this Saturday, and in celebration of Halloween we have a special promotion! Show your Halloween spirit on Friday by coming in your costume to the roastery, and get an 8oz. bag of a coffee of your choice. WHAT A DEAL! (The picture is of John's little precious grandbaby scarecrows.)

DID YOU KNOW?

"Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter." for the rest of the story go here.

Foothills Fall Festival

2009-10-26T12:58:00.004-04:00

Two weekends ago was the 10th annual Maryville's Foothills Fall Festival where talents like Alan Jackson and Rodney Atkins performed at Theater in the Park in Maryville, Tennessee. The festival also features more than 85 Artists and Craftsmen in the ArtWay Show and a family adventure land for great famly fun.

Vienna Coffee Company happily supplied their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee to the VIPs and backstage talents, hands and volunteers. It was quite a chilly fall weekend, so the coffee definitely was in high demand. It was a great festival, and we were all very excited to be a part of it.

Church Street meets Market Street

2009-10-21T13:01:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, 40 people gathered together at Tellico Village Community Church.

Fair Trade was the subject. They learn about creative ways we can help marginalized and sometimes impoverished people improve their lives by purchasing good products that return a larger share of revenue to the growers, producers and craftspeople who make them. They enjoyed the rich taste of Cafe Feminino, the gourmet coffee blend that is served in the Tellico Joe Cafe. John Clark from Vienna Coffee Company was on hand to tell us about Fair Trade Coffee and our Relationship coffees (El Puente, La Armonia Hermosa, and Cafe Femenino). Also Bill and Joan Cochran from Shop the World Gifts which features Fair Trade gifts and crafts made by people in Third World countries talked about their store and products.

People were able to sample the wonderful Cafe Femenino Peru coffee that is featured in their Tellico Joe Cafe and desserts prepared within the community.

People came and joined us at the corner of Church and Main - where faith meets life head-on!

Interesting Coffee Fact: Ceylon

2009-10-16T12:55:00.002-04:00

Interesting Coffee fact for this week...

In 1886 coffee rust infects the coffee of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), devastating hundreds of thousands of acres of trees. Tea is planted instead, helping to turn Britain into a tea-drinking nation. Coffee leaf rust is spread by wind and rain from spores from lesions on the underside of the plant (Mitchell, 84).

*images are from http://www.coffeeterms.com/coffee-farming-and-processing.htm, and information is from The coffee Calender, by Ricard Levin Morales.

Fundraiser Ideas

2009-10-13T16:03:00.003-04:00

Is your school or church looking for a fundraiser for this holiday season? We have just the thing! How about selling specialty locally roasted coffee? We will work with you, create a custom order form, make a customized label, and give you wholesale prices. That way even more of the proceeds go directly to your organization.

At this time of year people are looking for great holiday gift ideas and what better way than to have them support the people and organizations they love?

Check out our website for more information and examples of customized labels.

Brew Plum Coffee bar's Grand opening is this Friday

2009-10-08T16:19:00.003-04:00

Brew Plum Coffee Bar's Grand Opening is tomorrow at the the Nelson Fine Art Center. The center is located at 324 East Main Street, Johnson City, TN, 37601 and will be featuring locally roasted Vienna Coffee. Earlier this season owner Kate bought a La Pavoni from us, and now she's raring to go. Come out on Friday and get any drink that might spark your interesting ranging from Chai to hot cider to delicious specialty coffee. If you go on friday bring your receipt into the roastery next week and show it at the register for a free 2oz bag of any coffee of your choice!

Enjoy and Best of luck to you and Brew Plum!

Interesting Coffee Fact

2009-10-05T18:19:00.003-04:00

Did you know??

Haitian coffee farmers are resurrecting the nation's coffee sector, emphasizing sustainable shade-grown methods. In the eighteenth century Haiti supplied half the world's coffee from its brutal slave plantation system. The Haitian revolution which began in 1795 destroyed both French colonial rule and the coffee industry, clearing the way for Brazil to emerge as the world's leading exporter.

(from The Coffee Calender 2009, by Ricard Levin Morales)

*image from http://www.cafe-creole.com/intro.html

October is Fair Trade Month!!

2009-10-02T16:02:00.002-04:00

This month is Fair Trade month! Help us raise awareness about Fair Trade and the benefits of Fair Trade. Don't know what the benefits are. Call us or email us we'd love to talk to you about it or you can go to TransFair USA's website for more details.

Vienna Coffee offers a wide variety of
Fair Trade Coffee and Tea. We are also holding a presentation on Oct. 20th about Fair Trade. Please check back for more details.

TODAY IS NATIONAL COFFEE DAY!

2009-09-29T15:46:00.003-04:00

National Coffee Day: Coffee can help you lose weight, but watch the extras

by Gail Gedan Spencer, article is found at: http://image.examiner.com/x-660-Weight-Loss-Examiner~y2009m9d29-National-Coffee-Day-Coffee-can-help-you-lose-weight

Before you head to the gym today, celebrate National Coffee Day. It may help you with weight loss.

Researchers have found that caffeine works as a mild appetite suppressant and can increase your body's ability to burn calories. Many muscleheads drink coffee before and after they work out.

Just lay off the whipped cream and sprinkles. A Frappuccino is not a cup of coffee -- it's a milkshake.

And those flavored creamers? A minefield.

Unflavored soy creamer has around 15 calories per tablespoon -- no biggie. But gooey treats like International Delight have a scary 45 calories. And fat-free is not much better at 30 calories.

So let's do the math: 2 tablespoons is 90 calories; 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) is 180 calories. A quarter cup of Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby is only slightly less at 165 calories.

Yes, Ben and Jerry's ice cream is lower in calories. Would you consider putting a blob of Ben and Jerry's in your coffee every morning? That's what many people do with flavored creamers.

VCC ties for Best Drink at Taste of Blount

2009-09-28T13:14:00.004-04:00

Rain didn't keep the crowd away as this year's Taste of Blount was a continued success, and a success for VCC! Out of 23 local vendors Vienna Coffee Company tied for Best Drink of Taste of Blount. We'd love for you to try for yourself the drink that was voted best of Blount County. Go to our website for the speciality drink recipe (Blended Tiramisu), or check out our single origin, La Armonia Hermosa coffee that was also served that night.
John Clark stated, "Great times were had by all."

Dancing Bear Bicycle Bash

2009-09-23T18:16:00.002-04:00

The Dancing Bear Bicycle Bash put on by Cycology Bicycle and Dancing Bear Lodge was a huge success! A little fog never hurt anyone. Just look at the turn out, also note the right back pocket of the blue jerseys!!!

Autumnal Equinox

2009-09-21T20:42:00.003-04:00

Today was the Autumnal Equinox. Here is a very interesting article I found about the traditions and myths associated with the Equinox. So grab yourself a mug of hot Vienna Coffee (I recommend our new stock, La Armonia Hermosa coffee), and get a little cultured...

September Equinox Customs and Holidays

taken from http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/september-equinox-customs.html

The September equinox, also known as the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere, has been linked to many myths and superstitions in history. It is a time of the year when festivals and celebrations of different faiths occur around the world.

Myths and superstitions

According to myth, it is believed that the September equinox is a time of balance when “day and night are equal” and that that by some mystical force one can balance eggs on their end on these days. Some believe that one can only balance an egg within a few hours before or after the exact time of the equinox.

According to Jewish superstition, when Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac at the autumnal equinox, and blood appeared on his knife. Another superstition relating to the four Tekufot, which refers to the equinoxes and solstices, is that during the September equinox a mysterious precipitation poisoned all water, which was not be drawn or drunk.

In many cultures, the September equinox is a sign of autumn in the northern hemisphere. In Greek mythology autumn begins as the goddess Persephone returns to the underworld to live with her husband Hades. It has also been believed that magically it was a good time to enact rituals for protection and security as well as reflect on successes or failures from the previous months. Animals associated with the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere are dogs, wolves and birds of prey. Mythical creatures associated with this time of the year include gnomes, minotaurs and the sphinx.

Celebrations and festivities

Higan, or Higan-e, is a week of Buddhist services observed in Japan during both the September and March equinoxes when day and night are equal at length. Both equinoxes have been national holidays since the Meiji period (1868-1912). Before World War II, they were known as koreisai, or festivals of the Imperial ancestors. After the war, when the national holidays were renamed, they became simply spring and autumn equinoxes. Higan means the “other shore” and refers to the spirits of the dead reaching Nirvana after crossing the river of existence. It celebrates the spiritual move from the world of suffering to the world of enlightenment and is a time to remember the dead by visiting, cleaning and decorating their graves and reciting sutras. Buddhist prayers, rice balls and sushi are offered. It is a time for the Japanese to worship their imperial ancestors.

The Christian church replaced many early pagan equinox celebrations with Christianized observances over the years. For example, Michaelmas (also known as the Feast of Michael and All Angels), on September 29, fell near the September equinox because it was associated with the beginning of autumn. During the middle ages it was celebrated as a holy day of obligation but the tradition waned in the 18th century. It is still celebrated in some places as the “festival of strong will” during the autumnal equinox.

On the autumnal equinox, many pagans celebrate Mabon as one of the eight Sabbats (a celebration based on the cycles of the sun). Mabon celebrates the second harvest and the beginning of winter preparations. It is the time to respect the impending dark while giving thanks to the sunlight.

In China the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is celebrated around (but not precisely) the time of the September equinox. This occasion dates back more than 3000 years and occurs around the time of the full moon. It celebrates the abundance of the summer's harvest and one of the main foods is the mooncake filled with lotus, sesame seeds, a duck egg or dried fruit. This tradition originated from the ancient tradition of making offerings to the sun in the spring and to the moon in the autumn. It is also a time for families to get together and people often travel long distances to be with their loved ones. The streets are decorated with lanterns, incenses are burned and fire dragon dances take place.

Please note that while the effort has been taken to ensure that various holidays, observances and traditions are mentioned, not all of observations across the world and throughout time have been covered in this article.

Taste of Blount: Blended Tiramisu

2009-09-17T15:34:00.005-04:00

Vienna Coffee Company will be at Taste of Blount tonight serving their delicious newest coffee La Armonia Hermosa, and their sweet specialty drink, Blended Tiramisu.

Stop by Taste of Blount tonight and vote Vienna Coffee as your favorite coffee drink.

Want to know how to make Blended Tiramisu? Check out our website for the recipe and other specialty drink recipes.

Don't forget about our Seasonal Drink Competition also. We'd love to hear what kind of drinks tickle your fancy.

La Armonia Hermosa coffee has arrived!!!!

2009-09-15T19:04:00.002-04:00

We are happy to announce that our La Armonia Hermosa coffee has arrived! We are currently testing the coffee to get the best roast for this year's crop, but we are very excited with what we have come up with so far. This year's crop is spectacular. We can't wait to get it roasted for you to try it for yourself. Check back to see when it's available to buy.

Not heard about the La Armonia Hermosa coffee? It's one of our relationship/direct trade coffees. Please check out their website to find out more information.

*Thanks Les for making this coffee an option for us.

Website Down

2009-09-14T17:16:00.003-04:00

Valued customers, we are very sorry for the inconvenience but we are doing maintenance on our website. If you would like to place orders please call us at 865.681.0517 or email us at info@viennacoffeecompany.com. We are working as fast as we can to get the site up and running. Thank you for your patience!

Interesting Coffee Fact

2009-09-09T14:40:00.002-04:00

Interesting coffee fact for the week...
Did you know that cappuccino is named after the brown robes of the hooded Capuchin friars in the 16th century? The word means "little hood" in Italian. Legend has it that the whipped cream rising to a point reminded some Italian wag of a Capuchin friar with his long, pointed hood, or capuche, up and he dubbed the coffee beverage "cappuccino".

GO BIG ORANGE!

2009-09-03T09:42:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you, but I'm definitely ready for the long weekend! What better way to celebrate how hard you have been working, then by grabbing a big cup of our Monthly Flavored Coffee, Tennessee Big Orange while you watch the UT season opener this Saturday versus Western Kentucky.

We've chosen some of the best specialty-grade Brazilian coffee beans and infused them orange flavoring that will have you yelling "GO BIG ORANGE!"

Would you like to try it for FREE? Click here for more info.

"First of Ramadan" headache

2009-09-01T11:58:00.002-04:00

Interesting fact of the day...We are in the midst of the Islamic holiday Ramadan. According to Ricardo Levins Morales, a study published in Heachache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain in 1999, recommends cutting back on caffeine and then having a strong cup just before starting the fast in order to prevent a "first-of-Ramadan" headache. So don't forget to wish your Muslim friends a happy Ramadan this month! Here is an interesting article from http://specialty-hospital.com/jordan/ramadan-coffee/

Enjoying your coffee During Ramadan

August 26, 2009 at 10:02 am , by tamara

Drinking coffee in the morning for that “pick me up feeling” is an all too familiar and enjoyable habit for many of us. But come Ramadan and the thought of stopping this stimulating ritual will definitely seem difficult.

We’ll tell you how you can still enjoy drinking your coffee during the month of Ramadan!

At Iftar:

Avoid breaking your fast on a cup of coffee, since caffeine would lead to the release of gastric juices on an empty stomach and in turn hurt your gastric mucosa. The ideal food to break your fast with is 2-3 dates, because they will provide you with the sugar your body requires, especially your brain.
You can have your cup of coffee two hours after you complete your Iftar meal. This way you would have allowed plenty of time for your body to adjust its blood glucose level with a balanced Iftar. A cup of coffee would come in handy also because it might also keep you alert in case you feel sleepy after your Iftar meal.

Late night:

If you enjoy the taste of coffee late at night, try a decaffeinated cup before you sleep (which would still have the beneficial antioxidants). You can also opt for herbal teas such as thyme or chamomile which are healthy and soothing.

Suhour:

If you wakeup for Suhour just before the Athan, you can enjoy a cup of coffee along with your balanced meal. This will help you stay alert throughout your long day of fasting.

El Puente

2009-08-25T15:39:00.002-04:00

Although this isn't directly related to coffee (except that some of the women and men were probably coffee farm workers in their native country), but we thought this organization was very intriguing and wanted to share it with you...

El Puente's mission is to bridge the gap toward sustainable spiritual and economic health for the latino immigrants in East Tennessee, equipping them for a return to their native lands as agents of transformation.

They are a non-profit organization supported by families, foundations and local churches. Areas of focus include: Advocacy, literacy, organic farming, business development, and biblical training.

Check out their website for more information and wonderful pictures!

Nashville Coffee Society: Bali Blue Krishna

2009-08-21T13:43:00.003-04:00

We just picked up a new organic coffee that we are really excited about. We are thrilled to be able to serve you this rare coffee from Bali, Indonesia called Blue Krishna. It is quite rare for this area to get a Balinese coffee, but we have it, and we want you to try it.

We were asked to provide a lightly roasted coffee to the Nashville Coffee Society's cupping series that is going on this weekend. We, however, will be roasting this coffee darker for our store sales, but we are excited to hear how the cupping goes. The cupping is highlighting Tennessee roasters such as Stone Cup Roasting Co. and us.

Interested in going to a cupping and are in the Maryville area? Sign up for one of our classes.

Handpresso

2009-08-17T19:02:00.004-04:00

Les and I (Jamie) went on a backpacking trip to Shawnee National Forest this weekend, and of course Les couldn't go a day without his espresso, and he didn't want to have cowboy coffee. No sir. He had a Handpresso. That's right.. forest espresso. "Premium Quality coffee...anywhere." Here is a video about that very thing. Our video is not as cool as handpresso youtube version though. So check out... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbMrfUYDHyI.
Granted it wasn't as good as a shot of Vienna Coffee's espresso, but pretty dang good for being in the middle of a forest!!

If you are looking for the weekly deal, we have discontinued the weekly deals. Please sign up for our newsletter or become a fan on facebook to get deals on your favorite Maryville coffee roaster. We will still be posting interesting coffee facts, espresso trivia, new locations, etc. So check back frequently and we'd love to hear your feedback!

From the fields: Kerinci, Sumatra

2009-08-13T15:39:00.007-04:00

Les Stoneham just recently returned from a 3 week trip to Sumatra. Here's an update on his trip...

If there is such a thing as 110% humidity, you'll feel it on the coast of West Sumatra. The hot tropical air urges one to escape to the inland mountains of Kerinci National Forest. The cooler mountain air is accompanied by some of the most beautiful land on earth. Valleys of rice paddies, rolling hills of tea and mountain slopes of coffee and cinnamon all surrounded by beautiful untouched rainforest.

The coffee of course is what brings me here. More particularly, the hopes of helping these farming communities improve their economy by producing high quality Arabica coffee. While the altitude and environment is perfect for growing Arabica coffee, they currently are growing the lower-grade Robusta species, which is hard on the land and offers them very little income. The people here care about both their land and heritage but are constantly faced with hard realities of either protecting their prized national forest, feeding their family or leaving their homes for better work in the city. With the current prices for agricultural goods being so low, a project to increase the value, thus increase the farmer's incomes, offers great potential for an area in desperate need of sustaining their way of life.

The diversity of coffees produced in Indonesia is amazing. Many of the country's islands produce coffee besides the most well known island, Java. The Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia website, www.scai-indo.org offers a great resource to learn more about the particular growing regions currently producing Arabica coffee for the specialty market. Try the variety of Indonesian coffees offered by Vienna Coffee to experience the diversity of character they possess. Check out some of their offerings... Organic, Sumatra Gayoland, Sumatra Mandheling, SWP Sumatra Decaf, and Sulawesi (Celebes) Toraja.

Some day we hope you will find Kerinci coffee in that list. But much like the development of our La Armonia Hermosa coffee in Guatemala, this project will take many years. Follow the unfolding story along with us while you discover the other wonderful coffees of Indonesia.

Weekly Deal: Cupping Coffee of the World

2009-08-11T16:52:00.004-04:00

Today we started our coffee classes and cuppings up again. This week we focused on Organic vs Non-organic from around the world. To accomplish this, we cupped our Sumatran, Guatemalan, and Ethiopian. It was an interesting class, and we would love for anyone to join us for our next class.

Our next class, on Tuesday, August 25 we will be hosting "What is Espresso - tasting and training." Space is limited so reserve your spot today.

Just for signing up for this class this week you will recieve a free 2oz. bag of coffee of your choice!

The image is a picture of coffee fields in Sumatra taken by Les Stoneham on his most recent visit to Sumatra.

Interesting Coffee Fact

2009-08-06T12:08:00.003-04:00

"When yellow fever struck Philadelphia in August of 1793 the blame for the epidemic was initially (and incorrectly) placed by Dr. Benjamin Bush on coffee beans that had been rotting on the wharfs. It is now known to be caused by a mosquito borne-virus."

- taken from The Coffee Calender by Ricardo Levins Morales.

So don't worry, you won't be getting any yellow fever from rotting coffee. In fact you won't even come in contact with rotting coffee at VCC. We batch roast our coffees in small batches and keep our stock constantly fresh to give you the best quality coffee available.

WEEKLY DEAL: Rate my Rosetta

2009-08-04T16:48:00.003-04:00

Looking for a way to compare your latte art with other baristas? Check out ratemyrosetta.com.

You can post your art and rate other people's art. It's perfect for those of you interested in perfecting your latte art, or want to see what great designs are out there. The weekly deal this week is based on this art form.

Bring in a photo of a latte that has latte art on the top (this can be an image taken from a cell phone.) and let us know which cafe you were at to get a FREE 2 oz. bag of your favorite VCC coffee.

WEEKLY DEAL: coffee trivia

2009-07-27T19:26:00.002-04:00

Here is some interesting trivia to spur your brain...

Fill in the blanks (each black is all the same answer) and get a 2oz bag of Vienna Coffee Company, AND a bag of Harney & Sons Tea of your choice.

Coffee berries start as green berries in early stage of growth, turns yellow, red, then dark crimson when it is finally ripe and yields the best coffee. In fact, according to the rule of "________": Arabica coffee plant takes about "_______" years to mature and produce its first crop. A healthy coffee tree will produce only about "________" pounds of green beans per year, but only about "ONE-________" of a pound meets the rigid sorting standards to be sold as "Specialty Coffee."

This is from cocoajava.com

INTRODUCING: VCC's Seasonal Drink Competition

2009-07-23T10:17:00.003-04:00

We want your creative ideas! Starting this summer we are starting a Seasonal Drink Competition. So get your creative hats on and send us your favorite coffee or tea recipe that exudes summer. The more creative and tasty, the better. For example, have you ever heard of blue cheese in an espresso drink? Check out Les Stoneham's espresso drink he used for this year's Barista competition.

The deadline for the competition is August 20th. So send your entries in soon to Jamie or turn in your recipe in at the roastery.

The winner will get 2 12oz bags of Vienna Coffee of your choice!

WEEKLY DEAL: Barista Jam

2009-07-21T12:13:00.006-04:00

Brown Cup Coffee Co.

Presents

2009 Barista Jam

On Sunday at 5pm head on over to Brown Cup Coffee Co. in Lenior City for their first ever Barista jam. Come to watch or participate as baristas compete against each other to create the best latte art. Then, after all the excitement stay after for a great time of fellowship. If you would like more information please email info@browncupcoffee.com.

Aren't sure what latte art is? Click here to see a sampling of different kinds of latte art. This art form is created by pulling a great shot of espresso, frothing the milk into a delicious thick micro foam, and pouring that milk into the the shot of espresso in a certain way that allows for a sweet design to form on the top of the cappucino or latte. There will be a short demonstration of this process prior to the event.

In fact, you can get FREE coffee from Vienna Coffee Company by going to this event. Bring a receipt or something from the Barista Jam into the roastery next week and receive a free 2oz bag of coffee. Also, if you want to practice your latte art skills before the competition, provide your own milk, and we can provide our Nuova Simonelli Appia Compact to practice on. We also provide classes on latte art too!

Coffee Vocab: SALT

2009-07-15T16:19:00.002-04:00

When describing coffee, salty is typically not a good descriptor word. Salt is one of the four basic taste sensations registered on the sides of the tongue. Pronounced salinity can indicate bad water used in brewing. For the best brew quality use filtered water. Click here to read how to brew the most ideal cup of coffee. We also have brochures about brewing the best cup of coffee at the roastery, please don't hesitate to ask for one! The most important rule of thumb is to start with good coffee... Vienna Coffee can provide just that very thing! Check out our website.

WEEKLY DEAL: Cities Cupcake Boutique

2009-07-13T19:26:00.003-04:00

Cities Cupcake Boutique is now serving Vienna Coffee! As you go and pick up your favorite Knoxville, Chicago, New York... you name, cupcake at Cities Cupcake Boutique grab a mug of our delicious espresso.

Looking for some serious pizazz in a cupcake? This is not your regular, run of the mill cupcake here! I mean seriously... their Memphis cupcake has bacon on top! Intrigued? Check them out! And when you do bring your receipt from your purchase and receive a free 2oz bag of Vienna Coffee when you come into the roastery this week.

Check out our new Nuova Simonelli espresso machine

2009-07-08T18:04:00.003-04:00

We are very happy to announce that we now have a Nuova Simonelli Appia Compact V 2 group espresso machine set up in our show room for demonstrations, classes, and some good latte and espresso-making. Nuova Simonelli is one of the leading espresso equipment manufacturers in the world. In fact, their espresso machines were used in the World Barista Competition and the United States Barista Competition (the competition that Les Stoneham, one of our espresso class instructors, participated in). We are also selling other state of the art Nuova Simonelli equipment: the Grinta Grinder, Appia V 2 group espresso machine, Oscar home espresso machine, and the Aurelia 2 group. We'd love to have you come in and check it out!

WEEKLY DEAL: Wear Red, White, or Blue

2009-07-06T20:03:00.003-04:00

In continuing the celebration of the Fourth of July, come into the roastery wearing either red, white, blue, or all of the above colors and receive a free 2oz. bag of fresh Vienna Coffee. Or submit a story about what you did this Fourth of July on this blog and receive a free 8oz bag of our flavor of the month... American Hazelnut.

Fourth of July Coffee Drink

2009-07-03T10:05:00.002-04:00

Having a Fourth of July party this weekend? We have the perfect drink for you that will delight your guests, and have them asking for more...

Coffee Coke Float
June 30, 2009 by Marye Audet

2/3 half and half (light) cream
2 1/2 cups espresso, or strong coffee, cold (we suggest a real shot of Vienna Coffee's espresso con Robusta, but VCC's Sulawesi will also be a good start)
4 scoops coffee ice cream (click link for a homemade coffee ice cream recipe)
1 -2 liter bottle of Coke
1/2 cup Kahlua (this can be omitted for a non-alcoholic drink)
4 frosted glasses

Mix the cream and the cold coffee

Add 2 tbs Kahlua to each glass

Place a scoop of the ice cream in each of four glasses

Half fill each glass with the coffee then fill up the rest of the way with Coke.

Serves 4

WEEKLY DEAL: 4th of July

2009-06-29T10:37:00.003-04:00

This Saturday is July 4th! In celebration of America's Independence, we are offering a weekly deal if you can answer this question...

What date was America's Declaration of Independence signed?

If you come into the roastery and can answer that question you will get a 2oz bag of our Monthly Special... American Hazelnut.

Just for your knowledge...

– On the day the Declaration was signed, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation was 2.5 million.

– On July 4, 2008, the nation's population will be 304 million.

Coffee Vocab: Flavor

2009-06-25T10:06:00.004-04:00

When tasting coffee you are often asked to describe the "flavor" of the coffee. What exactly does flavor mean?

Flavor is the combined effect of acidity, body, and aroma plus an evaluation of the four basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter and salt. It is often described using these terms:

Richness: this term describes an interesting, satisfying fullness
Complexity: a flavor that seems to possess any distinctive quality simultaneously (i.e. full body, wine-like acidity, and a bright finish)
Balance: this term describes a coffee that does not obviously lean to one quality of another.

For example: Peaberry Blend is a blend of beans from Tanzania Peaberry and Costa Rica that creates a very balanced and aromatic cup of coffee.

Come by the roastery to sample some of our coffees and see describe for yourself the different flavors of our specialty coffee.

WEEKLY DEAL: Father's Day

2009-06-22T14:54:00.003-04:00

Father's Day was yesterday, and since I (Roastmaster John's daughter) couldn't be there to celebrate Father's Day with him, I'm asking you to help me honor him. When you go into the Roastery this week please tell him Happy Father's Day (and if you are brave give him a big ole hug for me too). Then after you do that, send me an email at jamie@viennacoffeecompany.com, and I'll send you a beautiful printed picture of Santa Maria de Jesus (home of our La Armonia Hermosa coffee).

Thanks in advance for helping.

And thanks Dad, for being great!!!

Latte Art Mile High Club

2009-06-19T12:23:00.002-04:00

Last month, Les Stoneham and Larry Bourgeois of Espresso Guild and videographer, Jp Leon, went to great lengths to set Larry's plane up with an espresso machine. As they were taking their plane around Cincinnati on a bright sunny day, Les was pulling some great cappuccinos. The image to the left is an example of the cappuccinos poured on their adventure. This is pretty amazing considering they were a mile in the air on a bumpy plane.

Now this may seem a little bit crazy, but you, yourself can learn to pull great cappuccinos like this (on the ground in your own cafe). We offer many classes including Advanced Latte Art Training, Espresso Basics, Espresso Based Drinks, etc. Please check out our website for more details.

WEEKLY DEAL:

2009-06-15T15:38:00.002-04:00

In celebration of Flag day which was yesterday June 14th, come into the roastery and receive a free bag of Harney and Sons tea if you can answer this question:

What year was the current 50 star flag adopted?
A. 1952
B. 1971
C. 1960
D. 1945

Don't know what flag day is?
It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on June 14th by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.

VCC donates to ADPSR's Mumford Awards

2009-06-11T15:15:00.002-04:00

This weekend, in Chicago, ADPSR (Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility) is hosting the 2009 Mumford Awards for Peace Community Development and the Environment. At this event community organizers, green activists, design practitioners, student, and people interested in sustainability will be coming together to honor 3 amazing organizations.

This two day event will feature guest speakers, FREE food from a green caterer, free drinks from a local brewery and winery, live local music, interactive art, and door prizes (provided by Vienna Coffee Company and Chopin Theatre). It will be a perfect way to allow people to know what is going on in Chicago, get connected, and honor organizations who are already doing some great things!

On Sunday they will be putting words into action and chartering a bio-diesel bus to Black Oaks Center for Sustainable Renewable Living's eco-campus. This day will be filled with different permaculture type projects (natural construction building, erecting a yurt, and erecting a chicken coop).

If you are interested in more information about this event check out: www.adpsr.org/chicago

La Armonia Hermosa coffee farm visit

2009-06-05T19:13:00.010-04:00

Les Stoneham is on his way down to Guatemala later this week to continue his work with the coffee farmers in Santa Maria de Jesus. This is the community from which we get our wonderful La Armonia Hermosa coffee.

He and a group of volunteers from Cincinnati will be meeting the coffee farmers and their families and working on construction projects in the village for the next two weeks. It should be a great trip! Please check for updates on their website.

Les has just recently created a non-profit called Deeper Roots Development which will allow the La Armonia Hermosa cooperative and future projects better access to funding and organization. With this exciting new venture, Deeper Roots is looking for people interested in investing in the farmers through micro-loans to fund the construction of a much needed beneficio (processing plant) that will enable the farmers to process their own crop and receive more income. The interest on these loans will be paid back in the form of fresh La Armonia Hermosa Coffee!

If you are interested in learning more about this or about going down and visiting the farmers please contact les@laarmoniahermosa.com

Weekly Deal:
La Armonia Hermosa coffee was such a hit this year, that we sold out! So in anticipation of next year's batch, our weekly deal revolves around the anticipation of our next batch of La Armonia Hermosa Coffee. Order any VCC coffee this week online and 15% of your purchase will go to supporting Deeper Roots, and you also will receive a FREE 2oz bag of coffee with your order. Please make sure you specify in the comments area at checkout which 2oz bag of coffee you would like. Thanks for supporting Deeper Roots!

Random Coffee History Fact

2009-06-05T13:17:00.002-04:00

In 1715, the first greenhouse in Europe was said to have been built to house the Noble Tree, a coffee tree given to France's King Louis XV by the Dutch government.

I bet you didn't know that...

WEEKLY DEAL: Fair Trade Origins

2009-06-01T13:48:00.001-04:00

Did you know the Fair Trade movement grew out of religious initiatives for selling refugee-made handicrafts in the aftermath of WWII? It has grown rapidly since the 1980s with the coffee trade at its cutting edge. Fair Trade coffee guarantees a livable income to farmers and finances schools, water systems and other community-controlled project in coffee growing areas.

Buy any of VCC's Fair Trade coffee online this week and receive a free 2oz. sample bag of a Fair Trade coffee of your choice. Please make sure you designate which sample bag you would like in the comments section at check out so we will know that you saw this weekly deal.

Coffee Quote

2009-05-28T10:53:00.004-04:00

Caffeine is my shepherd; I shall not doze.
It maketh me to wake in green pastures:
It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses.
It restoreth my buzz:
It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness for its name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of addiction,
I will fear no Equal™:
For thou art with me; thy cream and thy sugar they comfort me.
Thou preparest a carafe before me in the presence of The *Vienna Coffee Company.
Thou anointest my day with pep; my mug runneth over.
Surely richness and taste shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the House of Mochas forever.
~Author Unknown

*quote has been modified slightly
**VCC does not believe in the poster's statement. It is purely for comedic relief.

Send a gift of Coffee for Father's Day!

2009-05-26T09:37:00.002-04:00

Do you have a coffee-loving dad that you want to show just how much you love and admire? Give him the gift of Vienna Coffee. In celebration of my Father, roastmaster John Clark, who loves Kenya AA Estate, we will give you a $3 off coupon when you buy the Coffees of Africa sampler pack. All you need to do is enter in coupon code: FATHERSDAY09 at check out to receive the discount. The coffees of Africa consists of three distinctive coffees from the Continent where coffee was first discovered. Kenya AA Estate, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Tanzania Peaberry. In fact, if you come into the roastery John is probably drinking a cup of Kenya AA right now.

For this week's weekly Deal:
Tell us a story about someone you thought about on Memorial Day or what you did to celebrate Memorial Day and recieve a free 2oz bag of Vienna Coffee of your choice!

NEW ONLINE PICK UP!

2009-05-18T15:44:00.006-04:00

Vienna Coffee is pleased to announce that you can now order Vienna Coffee online for pickup at the roastery free of charge! We are making it even easier for you to buy your favorite specialty coffee.
All you need to do is click on the "in-store pick up" at checkout.

WEEKLY DEAL!!!
In fact, if you make an online order this week for pick up at the roastery you will get 15% off your online purchase! Just put the code: InStorePICK0509 in the coupon code when you check out. We look forward to seeing you at the roastery!

Random Coffee History Fact

2009-05-15T09:56:00.002-04:00

Wanting to impress your friends with some random coffee history? Check out this random coffee fact...

On May 14, 1607, Captain John Smith (remember the story of Pocahontas? That guy) helped in founding the English colony of Jamestown on Powhatan territory in North American. He is believed to have simultaneously introduced coffee to the continent.

Thank you Captain John Smith...