# Photo fun



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Anyone know what is going on here?


----------



## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

Sure, we have that exact same set up at Taylors


----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Oh... I thought you made coffee!


----------



## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

Could it be that they are dragging in cat litter trays to coat beans in cat poo as the first step in producing ethically-sourced KL?


----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Nice guess but as we all know there's no such thing as "ethically-sourced KL"









Here's a clue... it's nothing to do with coffee!


----------



## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

MikeHag said:


> Oh... I thought you made coffee!


We make tea as well...They cut easily be firing and cutting tea?


----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)




----------



## onemac (Dec 15, 2011)

I'll have a bash - anything to do with Hops?

Brewers toasted (not roasted) their own hops for flavouring the beer, particularly in the secondary fermentation phase.

Al


----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

I didn't know that!

Still no cigar. Another clue...


----------



## wastedhours (Jan 2, 2012)

Burning the shells off of monkey nuts?


----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Ooooh... no, but the thing being processed does have a shell...


----------



## CoffeeMagic (Aug 7, 2011)

The white blob looks like the photographer caught the moment when the terrorist bomb went off in the Willie Wonka Chocolate Factory...


----------



## FireyCoffee (Jan 1, 2012)

Cacao... at least from what I can make out on the 2nd clue


----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Hurrah! Well done, Ron









Yes, I was at a chocolatiers a few months back and he had some posters and photos showing how cacao beans are processed to produce chocolate. When I saw this photo I was amazed as how much the equipment reminded me of coffee roasting, and then these posters add further similarities throughout the lifecycle of the beans.

One sec, will post pictures...


----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Aah, Firey, you got in before me







CoffeeMagic (Ron) mentioned the choc factory but didn't mention cacao so I guess you both win


----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)




----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)




----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)




----------



## wastedhours (Jan 2, 2012)

Ah! Got it from the third picture but was beaten to the punch!

Saw a great YouTube video about the lab work going into the chocolate company TCHO:


----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

That's a fascinating video, and some great links back to coffee... the guy using a small coffee roaster on his cacao beans... the use of a shop vac to separate shell from nib, which is kinda like some of the home made devices roasters use to separate beans from chaff... the chemistry involved... love it!


----------



## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

So this begs the question: what happens if you roast cocoa beans, grind them and extract them at 8-9 bar pressure?

I'd love to try it even if it tastes horrible.


----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

In Indonesia I saw families cacao beans in a giant pestle and mortar (this sort of thing) to make drinks from the powder. But you can't put roasted cacao beans through a commercial coffee grinder because they contain natural butter in the nibs that would clog the machine - I looked into that for my UKBC sig drink research.

This was an interesting link I found whilst scouting for info http://www.sweetmarias.com/cocoa.php


----------



## SlowRoast (Sep 24, 2010)

I don't know why, but the very first picture I recognise all too well...


----------



## jimbow (Oct 13, 2011)

I must admit I always find it surprising how much coffee has in common with other preparations e.g. chocolate, beer, etc. I was recently talking with a friend of mine who is a qualified beer judge (nice work if you can get it!) and we were both surprised how much of the science and equipment is transferable.

Whilst on the subject of beer (and also trying hard not to hijack the thread ) does anyone else think there is an affinity between beer and coffee? One of my local breweries, Dark Star, produces an espresso stout and I believe that the Mean Time brewery in Greenwich makes a brew using HasBean beans. I am not sure I have come across any other similar beers though.


----------



## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Tim Styles (ex-Square Mile) is into this...

http://www.tropicalsaloon.com/?cat=10

...slightly down the page.


----------



## jimbow (Oct 13, 2011)

Wow, thanks Mike.

I am intrigued by the idea of adding coffee to an IPA - not an obvious choice. I guess the coffee would need to be extremely floral, bright and citrus tasting. I'll have to try some...


----------

