Posted Sat Nov 29, 2008, 9:07pm Subject: ZombieRunner espresso in Palo Alto
So I'm walking down California street in Palo Alto, and I see this "Fine Arts" sign. I go inside expecting an arts supply store. Instead I see sport running stuff (The "Fine Arts" apparently is the old movie theatre sign). I'm ready to walk out when I smell coffee! But I don't see a coffee stand.
Posted Sat Nov 29, 2008, 9:08pm Subject: Re: ZombieRunner espresso in Palo Alto
Don, the co-owner of ZombieRunner, told me he is an espressogeek. Shown here using the Weis Distribution Technique, Don uses a PID Rancilio HX espresso machine to pull ristrettos. He told me the Rancilio will be replaced with a LM FB70 at a later date.
Posted Sat Nov 29, 2008, 9:09pm Subject: Re: ZombieRunner espresso in Palo Alto
Third Wave coffee at ZombieRunner! What a pleasant surprise! If it wasn't for me smelling the coffee as I walked in the store, I would have walked out and completely missed it. I had this indian Mysore SO triple 2oz ristretto. Pulled with a naked PF. That really was a nice tasty shot!
Posted Sat Nov 29, 2008, 9:09pm Subject: Re: ZombieRunner espresso in Palo Alto
This is the 2oz triple Holiday Blend ristretto. Quite nice and smooth but not as complex as I would like to see in an espresso (maybe because it was a 23gram triple and not a lower dose double ristretto). Don also has a ZombieRunner espresso blend but he wasn't pulling it when I was there.
I asked Don how he came up with the name ZombieRunner. He told me it came to his mind while running at 3am using a flash light to see where he was going. According to the web site, Don runs in races that are 100 miles long. Some races last 24 hours. Crazy if you ask me. Don told me you just have to do it to find out why this is a worthwhile thing to do (no thanks). Still very interesting to read all about ultrarunning. http://www.zombierunner.com/
Posted Sat Nov 29, 2008, 9:11pm Subject: Re: ZombieRunner espresso in Palo Alto
I bought a 12oz bag of Yirg which was roasted by moksha five days before. Not recommended to be used to make espressos, but pulled some double shots anyway on my Zaffiro which were smooth and nice floral but too acidic due to the light roast.
Posted Sat Nov 29, 2008, 9:12pm Subject: Re: ZombieRunner espresso in Palo Alto
The Yirg did make for a very nice floral coffee using the Chemex. I ground the beans on my Rocky using a setting of 30 steps above the burrs touching. Pour 200F water on the grounds to make it bloom. Wait 30 seconds. Continue pouring hot water. 14oz coffee brewed in 3 minutes. Good stuff!
Posted Thu Dec 4, 2008, 10:09am Subject: Re: ZombieRunner espresso in Palo Alto
Don is a software engineer, and he runs the Zombie Runner trail running store, and since he likes coffee he also runs this Zombie cafe. How do some people manage to do all that? Don made this 14oz latte with art using organic Clover milk. Nice perfect temperature microfoam, though the steamed milk was not as sweet as I would like to see in a latte. The Indian Mysore 2oz triple ristretto cut very well through the milk and the latte was nice with plenty of good coffee taste.
Posted Sun Dec 7, 2008, 12:59am Subject: Re: ZombieRunner espresso in Palo Alto
Vikram, the owner and roaster of Moksha coffee roasting, was at Cafe Zombie and brought along a box full with all kinds of different roasted coffees http://mokshacoffeeroasting.com/roasting.html . I was fortunate to get to the taste a Colombian, Costa Rica, Sidamo, and Italian blend, all pulled as espresso. Coffee beans were about four to five days after roast. This collage shows Vikram smelling the dry aroma of the roasted Colombian beans. Ristretto pulled with these beans came out too acidic for my taste.
Posted Sun Dec 7, 2008, 1:00am Subject: Re: ZombieRunner espresso in Palo Alto
The Costa Rica S.O. ristretto doesn’t look very interesting but it had wonderful acidity that complimented the ristretto flavor very well. Nice shot! Don also made a nice and tasty short cappa with a Costa Rica ristretto.
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