Conucurrentie voor de Amsterdamse koffiebranche:
Stumptown Coffee Roasters is setting up shop in Amsterdam. Or, to be specific, a pop-up shop, which will open on May 1. Duane Sorensen, the owner of Stumptown Coffee Roasters, said he was approached by Sid Lee, a Montreal-based creative agency with a branch in Amsterdam that happened to have a spare La Marzocco espresso machine kicking around in a little-used storefront. Sorensen flew to Amsterdam with seven Chemex coffee brewers and some beans; he returned with the keys to a shop that’s his through the end of July.
The coffee bar will be at 101 Albert Cuypstrat, with beans brought in from the roaster in Red Hook, Brooklyn (which was originally named Roode Hoek, a village founded by the Dutch in the 1630s), and a staff made up of stateside Stumptown baristas. The Moment posed a few questions to the noted coffee roaster.
Q.
How are you getting ready?
A.
I’m packing a box of records right now because we’re going to need some tunes for the cafe. I’m going through my collection and trying to pull some good vinyl, like Hüsker Du, “New Day Rising,” of course. Some classic Jawbreaker. Some High on Fire. Black Sabbath, “Volume 4.” Black Sabbath, “We Sold Our Soul for Rock ’n’ Roll.” Murder City Devils’ first record. Gram Parsons. We got a Townes Van Zandt record here, “Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas.” Guided by Voices, “Alien Lanes.” Jacuzzi Boys.
Why Amsterdam?
I’ve been thinking about Amsterdam for over 15 years. It’s always been one of my favorite cities. Usually it’s my layover on my way to Africa (to buy coffee beans directly at origin). I’ve gotten to really know the city. But I’ve tried to find good coffee, and it’s been challenging. It’s way underdeveloped compared to the U.S., or even London or Scandinavia.
What do you do in your free time in Amsterdam?
My favorite beer bar in the world is there, Gollem. My second is In de Wildeman. I hit one or both daily for my Westvleteren. Friday and Saturday nights I hang at the Brouwerij ‘t Ij. It’s a supercool old brewery in a windmill. The beers are awesome. The Melkweg is good for shows. I saw Mastodon play there a few weeks ago. and it ruled.
For food, I like Café George,Toscanini Ristorante Caffé and Restaurant Marius (Barentszstraat 243; +31-20-422-7880). The best frites are at this little stand called Vleminckx (Voetboogstraaton 31). It’s the most amazing I have ever had, served in a paper cone with mayonnaise. Patisserie Kuyt is the best pastry shop in Amsterdam, if not Holland. We’re going to use them at our coffee bar.
What kinds of coffee will you be brewing?
We’re going to do espresso, of course. I want to do a lot of tastings, so we’re going to do daily cuppings in the coffee bar. And daily brewing instructions. Right off to the side of the coffee bar is a demonstration bar, so we’re taking over press pots, mocha pots, single-cup cone filters — you know, those Melitta-style cones — and a brew bar, Chemexes, vacuum pots.
Will you be at the shop?
I’ll be bouncing back and forth from Brooklyn, helping out when I can. I sent out a company e-mail announcing Amsterdam, and half of our baristas said they’re interested in going over.
