swaslu - inexorable espresso evolution

ABOUTswaslu
- SWASLU
  
  ... Inexorable Espresso Evolution ...
  
  In the beginning ... a giant, abandoned looking former bathhouse on 4th Avenue in Brooklyn, NY.
  
  Passed it by for about a year, made offer, was accepted ... cobbled together down payment. Closed on purchase December 1994.
  
  After a year or so triaging the internals, opened as a coffee shop (and sometimes theater) using a pretty good local roaster for coffee in our Bunn brewer.
  
  Business boomed as we took deep dive into monster La Marzocco triple headed monster using -Philly's own La Colombe -then Intelligentsia.
  
  Then a hurricane where we ditched the electric double boiler espresso machine beast ---for the ROK --- for a week saving us counter space and electric whilst making excellent espresso.
  
  In the middle ... it got string theory level complicated.
  
  String theory has a whole lotta dimensions, parameters, if you will. So does espresso ...
  --Farm: Type of plant, elevation, sunshine, humidity, seasonal temp ... 5 dimensions
  --Roasting: Time, temp, mix of beans, length of roast ... 4 more dimensions.
  --Grinding: Time from roast to use, amount, fineness, humidity ... 4 more dimensions.
  --Drawing: Tamping, pre-infusion, pressure, time ... 4 more dimensions.
  
  17, seventeen, SEVENTEEN degrees of freedom to get you that espresso for your latte.
  Is it any wonder it is a rabbit hole to do at home, even the 8, eight, EIGHT dimensions for Grinding and drawing?
  
  In the end ... we launched SWASLU to get better espresso straight to the consumer, you!
  
  We have drawn thousands of shots on the ROK and find, as an instrument of fine espresso, it makes far better espresso than most cafes or you can make from home for less than a $3,000 investment and a hundred hours, at a minimum, of experimentation and learning.
  
  In the end, if that is your bag, have at it. If not, we can provide you flavor and convenience and variety with minimal labor on your part.
  
  We sell two ounce "double shot" jars of frozen espresso, done individually on the ROK.
  
  >>>>>They are not a commodity and come in at $5 per double shot jar.<<<<<
  
  We have a limited number of member slot discounts which get you a bankable 12 jars a month.
  
  If you don't use the 12 jars, that is, don't order then that month, anything less than 12 is bankable.
  
  Membership is a refundable $100 per $.10 discount on the price.
  
  Returnable on 90 days notice.
  
  For example, a $100 option with get you 12 jars, bankable, per month, @ $4.90 per jar.
  
  Discount maxes out at $2.50 for a $2,500 refundable option.
  
  That saves you $2.50 for 12 jars per month, or $30 for the $2,500 returnable option
  
  We have a limited number of slots as we are restricting it to a number of members we can readily handle @ 12 double shot jars per month.
  
  There ... WILL ... BE ...
  
  BETTER ... ESPRESSO ...
  
  more flavor, less labor.
  
  from our espresso cellar!
  
  -- 15 years of a Brooklyn theatre/coffee shop/cafe --
  a blackout and the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy
  taught us that there is another, better, more ecological,
  way to get the most out of your espresso.
  -- When the espresso sediment settles,
  the new boss may well be different than the old boss.
  --Till then we are pulling espresso shots the SwaSlu way, on the muddy road again!
  --We make it a point not to be a roaster and will be highlighting a cornucopia of espresso roasts at some home bases, some events, some markets and some fairs.
  --Interested in better americanos/lattes than you could ever do at home?
  
  Take a dip into our SWAmp of espresso SLUrry - SWASLU.com
SHIP IT FORWARDTeamster
- Send Espresso for the BROWN!
  --If you are a roaster and want to assist our assist of the BROWN ...
  --Send us 5lbs of your best roast so we can spend an afternoon slaving away to make espresso for the BROWN!
  DETAILS:
  --We use a commercial kitchen now that we have gone live after years of family and friends testing. But that commercial kitchen has delivery rules that will make it inconvenient for simple one off deliveries there.
  --Thus, we ask you to send the bag-o-espresso-beans to:
  
  SWASLU,LLC
  c/o Eric Richmond
  66 Back Meadow Road
  Nobleboro, Maine 04555
  
  NOTES:
  Our process is based on anonymity of roasts when we sample out and about and sell. That way we get reviews that are not colored by reputation. Honest feedback.
  But, we understand that serving the BROWN is a truck/horse of a different color.
  So, if you want the picket line to know what they are tasting (and by whose hand it was roasted), drop a line with the bag-o-espresso-beans to that effect. Happy to oblige!
  
  Send $$ to prepare to feed the BROWN starting ... maybe ... August 1, 2023
  
  DETAILS:
  
  Paypal
  theswaslu@gmail.com
  
  Venmo
  @SWASLU
  
  Check/Money Order
  
  --Send whatever you wish to:
  SWASLU,LLC
  c/o Eric Richmond
  66 Back Meadow Road
  Nobleboro, Maine 04555
  
  Indirectly
  Just buy 5 LB bags of espresso or baking supplies HERE
  
  Our alter ego loads packages on BROWN delivery trucks....
  
  At an ungodly hour M-F
  
  UNION (TEAMSTER) brothers and sisters will probably walk the picket line: starting Aug 1, 2023 ... for better work conditions and better wages ...
  
  SWASLU is preparing...
  
  To feed the line
  
  ... Americanos and Lattes …
  (probably iced as it will be August)
  
  ... Biscuits and Muffins and Cookies …
  
  You can help.... Donate a 5lb bag of espresso HERE so we can prepare the necessary espresso elixr stock Donate some $$ HERE to cover costs in the purchase and preparation of:
  ... Americanos and Lattes …
  
  ... Biscuits and Muffins and Cookies …
  
  AT the picket line SWASLU ...
  
  will distribute to the line, for free ...
  
  ... Americanos and Lattes …
  
  ... Biscuits and Muffins and Cookies …
  
  When the strike ends ...
  or, hopefully, it fails to happen SWASLU will donate 20% of the sales of any remaining processed product and future processed product from contributions to:
  ... (split between our commercial kitchen host, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, and a not for profit voted on by the TEAMSTER Local 340 and those roasters who donate espresso and people who donate dollares for the cause) …
SHOTSROK Shots
- THE WAR ROOM
  
  THE RESULTS
  
  shot videos
SHOPartisanal
- GET YOU SOME SWASLU!
  
  swaslu: Shopping Cart
  
  CART EMPTY

TRAININGon the ROK

ROK TRAINING

What is the ROK?

The ROK is an espresso urban legend slayer ....

Amazingly designed heatsink with levers and pressure.

Add near boiling hot water and espresso and some knowledge and
you can pull tremendous espresso shots and make lattes better than most cafes....

without the giant waste of resources espresso machine.

Why use the ROK?

Because its simplicity is space saving, beautiful, efficient, effective, inexpensive and convenient.

How long to get good shot on the ROK?

A two hour individual class at your home or our kitchen, or,
a two hour group class at our kitchen.

We show you what to do first, with minimal theory,
and explain the deep dive theory afterwards.

With a few simplifying assuptions,
string theory level espresso complexity becomes manageable!

How much are group classes at the Kitchen?

Groups of 3 are $150 a person. Class lasts 2 hours.

How much are individual classes?

Individual classes either:
at your home ($500)
or at our kitchen ($400).
Class lasts 2 hours.

What do I walk away with?

Knowledge and 12 doubleshot jars to take home from the group class.
More Knowledge and more double shot jars (approx 16) to take home from the individual class.

P.S. you will be able to take home a few other roasts from our espresso cellar in exchange for a few we pull during class.

What else do I need ... and why?

For the class, not much. Just an eye for detail and the need for speed, e.g. caffeine!

To continue at home you need the following:

the ROK	$240
Naked portafilter	$40
Electric Hot water urn	$80 - $140
Hot water urn stand	$20 (est)
Dirty water collector tray	$30
Thermometer	$25
Knock box	$50
Tamper, solid	$75
Leveler	$50
WDT	$20
Good quality .... used ... flat burr grinder	$500 (est)
Jars/Lids	$12/24
Cone rubber jar opener	$5
Clasp jar opener	$10
Jar opening pad	$10
Bellman steamer	$140
Electric water heater (small)	$30
TOTAL (est. not including various shipping charges)	$1,327

Can you bundle all of that?

Sure, we charge $1600 to pull it together and deliver/ship it to you. Add a class at the kitchen and call it an even $1800 to get rolling and get trained.

HONEST NUMBERS

Pay the freight and take the class ($1800)...

--You can make double shots at about $0.75 per doubleshot.
--You get to hunt down, order, and prepare the espresso.
--From start to finish, using boiling water from a tea kettle, about 20 min to get 1st shot. 3 minutes each thereafter.
--Make a bag at a time and it takes about an hour to do a 12 oz bag, approx 16 jars. So 5 min per.
--Using from fridge/freezer ... about ten minutes
--Break even, at a jar a day, in 15 months

-or-

Use us @ $5 / per jar ... You get:

--stock for freezer/fridge at no effort.
--more variety than you will probably ever attempt.
--higher quality average shot.
--no $1800 drop to start.
--Minimal effort/time, maximal enjoyment

SAMPLEswaslu
- the plan
  
  CROSSING OUR ESPRESSO RUBICON***
  
  made us ready to present to the world
  
  our cellar of espresso
  frozen in suspended animation
  (In 2-oz “double shot” jar portions)
  
  ***(point of no return)
  
  No need to take our word for it. We are soon sampling from our espresso cellar. Check our calendar and sample there for free!.
  
  CROSS YOUR OWN ESPRESSO RUBICON
  
  sample some espressos
  
  ... cross your rubicon …
  
  If you like what you sample*** ... accept a card with a QR code on it. ... get our very simple app,
  use the QR code (or the app) to order
  a couple of what you just sampled. (Our app doesn’t collect any tracking info,
  its just good coffee …
  we don’t need or want to stalk you). ***If you want to taste that particular elixir delivered to you in the future
  
  the bypass
  
  SO, you want to avoid coming to us....?
  
  The answer is that for us to come to you,
  
  you have to invite us in ...
  
  (like a vampire)
  
  by paying homage to an artisan / craftsman / artist ... If you buy something from one of them via this website ... we will bend our rules ...
  
  we will bend our rules and allow the shipping to you of
  
  2 jars each of 2 samples you choose.
  
  ... cross your rubicon …
  
  the other catch is that we need YOUR review to spread the news ... or to inform us where to go
RULESget SwasSlu
- THE SAMPLING AND PURCHASE RULES START 1 MONTH AFTER WE HIT THE MARKETS TRAIL, WHICH WE PLAN TO HIT JULY 1, 2023.
  Till then, shop away!
  
  PURCHASING
  of any approved roast sample
  
  ...1st order...
  limited to 2 jars of that roast
  
  ...2nd+ order...
  limit increases 2 jars per order of that roast
  maxing @ 8 jars of any sampled roast.
  
  Level Benefits Rookies(1-4 AR***): can order what they have sampled + swag. Veterans(5-8 AR): rookies + two jars of 1 URPO****** All-Stars(9-12 AR): rookies + two jars each of 2 URPO Super-stars(13-16 AR): rookies + two jars each of 3 URPO Hall-of-famers(17-20 AR): rookies + two jars each of 4 URPO ***= Approved Roasts, ******=Un-sampled Roast Per Order.
  
  SHIPPING
  
  One day a week
  
  -- UPS 2nd day ground from Maine to Ohio to Virginia
  
  --USPS 2nd day priorty from Maine to New England, Eastern NYS, Eastern PA and New Jersey.
  
  ---FEDEX Next day ground from Maine to New England, Eastern NYS, Northern NJ.
  
  other locations incur additional shipping costs.
  
  PICKUP/DELIVERY Pickup at our MidCoast Maine location by appointment. Weekly Delivery Wiscasset to Camden Monthly Delivery Brooklyn, NY
ARM-TWISTa pitch
- ARM TWISTING
  
  Make at least 4 orders from Swaslu
  & the app allows for you to
  have us process a roast you want.
  
  Tell us your favorite roaster/roast we will do a 12 oz bag
  and send you 12 jars of your own roast. This takes a bit of communication as
  we will order straight from your favorite roaster.
  
  CONTRACTING
  
  Roasters: Run your roast through our paces?
  Register as a commercial client and send us a 12 oz bag.
  
  We process it … you get 1/2 jars made sent back to you
  at a nominal cost + shipping. … we get a few
  and a few will be needed to dial it in… .
  
  PRIVATE ROAD SHOW
  
  Want a sampling experience for your group?
  
  For a nominal fee … we hitch up a mini espresso cellar wagon
  and bring it to your home/event.
CONTACTE-mail list -or- send message
- Add my email please! Contact swaslu.com

SWASLU

Inexorable Espresso Evolution

Flavor, not labor, from our espresso cellar!

birthed in a crucible in a crisis...
out of a somewhat swampy area of Brooklyn NY.

--
-- --
--

pressurized ... almost boiling ... hot water
manually forced ... thru ground espresso roasted coffee.
then quick frozen retaining undeniable flavor.

... Inexorable Espresso Evolution ...

in and of itself is not special,

... unless attention to detail is off the charts. ...

Swaslu re-examined some long held urban legends about espresso & applied as much scientific rigor as one person can stand.

CROSSING OUR ESPRESSO RUBICON***

made us ready to present to the world

our cellar of espresso
frozen in suspended animation
(In 2-oz “double shot” jar portions)

***(point of no return)

No need to take our word for it. We are soon sampling from our espresso cellar. Check our calendar and sample there for free!.

CROSS YOUR OWN ESPRESSO RUBICON

sample some espressos

... cross your rubicon …

If you like what you sample*** ... accept a card with a QR code on it. ... get our very simple app,
use the QR code (or the app) to order
a couple of what you just sampled. (Our app doesn’t collect any tracking info,
its just good coffee …
we don’t need or want to stalk you). ***If you want to taste that particular elixir delivered to you in the future

THE SAMPLING AND PURCHASE RULES START 1 MONTH AFTER WE HIT THE MARKETS TRAIL, WHICH WE PLAN TO HIT JULY 1, 2023.
Till then, shop away!

PURCHASING
of any approved roast sample

...1st order...
limited to 2 jars of that roast

...2nd+ order...
limit increases 2 jars per order of that roast
maxing @ 8 jars of any sampled roast.

Level Benefits Rookies(1-4 AR***): can order what they have sampled + swag. Veterans(5-8 AR): rookies + two jars of 1 URPO****** All-Stars(9-12 AR): rookies + two jars each of 2 URPO Super-stars(13-16 AR): rookies + two jars each of 3 URPO Hall-of-famers(17-20 AR): rookies + two jars each of 4 URPO ***= Approved Roasts, ******=Un-sampled Roast Per Order.

SHIPPING

One day a week

-- UPS 2nd day ground from Maine to Ohio to Virginia

--USPS 2nd day priorty from Maine to New England, Eastern NYS, Eastern PA and New Jersey.

---FEDEX Next day ground from Maine to New England, Eastern NYS, Northern NJ.

other locations incur additional shipping costs.

PICKUP/DELIVERY Pickup at our MidCoast Maine location by appointment. Weekly Delivery Wiscasset to Camden Monthly Delivery Brooklyn, NY

ARM TWISTING

Make at least 4 orders from Swaslu
& the app allows for you to
have us process a roast you want.

Tell us your favorite roaster/roast we will do a 12 oz bag
and send you 12 jars of your own roast. This takes a bit of communication as
we will order straight from your favorite roaster.

CONTRACTING

Roasters: Run your roast through our paces?
Register as a commercial client and send us a 12 oz bag.

We process it … you get 1/2 jars made sent back to you
at a nominal cost + shipping. … we get a few
and a few will be needed to dial it in… .

PRIVATE ROAD SHOW

Want a sampling experience for your group?

For a nominal fee … we hitch up a mini espresso cellar wagon
and bring it to your home/event.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

20 years of being involved in a Brooklyn coffee shop/theater,
a blackout (2003) & a hurricane (2012)
got us hooked on doing espresso manually,

---untethered by an expensive, often unruly, espresso machine beast.

Along the way we learned to honor the progression of roasting flavor profiles … Flower, Fruit, Nut, Wood, Charcoal, Ash, Burnt Oil.

Espresso is string theory level complicated.

As such we eventually honed in on a process that makes simplifying decisions in our n-dimensional space that do not negatively impact the quality of the final product in seeking to revolve around a documentable process to get excellent taste and to investigate urban espresso legends along the way.

Our research.... is your espresso cellar gain.