3FE experience

ntlbell

alastair wrote: »

As opposed to your vague and undefined issues with 3FE? I'm honest enough to point out that coffee is a moveable and inconsistent feast - that won't satisfy you every time. I also think 3FE filter/chemex is poorer value than it used to be - simply on volume served - I'm not that great as a fanboy.

The OP had an issue with the taste of their coffee - anything beyond that is (as pointed out earlier) pretty subjective.

I'm not vague at all the over all expirence has changed from what it once was

i can't pin point _exactly_ what needs to be fixed but i'm sure C will take this thread on board and do something as he has been so accommodating over the years

this is not a bash 3fe for no apparent reason thread and your taking it to personally imo

puffishoes

alastair wrote: »

My post wasn't directed towards you, now, was it?

I have spoke to a lot of people on the subject that feel the same and a lot of have said the same thing that they don't feel 3fe is offering what it did before but couldn't put their finger on it.

maybe it's they're not all experts on coffee and it's establishment's.

But there is something missing and to just blame the poster is not very helpful the point is he wasn't given the experience he expected.

it's in the subject

alastair

ntlbell wrote: »

I'm not vague at all the over all expirence has changed from what it once was

i can't pin point _exactly_ what needs to be fixed

Right.

It's either the ambience, the punters, or the coffee.

No vagueness there then. :rolleyes:

ntlbell

alastair wrote: »

Right.

It's either the ambience, the punters, or the coffee.

No vagueness there then. :rolleyes:

Maybe it's everything as i said i'm not an expert i'm just stating what i feel. maybe it's been frequented by too many arseholes.

ch2008

Hey all, sorry for taking so long to reply. I just landed yesterday and I'm working bar today at GCS as well as catching up with emails and wholesale clients so I'm just getting to this now.

There seems to be a lot of isssues raised in this thread so I'll address them one at a time if thats ok. I may miss one or two so feel happy to poke me if I do

The batch brewer. The best cup of filter coffee I've had this year came from that batch brewer. Its a Marco Filtro shuttle and delivers incredibly consistent coffee and is dialled in meticulously .It cost more than most people spend on espresso machines and the grinder to go with it is also top of the range. I love it, the guys at hasbean, squaremile and many other folks in our industry love them but unfortunately there is a negative perception of batch brew coffee.

They use them at the world cup tasting championships,and our old mate REACTOR from boards is invoved with their develepment and is also a strong proponent of them. We have a huge job changing peoples opinions on batch brew coffee but I'm certain that in time the quality will speak for itself. We wouldn't have put it in if we ween't 100% sure of the quality. When we opened 3FE first most people laughed at the idea of selling filter coffee, I see this as a similar challenge in changing perceptions.

The aeropress is definitely different to a chemex but is equally tasty. We use this as our main brewer as it delivers a really clean cup and retains heat quite well which was an issue for a lot of customers in the past.

In saying that, like any brew method sometimes it goes wrong so there may have been a glitch there. There is also a chance that maybe you just didn't like that particular coffee? we change them every week so sometimes it doesn't suit everybody, its one downside to having a seasonal menu.

Also, we wouldn't have filled the cup with hot water, what I imagined would have happened was that they were heating your cup?

If you would prefer a hand-poured drip, just ask the guys. They'd be more than happy to oblige.

As far as wholesale is concerened, we have indeed stopped supplying Murphys but that is the only contract we have stopped with. In fact we've grown to include other places like roasted brown, brother hubbard, base, cinnimon, cup and many others and have recently even closed our books and turned people away so that we can focus on quality. Our wholesale supply has never been stronger and we're looking to kick on again in the next few months.

In terms of the quality of staff and coffee I am 100% sure it has never been better. We had 3 competitors at the World Championships this week which is unprecedented anywhere and we also gained 1st and 2nd at the IBC as well as a Slovakian Barista championship and Irish Brewers cup champ.

We also received an RAI award or best coffee experience and have many favourable reviews both nationally and internationally. We've invested heavily in new equipment and training and will continue to do so in the next few months. The coffee we're sourcing has improved year-on-year and we're buying the best we can get our hands on.

More than that though I am really proud of the team we've assembled at 3FE. They work tirelessly and have an incredible passion for what they do. I seem to be getting criticised for not working bar all the time but I can assure you that the only reason I feel comfortable doing this is because I have 100% faith in all of my staff. We have grown to employ 13 people and unfortunately this involves a lot of clerical and admin work. I'd love to be amking coffee 24/7 but at the moment I'm a little restricted, though still workl machine every day.

It would be impossible for me to make every cup, and also completely unneccessary. Making coffee is not a gift, its just understanding the variables, learning about the product and ultimately caring. All my staff are selected on this basis and not one is lagging behind.

I have from day 1 always tried to run the business off the same set of standards and procedures and everyone adheres rigourlessly to those rules. Yes there are times when bad coffees slip through, it happens everywhere, but saying that never happened before is probably just nostalgia.

I understand that sometimes you amy have a bad experience but thats the game we're in. We serve thousands of people every week and it keeps me awake at night worrying about pleasing them all.

Most importantly though, if there's a problem by all means say so. All of our staff are extremely open to feedback and will always fix a problem if they can.

I can only give my own opinion on this but I can honestly say that I believe 3FE has never been serving better quality coffee. I'm happy to discuss this with anyone who's had a bad experience if they like. You can get me at hello (at) 3fe (dot) com and I'd be happy to talk to you about it.

Many thanks,

Col

(p.s. thanks for the kind words on the comps, delighted with 3rd but raring to go again!)

ch2008

ntlbell wrote: »

Maybe it's everything as i said i'm not an expert i'm just stating what i feel. maybe it's been frequented by too many arseholes.

Bit much no?

The Hill Billy

@Ntlbell - Quit with the personal jibes & stick to discussing the coffee.

tHB

ntlbell

Colin,

Thanks for coming a long to the thread I've seen you post on a number of occasions now and you constantly go above and beyond the call of duty.

All the items you listed above I don't think are in doubt and if I could be more helpful and figure out exactly what it is I'll mail you.

The only thing i didn't like on this thread was people coming a long obviously attracted by your tweet and to blame the POSTER you can't control this.

but a customer should never have to prove why his expectations were not met a number of posters have stated they don't get the 3Fe experience anymore and could be something as simple as you not being there as much and frankly as you grow this cannot be helped and you're right maybe it's just "nostalgia"

donnacha

now that we are all friends again I suggest someone should step up and get a group buy going

duckworth

Thanks for the response Colin.

I'll keep everything you said above in mind next time I'm in.

A question on the Batch Brewer - By the nature of the machine, the coffee must be sitting around in it for a long time. Does this not affect it? Surely it will lose some element of freshness when it has been sitting there for a couple of hour, no?

Also, what is the Barista's Choice filter on the menu? You used to have a blackboard with three coffees on it - has that gone?

ch2008

ntlbell wrote: »

Colin,

Thanks for coming a long to the thread I've seen you post on a number of occasions now and you constantly go above and beyond the call of duty.

All the items you listed above I don't think are in doubt and if I could be more helpful and figure out exactly what it is I'll mail you.

The only thing i didn't like on this thread was people coming a long obviously attracted by your tweet and to blame the POSTER you can't control this.

but a customer should never have to prove why his expectations were not met a number of posters have stated they don't get the 3Fe experience anymore and could be something as simple as you not being there as much and frankly as you grow this cannot be helped and you're right maybe it's just "nostalgia"

Yep, couldn't agree more. A very subjective thing.

I do think though that the experience is as good as ever. I get emails every week from customers who've been served by members of staff who've had a wonderful experience. There's even customers who give me the cold shoulder when I address them cause they have no idea who I am and prefer the other staff to serve them!

duckworth wrote: »

Thanks for the response Colin.

I'll keep everything you said above in mind next time I'm in.

A question on the Batch Brewer - By the nature of the machine, the coffee must be sitting around in it for a long time. Does this not affect it? Surely it will lose some element of freshness when it has been sitting there for a couple of hour, no?

Also, what is the Barista's Choice filter on the menu? You used to have a blackboard with three coffees on it - has that gone?

The coffee is filtered through a paper and the resulting beverage is actually only 1.3% coffee, as is all filter coffee (approx), so it wont keep extracting in the urn itself.

They're heat sealed containers but not a heating plate, as the latter tends to make it quite stodgy. We change the batch every 30mins or so and use it only at busy times so it usually disappears before that. I've actually had coffees after 2 hours from the urns that have been amazing!

The "Baristas choice" is just a more expensive option that we might have in. This was just for the printed menus as its too expensive to print menus every week so it just lets people know that there's another option for coffee. Lately though its been the same price as the regular offering but this may change.

The board is still king for coffees on offer though, we have the farms listed at both shops so feel free to ask about them. The Nicaraguans we have coming in soon are amazing.

RE*AC*TOR

To answer the OP.

No I have not noticed a drop in quality from the filter coffees in 3FE.

ntlbell

RE*AC*TOR wrote: »

To answer the OP.

No I have not noticed a drop in quality from the filter coffees in 3FE.

not doubting your opinion, but it's not the most objective one is it? although one of the most qualified

Mr Magnolia

ntlbell wrote: »

not doubting your opinion, but it's not the most objective one is it? although one of the most qualified

In fairness, if you know RE*ACT*OR or keep up with the blog you'd have a good understanding of his objectivity.

puffishoes

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

In fairness, if you know RE*ACT*OR or keep up with the blog you'd have a good understanding of his objectivity.

A friend of Col's is hardly an objective view on 3fe

steve may aswell come a long and do a podcast saying how great it is.

It maybe valid and steve certainly has the expertise to decide, but it wouldn't be objective.

Slaphead07

puffishoes wrote: »

A friend of Col's is hardly an objective view on 3fe

steve may aswell come a long and do a podcast saying how great it is.

It maybe valid and steve certainly has the expertise to decide, but it wouldn't be objective.

Snide digs at a man's business isn't objective either.

puffishoes

Slaphead07 wrote: »

Snide digs at a man's business isn't objective either.

I didn't make any?

Slaphead07

“Now it just feels like a run of the mill coffee shop.... RIP”

“also i notice places that that used to use hasbean like murphy's don't stock it anymore.... wonder if it's related.”

“It's a bit like going to chapter one and asking for a soup getting handed a cup o soup”

puffishoes

Slaphead07 wrote: »

“Now it just feels like a run of the mill coffee shop.... RIP”

I don't see how this is a snide comment it was my last experience and opinion of it.

Slaphead07 wrote: »

“
“also i notice places that that used to use hasbean like murphy's don't stock it anymore.... wonder if it's related.”

huh? murphy's stopped stocking hasbean this is a fact not a snide comment.

Slaphead07 wrote: »

“
“It's a bit like going to chapter one and asking for a soup getting handed a cup o soup”

this was response to another poster about coffee is coffee, nothing snide to Colin or about 3Fe It was about the poster's post.

Please read the thread more carefully before making accusations like the above.

Slaphead07

It's not an accusation it's an opinion. One I stand over.

puffishoes

Slaphead07 wrote: »

It's not an accusation it's an opinion. One I stand over.

well you're entitled to it. how ever wrong it is.

The Hill Billy

See these...

They are handbags. Put them down & quit the bitching & sniping.

This thread is to discuss the 3FE Experience. Discuss that.

Discussion of personalities & their relative objectivity on Facebook, twitter, personal blogs, etc is off-topic &, like it or not, is not relevant to how 3FE serve their coffee & treat their customers.

See this...

This is a ban-hammer. I'll be using this if the thread continues off-topic.

Thanks for your attention.

tHB

Morag

3FE experience can't say I have ever had one, it's never open when I want to get coffee.

adrian522

When do you drink coffee? It's open all day from what I can see, GCS anyway.

Morag

I am never in the city during the day and when I am in the evening it's morphed into a hipster bar and there are covers over the machines.
And what I have seen of it in the evenings really does not say to me it's a relaxing place to try sit and have a coffee even during the day.

adrian522

Sharrow wrote: »

I am never in the city during the day and when I am in the evening it's morphed into a hipster bar and there are covers over the machines.
And what I have seen of it in the evenings really does not say to me it's a relaxing place to try sit and have a coffee even during the day.

In fairness I'd say it's completely different as a bar in the evenings than a coffee shop during the day.

mayordenis

puffishoes wrote: »

well you're entitled to it. how ever wrong it is.

Look at the end of the day your cupasoup analogy was just ridiculous, it is nothing like that. The difference between actual soup made by some manner of genius chef vs. cupasoup is not in anyway comporable to batch vs. chemex.
Ok that's my problem with your argument, so do you still stand over that? because that's just madness.

And just to seem really bias I will also say that RE*ACT*OR has made no bones about sticking the boot in wherever he sees fit, be it friends or family, so generally his objectivity should be seen as on a par with the rest of us.

PPC

I think we're getting to the stage where coffee is suffering from diminishing returns.
We have so much excellent coffee that a great coffee can end up being ok or poor in comparison.

Doodee and I once a week goto 3fe and have 2 espressos and a filtered each to do comparisons and to expand our tasting knowledge of coffee.
We've had some coffees that one of us liked but one of us disliked, but always the coffee has been prepared correctly and i've never felt that the quality and care has slipped.

The first cup of speciality coffee I had was Black Cat from an Aeropress, and I've never felt that anything I've drank in any coffee shop has matched the emotional feeling I had to that first cup, but in reality every week I'm drinking coffees that are far better prepared than that first one.

RE*AC*TOR

mayordenis wrote: »

And just to seem really bias I will also say that RE*ACT*OR has made no bones about sticking the boot in wherever he sees fit, be it friends or family, so generally his objectivity should be seen as on a par with the rest of us.

Yeah, I'm a right bastard.

puffishoes

mayordenis wrote: »

Look at the end of the day your cupasoup analogy was just ridiculous, it is nothing like that. The difference between actual soup made by some manner of genius chef vs. cupasoup is not in anyway comporable to batch vs. chemex.
Ok that's my problem with your argument, so do you still stand over that? because that's just madness.

And just to seem really bias I will also say that RE*ACT*OR has made no bones about sticking the boot in wherever he sees fit, be it friends or family, so generally his objectivity should be seen as on a par with the rest of us.

The cup o soup statement is getting out of control. it was to point out the argument of "you got what you asked for" not the quality of the coffee or barista serving the coffee. but the statement.

As per the mods warning I won't be discussing reactor.