September 12, 2016 · Team HG
The quality and complexity of the coffees are unparalleled, as is the theoretical knowledge. In (almost) every area, Gerben Engelkes surpasses everyone. With Groningen hospitality and home-roasted beans, Black & Bloom tops the list this year.
Two years ago, Black & Bloom debuted at number two on the list. Last year, owner Gerben Engelkes took a brief ‘competition break’, only to return better than ever this year. He improves his techniques year after year and is also expanding his business by roasting his own coffee since January of this year. And with success: there is only one company that is the undisputed number one in the Coffee Top 100, and that is Black & Bloom.
We said it two years ago and we are repeating it now: if coffee were a science, Gerben Engelkes would be a professor. Nowhere did the jury encounter so much theoretical knowledge about the product, the preparation, and the machines. Engelkes manages to combine this deep theoretical knowledge with fantastic black coffees and idiosyncratic, Groningen hospitality. He overwhelms guests with technical terms and facts, while stoically brewing the coffee, which he then presents with his typical Gerben grin.
Last May, Engelkes finished fourth in the Dutch Brewers Cup with a coffee he roasted himself. He was incredibly proud of that, because he has only been roasting for such a short time. And now he has reason to be proud again, as that same home-roasted coffee also earned him the top spot in the Koffie Top 100. To put it in the Groningen dialect: it could be worse. That roasting, on a Giesen W6 at a different location, is paying off: in a good week, easily 32 kilos of home-roasted beans go through the grinder. Engelkes supplements his own roast with coffees from Caffènation or other Northern European roasters.
While his espresso machine, a 2-group Synesso Hydra with custom-made wooden handles and paddles, may be the heart of Black & Bloom, Engelkes’ latest pride is the grinder. The Mythos One by Victoria Arduino, a grind-on-demand grinder, features a cooled grinding chamber to maintain a constant temperature. A sensor determines the level of cooling required. Father Engelkes was an ice cream maker, and Gerben’s wife Karin is a pastry chef. These crafts are reflected in the establishment, in the pastries served with coffee and in cold coffee drinks with homemade vanilla ice cream. In addition to that affogato, Engelkes also makes cold drip with the Hario drip tower, which he serves with ginger ale, and he creates cascara fizz: an infusion of cascara (dried pulp of the coffee cherry) with sparkling apple drink.
Black & Bloom has to contend with ever-expanding competition. In the Oude Kijk in ‘t Jatstraat alone, nine (!) coffee shops have opened in the past year. ‘I often see the owners here a few times, and then half of what I serve ends up on their menu too,’ says Engelkes, slightly indignant. But none of that competition has Black & Bloom’s home-roasted coffees, nor does anyone have his wife Karin’s fine pastries in the display case. And no one serves such fine filter coffee.
From day one, Engelkes has served exclusively filter coffee as his black coffee. No americano or long black, and certainly no lungo. Stubborn? Perhaps. But at any rate, this entrepreneur dares to make a choice, and whoever chooses, gets chosen. His guests know it and keep coming back. And we wholeheartedly recommend that every coffee entrepreneur in the Netherlands travel to Groningen for the filter coffee from Black & Bloom. For the main jury falls silent for a moment when tasting the filter coffee that Master of Science Engelkes prepares on the Kalita wave, and is then blown away by the flavors. ‘This is technically very good, the best filter I have tasted in ages,’ is the jubilant jury comment. The Kenya Nyeri Kanchogo PB buzzes with aromas: floral, sweet, fresh, with hints of rhubarb, berries, and vanilla. And that is exactly the description Engelkes gives. He more than delivers on what he promises in the cup. ‘This is the season for Kenyan coffees,’ Engelkes lectures. They are at their best now.
He sources the coffee for his espresso from neighboring Ethiopia. The Guji Shakiso has sweet aromas of ripe fruit and vanilla, citrus notes of bergamot, and the spiciness of cardamom and bay leaf. ‘The balance is beautiful. Another one, please!’ notes the head jury. Engelkes prepares his espresso using naked portafilters, ensuring a double shot is always produced. However, he stops it at 36 grams, making it essentially a double ristretto. The mouthfeel is creamy and rich, the taste exciting. ‘Coffee from the Guji region is very fresh. A bold choice that turns out very well,’ the head jury believes. ‘This is the best espresso from the top of the rankings.’
In 2014, Black & Bloom could already have taken the number one spot in the Top 100; Engelkes messed it up back then with his cappuccino. Even now, it isn't top-notch. Visually fine, with beautiful latte art. But the foam is too thin in texture and doesn't bind optimally with the drink underneath. ‘Gerben is particularly good at his black coffees; that seems to be where his heart lies more,’ is the jury's comment. He makes the cappuccino with espresso from Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Cheleletku-1, roasted by Caffènation. The flavor comes through the milk beautifully: fresh yellow fruit like apricot and peach, lavender, and clove. The acidity and freshness in the espresso are nice, but the taste lacks some tension. But after this minor critical note, the main jury showers the establishment, the coffees, and the entrepreneur with praise. Gerben Engelkes’ knowledge of and love for the craft are unparalleled, just like his coffees. And so Black & Bloom is the rightful number one in the Coffee Top 100 2016.
Black & Bloom was visited during the professional jury round by Thomas Klaphake, director of coffee roaster De Eenhoorn in Kampen. He is lyrical about the coffees from the Groningen coffee bar and awarded almost the maximum score of 100 percent. His verdict: ‘The taste of the filter coffee is fresh and clean, the aroma is fresh: coffee pulp and lime. In the espresso, the flavor balance between sweet, almond, and fresh acidity is unsurpassed; the mouthfeel is phenomenal. The cappuccino is visually beautiful, at a good temperature, and delicately sweet due to the milk; a real treat. Gerben Engelkes writes the word ‘quality’ as ‘kwalitijd’: he takes a lot of time preparing the coffees.’
Source: https://www.missethoreca.nl/
Black & Bloom exhibited at the Horecabeurs Noord Nederland 2015, among others, and participated in the Noord Nederlandse Barista Championships – NNBK.nl
More info: www.hbnn.nl
Vfor the entire Coffee Top 100
https://www.missethoreca.nl/cafe/artikel/2016/9/ranglijst-koffie-top-100-2016-101245194
Black & Bloom
https://blackandbloom.nl/
Oude Kijk in ‘t Jatstraat 32
9712 EK Groningen
Opening hours:
Mon – Fri: 08:30 – 18:00
Sat: 09:00 – 18:00
Sun: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
