Baristas are expert at making espresso drinks. Last year Defario won the Northeast Regional Barista Competition, then continued on to the U.S. Barista Championship where he placed sixth in the nation. Aside from the taste and presentation of the drinks, judges look for demeanor, cleanliness, efficiency and knowledge. Entrants are also timed. Defario performed well enough to be respected in his field. “You know you’re a rock star when coffee equipment companies try to get you to sponsor their machine,” elaborated Godard.
Cool beans: Café Kubal owner Matt Godard moves roasted coffee beans to a custom-made cooling tray of copper inside a wine barrel. MICHAEL DAVIS PHOTO
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Defario has been refining Café Kubal’s procedures, paying attention to the smallest details, since the middle of May. On his advice the café will brew each shot with 21 grams of espresso instead of 14, which is what had been used, to create a bolder flavor. He also advised scaling down the total size of the drinks, eliminating 20-ounce espresso beverages altogether. “This will highlight our artisan espresso. The No. 1 thing should be taste, not super-sizing. In Europe the largest espresso drink you can get is eight ounces,” explained Godard.
Even an expert can’t get a good cup of coffee out of bad beans. Godard controls this by roasting his own. Both his roasters are more than 100 years old. Augers turn the beans over a gas flame. There are no gauges or digital readouts; Godard uses instinct, experience and his senses to know when the roasting process is complete. When they are done, the beans are moved to a cooling tray made from a wine barrel lined with copper.
The beans are roasted to order in small batches, between five and 30 pounds at a time, to maximize freshness. Peak freshness for roasted beans lies within the first 10 days. Godard feels the claims to freshness made by Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks and other corporate entities are greatly exaggerated. “If you have a large supply chain, you’re just not going to have very fresh coffee,” he claimed.
Obviously, the beans themselves are key. The acidity of the soil, the amount of shade the plants receive and care of cultivation all affect a bean’s eventual taste. Godard makes selections based on quality but also considers ethical business practices. “I have beans that are certified free trade but I’m not a strictly fair trade roaster. I go on a case by case basis,” he said.
Currently he has a relationship with a cooperative in Portland, Ore., that is largely owned by farmers from India. Godard feels direct buying gives the best price to the farmers, and creates an incentive to cultivate carefully. Farmers involved with the Fair Trade Organization work for an agreed-upon price regardless of the quality of the harvest.
According to Godard, about 97 percent of cafes in Onondaga County fail within 18 months. “People think that {running a café} is laid-back and easy when they’ve only experienced it as a customer. It’s the intense effort of the proprietor that allows you to feel laid back when you come in,” Godard explained. “It’s like having a child in a sense. Except it’s a big, extremely whiny, needy child.”
Café Kubal gets its name from the Mayan language; it means Divine Coffee or God’s Coffee. Their logo consists of a bean sporting a glowing halo. Although the café shares a doorway with a Bible store, the only preaching you’ll receive there is about the wonders of a good cup of joe. “Some people are critical of us; calling us ‘Jesus Coffee House.’ They haven’t been in and don’t know what they’re missing out on,” promised Godard.
Last year Café Kubal was nominated by readers for Best Coffee Joint in the Syracuse New Times’ annual Best of Syracuse readers poll. It is located at 3501 James St., within Eastwood Plaza. For more information, call 278-2812 or browse www.cafekubal.com.
—Jon Dufort
