"I won’t take you inside my mind, you’d never get out," says Brian Turko.
Turko's mind has been a driving force in Vancouver's coffee scene for well over two decades, the last 20 of which have been spent honing his craft as the "master blender" and co-proprietor of Milano Coffee.
The Vancouver coffee shop and roastery is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month, and Turko - in his singular style - has found an innovative way to mark the occasion.
Milano has just released its groundbreaking 20-bean espresso blend, aptly dubbed Turks Crown.
Unique espresso blend 'a first in the world'
Turko explains that most espresso blends are comprised of five or six beans of varying origins.
"It’s a first in the world for espresso coffee," he says of his creation, which has been a couple of years in the making. The blend is so out of the usual scope of a coffee of its kind that Turko is hoping to get the attention of the Guinness World Record folks.
For this one-of-a-kind blend, Turko sourced single-origin beans from farmers around the globe; he jokingly calls the final result "world peace in a cup."
While Turks Crown has already been proven on the world stage, garnering a gold medal in global competition, Turko and the Milano team thought that the cafe's 20th anniversary would be an ideal time to make the small batch espresso available to the public.
Of course, innovation doesn't come at a bargain price. Turks Crown 20-bean blend is $100 per bag and is available at all Milano locations and online, while supplies last. Single shots will be available at the bar at Milano for $6 each, starting Friday, Nov. 24.
Turko acknowledges that Turks Crown does have a bit of a niche market, noting that the blend has a "connoisseur quality" aimed at appealing to "those who want the best in the world."
Espresso 'tells the truth about your coffee' says master blender
For Turko, creating Turks Crown, and all of his other award-winning Milano blends, is a labour of love.
The goal of any espresso blend is to be balanced; Turko likens the sipping process to putting the brew under a magnifying glass. Every flavour note will be discernible.
"The good thing about espresso is it tells the truth about your coffee," he says.
That's particularly true in competition, as the scrutiny is dialled up to the utmost extreme on all the competitors.
For day-to-day coffee drinkers, like many Milano customers, Turko and his team love sharing their brews. Turko is passionate about his wish for people to enjoy the coffee when it's at its absolute best.
To that end, Milano offers tasting flights of three to four pours of what's currently brewing that customers can ask for anytime.
For drinking - and enjoying - espresso, Turko has some expert tips.
First, use a spoon to aerate the espresso. You can take a first sip as-is, but he recommends putting in about a teaspoon of sugar and giving it another good stir. The sugar will swiftly round out the taste of the espresso, giving it an almost gelato-like flavour profile. The espresso as a result tastes gently sweet and slightly creamy, not bitter or harsh at all.
Most importantly, though, don't let an espresso shot sit. After about five minutes abandoned in your cup and "it turns to vinegar," cautions the coffee pro.
Milano Coffee a Vancouver family business
Turko's coffee expertise began many years ago when he studied under Italian Master Roaster, Francesco Curatolo, who had brought his expertise to Vancouver and launched what would become Milano in 1984. Ultimately, Turko became a Master Roaster himself and wound up buying the coffee business from Curatolo, who was ready to retire.
Since taking over the brand in 2003, the business has expanded to include seven Milano Coffee bar locations in Vancouver, Victoria, Vancouver Island, and Calgary, as well as the original Turks Coffee Bar on Commercial Drive - now in its 25th year. Milano is a true Vancouver family business, as Turko's wife, Linda, is also a business partner, and their daughter, Lili, is also involved. Ownership is rounded out by partners Barry and Colleen Henry.
For Turko, getting the world to recognize Milano's coffees and Vancouver's incredible coffee culture, remains a uniquely Canadian conundrum, given our people's inclination to shy away from self-promotion.
But Milano's achievements are indeed noteworthy; many of their awards certificates hang on the wall at their cozy Mount Pleasant cafe and roasting facility, and anyone who gets to talk to Turko himself is treated to a wealth of in-depth coffee knowledge. He's happy to push the boundaries behind the scenes and hopes people take notice.
"It has to take a risk, it has to have an edge," he says of any high-quality espresso blend - though he may as well be describing himself and Milano. "It has to resonate without antagonizing."
Ultimately, it comes down to something else that goes into Milano's roasts. "There's so much soul and heart," he says of his anniversary blend in particular. "That’s what you taste."
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