We Are the 5 Percent ⇥

Oliver Strand:

Though you can’t tell from the photos, White is also documenting the decline and fall of the so-called New York shot, a dense, syrupy style of espresso that took hold a few years ago. It’s what you get when you updose (by packing the filter basket with enough coffee for two to three shots) and pull the espresso short (by using a fine grind and stopping the water before one full ounce drips into the cup). The shots are brutes.

This style of espresso spread to Calgary a few years ago. It’s still prevalent amongst a few of the quirkier cafés here, but most are pulling lighter, fruitier, and more herbal shots. This is partly due to the roast—a number of local stores have lightened their beans significantly—but also because shots are getting pulled longer. They taste amazing.