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Tag: Coffee Blog

Pure Over
GearReview
June 17, 2022 Post a Comment

Pure Over – All Glass, No Filter

A filterless coffee brewer isn't unheard of... but I don't recall any of them using that particular aspect as their main marketing point, and that is where the Pure Over comes into the picture. This relatively new pour over dripper designed by Portland based glass artist Etai Rahmil was originally a Kickstarter that was fully funded...

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Coffee Time
CoffeeVlog
May 27, 2022 Post a Comment

Coffee Time – I’m Banned From Italy, YouTube Put Me In Therapy, Best Roasters & More

Those ride or die followers may remember... that way back when when I hit the milestone of 100 YouTube videos I did a coffee time question and answer (Q&A) video.  Well, recently I hit 100,000 subscribers and I'm quite a bit over video number 200 so I think I'm a little overdue for another one. To...

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Osma Pro
New ProductsReview
May 20, 2022 Post a Comment

Osma Pro – The Cold Brewed Espresso Machine

When it comes to brew methods... you can't find two as massively different than espresso and cold brew. One takes 24 hours and the other, 24 seconds. So when I saw the Osma I couldn't help but be intrigued. If you aren't familiar, the Osma is essentially a combination of an espresso machine and a cold...

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Weber Key Unboxing
New ProductsReview
February 11, 2022 Post a Comment

Weber Key – Part I: Unboxing & First Impressions

This may surprise you... but I'm actually very risk adverse. So of course crowd funding isn't really my thing, it feels a bit like a gamble, and when I saw the Weber Workshops Indigogo campaign for the new Key grinder I was a little apprehensive. But I found myself powerless, I had no idea how much...

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Water For Espresso
EducationEspresso
January 21, 2022 Post a Comment

Coffee Science – The Best Water For Espresso

I'm sure you have heard... how important water quality can be to your coffee, and unless you're new here you've most likely you've heard it at least a few times from me. Now its something that I understood on a very surface level. For example, too many minerals can create a bitter cup, and too few...

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staccato
EducationEspresso
October 22, 2021 Post a Comment

Espresso Anatomy – The Staccato Shot

Just when you thought espresso... can’t get any more intricate and labor intensive something else crawls out of the depths of coffee forums, so today let’s talk about the staccato shot. The word staccato translates from Italian to English as "detached". Which in this case means each grind size are detached, or in other words separated...

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barista workflow
CoffeeVlog
September 24, 2021 2 Comments

Coffee Time – Home Barista Workflow

If there's one thing I always pair with my coffee... It's some good music.  It often flies under the radar, all but only one of the nearly 200 videos I've ever produced has had a musical track incorporated inside of it, and little does anyone know that I actually spend a good amount of time finding...

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Niche Zero
GearReview
February 5, 2021 2 Comments

Niche Zero – Year One In Review

The unsung hero of the coffee bar... is the humble grinder. The espresso machines, coffee drippers, and latte art pours tend to often be the stars of the show, but today I'm revisiting my experience with a Niche Zero year one review. If you've been around for a minute you may recall the original review I...

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Osmotic Flow
CoffeeEducation
January 29, 2021 Post a Comment

Pour Over – Osmotic Flow Vs. Full Saturation

Many of us... at least in terms of modern day, western specialty coffee culture, have been trained from day one how to brew a pour over by creating a slurry of water and grounds. But the fact is there is no end to the amount of brewing methods and recipes you can find online. There's one that...

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Coffee Cupping
CoffeeEducation
December 4, 2020 Post a Comment

Coffee Cupping – Increasing Your Coffee Tasting Skill

Lately there has been... a lot more interest in coffee cupping and tastings, even within those who are more casual coffee drinkers.  For quite some time cupping was something that most casual coffee drinkers had never heard of and looks pretty odd from a distance. It was mostly reserved more for coffee roasters, barista competitors, and...

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The God Shot
EspressoOpinion
October 30, 2020 Post a Comment

Coffee Opinion – The God Shot Must Be Stopped

If you haven't noticed... specialty coffee culture has a dump-truck sized notebook full of colorful lingo, and one of the most popular terms you'll likely hear is the "god shot". This blanket term is used to describe a shot of espresso so perfect, and so delicious that is it is basically an enlightening experience. The term...

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100th Youtube Video
OpinionVlog
October 9, 2020 1 Comment

100th Video Q&A – Talking Coffee, YouTube & Life

Life is full of milestones... like getting your drivers license, moving out on your own, and of course your 100th YouTube video. The latter being what we'll be celebrating today. Putting together videos like this isn't something I'm used to doing as its pretty far outside of my normal program, but these more candid videos are...

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My Hybrid V60 Technique
CoffeeTutorial
October 2, 2020 7 Comments

Damn Fine Tutorial – My Hybrid V60 Technique

There is no shortage... of V60 recipes, tutorials, and techniques online in both written and video formats.  It seems almost like a rite of passage, or at the very least a given for coffee YouTubers and bloggers these days. Since there are so many options out there, I guess I didn't feel like I needed to...

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Espresso Myths
EducationEspresso
June 5, 2020 Post a Comment

Top Three – Espresso Myths Busted

Espresso myths are made to be busted... and that's what I'm going to do in this video.  Of course there are far more than three myths about espresso.  Yet the myths I decided to bust in this video are the ones that are pretty persistent and should really be put to rest once and for all....

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Wave Heart
EspressoTutorial
March 13, 2020 Post a Comment

Damn Fine Tutorial – The Wave Heart

The wave heart... is most definitely one of those little known, little seen latte art pours.  Personally, I don't think I've ever seen, or been served a drink with the wave heart in it.  Nor does it get much love on all of those latte art focused Instagram accounts, which generally post everything from hearts to...

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My First Coffee
RoastingVlog
February 21, 2020 1 Comment

Espresso Stains & Growing Pains – Choosing My First Coffee

The time has finally come... for me to choose my first coffee for Little Giant Coffee Roasters.  If you're new around here, over the past few months my professional life has been turned upside down.  The company I was roasting for brought in investors who didn't really seem to care about coffee.  So with just an...

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Best Milk For Coffee
CoffeeTutorial
February 14, 2020 Post a Comment

Damn Fine Tutorial – The Best Milk For Coffee

I've talked a lot... about how to make the best espresso, but not a ton of attention has been given to the best milk for coffee.  I did talk a bit about raw milk awhile back, but I guess the universe realized this and dropped this article from Barista Magazine in front of me twice in...

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One and One
EducationEspresso
August 30, 2019 Post a Comment

Espresso Anatomy – The One And One

The one and one... is a go-to order for me when going into a cafe for the first time.  If you don't know what the one and one is, its a split double shot of espresso, one is served straight, the other is served as a macchiato. It can be made in a traditional way (dry...

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Viennese Recipe
CoffeeEducation
August 16, 2019 Post a Comment

Coffee Recipes – The Viennese

The Viennese is one... of my personal favorite specialty espresso drinks when I have a bit of a sweet tooth.  As you may of gleaned from my previous posts and videos, I don't do a lot of flavored espresso drinks.  Yet, the Viennese is a bit different.  It's a classic, and most shops (at least here...

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Tamp Or Not
EducationEspresso
June 14, 2019 Post a Comment

Espresso Anatomy – To Tamp Or Not To Tamp

Espresso without the tamp... seems like some kind of witchcraft to me.  Since I started in my specialty coffee journey I've never heard of such a thing. The workflow and preparation was the way it is, and the way it has been for decades. With the rise of distribution tools it was only a matter of...

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Bottomless Portafilter
EspressoOpinion
March 29, 2019 1 Comment

Opinion – The Great Portafilter Debate

The great portafilter debate... has raged for as long as I can remember.  Or at least as long as I've been in the specialty coffee industry.  Which is a paltry four years. Yet, I've had my love affair with the bottomless portafilter.  It was just a fling though. It was short, passionate, and messy.  It splattered...

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Counter Culture Pour
EspressoReview
March 22, 2019 Post a Comment

March 2019 La Marzocco Subscription – Counter Culture

Counter Culture is a veteran... in the specialty coffee industry.  Born out of North Carolina in 1995 this wholesale juggernaut has always put a main focus on quality coffee, education, and sustainability.  Their story is full of breakthroughs and pushing the industry as a whole forward. Before it was the industry standard, they put their money...

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Peixoto Geisha
CoffeeOpinion
March 8, 2019 Post a Comment

Geisha – Are They Worth The High Price Tag?

Geishas are a coffee varietal... known throughout the specialty coffee industry as the best of the best.  They routinely win awards and attain ridiculously high scores from professional coffee graders (Q graders).  This is because they are extremely crisp and clean, and known for their delicate flavors and floral notes. They aren't cheap either.  The expense...

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Common Latte Art Mistakes
EspressoTutorial
March 1, 2019 1 Comment

Damn Fine Tutorial – Common Latte Art Mistakes

When teaching classes... I've noticed that regardless of the persons previous exposure to it, ranging from some to none, tend to make one of these three most common latte art mistakes   These mistakes are pouring too fast or too much to start, which leaves you with a washed out surface and less room to pour your...

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Elixr Capp
EspressoReview
February 22, 2019 Post a Comment

February 2019 La Marzocco Subscription – Elixr Coffee

Elixir is one of those... roasters that you hear about pretty often if follow the specialty coffee industry as closely as I do.  Personally and professionally I have a ton of respect for them. For a roastery that is relatively young (established in 2010) they've really managed to create a name for themselves.  They're a highly...

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La Marzocco KB90
EspressoNew Products
February 15, 2019 Post a Comment

The La Marzocco KB90 – Bakke to the Future

The KB90 dropped... out of nowhere.  It gets its namesake from Kent Bakke, former La Marzocco CEO and current Board Chairman.  He is also the pioneer of the newest and most exciting feature of on the KB90, the 'Straight-In' portafilter.  It's something he's wanted to develop for years, as part of his continued vision to make...

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Tamper Shape Cover
EducationEspresso
February 1, 2019 Post a Comment

Tamper Shape Vs. Extraction – Flat & Convex

When I get my hands on... some new coffee toys I can't help but put them to the test.  So when I got the Pullman Big Step tamper I decided to see how it compares to the La Marzocco Convex tamper.  When I say compares I don't mean in looks, because lets face it, that Pullman...

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Linea Caffe Macc
EspressoReview
January 25, 2019 Post a Comment

January 2019 La Marzocco Subscription – Linea Caffe

In the spirit of full disclosure... I've had Linea Caffe's coffees a couple times before and have really enjoyed them.  The man at the helm of Linea Caffe is Andrew Barnett, master roaster and longtime coffee aficionado. He began Linea Caffe with the goal of wanting to "turn people onto the flavors of the world's finest...

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Linea Mini
GearOpinion
January 18, 2019 3 Comments

La Marzocco Linea Mini – Two Years Later

I love my Linea Mini... it's one of my most prized possessions, which I'm sure was obvious in my year one review.  So when I sat down to write this two year update on my ownership experience, I really dug deep.  Thinking about the times I was frustrated, or annoyed with the machine trying to leave...

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Melodrip
New ProductsReview
January 11, 2019 1 Comment

The Melodrip – Clarity or Calamity

The Melodrip is the new kid on the block... well, the pour over block anyway.  Although, I may be doing some espresso experiments with it down the road.  But I digress.  I first took notice of the Melodrip after watching some of the Brewers Cup competitors using it.  I did a bit of research on it,...

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Grip It Rip It
CoffeeOpinion
January 4, 2019 Post a Comment

Grip It & Rip It – 2018 Year in Review

As I bid farewell to 2018... I can't help but look back on a year that has brought me many challenges, successes, and cups of coffee.  Starting this blog was only one of many new additions to my life in 2018. I also continue to co-host a coffee focused podcast with three friends.  I've become a professional...

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Dapper And Wise Pour
EspressoReview
December 28, 2018 Post a Comment

December 2018 La Marzocco Subscription – Dapper & Wise

As a coffee professional... I'm ashamed to admit I've never been to Portland. Considering the sheer amount of amazing coffee in that town it is most definitely on my must-go list.  As part of that pilgrimage visiting the fine folks at Dapper & Wise will be on the itinerary.  Since I've already had a couple of...

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Swan Latte Art
CoffeeTutorial
December 21, 2018 Post a Comment

Damn Fine Tutorial: Latte Art Edition – The Standard Swan

When I think of Swans... I think of that scene in Billy Madison.  When I started progressing in latte art the Swan seemed like such a technical and unapproachable pour.  Yet, as I began to become more and more consistent with my milk texture and understanding the dynamics of flow it really came pretty quickly. Like...

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Cappuccino VS Flat White
EducationEspresso
December 14, 2018 Post a Comment

Espresso Anatomy – Cappuccino Vs. Flat White

The debate has raged on... for as long as I can remember, or at least the time I've been in specialty coffee.  Which granted, isn't that long.  But since I began my career I've heard, read, and contemplated all of the definitions for the differences between the beloved cappuccino, and the rising star, the flat white....

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Angels' Cup
CoffeeGear
December 7, 2018 Post a Comment

The Coffee Nerd Gift Guide

If you're anything like me... you have a hard time not only buying gifts, but also knowing what to ask for when holidays or birthdays come around.  I feel like as I've gotten older my hobbies and interests have become exponentially more expensive.  Coffee thankfully is a little different.  You can spend as much as you'd...

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Campos Slotado
EspressoReview
November 30, 2018 Post a Comment

November 2018 La Marzocco Subscription – Campos Coffee

Australia's espresso game... is top notch.  Considering drip coffee is a relatively new beverage there, the espresso market has had a lot of time to mature.  With big names making the move across the pond, like Toby's Estate, and Proud Mary, Campos Coffee didn't want to miss out on North America's exploding coffee culture. Based in...

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Pumpkin Tulip
CoffeeOpinion
November 23, 2018 Post a Comment

What I’m Thankful for in Coffee

It's easy to fall into a routine... and begin to take the things you have for granted.  I do my best to step away from those feelings when they creep up, but I'm only human and sometimes you need something like the holiday season, or more specifically Thanksgiving to bring you back around.  Even though Thanksgiving...

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Travel Coffee
CoffeeOpinion
November 16, 2018 1 Comment

Travel Coffee – Indestructable Deliciousness on the Go

Travel and coffee... Often go hand-in-hand. Usually when I’m headed out into the wild blue yonder I do all the research and develop an epic coffee crawl. I always love to experience the local coffee culture when I’m traveling, but sometimes you go somewhere that doesn’t really have a coffee culture. Or you just don’t want...

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La Colombe PSL
New ProductsReview
November 9, 2018 Post a Comment

Tis’ The Season – La Colombe’s Seasonal Draft Lattes

Those who know me best... would describe me as a purist. Whether it’s my taste in coffee, cars, or most things in my life. Simple is usually better. I also am not a sweet drink person, but it’s the season for pumpkin spice and peppermint mocha. So I decided to grab a couple of La Colombe’s...

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IKAWA Professional
GearRoasting
November 2, 2018 1 Comment

IKAWA Professional – Quick Roast

The IKAWA has become... an invaluable tool for coffee roasters around the world.  Its small footprint, customizability, and ease-of-use makes it something extremely important to the business of roasting and developing coffees.  The fact that I can take it home in the trunk of my Mazda MX5 and roast in my kitchen without setting off a...

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Collective Swan
EspressoReview
October 26, 2018 Post a Comment

October 2018 La Marzocco Subscription – Coffee Collective

I've never been to Denmark... but if I go I know I'll feel right at home at the Coffee Collective.  In 2007 they opened in Copenhagen with a great mission.  To create "exceptional coffee experiences in a manner that gives better living conditions to coffee farmers across the globe".  This practice is common within the third...

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Rosetta Pour
EspressoTutorial
October 19, 2018 1 Comment

Damn Fine Tutorial – Latte Art Edition: Rosetta

The classics are... classic for a reason.  The Rosetta is an uncontested classic, and you’ll find a variation of it in nearly every craft cafe you walk into.  Like all of the standard designs it’s also a building block to more complex pours. For me the Rosetta and I have a love-hate relationship. When I get...

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Dark Diedrich
CoffeeRoasting
October 12, 2018 Post a Comment

Roasting Coffee – Six Months In

What a difference... six months can make.  On my last update I was a fresh four weeks into roasting coffee.  By no means does six months make me a veteran roaster. On the contrary the things I've learned have increased exponentially, and I continue to grow and develop my understanding of this simple, yet extremely complex...

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Brewed Cascara
CoffeeTutorial
October 5, 2018 Post a Comment

Damn Fine Tutorial – Cascara Soda

Cascara soda has quickly become.. one of my favorite beverages when I've had one to many coffees.  Plus, its fizzy, slightly sweet, caffeinated, and has antioxidants.  It's also a byproduct of processing coffee, and was previously discarded or use to make a tea at origin.  Today with the large push for sustainability the markets that buy...

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Gget Free Pour
EspressoReview
September 28, 2018 Post a Comment

September 2018 La Marzocco Subscription – Go Get Em Tiger

In Los Angeles the options... for a place to grab a cup of coffee are near boundless.  To become a standout cafe among hundreds of others requires more than just good coffee.  A great location helps, a knowledgeable staff is of course a staple, but a unique style and culture is what pushes you past the...

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Milk Steam 101
EspressoTutorial
September 21, 2018 6 Comments

Damn Fine Tutorial – Milk Steaming 101

Milk steaming consistently... is by far one of the skills that took me the longest to grasp.  It's also a skill that I've found is somewhat challenging to teach.  As a visual learner I've found videos and watching long-time baristas more helpful than anything else.  With that being said practice make permanent, so prepare yourself to...

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Slow Pour Close
GearReview
September 7, 2018 1 Comment

Welhome Pro Compeition Pitchers – Handle or Not to Handle

I'm a sucker for cool gear... but who isn't?  Every industry I've ever worked in comes with its gear, and specialty coffee has a plethora new gadgets and gear that I always love to get my hands on.  Steaming pitchers are of course one of those pieces of kit.  In my fridge at home I've got...

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Equator Cappuccino
EspressoReview
August 31, 2018 Post a Comment

August 2018 La Marzocco Subscription – Equator

Many great companies start in garages... and Equator Coffee is one of those companies.  Founded in Marin County in 1995 by Brooke MacDonnell and Helen Russell Equator started with a goal of building a coffee company focused on quality, sustainability, and social responsibility. As they've grown from a garage based roaster, to a company that touts...

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InterAmerican Bag
CoffeeEvent
August 24, 2018 Post a Comment

Coffee Fest Show – Los Angeles 2018

This was my second visit to Coffee Fest... and I'm sure won't be my last.  Compared to my first experience a few new things have occurred to me about the show itself that I didn't experience the first time (Anaheim in 2016).  These things are all based solely on my position within the specialty coffee community,...

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No Pull Through
CoffeeOpinion
August 17, 2018 Post a Comment

Opinion – The Struggle to Remain Relevant

Similar to most other industries... the struggle to remain relevant is always there in specialty coffee.  Things are changing rapidly, even if it doesn't appear that way.  Behind the scenes at some of the worlds best, and even relatively unknown cafes and roasters there is industry changing movements going on.  Outside of the cafe level, there...

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Demi Drip Close Up
CoffeeOpinion
August 10, 2018 1 Comment

Opinion – Intention & It’s Place In Specialty Coffee

In my training I always harp on one thing... Intention.  This is key to being not only a successful coffee professional, but in my opinion, a human being.  Oftentimes we are intentional without even knowing it. It's ingrained in our routines, our day-to-day lives.  But as this is a coffee blog, I'm going to write about...

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Slosetta
EspressoTutorial
August 3, 2018 1 Comment

Damn Fine Tutorial – Latte Art Edition: The Slosetta

Like most coffee professionals... my Instagram feed is chalk full of some of the best latte artists.  There is something so oddly satisfying about watching a skillful latte pour.  Thats why I am always challenging myself and trying to add new pours to my playbook.  As of late I've fallen in love with the slosetta.  The...

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