Coffee And Water Woes: The Mysterious Case of the Metallic Cucumber
I’ve had a rough time brewing coffee at home over the past couple months – and I just figured out why.
The 5 Biggest Coffee Health Myths Debunked
There are a million coffee health myths out there, but these five are the most common. Have you fallen for them too?
No Such Thing as a Dumb Question: Part 1
In this series I’ll be answering some basic and even some odd questions I’ve been asked about specialty coffee brewing.
Experiment and Explore Coffee: The Start
One of the joys of manual coffee brewing is the freedom to adapt different variables to your will. It’s that freedom that drives us to test, manipulate, and explore.
Bean Box Has Arrived
There's another coffee subscription service making its way into to the vicious battle for dominance, and this one with a unique approach: only coffees from Seattle's independent roasters will be featured. I give you, Bean Box! Why You Want To Subscribe If you're a...
Experiment and Explore Coffee: The Depths
It seems my ability to write and publish here once a week has come to a halt. Recently it's been more like once every two or three weeks. This is due to an odd feeling I only recently identified, a feeling that is the opposite of what I expected. The more I learn...
A New Way to Document Coffee Tasting, Angels’ Cup
When I first started hearing terms such as 'acidity', 'sweetness', and 'body' used as descriptors for coffee, I was utterly confused, even skeptical. Fast forward two years - some people are skeptical of me for my use of those same words. Getting to know coffee...
A Wake Up Call to Water Quality
I haven't dealt much with different types of water with coffee brewing. Yes, there is a slight difference in taste most of the time between tap and bottled purified water, but the difference has mostly been minimal. Until now. As my palate has evolved over the last...
5 Mistakes I Made As A New Barista
I've committed my share of barista sins. Though most were fairly innocent and understandable for a half-trained barista, some of them were just downright stupid. For your enjoyment and future reference, I've told some stories of this summer's barista sins. An Apology...
Stone Creeks Coffee’s Case Study: Processing and Flavor
If you keep up with the specialty coffee industry, even just a little, you probably heard about Stone Creek Coffee's cool new package idea: one coffee processed three different ways. Might sound gimmicky, but this has been one of the most insightful packages of...
Flatlands Coffee Needs Your Help – An Interview with Ben Vollmar
Specialty coffee shops are beginning to pop up all over the place, and not just in major coastal cities. Flatlands coffee aims to bring high quality coffee and service experience to Bowling Green, Ohio, the home of a humble 30,000 people. Check out their Kickstarter...
My First Week As A Barista At Yellow House Coffee
As many of you saw on Twitter (follow me!), I recently was given a job at a local coffee shop, Yellow House Coffee. The shop isn't grand in size, but the quality of the coffee and the community make up for that in a heartbeat. Yellow House opened almost a year ago in...
Summer is Knocking, Greet it With Iced Coffee
So you wanna brew iced coffee? You're in the right place. Summers can get hot. Real hot. As a result, the scene of sitting by the fire drinking a warm cup of coffee begins to lose its romantic appeal. That's okay. It'll be back in the Fall. For now, a new scene should...
Experiment and Explore Coffee: The Advanced Basics
I approach coffee in a way most haven't yet realized is possible: with excitement and eagerness. With eyes opened to a whole world of flavors, brewing methods, and people, how could I not be excited? The thrill of trying a new coffee (currently drinking a Geisha from...
Specialty Coffee Traveling Tips
Taking specialty coffee traveling with you doesn’t have to be complicated. These simple tips and checklist will ensure your journey includes great coffee!
5 Ways to be Super Awkward in a Coffee Shop
Coffee shops are places of community, peace and growth, but every once in a while they all become the venue for sickening awkwardness. It's only natural for us humans to experience moods and attitudes that lead us toward odd and abnormal behaviors, but it doesn't have...