I can remember the first time I started to go down the coffee rabbit hole. Every night I found myself watching YouTube videos, reading articles, and trying to get a deeper understanding of coffee. Every morning was a fun chance to play with brewing methods and variables. Many mornings presented new challenges because as soon as I thought I had something down, a new variable would arise or a new variety of coffee would end up on my shelf which had its own character to dial in and explore.
I found joy in making a great cup of coffee. I also found joy in expanding my awareness of how variables of time, temperature, grind size, agitation, and water quality played a role in how my cup tastes.
Listening to experts with differing opinions talk about concepts, details and nuances around what creates great coffee is too much fun. It gives me space to try my own methods brewing coffee, to discover what delights my palate and it opens doors into deeper levels of awareness and experience that I may not have ventured into as much otherwise.
Did it change my perception of coffee flavors? Yes, and I wouldn’t change it for anything. It has deepened my experience with my cup of coffee and it has given me a greater appreciation and respect for everything that has gone into making a good tasting cup of coffee.
I got to meet a coffee roaster in Maine that had been on a recent “origin trip" which involved going to the farms that the coffee he is roasting is being produced at. He shared with me that when working with the people of the farms one woman said, “I hope you show the same respect roasting this coffee as we have taken in harvesting it.” After hearing that quote, the coffee not only warmed my belly but my heart as well.
Maine has a wide variety of coffee roasters and getting to know the stories of the people behind the brands is a joy. This extends beyond the roasters as well. The baristas at cafes and shops often share a passion for coffee and perfect the coffee they serve. I feel as though there is a lot of care that shines through in the craft coffee world.
I’m still on this coffee journey and have so much to discover and explore. Want to go down the rabbit hole? Check out some of the following coffee resources that can aid you in your journey.
@jameshoffman on Youtube and Facebook and @jimseven on Instagram
Here’s a quick summary of James Hoffman’s YouTube:
Hi! My name is James, and I make videos about anything and everything to do with coffee, occasionally food and sometimes business/entrepreneurship. I create how-tos, guides, reviews, vlogs, video essays and mini-documentary films. In the real world, I've started a few companies, I wrote "The World Atlas of Coffee" and "How To Make The Best Coffee At Home".
@lancehedrick on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram
Here’s a summary of Lance Hedrick’s channel on Youtube:
What's up, everyone! Lance Hedrick here. Coffee professional of about a decade (barista, roaster, wholesaler, shop consultant), brewer's cup competitor (USBrC 2019-20 3rd and 2nd respectively), Coffee Fest WLACO 2017, 2018 champion, coach to USBC champs Andrea Allen (2020) and Morgan Eckroth (2022), both of whom got runner up in the WBC. I co-founded Lotus Coffee Water- an easy way to remineralize water for optimal coffee brewing. https://lotuscoffeeproducts.com/ I collaborated with Pietro grinders to create the first ever marketed flat burr hand grinder. https://pietrogrinders.com/en/ I am a lead advisor alongside Scott Rao to the revolutionary XBloom coffee maker. https://xbloom.com/ I am the director of wholesale at Onyx Coffee Lab for the west coast and international sales. And, I am a weirdo.
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