411 : Excellence, Approachable Coffee, and Always Learning w/ Kenneth Thomas of Umble Coffee and Coffee 101 Podcast

Chris DeferioPodcast, Roasting

Opportunities for specialty coffee still abound in certain areas of the American South. With those opportunities comes challenges of communicating coffee in a way that both meets people where they are, and helps open them up to new experiences that expand their enjoyment. Today we are talking with someone who has not only been communicating to his customers through the …

410 : A Conversation w/ 2023 U.S. Barista Champion, Isaiah Sheese of Archetype Coffee

Chris DeferioBarista Craft, Career, Podcast

Tenacity, humility, and curiosity. Whether you are working as a barista, competing, opening your own shop and roastery, these are character traits that are essential for success. Today we are talking with someone whose long career in coffee has been characterized by these values. We are chatting with the new U.S. Barista Champion, Isaiah Sheese! Isaiah Sheese is the Owner of …

408: Coffee Tools, Music, and Serving the Community w/ Anita Tam of Slow Pour Supply Co.

Chris DeferioBusiness, Leadership, Podcast

The world of coffee is saturated with suppliers of tools and equipment. Most are seeking the transaction and chasing the opportunity the current market has afforded them. Precious few  suppliers are truly passionate about their customers in a meaningful way that results in the love and respect of the barista community. Slow Pour Supply is one such company, because Anita …

RoR # 21 : Data, Community, and the Art of Roasting w/ U.S. Roasters Champion Andrew Coe of Elevator Coffee

Chris DeferioPodcast, Roasting

On this Rate of Rise episode I am thrilled to get to have a conversation with the new U.S. roasting Champion, Andrew Coe of Elevator Coffee in Portland, OR Andrew Coe is the owner and roaster at Elevator Coffee in Portland, OR, founded in 2016. Andrew launched his professional roasting career by winning the first Cascadia Cup roasting competition at Buckman Coffee …

406 : Five Ways to Immediately Improve Your Coffee Quality

Chris DeferioBarista Craft, Podcast

Out of all the reasons that may be contributing to customers either loving or avoiding your shop, the quality of your drink beverages actually ranks pretty high. The trouble is, we all tend to assume that we have pretty much achieved a level of quality that “should” be sufficient to attract and keep customers and in that assumption we are …

405: Beyond the Schedule w/ Wil Brawley of Schedulefly

Chris DeferioPodcast

Technology and tools are meant to serve people, not the other way around. As we multiply apps, software, snd services in the name of optimization and ease, it can become harder to truly connect as we begin relying on these innovations to replace the very relationships that will sustain our coffee shops. The tech for making the schedule in your …

404 : Education, Home Brewing, and Launching a Roastery w/ Kyle Rowsell, September Coffee

Chris DeferioBarista Craft, Podcast, Training

Creating in depth, engaging, and ultimately helpful educational content is no easy task. Today the number of options we have for gear, techniques, and the coffee itself are daunting to say the least. It is this vast field of options that energizes the home enthusiast to passionately pursue coffee and for some they get into it so much, they turn …