Craft Your Own Coffee Podcast

You should roast your own coffee!  Bringing back a conversation with Byron Dote of Sweet Maria's (from January 2020) to remind you why and how. Have you run the numbers on this simple financial model and realized you'll pay yourself back roasting coffee quicker than you think?  If you're "there," here are a few shopping links. Fresnroast Gene Cafe Behmor Hottop Ailio Bullet Also, you'll need some delicious green coffee to go with this new adventure...you've only got until July 1st (2022) to take advantage of 15% off an order of green coffee from Sweet Maria's.  Do it soon! As a reminder, I don't get paid for any of this so there is no financial incentive here....it's all love! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Not ready to start a coffee business, but want to save some money in these tight economic times while at the same time "leveling up" your home coffee game?  Enter: Home Coffee Roasting.  I went deep into roasting coffee at home in Season 2 so feel free to go back and listen to those episodes on the "how" of home roasting.  But for today, I want to focus on the "Why" question, specifically the "Financial Why" of home roasting.  I went a little Excel-nerdy and put together a simple financial model showing the various Payback Periods/Breakeven Points where it would make financial sense to roast coffee at home.  Click here , download, and fill in the YELLOW cells with your own assumptions to calculate an estimated payback period based on your coffee drinking habits.  Hit me up and let me know if this helped you pull the trigger, and let me know if I can help! Home Roasters: FreshRoast Behmor Gene Cafe Hottop Before July 1 2022, take advantage of 15% off an order of green coffee from Sweet Maria's!  Use code CYOCOFFEE at checkout through 7/1/22. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Chris is the most seasoned coffee professional who has ever casted on the Craft Your Own Coffee pod.  He is a 22-year coffee industry veteran, a deep thinker, a source of wise counsel, and an all-around generous guy. Click here to check out Keys To The Shop (and follow on Instagram) Only a few weeks left to take advantage of 15% off an order of green coffee from Sweet Maria's!  Use code CYOCOFFEE at checkout through July 1st 2022. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Purity, Goodness and Simplicity.  Intentionally introducing Healthy Tension into your life.  Golden advice from Mr. Goldberry himself.  Enjoy! Links: Goldberry Roasting Company Doug's "Why": Coffee Growing Community Non-Profit Follow Goldberry on Instagram Contact Doug for Consulting:  coffee@goldberryroasting.com Get 15% off an order of green coffee at Sweet Maria's using discount code CYOCOFFEE through 7/1/22! Connect with CYOC here (IG) and craftyourowncoffee@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Follow Doug Cooper's journey from pan roasting to FreshRoast to Behmor to 2kg Roaster in his basement, and the filters he used to determine he would expand into the brick & mortar space.  Part 1 of a two-part Interview! Links: Goldberry Roasting Company Doug's "Why": Coffee Growing Community Non-Profit Follow Goldberry on Instagram Contact Doug for Consulting:  coffee@goldberryroasting.com Get 15% off an order of green coffee at Sweet Maria's using discount code CYOCOFFEE through 7/1/22! Connect with CYOC here (IG) and craftyourowncoffee@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Find out how "2022 Cal" differs from "2016 Cal" as it relates to his leadership at duck-rabbit.  Hear some great advice for any coffee enthusiast considering making the leap from hobby into something more than a hobby, including: Have a Vision Ask Questions Get Exposure into the Coffee Industry Be Realistic Be Patient Get a Mentor Thanks again to Cal Verga for sharing your time and perspective with the CYOC Listeners!  Check them out here (IG) and here (website) Get 15% off an order of green coffee at Sweet Maria's using discount code CYOCOFFEE through 7/1/22! Connect with CYOC here (IG) and craftyourowncoffee@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

You know that story about the guy who was headed in one direction and then ended up somewhere else, but that "somewhere else" was exactly where he was supposed to be?  That describes the journey of Cal Verga, founder and operator of duck-rabbit coffee in Cleveland, OH.  This episode is the first half of our conversation, where you'll hear about Cal's journey from Berkley to Coffee, how an interest in coffee birthed a company, and some of his early experiences leading duck-rabbit. Explore duck-rabbit's website and follow on IG Where does the name duck-rabbit come from? Don't forget about Sweet Maria's offer of 15% off an order of green coffee through July 1, 2022!  Use the code CYOCOFFEE at checkout --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Ever wondered if your coffee enthusiasm should turn into more than just a hobby?  I know I have.  Join me on the journey exploring the idea and learning from others this season. Mentioned in this episode: Article: 59% of Americans picked up a new hobby since 2020 Article: Extreme Ironing Article: "How to Decide If You Should Turn Your Hobby into Your Life's Work" (Natalia Autenrieth) Call to Action: Reach out to me with your stories of how you've taken your coffee hobby into something "more than a hobby" to possibly be featured on a future episode! IG: @craftyourowncoffee email: craftyourowncoffee@gmail.com Sweet Maria's: Use discount code CYOCOFFEE to receive 15% off a one-time order of green coffee at www.sweetmarias.com !  Offer only valid through July 1st 2022 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Hey Coffee People - Season 4 officially launches in one week!  In this preview episode I'll share an overview of what you can expect in Season 4, and - since it's been a while - I'll re-introduce you to who I am and the "why" behind this podcast. Follow on Instagram to stay connected, or shoot an email to craftyourowncoffee@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Two weeks of at-home espresso trial and error (mostly error!) with at-home espresso have produced this week's episode.  If you missed it, check out @craftyourowncoffee on Instagram to see a recap. Listen in for my Top 9 takeaways from the past couple weeks as I try to level up my at-home espresso game...and hopefully help others do the same in the process.  Many of these takeaways have come from fellow Coffee People like you, so thanks for weighing in and helping me out! 1) Instagram is good for feedback 2) Making Espresso is hard 3) Data AND Taste should complement each other in seeking ways to improve the craft 4) Even bad pulls from a data standpoint can still taste yummy 5) I need an espresso-specific grinder 6) Espresso-specific grinders are expensive, so maybe I need to just get creative 7) Distributing the grounds evenly before tamping is so important and takes practice 8) Crema is important but not the most important sign of a good espresso 9) It is humbling but helpful to put your failures out there and ask for help! Stay connected! IG: @craftyourowncoffee Email: craftyourowncoffee@gmail.com Voice Message: click link below and I'll add your voice to an upcoming episode! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

John is a pretty big deal in the specialty coffee world and we are super honored to have him as a guest on the Craft Your Own Coffee podcast! Decent Espresso is a game-changing espresso and technology company focused on helping amateur (and professional!) baristas figure out how to pull an incredible shot of espresso Every.Single.Time.  John Buckman is the CEO and Co-Founder of Decent Espresso and joined the podcast to share how he got interested in coffee, how his frustration with making espresso led him to the desire to create a solution, plus he gives some great tips and insights for the home barista whether you have a Decent machine at home or not. If you want to learn more about Decent Espresso, you can check out all the socials (of course), their website, and a couple really good product reviews  (this one and that one). Oh, and please consider voting for the Craft Your Own Coffee Podcast for a 2020 Sprudgie Award for Best Coffee Podcast!  Voting ends on January 3rd 2021. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Channeling.  The word which incites fear in the hearts of the coffee people.  If Good is the enemy of Great according to Jim Collins, Channeling is the Enemy of Coffee according to...well, me. What is it? Why should it be avoided at all costs? And most importantly, HOW can we avoid channeling in our espresso craft at home? Thanks to this sweet article/resource by Clive Coffee, we'll dig in to the first two questions first. Thanks to Jonathan Pascual, the owner of Taproom Coffee & Beer in Atlanta GA, we'll spend most of the episode digging in to the all-important "HOW"  question.  My biggest takeaways from Jonathan's advice were: --> Get rid of clumps! --> Even distribution of grounds in the portafilter is probably the #1 most important technique --> Learn the "palm tap" technique (see Clive Coffee article!) --> Don't overthink the Tamp Big thanks to @TaproomCoffee and Jonathan Pascual for the time he took to share such great advice.  If you're local or visiting Atlanta, you need to check them out! Oh, and Here's another article by Barista Hustle if you want to get a little more nerdy with the science of coffee extraction! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Justin is an at-home espresso enthusiast and shares his experience with us on: - How a brewed coffee lover can become an espresso lover - Why he loves manual/lever espresso machines...especially the Flair Classic - A start-to-finish look at his espresso-making process at home - Some of his favorite espresso-based drink recipes Follow Justin (@fresh_ground_methods) to see and learn more from his expertise! Also, to hear more from Justin listen (or re-listen) to CYOC Season 1 Ep 12 where he shares about how he brews coffee when he's on the road/away from home! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

This is a family (and podcast-light) week!  Returning to the Espresso content next Monday. Practice the discipline of gratitude this week and head over to @craftyourowncoffee for how your expression of gratitude could also win you some sweet @Baratza swag! Happy Thanksgiving my friends! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Here's a deep dive into your options for at home espresso machines.  While this is definitely not a comprehensive list, it should be enough to get you started.  Plus a couple articles about bars of pressure and "stovetop espresso."  Cheers! How Pressure Affects Espresso Quality article Moka Pot vs Espresso Machine article A few Automatic/Pod options ($) Nespresso Lavazza A few Manual options ($-$$) Article with "Top 3" Robot (CafeLat) A few Electronic options ($$-$$$$$) Breville ($$-$$$) Nuova Simonelli ($$$) Decent Espresso ($$$$) La Marzocco Linea Mini ($$$$$) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Getting started with making espresso at home is easier than you might think!  If you brew coffee at home, you might have most of this stuff already.  Check this episode out for the most essential equipment you'll need to get your espresso journey going. 1) Burr Grinder (recommend Baratza) 2) Something to make hot water 3) Gram Scale (here's one option) 4) Tamper (size will be determined by your espresso machine's portafilter) 5) Espresso Machine (this is the one I have...but there are LOTS of options to choose from) Head over to @craftyourowncoffee to participate in this week's giveaway, compliments of Baratza! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Is it a bean? Is it a drink? What makes it taste so different? Is it hard to make? Kicking off this season with a brief Espresso history lesson (mad props to Luigi in Milan!) and some busting of the most common myths about Espresso. Myth #1: Espresso is a type of coffee bean Myth #2: Espresso has more caffeine than other coffee drinks Myth #3: Espresso shots taste gross Myth #4: You have to buy an expensive machine to make espresso at home Myth #5: Making good espresso at home requires no skills and no practice Send in questions, comments and At-Home Espresso advice to be featured in a future episode! @craftyourowncoffee craftyourowncoffee@gmail.com Voice Message --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

A shot-sized preview of Season 3 of the Craft Your Own Coffee Podcast: At Home Espresso!  Don't tamp down your enthusiasm for this season.   I'm pulling for you! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

What are your top Home Coffee Roasting takeaways from Season 2?  I share mine as a wrap-up to this season (episode time stamp in parentheses) 10) I'm proud to be part of the home coffee roasting community (2:05) 9) Pronounce and spell names of guests correctly (3:32) 8) Roasting amazing coffee on your own can be as simple as "turning green coffee brown" (4:51) 7) Amateur coffee roasters CAN roast world class coffee (6:30) 6) The Coffee Cupping Table is the key (8:20) 5) Want to be a better home roaster?  Buy higher quality coffee (10:36) 4) Solid roasting technique can help you bring out the best in "average" quality coffee (11:38) 3) You have up to 12 hours to seal coffee post-roast! (15:46) 2) Keep a simple Roast Journal (17:12) 1) Sweet Marias ROCKS - I'm a customer for life (18:40) Check out a few of the many coffee companies who are putting out some incredible "how-to" content for all of us home coffee people! Onyx Coffee Lab Cartel Coffee Lab Sweet Maria's Coffee Stumptown Coffee Blue Bottle Coffee See you for Season 3! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message

Lots of home coffee roasting goodness to unpack this week with the experts at Sweet Maria's, Thrive Farmers Coffee and Bellwood Coffee! Links/Resources mentioned: - Here's a list of some great coffee roaster options.  (**here's a video on the Barwell roaster...I was wrong, you CAN change the temperature**) - What Aaron uses with his Nostalgia Popcorn Popper:  Grease Splatter Screen // Thermocouple - Scott Rao's Coffee Roaster's Companion --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craftyourowncoffee/message