Drank it! Specialty Coffee Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Harry (aka Kimoi Coffee Harry) of Moonwake Coffee to dive deep into modern specialty coffee—from hyper-dialed pour-over brewing and grinder burr theory to green buying, roast development, and water chemistry. Harry shares his journey from passionate home enthusiast to shaping Moonwake’s brewing program and green sourcing, including how ultra-high-end gear ended up at a farmers market. The conversation explores what “ultralight” coffee really means today, why water might matter more than your grinder, and how community and calibration drive better coffee more than chasing the next piece of gear.Links mentionedMoonwake Coffee RoastersOshi for April

Fused Visions creator Mehrdad joins Zack Stamey (Roastful) and Ray Murakawa (Melodrip) for a wide-ranging, unscripted conversation about coffee innovation, product design, and why collaboration matters more than hype. They dig into what makers get wrong (and right), the copycat problem, and how tools like slow-feeding and “dose by volume” can make espresso more consistent with less waste. Plus: rapid-fire takes on burr size, V60s, co-ferments, and whether cafés really need Rolls-Royce espresso machines.SHOW NOTES:Fused Visions (Instagram)Fused Visions ShopMeticulous Espresso MachineIntrovert Makes (Andrew)Kaffeemacher (Switzerland / DACH)I’m Not A Barista – MOMENTEM Grinder (Kickstarter) TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest02:56 The Philosophy of Product Creation in Coffee05:56 The Importance of Collaboration in the Coffee Industry07:08 Understanding Roasting and Grinding Challenges08:16 Celebrating Roasters and Their Craft11:07 Fused Visions: Community and Collaboration in Coffee14:20 The Need for Innovation in the Coffee Industry17:23 Innovative Perspectives in Coffee Design21:29 Community and Collaboration in Coffee Innovation26:18 Product Development and User Feedback31:24 Challenges of Copycats in the Coffee Industry44:56 Vision for the Future of Fused Visions48:49 The Evolution of Coffee Preparation Techniques49:47 Rapid Fire Questions: Coffee Preferences52:11 Top Roasters: Local and Global Insights53:26 Closing Thoughts on Coffee Trends55:56 Affordable Coffee Gear: Quality Without Breaking the Bank01:03:23 Filter vs. Espresso: The Ultimate Showdown

Zack and Ray sit down with AJ Kim of Kumquat Coffee to talk about the green side of home roasting. They dig into how Kumquat, Loquat, and Fondry grew into an ecosystem for serious home brewers and roasters, and why AJ started a curated green-coffee shop for small batches. Along the way, AJ shares what he’s learned visiting producers around the world and why understanding farms, pricing, and climate risk should change how we buy and roast coffee at home.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to Home Roasting and Kumquat Coffee02:52 AJ Kim's Journey and Kumquat's Evolution05:43 The Green Coffee Store Launch08:44 Kumquat's Community and Events11:58 Future Projects and Expansion Plans15:08 The Philosophy Behind Kumquat's Offerings17:56 Reflections on the Coffee Industry and Personal Journey24:58 Direct Sourcing and Coffee Adventures29:56 The Impact of Global Warming on Coffee Production34:44 Building Connections: The Role of Green Coffee Sourcing39:56 Home Roasting: Bridging the Gap Between Producers and Consumers55:02 The Future of Coffee: Quality, Sustainability, and Consumer Awareness

Zack and Ray kick things off breaking down the global matcha shortage and debating whether Tokyo is the best coffee city in the world. Then they sit down with Masa of Weekenders Coffee (Kyoto) to talk about Japan’s evolving café culture, light-roast philosophy, and Weekenders’ new 20th-anniversary collaboration box.In this episode:Is Tokyo the best coffee city in the world?What makes Japanese cafés feel so intentionalMatcha shortage 2024–2025: causes, bootlegs, price spikes, and why production can’t just “scale”Why many Japan cafés are closed in the morningsWeekenders origin story (2005) → roasting light since 2011; navigating “third wave” beyond just roast degreeWeekenders 20th-Anniversary collab: 30 roasters × 15g mini packs (pre-orders open)Links:WEEKENDERS 20th Anniversary BoxMatcha Shortage Article - New York TimesWEEKENDERS COFFEE Instagram

Home roasting is exploding—and it’s no longer just for pros. Ray and Zack dive into the rise of the home-roasting movement with guest Robert Asami, a hobbyist roaster from the Bay Area. They unpack ultra-light roasts, the new tech driving the scene (Roest, Nucleus Link, Kaffelogic), and the growing culture of experimentation, education, and gear obsession.Links:RoestNucleus Link RoasterKaffelogicStronghold roasterKumquat - Green coffeeCoRo - Bay Area CoRoastersBae Area Coffee ClubEspresso Aficionados discordInstagram: @robertasamiRobert Asami Blog

Lance from Sey Coffee joins us to talk: co-ferments, “rock-star” producers, trends, the real work of sourcing, doing the reps (cupping daily), why clean 87–90pt washed lots are miracles, pricing/value (cost-per-cup), curation and seasonality, and how roasters can truly stand out in 2025.Links Sey CoffeeTimestamps 00:00 - Introduction;00:15 - Get It Off Your Chest: Missing feature from scales;05:47 - Introducing the Guest: Lance from Sey Coffee;06:29 - The Evolution of Coffee Trends;10:49 - Understanding Quality in Coffee;16:31 - The Importance of Continuous Learning;20:28 - Navigating Business Strategies in Coffee;27:03 - Quality and Accessibility in Coffee;29:55 - The Depth of Coffee Knowledge;33:15 - Finding Unique Coffee Sources;34:37 - Curating Seasonal Offerings;36:12 - Passion for Green Coffee;43:05 - The Economics of Coffee Pricing;51:29 - The Journey of Coffee Tasting;51:54 - Learning from Experience in Coffee Roasting;53:41 - The Evolution of Coffee Quality;55:23 - Developing New Coffee Varieties;58:46 - Navigating Quality and Volume in Coffee Production;01:00:39 - The Future of Coffee Roasting;01:03:59 - The Untapped Market for Specialty Coffee;01:06:53 - The Need for Quality in Coffee Shops;01:09:57 - The Importance of Commitment in the Coffee Industry;

Perfect Daily Grind article: “Is Brewing by the Cup Still Worth It?”Spro-overs / Coffee Shots - YouTube Video by Lance Hedrick

Blendin Coffee ClubWeihong Zhang

The Coffeevine

Black & White Coffee RoastersKyle Ramage

April CoffeeApril Brewers Cup

COLUM dripper on IndieGogoMelodripRay Murakawa

Morgon Coffee Roasters

Melodrip