Drank it! Specialty Coffee Podcast

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

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