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!

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Find out what happens when a coffee person quits coffee for a month.  Spoiler alert:  IT'S NO FUN. Shout out to Chris Baca and Matt D'Avella for producing a cool video recap of their own 30 Days Without Coffee experiment...check it out here! Instagram

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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 ($$$$) La Marzocco Linea Mini ($$$$$)

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!

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

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!

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!

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

I'm taking the week off!  Back next week with a Q&A episode with your questions and expert answers. Send in home coffee roasting questions and/or insights to be featured in next week's episode: @craftyourowncoffee craftyourowncoffee@gmail.com Send in a voice message "He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."  - Epictetus

Want to "level up" from your popcorn popper?  You've got to check out the FreshRoast.  It's compact.  It's fast.  It's easy to use.  It has some downsides for sure, but it's a great way to gain more control over key coffee roasting variables and help you roast better coffee. In this episode I share some of the pros and cons of the FreshRoast air roaster, and then roast a batch on my back porch. Check out this video tutorial from the pros at Sweet Marias on how to use the FreshRoast SR540 Check out this FreshRoast starter kit that Sweet Maria's offers on their website! **Green Coffee discount extended!  If you haven't used the coupon code yet, you've now got until May 1st, 2020 to receive 15% off your Green Coffee purchase at sweetmarias.com!  Use the coupon code CRAFTCOFFEE**

We are all sacrificing right now, all over the world.  We are truly in this thing together! If you're listening to this podcast, you're a coffee lover.  And you know our beloved locally-owned coffeeshops are struggling right now.  I challenge you to take action on one (or more) of these 3 steps to help save the coffeeshops that we love so dearly in our local communities: 1) BUY.  If you're financially able, buy the highest-margin items that you local coffeeshop offers.  Examples: bags of roasted coffee, merchandise, gift cards (IF the shop gets the revenue upon purchase of the gift card) 2) TIP.  If you're financially able, leave a MONSTER TIP for your barista when you order.  There are also "Virtual Tip Jars" (nationwide list // Atlanta list) out there where you can leave a tip even if your coffeeshop is not open. 3) SHARE.  Leverage the best part of Social Media by inviting your family & friends to follow your favorite local coffeeshops and support them in the two ways above. If we all do what we can, we can help the specialty coffee industry - and all the human lives associated with it - in such a challenging time. God bless you all!

Katie and I went to the Coffee Farmer Caravan event for date night this week at East Pole Coffee Company where we got to meet and learn directly from Colombian coffee growers and exporters.  It was such a fun and educational night and we wanted to hop on the microphone to share some of our takeaways with you while the learning was still fresh.  Although this season of the podcast is focused on Home Coffee Roasting, learning more about what it takes to grow and process coffee with excellence definitely helps us appreciate roasting green coffee at an even greater level! Big Takeaway: if you can get your hands on some Gesha coffee, DO IT.  It's such a crazy good unique experience. Bigger Takeaway: after hearing first-hand stories from coffee producers, Katie and I decided we need to visit a coffee farm and see it first-hand as well!  More to come on that. BIGGEST Takeaway: a HUGE level of gratitude and appreciation to all the hard work, passion and dedication from all over the world that goes in to the coffee experience that we get to enjoy every day at home and in cafes.  Hear several more of our takeaways by listening to this episode! Did You Know... - the country of Colombia is responsible for ~30% of the world's supply of coffee?  There are approximately 540,000 coffee farms across the country which produce and export over 14 million bags of coffee per year (1 bag = 60kg) - this may be subjective, but according to Banexport they believe 50% of the flavor of coffee is a result of the growing altitude and the variety of the coffee tree.  The other 50% of the flavor comes from the processing method (washing, drying, fermenting, etc) after picking the coffee off the tree. - there are dozens of varieties of coffee trees which all produce unique flavors in the coffee beans.  The most-sought-after variety of coffee today is the Gesha tree, which was discovered first in Gesha, Ethiopia but can also be grown successfully in Panama, Tanzania, Costa Rica, Peru, and of course COLOMBIA! Learn more about: Cafe Imports Banexport East Pole Coffee Company **If you're enjoying the show, please consider leaving a rating AND a review on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Time to nerd out on coffee roasting with Chris Avirett, a professional coffee roaster and Head Roaster for Thrive Farmers Coffee (Roswell, GA). Chris drops some knowledge bombs about roast curves, roasting software, some funky thing called the Maillard reaction, and the Coffee Roasters Guild.  Let's get nerdy!

Remember that coffee I roasted last week with my neighbor Robby?  Find out how we did with that roast in today's episode, as the professionals at Thrive Farmers Coffee evaluate and score my coffee.  (FYI, there are only a few thousand licensed Q Graders in the world, and you'll get to hear from one of them in this episode). I'd never been through an experience like this before.  It was new.  It was objective.  It was educational.  It was a little nerve-racking.  It smelled GREAT.   Because of the length of the evaluation process, this is a much longer episode than I typically put out.  However, listen all the way through...there are some clutch takeaways near the end. The team at Thrive Farmers were warm and hospitable, they created a great environment for learning and I'm grateful for the time they gave to all of us through this experience. Enjoy!

Ride along with me and my neighbor Robby as we roast a batch of green coffee from start to finish on my back porch with my Hottop Roaster.  Robby is a "coffee person" but is new to coffee roasting so his insights, takeaways and questions are On Point for anyone who is curious about roasting their own coffee. My Home Roasting Process (as played out in the episode) 1) Preheat ("charge") roaster to 420 degrees (internal temp of roaster) 2) Set final roasting temperature at 374 degrees (temp of bean) 3) Once preheated, add 300g green coffee into roaster (full batch) 4) Turn fan to 100% for 60 seconds once green coffee temp begins to "rise" 5) Reduce fan speed to 10% 6) When internal roaster temp reaches 400 degrees, reduce heat to 90% and increase fan speed to 20% 7) With every additional 10 degree increase in roaster temp, reduce heat by an additional 10% and increase fan speed by an additional 10% 8) Eject beans when bean temperature reaches 374 degrees (assuming first crack is complete and bean color is what I want) 9) Allow to cool in cooling tray for 5 minutes 10) Get rid of as much chaff as possible 11) Lay coffee beans out on cookie sheet for an additional 30-60 minutes 12) Put roasted coffee in mason jar or sealable bag (with one-way release valve) 13) Wait 3-4 days before brewing! Don't forget to take advantage of 15% off your order of Green Coffee at www.sweetmarias.com between now and 3/31/2020 using the code CRAFTCOFFEE Links/Resources mentioned: - Hottop Roaster - Orens Daily Roast - Zabar's Coffee - The Coffee Roaster's Companion book (Scott Rao) - Pew Research Center article about neighbors

Have you gotten the itch to get started roasting coffee at home?  Or, do you have someone in your life who is constantly asking you to roast coffee for them?  Well, thanks to Sweet Maria's we're offering a FREE Home Roaster Starter Kit this week!  The winner of this Giveaway can either jump-start his/her home roasting journey OR gift the kit to your mooching friend :) Here's what you'll get: - Nostalgia Popcorn Popper - 4 pounds of green coffee - Some Sweet Maria's swaaaaag Listen to the episode to learn how you can participate!  Participation ends at 11:59pm EST on Saturday 2/22/2020 If you haven't done so already, please take a moment to Subscribe, Rate and Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts.  Your help with this truly helps widen the home coffee enthusiast community circle. Also included in this episode: - a coffee story from one of our listeners (thanks, Aaron!) - some new roasting terms (which will get explored a bit further in future episodes) - a couple pieces of roasting and brewing equipment that Aaron (listener) uses at home:  FreshRoast SR540, Thermocouple, Bialetti Moka Pot, Artisan Software

Byron and the Home Roasting guru's of Sweet Maria's take me to school on what happens to green (unroasted) coffee beans as they go through the roasting process.  Learn why some roasted coffee beans end up looking different than others.  Learn how Sweet Maria's helps everyday coffee people like you and me find tasty green coffee.  This easy-to-digest episode should help take some of the mystery and confusion out of roasting coffee. Getting the itch to try out roasting at home?  Get 15% off your green coffee order at sweetmarias.com between now and March 31st, 2020 by using the promo code CRAFTCOFFEE.  Also, Click Here for an easy starter kit:  Electric popcorn popper ($20) + 4lb green coffee (FREE) + Shipping = ~$38!!!! Send in your questions, comments, feedback, ideas, etc to possibly be featured in an upcoming Q&A episode this season! --> Email: craftyourowncoffee@gmail.com --> Instagram: @craftyourowncoffee --> Voice Message: Click Here to Record

Byron Dote is the head of Marketing for Sweet Maria's based in Oakland, CA.  I sat down with Byron at Sweet Maria's HQ for a fun and interesting conversation about home roasting, specifically how to get started.  Enjoy! Don't forget to use the promo code CRAFTCOFFEE at sweetmarias.com to get 15% off your purchase of green coffee and roasting gear between now and 3/31/2020!  Big thanks to Sweet Maria's for being a supporter of CYOC Season 2. Please send in Home Roasting questions, comments, ideas, feedback to potentially be featured on a Q&A Episode later on this season: --> Email: craftyourowncoffee@gmail.com --> Instagram: @craftyourowncoffee --> Voice Message: click here to send!

Roasting your own coffee is not as complicated as you'd think, and it's a kick-butt way to elevate your craft of making delicious coffee at home.  Roasting coffee at home is fun, affordable, attainable, and delivers you the peak of coffee yummy-ness. In this episode I share my personal journey into the home coffee roasting world in hopes that you might get curious and try it out yourself.  You won't regret it, and you can literally get started for $30!  Listen to the episode to hear how. Great News!  Season 2 of the CYOC Podcast is supported by Sweet Maria's Home Coffee Roasting, who is generously offering podcast listeners 15% OFF anything on their website by using the promo code CRAFTCOFFEE.  Get started on your home roasting journey by taking advantage of this huge offer between now and March 31st, 2020! CALL TO ACTION: I want to hear from you!  Send in your questions, comments, insight and ideas about Roasting Coffee at Home for a Q&A Episode towards the end of Season 2.  Interact with me via Instagram (@craftyourowncoffee), Email (craftyourowncoffee@gmail.com) or by sending in a Voice Message. Links: "Coffee's Origins" (part of larger published work: The History of Coffee in Guatemala by Regina Wagner)

Season 2 launches next Monday, January 27th!

In the final episode of Season 1, we'll look back and recap some key takeaways from "Your Home Coffee Routine, Plus 1" and look forward to Season 2 exploring a topic that I'm very excited to talk about...listen to this episode for more details! Happy Coffee, you beautiful people.

Rachel sent in an interesting voice message with a question about how to get "flavored coffee" without adding a bunch of sugary flavored creamer.  Her question prompted a good discussion with my friend and previous CYOC Podcast guest Joel Norman with Bellwood Coffee in Atlanta.  We talk about Rachel's question specifically, and then more broadly about the difference between "flavored coffee beans" and "inherent flavors in coffee beans." Check out @bellwoodcoffee on Instagram for the goods! If you enjoy the show, please consider adding a Rating and a Review on Apple Podcasts. Happy Thanksgiving!

If you WANT to like coffee but just haven't "gotten there" yet, this episode is for you! Join me and a couple friends (Justin & Jay) as we talk about personal journeys into the world of enjoying good coffee, how others "get there" in their coffee journeys, and a few ways that coffee lovers can serve as "guides" for those who are "coffee curious" 1) Call to Action for the "Coffee Curious":  try tasting some different beans!  Here are 2 places to start exploring & sampling: Mistobox Trade Coffee Company 2) Call to Action for the "Coffee Lover": send your curious friend to a local Coffee Cupping!  Google it!

Don't want to use your hotel room's dusty by-the-cup brewer?  Going camping and want some tasty coffee in the morning?  Unsure what your vacation Airbnb coffee setup is going to be?  My friend Justin Winter shares what he does to make delicious coffee even when he's away from home.  This was a super fun conversation with a lot of great ideas.  To help you build out your Christmas wish list, below is a "shopping list" with links to all the things Justin and I discussed in this episode.  Cheers! Steeped Coffee (+ Counter Culture example) Trade Coffee Company Hand Ground Burr Grinder (Justin uses this at home) Hario portable hand grinder (Justin brings this on the road) Porlex portable hand grinder (Joel brings this camping) Aeropress with Travel Bag Cloth Filter Pour Over device Third Wave Water

You’ve moved to a new city.  You’re on a road trip.  You’re traveling to a new city for work.  You’re exploring a new place.  And you need good coffee!  But how do you know where these places are, and if a place will be worth the visit? I'll share a few tricks I've learned for how to make your hunt for an awesome coffee shop a little easier. Because, sometimes you just want someone else to craft delicious coffee for you. Happy Exploring!

Want to brew and drink the worlds best cup of coffee?  Try the Pour Over brewing method!  It's not as hard as you think, and it just might change your [coffee] life. My bride Katie joins the podcast to talk about how we brew a Pour Over at our home, and why it’s become her favorite way to make coffee. Want to try it at home?  You got this!  Here's a list of what you'll need: 1) Gram scale 2) Burr Grinder 3) Pour Over brewing device (Chemex // V60 // Kalita Wave + Server) 4) Paper filter (Chemex filter // V60 filter // Kalita Wave filter) 5) Gooseneck kettle Have fun!

Are you a French Press kind of coffee person?  Or maybe you're looking to branch out and try a new brewing method?  Immersion brewing gives you a different take on your morning cup of coffee and there are several key tips in this episode to help you make it taste better. When my good buddy Jordan Lee makes coffee at home, it's all about the Full Immersion brewing method for him.  In this episode, Jordan and I brew some coffee on my back porch using his Clever brewing device and talk about the process and delicious outcome of steeping coffee grounds and hot water together. We are using the Clever in this episode, but the process is basically identical if you're going the French Press route. If you want to try your hand at Full Immersion Brewing, here's the equipment you'll need to get started.  Have fun! 1) Gram scale 2) Gooseneck Kettle (Jordan uses this one with built-in thermometer // Joel uses this electric one) 3) Grinder (Baratza Encore is niiiiice!) 4) Clever Coffee Maker or French Press (one of a million different French Press machines) 5) Standard #4 Coffee Filter

This episode is dedicated to the Drip brewing method.  What it is + How to make it + Tips to "level up" your drip game at home Enjoy! Drip brewing resources: Great overall coffee-brewing tips from Atlas Coffee Club! Cuisinart Grind & Brew machine user guide Check out a list of SCA-Certified Drip Machines

If you're brewing coffee at home with a Keurig or something similar, you already know you're not drinking the most amazing coffee on the planet.  Even though there are downsides to By-The-Cup brewing, there are plenty of great reasons why people love their Keurig.  And the good news is, there are a couple easy ways to make it taste better too.  #NoShameClub for the Keurig fans out there! Try out these simple tips for taking your By The Cup game up a level: 1) Use filtered water 2) Use the "Strong" feature Every Time! 3) Clean the machine Call to Action: send in a Voice Message or IG follow & comment @craftyourowncoffee with your best By The Cup tips and questions! Shout out to this killer Washington Post article for helping me out with content for this episode. Here's another article with some K-Cup tips (including adding a pinch of salt to the cup???) Keurig finally getting smart on environmental impact

Ever wondered why coffees from different parts of the world taste different?  Or why it's important to grind coffee to a consistent size?  Or what in the world a "Winter Blend" actually means? Check out these topics and more in Part 2 of my interview with Joel Norman, co-founder of Bellwood Coffee (Atlanta, GA). Bellwood Coffee website IG: @bellwoodcoffee IG: @craftyourowncoffee

Ding Ding Ding!  We've got a coffee expert! I met up with Joel Norman, co-founder of Bellwood Coffee (Atlanta, GA) to talk [coffee] shop.  I learned a lot from our conversation and I know you will too! Bellwood Coffee website @bellwoodcoffee @craftyourowncoffee

Nope! Here's my pitch: If you use a recipe to cook or bake, why wouldn't you use a recipe for brewing coffee too?  Recipes take out the guess work.  And guess what...if you want to develop your coffee-making craft, weighing out your coffee to a specific coffee:water ratio takes out the guess work, especially for beginners! Guess who's on the show?  It's my bride of 12 years, Katie! · Call to Action:  Start figuring out your own coffee “recipe” for whatever way you are brewing hot coffee. This will require getting a gram-accurate scale if you don’t already have one. (

This week we dive into two more of my "Top 5" variables to pay attention to in your home coffee making journey: Grinding Whole-Bean Coffee and Holding Coffee. Send in a Voice Message with your ideas/questions/thoughts to be featured on future episodes!    Call to Action #1 (free): Grind 3 days worth of whole-bean coffee.  Use 1/3 of it for today, seal the rest.  Use 1/3 tomorrow and 1/3 the next day.  Do you notice a difference in the taste in your cup? Call to Action #2 (expensive): If you don't have one already, buy a burr grinder!  I guarantee grinding whole-bean coffee with a burr grinder will take your coffee game to the next level. **Articles/Resources mentioned in Episode 3**  This is the grinder I use!  (Baratza Encore)  

Coffee is 98% Water and 2% Coffee Bean!  To give yourself the best chance at a delicious cup of hot coffee at home, it's a good idea to pay attention to the water and the bean, which are two of my "Top 5" variables to focus on in your home coffee journey. Call to Action: Water....brew 1 batch of coffee with tap water, and another batch with filtered water.  Do you taste a difference? Call to Action: Beans...look for "Roast Date" the next time you purchase a bag of whole bean coffee.  Buy a bag that was roasted within the past 1-3 weeks for the best possible flavor! Click Here to Send a Voice Message! Share your home coffee ideas/thoughts/questions with the community. **Articles/Resources mentioned in Episode 2** 1) Article on Water from Business Insider 2) Cool Company Alert: Third Wave Water (@thirdwavewater) 3) Article on Arabica & Robusta

What is "drip coffee"?  Are Cold Brew and Iced Coffee the same thing?  Is Espresso a coffee bean or a drink?  Let's simplify and demystify some common coffee terms as Season 1 of the CYOC Podcast kicks off. Call to Action:  Send in a Voice Message with ideas/thoughts/questions; we may feature YOUR voice on the podcast on a future episode!

Season 1 of the podcast launches in late-August 2019! Follow on Instagram to start the conversation **audio shout out to Hidden House Coffee and Ben Briggs for being my gateway into the coffee rabbit hole!  Thanks for helping me realize I could turn my coffee game from a "routine" into a "craft"