Shows
Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #33: The Other Kind of Sourcing Every Roaster Needs w/ Mark Kutrovski of Mirror Coffee Roasters Feedback. It is all too common to use this word. But do many of us actively pursue it as if it is foundational to the success of our businesses? Chances are not really. And in so doing we lose out on connection, relevancy , and have a harder time delivering value that creates momentum with our coffee. All because when we talk about relationship coffee, we tend to leave out the consumer. Today on this 32nd episode of Rate of Rise, brought to you by our friends at Mill City Roasters, we are sitting down with cofounder of M...
2025-02-2239 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #25 : Training Up the Next Generation of Roasters w/ Steve Lee of Pocket Knife Consulting + Linea CaffeEffectively training up an apprentice roaster is key not only to your succession, the growth of your business, and the consistency of your quality, -but providing a great learning environment and approach to education and coaching will push the whole industry forward. The key is to not only deliver processes, rules, and systems, but also opportunity for contribution, conversation, and room for your trainee to grow in maturity. These are just some of the powerful things discussed in this Rate of Rise episode featuring, Steve Lee! Steve Lee began his coffee career in 1996 as a...
2023-09-0247 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersROR #24 : Perspectives on Roasting for Espresso w/ Jaroslav Tuček of Doubleshot, Czech RepublicRoasting for espresso is a tricky business. Not only are there multiple variables that inherently complicate the extraction process but there is also a wide variety of opinion is and preferences for what the final flavor experience should be like. On this Rate of Rise episode we will be talking about how one world renowned roastery roasts for espresso and how their technique and approach has evolved over their history. We are talking with Jaroslav Tuček, founder of Doubleshot in the Czech Republic. Born and raised in Czech Republic and graduating High school in Ar...
2023-07-2656 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #18 : Expert Tips on Avoiding Tipping w/ Rob HoosEven though it is one of the most objectively identifiable defects, the presence of tipping seems to continue to plagues roasters. With the end result ruining an otherwise perfectly roasted coffee, this largely preventable defect deserves special focus. In this episode of Rate of Rise we are going to be interviewing the great Rob Hoos who has dedicated a significant amount of his attention through a new downloadable booklet aptly named "Tipping and It's Avoidance", to helping us mitigate tipping for good. Rob Hoos is a coffee roasting consultant and owner of Hoos Coffee Consulting an...
2023-01-2643 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #17 : Evolving Our Approach to Cupping w/ Charlie Habegger of Royal CoffeeCupping is as close to a sacred act as we get in the world of coffee evaluation. It is a ubiquitous ritual that comes with its own language, implements, and is considered by many to be THE way that we can determine what a coffee has to offer. But what if cupping is not the end all be all we assume it to be? What if certain aspects of cupping are not to be worried about so much allowing us to explore other, dare we say, better ways to to evaluate a coffee? In this episode of R...
2022-12-101h 03Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #16 : Ideal Resting Times for Roasted Coffee w/ Joey Stazzone of Cafe KreyolHow long should you let your coffee age after roast? Is freshest always best? How can we ensure our customers get the coffee at its peak? These are some of the questions that we explore around the topic of ideal resting times for roasted coffee, the myths around freshness, and the best practices for managing your coffee's flavor life cycle. In this episode of RoR from Roast Magazine we are exploring the new data associated with ideal resting times for coffee based on a study recently conducted and written about in Roast and the implication it has...
2022-10-2159 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #15 : Managing LTL Freight and the Nuances of green Shipping w/ Evan Gilman of Royal CoffeeHow our coffee gets to us after purchase can sometimes be a confusing thing. These days, with global supply chain issues abounding, the need to understand, track, and finesse all aspects of logistics is at an all time high. One of the main areas to be aware of is LTL freight as well and planning for any issues that may come up as your coffee moves from farm to forklift. This episode of RoR from Roast Magazine is designed to help us wrap our heads around LTL freight and the other issues of shipping that impact our r...
2022-08-1248 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR Live! at SCA #4 Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master Roasters | How to Teach RoastingFor this 4th episode of the Rate of Rise Live Series! This time we sit down with one of my favorite roasters, Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master Roasters to learn how to teach others to roast! The RoR Live Series is a project in partnership with Roast Magazine taking the popular RoR series on Keys to the Shop and to the SCA 2022 Global EXPO in Boston where we have some live face-to-face interviews with 10 of the coffee industry's brightest minds With over 25 yrs working in the coffee industry, Anne is an Australian Roaster who has...
2022-05-2037 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #14: How to Roast New Processing Methods w/ Mike Ebert of Fire Dancer ConsultantsAs new processing methods become more popular and prominent, roasters must pivot and adjust how they approach them in order to get the best possible result. Processes like honey and pulped natural present unique challenges for even the most veteran roasters. The good news is that there is a growing family of best practices that will help you see success and consistency while embracing the new and emerging methods on the market. To help us sort through this topic we turn to none other than Mike Ebert of Firedancer Consultants. As the founder of Firedancer Coffee Consultants...
2022-04-2547 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #13 : The Norm Roast Protocol w/ Dave BaxterHow do we test the energy efficiency, emissions, and impact of or roasting machines?. We all want to be responsible with our environmental impact but all we have to go on for data is supplied by marketing from the manufacturer. Wouldn't it be nice to have a real measure of the performance of a roasting machine? Well that is exactly what today's guest is out to provide. Today on the Rate of Rise series from Roast Magazine we are going to be talking with Dave Baxter about The Norm Roast Protocol! Dave Baxter has avidly ro...
2022-03-3042 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #12 : Inside Coffee Packaging w/ Ever MeisterYour coffee packaging holds more than just coffee. It holds an incredible amount of potential for communication of values, impact on the supply chain, and how coffee itself is percieved and succeeds in the global market. Packaging might not seem like the most compeling topic but the package itself may be on of the main tools that compels consumers and how we approach it matters greatly. Today on the Rate of Rise series from Roast Magaine we will be exploring pacaging and beyond with the author of the Sept/Oct 2021 article "The Perfect Package", Ever Meister. ...
2022-02-2153 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #11 : Exploring Scent w/ Sandra Elisa LoofbourowThe smell of coffee is one of the great joys in this life. As professionals we take this important sensory aspect of coffee and build tools and protocols around it so we can fully and accurately assess a coffee's quality and ultimately serve something consistently wonderful to our customers. In order to do this we need to bring balance, calibration, and objectivity to the personal tastes and experiences we all bring to the cupping table. Today we on the Rate of Rise series from Roast Magazine we will be diving into this subject of scent and calibration w...
2022-01-2648 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersROR #10 : What Your Broker Wishes You Knew w/ Scott Merle of La Minita CoffeeRelationships are what the coffee industry is built on. The quality of those relationships determines the strength of the supply chain and the success of all involved. One of the most important relationships that is not talked about very often is that between green buyer and the broker. Today we on the Rate of Rise series from Roast Magazine we will be diving into this subject with the author of the October 2020 Roast Magazine article "What your Broker Wishes you Knew", Scott Merle! Scott has worked in specialty coffee since 1988 and has experience in every a...
2021-12-2953 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #9 Inside the Roaster's Tool Kit w/ Kat Melheim of Black and White Coffee and The Coffee People ZineWhere do we even start when choosing tools for our roastery? There are an incredible number of options from basic and inexpensive -to complex and costly. In the most recent issue of Roast Magazine, today's guest, Kat Melheim gives us an outline of tools and resources through the entire roasting process that can help clarify this dilemma. Kat Melheim (she/her) is a roaster, barista, artist, and writer. She founded Coffee People Zine, a publication that celebrates the creativity of the coffee community, in 2018. Through her work in the coffee industry she has been fortunate enough to t...
2021-11-191h 05Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersROR #8 How Post-Harvest Processing Impacts Flavor w/ Siva Subramanian and Byron Holcomb of Olam Food IngredientsHow coffee is processed after harvest has an incredible impact on the final quality in the cup. Today we have the luxury of choosing form a wide variety of processing techniques. Whether you are a roaster or a farmer, understanding what these methods contribute to the coffee as well as their impact on the environment, and the industry is critical. On this episode of RoR from Roast Magazine, we will be discussing post-harvest processing methods from a scientific, philosophical, and practical perspective with guests, Siva Subramanian and Byron Holcomb of Olam Food Ingredients. Siva Subramanian is ...
2021-10-081h 12Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersROR #7 Illustrative Sample Roasting w/ Mike Ebert of Firedancer Coffee ConsultantsSample roasting is a critical part of any roasting operation. But sample roasting is not simply used for finding defects or even just for making purchasing decisions. It is also very important to use as a tool to illustrate what a coffee can do and where it fits in your line up according to your's and your customers tastes. Today we are going to be exploring what our guest, Mike Ebert calls, "Illustrative Roasting", and giving you tools, insights, mindsets, and best practices to use your sample roaster to its fullest capacity in helping your coffee reach its highest...
2021-07-0257 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders286 : Coffee Roasting Best Practices w/ Scott RaoRoasting practices have come a long way in the past few decades. Today enjoy an incredible wealth of information, resources, and sharing of technique to help us be better roasters. With all these tools a techniques available to us it can be hard to sort out the most helpful and practical bits to apply to our coffee roasting operations. This is precisely the problem today's iconic guest, Scott Rao, set out to solve with his latest book, "Coffee Roasting: Best Practices" Scott Rao has been in the coffee business for over 25 years as a cafe owner, roaster, c...
2021-06-071h 04Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #6: Buying Less and Doing More w/ Ever MeisterWe have an incredible range of options available to us when it comes to the green coffees we purchase. Right now our habit as an industry is to spot purchase small amounts of coffee from a wide variety of producers in hopes of getting the pest of the best. The trouble with this is that, while we might believe our method is helping promote great coffee, it is actually undermining the success of the producer and the process. On this 6th edition of RoR we will be exploring how buying from fewer producers but with a commitment t...
2021-06-0551 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders285 : Better Systems, Better Connections w/ RoasterTools Founder, Jon EwaltIf there is one thing that is certain it is that, as you grow your roastery, you become pulled in a thousand different directions. The need to maintain the operation, drive sales, maintain relationships, improve quality, etc becomes overwhelming to the point where you are not sure if growing is a blessing or a curse. Luckily for use, as the industry of roasting continues to expand too too do the resources we have at our disposal to help us beat overwhelm and recapture time and energy. In this category RoastTools is leading the charge to help you streamline, optimize, p...
2021-06-0151 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #5: Time and Color in Roasting w/ Morten Munchow of Coffee MindTime and color in the roasting process are inextricably linked. We are fairly used to using time as a tool but what about color? Turns out that the color of your coffee is actually one of the most important but under-utilized, and poorly tracked metrics for determining flavor in the final roasted coffee. On this 5th edition of the Rate of Rise series we are going to be talking with Morten Munchow, the co-author of the Roast Magazine article: Flavor Development-The Relationship Between Time and Color in Coffee RoastingMorten Munchow To help us dive into this Morten M...
2021-05-0853 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #4: Practical Thermodynamics w/ Candice Madison of Royal Coffee / The Crown OakThermodynamics is what makes coffee roasting possible. Having an understanding and control of it is what makes great roasting possible. But what aspects of thermodynamics should we be familiar with and what methods of controlling it are best? In this month's installment of the Rate of Rise series to you by Roast magazine we will be addressing these questions and much more with none other than Candice Madison. Candice Madison has worked in specialty coffee for over a decade, as an accomplished barista, roaster, and trainer. She is a Q Arabica Instructor for the Coffee Quality Institute, a...
2021-04-0149 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #3: Making Contingency Planning a Reality w/ Andi Trindle Mersch of Philz CoffeeIf this least year has shown us anything, it is that life is unpredictable and can sometimes throw a wrench into our plans, causing us to go into emergency mode. What do we do when this happens? What is our plan for when the roastery goes down? If you are like most busy owners, you probably don't have much of a plan in place for when these things happen. Having a robust and well rehearsed contingency plan can literally save your business and those who depend on it. But where do you start and what should you...
2021-03-0545 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersRoR #2: Exploring Quality Control w/ Spencer Turer of Coffee EnterprisesWhat is it we mean when we refer to "Quality?" If we take that a step further we might ask, how can we control quality? These questions are top of mind for most coffee roasters who, amidst a sea of complexity and moving parts, are desperately interested in providing a consistently excellent end product to their customers. Today we are going to dive into the topic of understanding quality, quality control, and taking the first steps in making it a real part of your operation so you can comfortably navigate the multi faceted issue. To do...
2021-02-0559 minKeys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop LeadersA Conversation w/ Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master RoastersWelcome to the new series produced in partnership with Roast Magazine, "Rate of Rise: Elevated conversations on Roasting"! Every first Friday we will be interviewing roasting experts from around the world to discover wisdom and insights that will help you thrive in your roasting business. In this inaugural episode we are going to be talking with the amazing Anne Cooper or Equilibrium Master Roasters! With over 25 yrs working in the Coffee Industry, Anne is an Australian Roaster who has gained extensive experience in many areas of the coffee industry as Barista, Café Owner/Manager, National Bari...
2021-01-0154 min