In this episode, which is the final one of season 2 which took you from shelf to sip, Kenneth provides you with a taste of what is to come for season 3. Episodes that he plans to fill with great conversations with interesting people and businesses from across the world.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Season 3 is going to be even more exciting than season 2 was. If you have some spare time over the holiday season, treat yourself to some of season 1´s “seed to shelf” episodes. The link to the 1st episode is below.   BEST MOMENTS ‘I want you to get excited about it, I´m excited about season 3. ´ EPI ..read more

In this episode, Kenneth once again sits down with Jeff Champeau who is the President of Rishi Tea and Botanicals to continue their tea basics discussion. This time they are talking about Pu-er, Oolong, and Black tea. They also go into details on English Breakfast, Earl Grey, and Chai. Jeff explains tea processing, brewing, taste profiles, and caffeine content. KEY TAKEAWAYS There are two types of Pu-er.  Pu-er stimulates digestion. The ripe version is pro-biotic. Sun-drying reactivates the enzymes in Pu-er. Oolong tea comes in a wide range of oxidation levels, so is available in many co ..read more

In this episode, Kenneth once again sits down with Jeff Champeau / President of Rishi Tea, and Botanicals. Today they discuss Green, White and Matcha teas. Jeff explains the differences and how to prepare each one like an expert. He also explains more about how tea is grown and harvested. KEY TAKEAWAYS What part of the plant is harvested and when depends on the type of tea being made. Tea is harvested on sunny days. Harvesting is a dance between the tea masters, the pickers, and Mother Nature. The way green tea is processed changes the flavor profile. Matcha is powdered green tea. White tea i ..read more

In this episode, Kenneth switches things up to sit down with Jeff Champeau, the President of Rishi Tea and Botanicals to talk tea. This is the first of several episodes on the subject.  Jeff explains the difference between true teas, spices, botanicals, and herbs and covers cultivars. He also provides insight into the history of tea and how it went from being a food to being enjoyed as a drink.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Initially, tea was added to soups and stews. Tea leaves can be fermented. In some countries, they are lacto-fermented. True tea comes in several colors and is harvested from th ..read more

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with the 2015 World Barista Champion Sasa Sestic to talk about his innovative Paragon brewer. He explains what inspired him to develop this brewing method and why it makes coffee taste better. KEY TAKEAWAYS Most of what we taste is related to what we smell. The more aromas there are, the more complex the taste is. It is possible to enhance certain aroma compounds so that the coffee tastes different. The hotter you brew the more aromas you access, but the more of it evaporates in the steam. Paragon captures these volatile aromas, keeping them in your coffee ..read more

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Mark Modenbach who is the VP of manufacturing at Pod Pack. Pod Pack is a leading co-producer of single-serve coffee and tea pods. Mark provides an insider view on what the single-serve coffee market looks like, where it is likely to go in the future and explains how roasters can enter this market. KEY TAKEAWAYS People are prepared to pay for convenience.  Espresso pods are becoming increasingly popular. The roaster is in total control when they ask Pod Pack to make a single-serve version of their product. Fully recyclable pods are now available. Si ..read more

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Josh Walhain from Alternative Brewing out of Australia .They sell all things coffee and ship worldwide. Today, Josh and Kenneth discuss the iconic moka pot and how to get the best coffee out of one. They also take a look at the Bellman Espresso Steamer, which acts a bit like a Moka Pot but also has a pressure gauge and a full milk steamer. KEY TAKEAWAYS The water heats up below the grounds and pressure from the steam pushes water through the coffee.  Moka Pot coffee is similar to espresso. Moka Pot coffee sizing is confusing – Josh explains all. Do ..read more

In this episode, Kenneth & J Rene’ Martinez of J Rene Coffee Roasters discuss one of the sexiest pieces of coffee kit – the siphon pot. He and Katie start the episode by answering some of their listener’s questions, before discussing why siphon pots are growing in popularity and how to get the most out of using one. KEY TAKEAWAYS Coffee is a social beverage. The more you enhance the coffee making process the more you improve the experience. Siphon Pots are great for this. The Siphon pot has the ability to extract more subtle flavors. You do not need to buy an expensive siphon pot. BEST M ..read more

In this episode, Kenneth once again sits down with, Jay Reed, the co-host of the Vittles and Vitals and Guys of a Certain Age podcasts. Today, they are talking about percolator coffee. Kenneth and Jay share the fascinating history of this way of making coffee, as well as explaining how to easily make a great cup of coffee using a percolator. KEY TAKEAWAYS Percolator coffee gets a bad rap….which it definitely does not deserve. Use boiling water and a coarser grind to reduce the risk of over extraction. Timing is important, experiment to find and dial in the right time for your device. Mocha po ..read more

In this episode, Kenneth is once again joined by the very popular Stefan Tribble to talk about making cowboy coffee. If you want to know how to enjoy the perfect coffee even when camping, this light-hearted, funny but very informative episode is definitely for you. KEY TAKEAWAYS Traditional cowboy coffee is water and ground coffee made in a pot, without a filter. It is better to get the water up to temperature and bring it off the boil before adding the coffee. Letting it steep too long is a common error, it ends up over-extracted. A small scale is way better than measuring it out. A hand gri ..read more