S9:E:∞
Guest: Ryan Woldt, Roast! West Coast
Role: Producer & Host of Coffee People
Based: Carlsbad, CA
Online: @roastwestcoast on Facebook • @roastwestcoast on Instagram
What they order: A black drip and a shot of espresso if I know the establishment, and only a black drip if I don’t.
We just finished Season 8 of the Coffee People podcast. We interviewed guests from all over themap and from all corners of the industry, including roasters and cafe owners, striking WGA members running pop-ups, and even new friends at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Coffee People are nothing if not interesting.
Coffee Smarter Season 2 is almost finished as well. We have only two more episodes left. Our coffee education podcast has focused on helping our listeners and newsletter subscribers brew a better cup of coffee at home.
Things here at the RWC HQ have been….caffeinated—for once—by necessity. In addition to the podcasts, we've added three monthly columns in collaboration with some of our Industry Partners.
The Roastar Design Showcase features the artists who create the unique coffee packaging that inspires us to pick a bag or box or tin up off the shelf.
Crossings Coffee Corner features industry education courtesy of Alden Hozouri, founder of Crossings Coffee, and longtime friends of the show
Hacea Coffee Source’s Green Coffee Column has been sharing green coffee education that has been popular with commercial and home roasters alike, not to mention those of us who like to nerd out about logistics and entrepreneurship.
We've also attended the Specialty Coffee Association convention in Portland and Coffee Fest in Anaheim, bringing home a boatload of content to parse through, not to mention setting up at a few of our favorite local spots to chat with those of you who happen to be passing through the neighborhood for a cup of coffee.
We've been busy.
I believe in the coffee community, and I want this show to grow for me, and for you. Since falling down this rabbit hole in 2018, I've been continually rewarded for my interest in coffee. During the darkest days of the pandemic, I was able to meet new people from around my community first and then the world.
I've been inspired by the stories of entrepreneurs, farmers, and coffee people. I've learned more than I ever thought possible about coffee—a product I'm passionate about. I've been able to stay connected to the hospitality industry, which has been part of my life since I was a little kid crawling under booths hunting for change at my parent's restaurant.
These podcasts got me back into the world. They inspired me to explore. They helped me overcome some pandemic fears about traveling. I'm still cautious, but I'm out there. I owe this show a lot, not the least of which has been a boon to my mental health.
I've been able to connect with many of you, the listeners, readers, and supporters of Roast! West Coast. The spark you've given me cannot fully be explained, but needless to say, I feel grateful that anyone has ever listened to one minute of this show or read even one of my coffee columns. It is still exciting to see that other coffee enthusiasts are finding value in the work being created under the R!WC banner.
And now, for a quick peak behind the curtain on the closet studio, when I say we…I mean me. Saying "we" is a force of habit from my time running restaurants. In addition to hosting, I write these scripts, edit the audio, upload the videos, write the newsletter, promote the show, schedule the guests, and the list goes on. It is a lot of work, but it is work that I am grateful to be doing. It is work I can’t imagine not doing.
I plan to continue for as long as I can. I've been lucky that so many other coffee professionals have found value in these shows and decided it would be a worthwhile effort to support.
If you're someone who has valued this work, please consider joining them or buying me a cup of coffee, so I have the energy needed to continue pushing forward!
There is still a lot to come. I'm already working on booking guests for Season 9, planning public interview sessions at next year's SCA expo in Chicago, writing more and more words about the coffee shops I've been able to visit, and hopefully, meeting more and more coffee people.
There will be some changes. There always are. Already on the docket for next season is some new merchandise, and paid subscribers to the newsletter will get all the podcasts sent to them ad-free. There will be more new episodes of the Coffee With... podcast, where I interview normal people who've experienced something extraordinary over a cup of good coffee.
There is a new column called Baristas Rule The World on the way, spotlighting talented coffee professionals who spend their days serving from behind the coffee bar, not to mention their favorite recipes. I’m even working a new coffee coloring book.
It is a lot, and there are days I feel stretched a little thin…okay, a lot thin, but something is driving me forward with this coffee effort. In a world that has felt so incredibly chaotic, coffee has been this little daily ritual, meditation really, that has kept me grounded, focused, and connected. I want to share that moment with you. So full heart, full cup of coffee, can't lose.
That's the saying, right?
That's enough exposition from me. It's time to get back to work, and I need another cup of coffee. If you're still reading and listening, you probably do too. Check out all the new columns, and don't worry about grabbing onto anything. The ride down this coffee rabbit hole is worth the fall.
R!WC INDUSTRY PARTNERS
From Erin Harper, Founder of Ascend Coffee Roasters:
I am so excited to share the news with our nearest and dearest Ascend Coffee Community about our NEW STORE opening in a few weeks in La Costa!! We are joining the Los Coches Village community off Rancho Santa Fe in the Sprouts shopping center.
Construction is underway and once we receive our permit from the Department of Environmental Health we will update you on our Grand Opening date.
Our goal is to spread our impact on to the La Costa community, bringing in delicious bites and top tier coffee to the area. Unfortunately this area only has one Starbucks to rely on and that's just not going to cut it.
For our San Marcos friends, we will continue to operate in Restaurant Row in our original location. This has been our home for the last decade and we plan to continue to take care of her for as long as we are welcome.
We are also working with the city on where are future home in San Marcos will be. In the meantime, the La Costa location will provide us peace of mind as planning for the redevelopment of Restaurant Row continues. We hope you will help us spread the word as we venture into new territory.
A huge, on-going thank you to all of this show’s industry partners. Click these links!
Roastar • Zumbar Coffee & Tea • First Light Coffee Whiskey • Steady State Roasting • Mostra Coffee • Coffee Cycle • Camp Coffee Company • Ignite Coffee Company • Ascend Coffee Roasters • Marea Coffee • Cape Horn Coffee Roasters • Hacea Coffee Source • Crossings Coffee • Acento Coffee Roasters • Sivitz Roasting Machines
Do you want to support the show without subscribing? Help keep us caffeinated by buying us a cup of coffee. Thanks for all your support.
Coffee People: Season 9.