Look at that photo. Look at all those people, all sitting in the same room, drinking coffee and typing on laptops and chatting and, and…just living their life. Is that the future?
I hope so, but I’m not there yet. Just this week I was planning my first post vaccine coffee shop visit, but I decided to postpone. I understand the science and how the risks are greatly reduced post-vaccine, but that doesn’t change 15 months of anti-social habits that have ingrained themselves into my psyche. It didn’t lessen my awareness of the impacts Covid-19 is still having around the world, and here at home. Writer Ed Yong wrote a beautiful article about just this topic for The Atlantic.
I’m working my way back into the world, but I’ve learned that I need to do it step-by-step without worrying so much about the pace. However you’re reacting to the changing world around you don’t forget to cut yourself some slack. You’ve been through some stuff this year.
Speaking of the future, this week Siri Simran Khalsa, the Director of Coffee at Lofty Coffee Co., joins the show to talk about trends in roasting styles and in roasting machines. I rarely run out of questions, but Jeff from the internet sent me a question about dark roasts awhile back that fit into this show seamlessly. If you have a question for a coffee roaster or coffee expert shoot me a message or drop it into the Roast! West Coast coffee group of Facebook.
SEXISM IN HOSPITALITY
On this Coffee Smarter episode, I also briefly address the on-going reckoning over sexism that started in the beer industry—and has expanded to include other adjacent sectors of hospitality—last week, brewer and production manager at Notch Brewing in Salem, MA, Brienne Allen posted on Instagram asking if any other women had experienced sexism while on the job in the industry.
She started sharing the responses in batches of a hundred-ish on her Insta Stories. The response seemingly started with a trickle of cautious comments that quickly turned into a river where names were being named, and finally a deluge that still hasn’t stopped.
After a lifetime in or around hospitality it wasn’t surprising to hear about sexism in the industry, but seeing all of these horrible experiences collected together, all at once was still overwhelming.
Check out this article by San Diego-based beer writer Beth Demmon in VinePair for an overview of what has been going on, and where I found the most cohesive explanations of the situation. This story has gone viral worldwide, and is evolving daily.
All hospitality workers share a kinship. It is a unique work experience. Not all hospitality work experiences are bad, nor are all hospitality workers are sexist (or worse), but the stories being presented in Ms. Allan’s Instagram feed shine a glaring spotlight on the more rotten parts of an industry culture that have been allowed to fester unchecked, creating unsafe spaces that were deemed acceptable, even normalized, and designed to quiet the voices of those who tried to speak out. Those voices are bursting forth now.
Once again, check out the Insta Stories of Brienne Allan here (@ratmagnet).
COFFEE VOCAB
Nordic Roasting Style: A method of very lightly roasting coffee beans. Beans are removed from the roaster very quickly after first crack. Due to the light roasting and shortened roast time the natural flavors of the bean are emphasized—often fruity or acidic flavors. However, that also means any defects in the bean are also emphasized making the quality of the bean, and bean sourcing, extremely important, because the beans will (likely) not develop any roast-y notes that compensate for any off-flavors.
INDUSTRY LEGACY PARTNERS
Zumbar Coffee & Tea is open for indoor ordering at their Cardiff location again. I know because they posted it on Instagram, and they never post anything on Instagram. Details @zumbarcoffeetea.
Mostra Coffee collaborated with Orlando-based Zymarium Meadery on a Rye Barrel-aged Sweet Traditional Mead aged on Mostra Coffee, toasted coconut and Madagascar vanilla beans, and it won first place at the Mazer Cup International Mead Competition…because…of course it did. Congrats to them both!
Need some coffee? Check out these great companies for delivery, pick-up and finally, even some on-site coffee enjoyment.
Zumbar Coffee & Tea • First Light Coffee Whiskey • Leap Coffee • Steady State Roasting • CAFÉ LaTERRE • Mostra Coffee • Cape Horn Coffee Importers • Marea Coffee • Coffee Cycle •
DON’T MISS IT
Don’t forget to listen to the last interview with Jason Simpson, the owner of Camp Coffee in downtown Oceanside, California. Our conversation twists and turns from the camp coffee of his younger days, to two decades in corporate coffee at Starbucks, and finally to opening his own shop and all that came with it.
Listen to the show on these platforms!
APPLE PODCASTS • SPOTIFY • ANCHOR.FM • GOOGLE PODCASTS • AMAZON MUSIC • THE COAST NEWS
TUNEIN RADIO • I HEART RADIO • POCKETCASTS • BREAKER • RADIO PUBLIC • OVERCAST • YOUTUBE • STITCHER
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