I Brew My Own Coffee

Digging into the mailbag this week to answer a common question we get asked, "When you get a coffee in, how do you dial it in?" We cover what we're looking at when getting into a coffee and how we adjust different parameters to get the most out of a cup. Got a tip you enjoy? Be sure to reach out to us and share your experiences!

Hot on the heels of our AeroPress episode, this week we're focussing on three of the most popular pour over brew methods. That's right, we're talking about the Chemex, Kalita Wave and the Hario V60. We cover what makes each of these methods unique, what challenges one might face in getting started in pour over brewing, and also how we 'dial in' a pour over brew.

On this episode we're talking all about the AeroPress - a brew method created by Alan Adler, president of Aerobie, in 2005. Though brewing with the AeroPress can be quite simple, there are many features that make it a prime candidate for experimentation. Listen along as we discuss the fundamentals of brewing on the AeroPress, what's great (and maybe not so great) about it, and some fun ways to tinker with it at home.

We're excited to announce a new feature of the I Brew My Own Coffee website called 'Recommends'. Starting today, you can head over to http://ibrewmyowncoffee.com/recommends and sign up to receive monthly personalized coffee recommendations directly from us via email for free. Just tell us how you enjoy your coffee and we'll send you information about some beans we think you'd be into.

You have camping stoves in your truck bed, you have GORE-TEX® on your shoes. You can catch the aroma any direction you brew. You're on your own, and you know what you know, and these are the girls who's site is in the show notes. Today, we are pleased to welcome Megan O'Connell and Bethany Hargrove from theplaceswebrew.tumblr.com. While both working IN specialty coffee, they embrace the opportunity to disregard formalities for the simple ritual of brewing coffee...

With the US Coffee Championships Qualifying Event starting February 2nd, we're honored to welcome Jess Steffy to the podcast to talk about coffee competitions and the important role they serve. Jess is the co-owner of Square One Coffee, a certified Q Grader, chair of the US Coffee Championships Competitions Committee and head judge for the Barista Competition and Brewer's Cup...

From the farms of Elida Estates and El Burro Estates in Panama, we're excited to welcome Wilford Lamastus, a fourth generation coffee producer responsible for some of the world's best coffee. We're talking about the history of the Lamastus Family Farms, the challenge that coffee producing countries face, and spilling the beans on the Geisha varietal's impact on the livelihood of coffee farmers in Panama and worldwide.

Happy New Year! On this episode we’re talking about our experience with coffee regions, coffee roasters, and coffee resolutions from 2015. While we both have our own take on what happened this past year, we’d love to hear from you! What were your favorite coffees of the year? Did you have any big surprises or expectations in 2015? Do you have any goals with coffee in 2016? Let us know on Instagram, Twitter, or by email.

We're delighted to have Mark Hellweg - Portland based entrepreneur and designer responsible for Clive Coffee and the stunning Ratio Eight Coffee Maker - on the podcast this week! We discussed Mark's story, the roles of both form and function in design, design challenges in bringing the Ratio to market, as well as some exciting upcoming projects in the works.

Coffee is meant to be shared ... that's why we're talking about a few of our favorite options for sharing coffee. Whether you're splitting a bag of coffee with a friend, swapping coffee with someone across the world, or even sending coffee to friends and loved ones as gifts, we've got some helpful advice and suggestions for you!