Coffee 101

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Katie Thomas and Fred Cowell to talk about the impact soil has on the quality of the coffee you drink. Fred is the general manager of the Kauai Coffee Company in Hawaii.  It is the largest coffee producing farm in the United States and is also known as the 'Disneyland of Coffee'.  Fred explains why he told his team they were going to 'stop growing coffee and...

In this fun episode, Kenneth sits down with Katie Thomas to debate and provide a comprehensive answer to one of the biggest, most long-standing coffee debates – shade or sun - which is best for growing coffee? Kenneth walks the audience through the pros and cons of each growing method. Looking at which is best for the environment, the farmer, and taste in that final cup. He provides an overview of...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Stefan Tribble and Steph Parsons to continue their discussion about how the way the beans are grown affects the taste. Today, they are talking about the impact elevation has on the coffee we drink. They delve into how elevation impacts the rate of growth, the density of the bean, and the taste profile. Importantly, you will also learn about some simple trick...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Eric Brenner from the Bourlag Institute for International Agriculture at Texas A&M. They discuss the challenges coffee farmers face. They discuss how the price they are paid, climate change and diseases and pests impact the farmer. Eric explains the relationship between these issues, and how one problem feeds into the others. He also shares details of how by...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Stephen Tribble and Steph Parsons to talk about the basics of coffee varieties. You will learn about the botany of the coffee plant and what the difference is between a variety, varietal, and cultivar.  What you learn in this episode will help you to look at the bag, read what the variety, varietal and/or cultivar are, and instantly anticipate what it should...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Stephen Tribble and Steph Parsons to talk about the basics of coffee varieties. You will learn about the botany of the coffee plant and what the difference is between a variety, varietal, and cultivar.    What you learn in this episode will help you to look at the bag, read what the variety, varietal and/or cultivar are and instantly understand what it is li...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Wes Walton, the owner and head roaster of Manuscript Coffee, to talk about the coffee tree, cherry, and bean. Kenneth and Wes explain what the bushes and trees look like as well as how the beans are extracted from the fruit and how the different processing methods used impact the way your cup of coffee tastes. They also walk you through the taste profile for...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Rob Hoos of Iteration Coffee and Hoos Coffee Consulting. He is a coffee roasting consultant who has visited numerous coffee farms during his career. Today, he provides insight into what modern coffee farming is like. Rob speaks about the different coffee farming business models he has seen. Everything from harvesting coffee from wild bushes to running huge h...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Omar Herrera of Café Imports, out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. They come together to discuss where the coffee comes from. In particular, the coffee that comes out of Colombia, which is the country Omar mainly deals with. Kenneth and Omar discuss how the country has managed to become the number three coffee exporter in the world and how they are able to produce...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Stephen Tribble to discuss the waves of coffee. Or to put it another way, they discuss the different types of coffee that have been developed and enjoyed during each era. This episode covers pre-wave, first, second, third and fourth wave coffee. They explain when each wave started, how the product was presented, prepared, and enjoyed. Finishing the episode b...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with John Lawrence the Co-founder and owner of Mudhouse Coffee Roasters in Charlottesville, Virginia. John has been creating specialty coffee for 20+ years. In 2014, he and his co-founder became licensed Q graders. They were also Roast Magazine´s Coffee Roaster of the Year, in 2017. They talk about the specialty coffee movement and how this approach ensures that...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Daniel Lopez from Frothy Monkey. To talk about the two main coffee species and a third one that is showing great promise. They discuss the differences between the three. Including, how they grow, what they taste like, and how they are used. Daniel explains how coffee is tasted and graded. They also walk through why it is hard for farmers to switch from growi...

Kenneth once again sits down with Jonah Holland of the Unfiltered Coffee Company to finish their discussion about the history of coffee. In the last episode, they looked at the origins of coffee and how it reached the shores of Europe. Today, they discuss how its use grew from the late 1800s to the point it is at, now. They touch on the impact the industrial revolution, trains, vacuum packaging, m...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Jonah Holland of The Unfiltered Coffee Company to talk about the history of coffee. They talk about the Legend of Kaldi and why it is unlikely a goat herder started the trend of drinking coffee made from roasted beans. Kenneth explains how the early forms of coffee, Keisha, cascara, and Kahwa are made and how they evolved into the drink we know today.  They...

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Stefan Tribble to talk about why people like coffee so much. He explains how caffeine is metabolized by the body and the mechanism that stops you from feeling sleepy. As well as how athletes and others use coffee to help them to perform better. Kenneth also talks about the differences between synthetic and natural caffeine. KEY TAKEAWAYS Historically people...

This is the first episode of the Coffee 101 Podcast. Your host is Kenneth Thomas, physician, and multi-year US Coffee Roasting Competition Finalist for Umble Coffee. Today, Kenneth sits down with Stefan Tribble, one of his coffee friends, to answer a very fundamental question – What is Coffee? You will be surprised by the answer. It is far more than just a drink that is made from coffee beans. Cof...

Coffee 101 is an educational show on all things coffee. The host, Kenneth Thomas, starts with the most basic questions about coffee and builds your knowledge from there. If you love coffee, are curious about coffee, or you’re a business just looking for a resource to train your team, Coffee 101 is without question the show for you!  Season 1 - Coffee's Journey From Seed to Shelf   ABOUT THE HOST A...