Equal Parts Coffee Podcast

This week we sit down with the Fermentation Project coffees, a collaboration between James Hoffmann and Lucia Solis, and taste four processing methods from the same Guatemalan farm side by side. Along the way we get into what fermentation, inoculation, infusion, and co-fermentation actually mean, and how we feel about all of it. Check out the Fermentation Tasting Events at Mundos on Friday (10/9 a...

This week we're doing a deep dive on the AeroPress. Where it came from, why it's stuck around for so long, and why we still think it deserves a spot on every coffee bar. It's different enough from a pourover or espresso, we share our go-to recipes. Nic's AeroPress Recipe Inverted 1:8.4 ratio 25g Coffee 210°F (99°C) 00:00 - 00:20: Carefully pour to 150g Screw on cap Singular gentle...

New to Specialty Coffee? You're in the right place. On today's episode we go over the 3 stages we'd point anyone towards; Cafe, Learning and Home Brewing. Along the way we get into why "acquired taste" isn't a real argument against a coffee, what to order first, and how much you actually need to spend to brew well at home. Books and resources mentioned: The World Atlas of...

We catch up after a short break, recap Roast Retreat 2026 in Detroit, run through a wave of new coffees currently at Mundos, and share details on the Fermentation Project. Fermentation Box Set: https://www.mundosroastingco.com/coffee/p/fermentation-box-set James Hoffmann Fermentation Project Video: https://youtu.be/Iq34gq2ihMk?si=B3W4Q_zYt2HF2jH5 Podium Coffee Club: https://tidd.ly/4qo2NCs 0:00 Th...

We tackle one of coffee's most argued-about habits: rinsing your paper filter before you brew. Through a series of taste tests, we try to figure out whether it actually changes anything in the cup, or if it's just something we all do out of habit. Do you rinse your paper filter before brewing? 0:00 Intro 1:23 Does Rinsing Your Filter Matter?  3:19 Setting Up Test  6:56 Tasting the Rinse Wa...

Gabe Boscana has spent 26 years in specialty coffee, from barista at Gimme! Coffee to National Roasting Manager at Intelligentsia, Green Coffee Director at Sightglass, founder of his own roastery Máquina, and now Green Coffee Buyer at Bellwether Coffee. In this episode, we sit down with Gabe to talk about what it really means to buy green coffee, why the C-Market doesn't tell the full story, a...

Batch espresso scares us. Not because it's bad, but because what if it's actually good?  When Valor Coffee posted that they were testing batch espresso, it got us thinking about the "shots die" rule and whether any of that actually holds up in a blind taste test. We get into the tradeoffs, the perception problem on the cafe side, and what you're really giving up when you pull the barista further f...

Meraki Gen 2: https://tidd.ly/4ukKTDh Podium Coffee Club: https://tidd.ly/4qo2NCs We got our hands on the Meraki Gen 2 espresso machine and have been using it daily. Built-in grinder, dual boiler, integrated scales for both grinding and brewing. On paper it has everything. In this episode we share our honest first impressions, break down what makes it stand out, and compare it to other machines in...

Morgan Eckroth: 2022 US Barista Champion, content creator, and Onyx Coffee Lab team member, sits down with us for an honest conversation about what it takes to compete at the highest level of coffee, how she builds signature drinks from scratch, and why hospitality is the thing she cares about most. Find Morgan at @morgandrinkscoffee on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and on Substack at Coffee for...

Fellow Espresso Series 1: https://fellow.sjv.io/series-1 We've had some time with the Fellow ES1. Enough to move past first impressions and actually talk about it. In this episode we get into everyday home use, steaming, shot consistency, the price conversation, and where we think home espresso is heading. ☕️ What We're DrinkingColombia Finca El Chaferote II from Prodigal Coffee RoastersA...

Nick Terzulli didn't set out to reinvent home espresso. He started with a latte at Sightglass, a honeymoon in Barcelona, and a medical engineering background he couldn't stop applying to coffee problems. Now, as VP of R&D at Fellow, he's the person behind one of the most talked-about espresso machines to hit the market in years — the Espresso Series 1. In this episode, Nick breaks...

Tea in a specialty coffee cafe, should you even bother? In Episode 33, we dig into one of the more overlooked questions in cafe ownership: how (and whether) to build out a tea program without letting it pull focus from the coffee that brought people in the door. We cover matcha: its place on the menu, how to source it, and the case for and against batching. Why a bad tea experience can quietly dam...

Podium Coffee Club - https://tidd.ly/4qo2NCs Co-fermentation has exploded in the coffee industry. Farmers are fermenting coffee with fruits, hops, and exotic yeasts to create wild new flavors. Some see it as innovation that helps farmers add value to their crops. Others see it as a shortcut that's damaging the pursuit of natural coffee excellence. The debate got real when Best of Panama 2024 o...

Podium Coffee Club - https://tidd.ly/4qo2NCs Want to experience award-winning coffees like the one we're drinking in this episode? Podium Coffee Club is a monthly subscription that sends you coffees exclusively from roasters who've won championships and competitions. Every coffee has been recognized for excellence, so you're guaranteed something special each month. It's how we disc...

In this special 30th episode, we sit down with Ryan Castelaz, founder of Discourse Coffee and author of "The New Art of Coffee." Ryan shares his unconventional journey from aspiring opera singer to coffee entrepreneur, and reveals how he transformed a tiny shop in a town of 600 people into a thriving hospitality group. Ryan Castelaz is the Founder of Discourse Coffee & The Afterglow...

Happy New Year from Equal Parts Coffee!  Welcome to 2026! We're kicking off the new year by sharing our coffee goals and aspirations, giving you an honest review of the AeroPress Premium (is it worth $200?), and announcing Mundos first-ever public latte art competition. We're also tasting a wild co-ferment coffee, banana blended with cranberry, and diving deep into how co-fermentation actu...

Can AI create better signature coffee drinks than an actual barista? We put it to the test!  Nic gives Jack and AI the same ridiculous drink names and they have to come up with complete drink recipes on the spot. The results are hilarious, sometimes terrible, and surprisingly close. Jack's job might be on the line here, folks.  We're also tasting Guatemala Santa Sofia Pacamara from Mundos...

One Year of Equal Parts Coffee Podcast! We made it to one year! In this anniversary episode, we're looking back at everything that happened. From unprecedented coffee price spikes hitting $4.40/lb and tariff chaos on Brazil, to personal milestones like both of us becoming fathers.  What do you want to see in year two? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for an incredible first year! Want to ex...

Coffee & Community: Why Both Matter for a Successful Cafe In Episode 26, What does it really take to run a successful specialty coffee shop? Spoiler alert: it's not just about having the best coffee. We explore the crucial balance between serving exceptional coffee and creating genuine community, sharing lessons we've learned over the years at Mundos Coffee and why both elements are es...

Special Guest: Morgan Eckroth We're thrilled to have Morgan Eckroth join us for Episode 25! Morgan is a content creator, competitive barista, 2022 US Barista Champion, and member of the Onyx Coffee Lab marketing team. In this conversation, we dive deep into the world of coffee competitions, creative drink development, and what it takes to push the boundaries of specialty coffee. In this episod...

Welcome to Part II of Should You Tip Your Barista? In this part we dive into other side of tipping from the barista's perspective. We are drinking a wonderfully rich Colombia Jairo Arcila Lychee Co-Ferment from Bonlife Coffee - Courtesy of Podium Coffee Club Podium Coffee Club gives you access to the best roasters in the US. With each subscription, your coffee is from an award-winning roastery...

In this episode of The Equal Parts Coffee Podcast, we’re diving into a hot topic that everyone’s got an opinion about: Should you tip your barista? Before we get into it, Nic shares some big life updates and we taste through a Kenya from Klatch Coffee's Pearl Reserve that is absolutely delicious, with notes of grapefruit and cranberry. We also talk about what’s new at Mundos, including the new...

Join us in conversation with food writer Matt Rodbard, the founding editor of the James‑Beard‑award‑winning TASTE and host of 'This Is TASTE' podcast. In this episode, we explore the overlap between specialty coffee and food culture, the growth of Michigan’s coffee scene, and why the way we roast and drink coffee matters. Rodbard explains how he fell in love with coffee while reporting on...

In this episode, host Jack sits down with Landon McDaid, owner of Hive Coffee in Suttons Bay, Michigan. They discuss Landon’s journey from studying environmental biology to finding his passion in hospitality and coffee. Landon explains how he took over the former Mundos Coffee location (opening Hive Coffee in 2023), and how he transformed the space with a unique “Japandi” design to create a light,...

Join us as we trace coffee’s journey from legend to modern day.  In this episode we explore the legendary origin of coffee – the 9th-century Ethiopian goat-herder Kaldi who noticed his goats bouncing with energy after eating red coffee cherries.  We discuss how monks first brewed those cherries to stay awake, and how knowledge of the beverage spread east to Yemen by the 15th century (where it was...