Coffee 101

Latest Episodes:

Top 10 Things That Make a Great Cup of Coffee - Part 2 Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, part 2 of Kenneth´s series that looks at the top 10 things that contribute to making a great cup of coffee, he shares the 5 most important factors. If you want to know how to make the best coffee for you, your family or customers, this episode is essential listening.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The roast is vital. Start by trying those produced by competition-winning roasters.
Grind your own. In the episode, Kenneth shares the science behind this.
The processing method makes a big difference.
Varieties, varietals, and cultivars all play a big role in taste. Kenneth explains which ones to look out for.
Species choice is vital.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Coffee does not like oxygen, it degrades and stales... ´

‘Some (varietals) are going to be a little more predictable.’

‘It has a more desirable flavor profile, by far.’

EPISODE RESOURCES

Roasting - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-roasting-affects-your-cup-of-coffee/id1616624229?i=1000577876217 & https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-roasting-more-than-basics/id1616624229?i=1000577199362

Varietals - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-101/id1616624229?i=1000559520821 & https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-basics-of-coffee-varieties-varietals-and-cultivars/id1616624229?i=1000559520821

Processing - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-other-coffee-processing-methods-de-mystified/id1616624229?i=1000568990255 & https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-two-main-coffee-processing-methods/id1616624229?i=1000568116150

Species - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/arabica-vs-robusta-vs-stenophylla/id1616624229?i=1000556371395

https://uscoffeechampionships.org/

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Award-winning single-origin specialty coffee: https://umblecoffee.com/

At Umble Coffee, we only roast specialty-grade arabica coffee from around the world with cupping scores 84 and above. Don’t sabotage yourself in pursuing your goals - drink coffee that tastes better and is better for you. No crash, great taste, and better long-term health benefits. That’s Umble Coffee.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umblecoffee/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/umblecoffee/

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/umblecoffee

ABOUT THE SHOW

Coffee 101 is an educational show on all things coffee. Join Kenneth and Katie as they start with the most basic questions about coffee and build 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 is all about coffee’s journey from ‘seed to shelf’.
Season 2 is all about coffee’s journey from ‘shelf to sip’.

ABOUT THE HOST: Kenneth Thomas is also an instructor with Stanford Continuing Studies for an all-in-one coffee class. He owns and is head roaster at Umble Coffee Co. He and Umble Coffee have been consistently ranked one of the best specialty coffee roasters in the United States. Kenneth is very passionate about coffee and coffee education.
ABOUT THE CO-HOST: Katie Thomas is Kenneth’s oldest daughter and brings an entertaining flair to the podcast. She’s still learning about coffee and thus makes the perfect co-host. She, like the listeners, would claim to be a ‘101-er’ - like you - coffee curious. She’ll be the future of the coffee industry, and the future looks very bright!

CONTACT METHOD

Want to reach Kenneth? Have questions, show ideas, or want to just let us know you’re enjoying the show? The best way is to leave us a great review and put your thoughts in the comment section - Kenneth reads all of them! The second-best way is through DM on social media.

HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW

Enjoying the show?! We’d love for you to leave us a review. It helps us grow and educate more people about coffee! Here’s how: if you’re on Apple podcasts, ‘search’ for us as if you didn’t already follow the show. When you click on the show, scroll down to ratings and you’ll see where you can leave a rating. Spotify is a little easier - follow and listen to the podcast, and then you can rate and review it.

BUY COFFEE!: https://umblecoffee.com/

Top 10 Things That Make A Great Cup of Coffee - Part 1 Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Kenneth takes a look at the top 10 things that contribute to making a great cup of coffee. This is the first of the two-part series in which Kenneth shares items 10 to 6, for the next episode it will be 5 to 1 that he covers.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Temperature has a significant impact on how much flavor you extract, which is why it is on Kenneth´s list.
Grind size is especially important when you are doing a pour-over.
Scales are much better than a scoop.
When it comes to ratios, it is never a good idea to go over 1 to 17/18 coffee to water ratio.
The cooler the coffee becomes, the more the taste of the water is going to come through.

BEST MOMENTS

‘With immersion, it (grind size) might not make as big a difference as it would in pour over. ´

‘You can under-extract it and it'll taste kind of sour or acidic.’

‘The more you let it cool down, the more you'll be able to taste those nuances.’

RELEVANT FULL EPISODES

Temperature - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/how-temperature-impacts-your-coffee/id1616624229?i=1000604303040

Extraction - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/coffee-extraction-a-key-to-making-the-perfect-cup/id1616624229?i=1000606442526

Coffee scales - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/coffee-scales-the-most-underrated-part-of-your-coffee-game/id1616624229?i=1000609582842

Coffee to water ratio - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/why-is-your-coffee-to-water-ratio-important/id1616624229?i=1000602289563

Water - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/water-the-key-to-a-better-cup-of-coffee/id1616624229?i=1000603284205

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Award-winning single-origin specialty coffee: https://umblecoffee.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umblecoffee/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/umblecoffee/

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/umblecoffee

ABOUT THE SHOW

Season 1 is all about coffee’s journey from ‘seed to shelf’.
Season 2 is all about coffee’s journey from ‘shelf to sip’.

CONTACT METHOD

HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW

BUY COFFEE!: https://umblecoffee.com/

Frozen Coffee Concentrate Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Kenneth once again sits down to speak with his very popular guest Stefan Tribble. This time it is the pros and cons of frozen coffee concentrate that they are here to discuss - including sharing the results of the experiments that they have recently carried out using Comeeter´s frozen coffee concentrate, which at the time of recording was the only large company offering this product across the US.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Comeeter buys coffee from carefully chosen roasters, brew it, concentrate it, then flash freeze it.
Because the coffee is a capsule when it is flash frozen, the taste is not impacted by any kind of chemical reaction.
It is shipped in dry ice.
The capsules are aluminum, so they are fully recyclable.
The capsules will fit into a K-cup brewer.
Use six ounces of water to create the best flavor balance.

BEST MOMENTS
‘They use liquid nitrogen to basically flash freeze those capsules that the coffee is in. ´
‘That then gave a TDS that was around 1.8 to 1.93, which I thought made a really good-tasting cup of coffee.’
‘It ends up being about $2 a cup.’

RESOURCES
https://cometeer.com/
@Cometeer on social

NB – This episode is not sponsored by Comeeter.

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Award-winning single-origin specialty coffee: https://umblecoffee.com/
At Umble Coffee, we only roast specialty-grade arabica coffee from around the world with cupping scores 84 and above. Don’t sabotage yourself in pursuing your goals - drink coffee that tastes better and is better for you. No crash, great taste, and better long-term health benefits. That’s Umble Coffee.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umblecoffee/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/umblecoffee/
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/umblecoffee

ABOUT THE SHOW

Season 1 is all about coffee’s journey from ‘seed to shelf’.
Season 2 is all about coffee’s journey from ‘shelf to sip’.

CONTACT METHOD

HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW

BUY COFFEE!: https://umblecoffee.com/

Steeped Coffee With Josh Wilbur Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Josh Wilbur of Steeped Coffee to discuss using a single-serving coffee bag and boiled water to make a great-tasting cup. Josh explains what inspired him to create this incredibly easy, convenient, and consistent way of brewing.

Josh and Kenneth also discuss the ethos behind Steeped Coffee and their work to support growers, roasters, and others working in the industry as well as the environment.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The coffee bags Steeped Coffee sells look very similar to a tea bag. They make it possible to brew great-tasting coffee in a cup or mug.
Steeped Coffee has partnered with 500+ brands, to enable them to also sell their coffee in a brewing bag format.
Coffee bags are great for travelers. There is no need to pack any special equipment.
The bags are sealed into individual packaging using nitrous oxide to keep the oxygen out, which keeps it fresh.
The coffee blooms in the bag so you still get the crema on top.
Leaving the bag in for 5 or 6 mins extracts a different level of flavor, but if you leave it in longer the cup won't taste ruined or taste bitter.
Steeped coffee bags are very environmentally friendly compared to some other brewing methods.

BEST MOMENTS
‘It's specialty coffee brewed like tea, in a single-serve bag. ´
‘For water, you´ll need about 8 ounces.’
‘It gives you a really complex tasting experience.’

GUEST RESOURCES
https://steepedcoffee.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshpwilbur
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMmh6GQ2SggYCtzQdAtZ_GQ
https://www.facebook.com/steepedcoffee

Katie’s Links

https://youtube.com/@itsprincesskatie?si=4B1M6YImoTIekU1g

Instagram - @katierythomas

ABOUT THE SHOW

Season 1 is all about coffee’s journey from ‘seed to shelf’.
Season 2 is all about coffee’s journey from ‘shelf to sip’.

CONTACT METHOD

HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW

BUY COFFEE!: https://umblecoffee.com/

The Reality of Instant Coffee With Stefan Tribble Sep 06, 2023

Show notes

Kenneth is once again joined by Stefan Tribble to discuss instant coffee. A drink that many coffee fans and connoisseurs dismiss as tasting awful. In reality, instant coffee has come a long way, it can taste quite good, provided you choose the brand carefully and make it in the right way. All of which Kenneth and Stefan cover in this episode, as well as sharing details of its history.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Instant coffee has gotten a bad rap, but it can be good.
Instant coffee is made as normal using beans, the water is then removed, so that it can be ground into a powder.
Some specialty coffee makers are now taking high-quality beans and using them to make instant coffee.
The science behind instant coffee has come a long way. Especially over the past few years.
Instant coffee has been available since the late 1800s.
About 75% of the coffee bought in the UK is instant. In Italy, it is just 1%.

BEST MOMENTS
‘Instant coffee can be good. ´
‘Instant coffee can be more predictable.’
‘Close to 50% of the world´s green coffee is used to produce instant coffee.’

EPISODE RESOURCES
Starbucks Instant Coffee - https://athome.starbucks.com/product-category/starbucksr-instant
Verve Instant Coffee - https://www.vervecoffee.com/collections/instant-craft-coffee
Swift Instant Coffee - https://www.swiftcoffee.com/

ABOUT THE HOST
As a coffee lover, physician, chemical engineer, serial entrepreneur, competitive runner, writer, and family man, Kenneth knows what it’s like to push yourself to achieve goals very few accomplish. He’s one of the best specialty coffee roasters in the United States as he’s a multi-year US Coffee Roasters’ Competition Finalist. He created Umble Coffee
Co with the belief that, if sourced and roasted right, coffee can taste phenomenal and be good for you.
“Life’s too short to drink bad coffee.”

CONTACT METHOD
Want to reach Kenneth? Have questions, show ideas, or want to just let us know you’re enjoying the show? The best way is to leave us a great review and put your thoughts in the comment section - Kenneth reads all of them! The second-best way is through DM on social media.

HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW
Enjoying the show?! We’d love for you to leave us a review. It helps us grow and educate more people about coffee! Here’s how: if you’re on Apple podcasts, ‘search’ for us as if you didn’t already follow the show. When you click on the show, scroll down to ratings and you’ll see where you can leave a rating. Spotify is a little easier - follow and listen to the podcast, and then you can rate and review it.

BUY COFFEE!: https://umblecoffee.com/

Japanese Flash Brew - A Great Way to Brew Coffee Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Marc Marquez, Director of Coffee at Savor Brands, to talk about a highly innovative way of making fresh, chilled coffees – Japanese Flash Brew. They discuss why it tastes so different, ratios, the brewing technique, and share their recipes.

Marc also provides an insight into the impact the wildfires in Hawai‘i have had on the coffee growers and processors there.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Japanese flash brew is not the same as cold brew or drip coffee.
It is brewed using a balance of ice and water.
It can take just under 4 minutes to brew.
Even if you use your normal beans, your flash brew is going to taste different.
In Hawai‘i, coffee harvests, equipment, and processing facilities have all been lost in the fires, so they need our help.

BEST MOMENTS
‘[Japanese flash brew] is very different. ´
‘It is brewed fresh; it is brewed fast.’
‘There's a little math involved.’
‘It's the best way, in my opinion, to prepare iced coffee.’

EPISODE RESOURCES
http://www.savorbrands.com/
@savorbrands

MAUI WILDFIRE/COFFEE RELIEF
Monetary donations
Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s ‘Maui Strong Fund’
https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong
US Brewers Cup Preliminary Competition in Hawai‘i
https://hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/event-5380587
October 13-15, 2023, at Tradition Coffee Roasters

Hawai‘i Roasters selling coffee with proceeds going towards Maui relief efforts.

Maui Roasters to Support

ABOUT THE HOST
As a coffee lover, physician, chemical engineer, serial entrepreneur, competitive runner, writer, and family man, Kenneth knows what it’s like to push yourself to achieve goals very few accomplish. He’s one of the best specialty coffee roasters in the United States as he’s a multi-year US Coffee Roasters’ Competition Finalist. He created Umble Coffee Co with the belief that, if sourced and roasted right, coffee can taste phenomenal and be good for you.
“Life’s too short to drink bad coffee.”

BUY COFFEE!: https://umblecoffee.com/

Nespresso - The Fancier European Version of K-Cup Aug 23, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Kenneth is once again joined by his coffee friend, Jay Reed, who is also the co-host of the Vittles and Vitals and Guys of a Certain Age podcasts and the owner of the popular eatsoneate food & drink blog. Last week´s episode was all about the popular K-cup coffee pods. This week, it is the turn of the European-based Nespresso pod system.

They look at the differences, share their experience with the system, consider its environmental credentials, and provide you with tips to help you to make the best Nespresso.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Nespresso dominates the EU single-serve capsule market.
For the USA, Nespresso developed the Vertuo capsule. It more closely recreates the drip coffee method.
The luxury Vertuo models automatically change the ratios and brewing method for each drink and size.
Their coffee is roasted and packaged in Switzerland, where standards are high.
It extracts fast.
Because the capsule spins at about 7,000 rpm, there is a lot of crema.
The crema can be a bit bitter, so you might like to mix it in...or even remove some of it.
Their pods are made from aluminum so are easier to recycle.
The double shot cap contains less coffee than you would usually use to make a double shot espresso.

BEST MOMENTS

‘You can get either hot or cold foam. ´

‘With Nespresso, you´ll get a lot more crema on top.’

‘One machine to do it all.’

GUEST RESOURCES

https://eatsoneate.com/

https://www.instagram.com/eatsoneate/

https://twitter.com/eatsoneate

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/vittles-and-vitals/id1482632368

https://www.guysofacertainage.com/

Espresso C101P episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-101/id1616624229?i=1000617834308

Delonghi Nespresso Coffee Machines

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Award-winning single-origin specialty coffee: https://umblecoffee.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umblecoffee/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/umblecoffee/

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/umblecoffee

ABOUT THE HOST

As a coffee lover, physician, chemical engineer, serial entrepreneur, competitive runner, writer, and family man, Kenneth knows what it’s like to push yourself to achieve goals very few accomplish. He’s one of the best specialty coffee roasters in the United States as he’s a multi-year US Coffee Roasters’ Competition Finalist. He created Umble Coffee Co with the belief that, if sourced and roasted right, coffee can taste phenomenal and be good for you.

“Life’s too short to drink bad coffee.”

CONTACT METHOD

BUY COFFEE!: https://umblecoffee.com/

K cups - Everything You Need To Know Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with one of his good coffee friends, Jay Reed, the co-host of the Vittles and Vitals and Guys of a Certain Age podcasts. Jay is also a pharmacist and the owner of the 'Eats One Ate' blog - eatsoneate.com. Today, they are taking an in-depth look at K-cups.

Most days, Jay uses his Keurig or Nespresso, both of which he has at home, so he is in a good position to talk about this way of making coffee. They cover how K cups were developed, sustainability, how to use coffee you have ground yourself, and other tips.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

K-cup coffee is fast and easy to use.
The Keurig system was originally developed for use in offices. Now, most of their customers are home coffee drinkers.
It is possible to grind and use your own coffee using the reusable K-Cup pod, but be careful to buy the right one for your machine.
Some K cup machines enable you to increase the temperature, but be aware that the water does not usually hit the right temperature extraction zone.
Putting the correct amount of water into the reservoir is important. Kenneth explains how to work out the right ratios.

BEST MOMENTS

‘If you like your cup of coffee ,then thumbs up...period. ´

‘You are giving up quality for convenience.’

‘I was ready to scoff, but like, it scoffed at me.’

GUEST RESOURCES

https://eatsoneate.com/

https://www.instagram.com/eatsoneate/

https://twitter.com/eatsoneate

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/vittles-and-vitals/id1482632368

https://www.guysofacertainage.com/

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Award-winning single-origin specialty coffee: https://umblecoffee.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umblecoffee/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/umblecoffee/

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/umblecoffee

Reusable K cup pod - https://www.keurig.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

“Life’s too short to drink bad coffee.”

CONTACT METHOD

BUY COFFEE!: https://umblecoffee.com/

The Clever Dripper - A Great Way to Make Coffee Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Kenneth is joined by Josh Hockin - Head of Coffee at Eight Ounce Coffee out of Canada, who import and sale specialty coffee gear across North America, and beyond. They sit down to discuss one of the most innovative brewing tools there is – The Clever Dripper. Kenneth and Josh share how they use it. They include some tips and tricks you can use to make a consistently good cup of coffee and do so without things getting messy. Some highlights include coffee to water ratios, which filter to use, and maintenance tips.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Clever Dripper is super simple – ideal for using first thing in the morning when you are still a bit groggy.
The spring-loaded stopper at the bottom enables you to sit it on top of a mug and let the coffee drain out.
Having a lid on the dripper helps to keep the heat in during extraction.
Don´t use the maximum capacity.
For the large Clever Dripper use the Melitta No. 4 (Kalita 103) filters.
Every gram of coffee will typically hold on to about 1.5 to 2 grams of water.
You can add your water first to create a more predictable drawdown time.
Because the Clever is plastic, there is very little heat dissapation.

BEST MOMENTS

‘For an everyday cup, it's not a big investment and it makes delicious coffee.’

‘The moving parts that are in there are engineered quite well.´

‘You can still get a great extraction using a smaller coffee-to-water ratio.’

Where to Find Eight Ounce Coffee

Retail: eightouncecoffee.ca

Wholesale: wholesale.eightouncecoffee.ca

Instagram: @eightouncecoffee

Coffee Questions: josh@eightouncecoffee.ca

James Hoffman Clever Dripper video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpOdennxP24

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Award-winning single-origin specialty coffee: https://umblecoffee.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umblecoffee/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/umblecoffee/

ABOUT THE HOST

“Life’s too short to drink bad coffee.”

CONTACT METHOD

BUY COFFEE!: https://umblecoffee.com/

Master Your French Press With @daddygotcoffee Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Justin Piercy from @daddygotcoffee to talk about the French Press. It's a brewer which is not hard to master, but there are a few things you need to know to get the best out of one. It is those insider tips and tricks that Kenneth and Justin share with you in this episode, while also busting some of those myths.
Justin also talks about the benefits of Direct trade coffee sourcing. He also explains how he switched to decaf without compromising on flavor, something that helped him to manage the anxiety and panic attacks he was suffering from.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

With a French Press, it is easy to consistently make a good coffee and do so for several people at once.
Costs are low, and there is less waste material because there are no paper filters.
The ratio you use and when and how you plunge are important. Justin shares the perfect ratio and plunge technique.
Stirring at the right time and letting it settle for long enough provides a smoother cup.
When buying coffee, think about how the farmer is paid. Choosing wisely makes a huge difference in their lives.
Decaf can taste just as good as caffeinated coffee.

BEST MOMENTS
It's low cost, you don't need a lot of extra stuff, and you get a good result out of it. ´
‘It's going to have a heavier body or mouthfeel.’
‘The darker the bean that you're using, the more those grounds will tend to want to float.’
‘Decaf can allow you to enjoy coffee in a healthy, well-rounded way.’

GUEST RESOURCES
https://www.instagram.com/daddygotcoffee/
https://www.youtube.com/c/DaddyGotCoffee
https://daddygotcoffee.com/
https://www.tiktok.com/@daddygotcoffee

Keffa Coffee owned by Sam Demisse - https://www.keffacoffee.com/

ABOUT THE HOST
As a coffee lover, physician, chemical engineer, serial entrepreneur, competitive runner, writer, and family man, Kenneth knows what it’s like to push yourself to achieve goals very few accomplish. He’s one of the best specialty coffee roasters in the United States as he’s a multi-year US Coffee Roasters’ Competition Finalist. He created Umble Coffee Co with the belief that, if sourced and roasted right, coffee can taste phenomenal and be good for you.
“Life’s too short to drink bad coffee.”

BUY COFFEE!: https://umblecoffee.com/

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