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Coffee Sprudgecast

Sprudge Co-Founders and Editors Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen explore the world of specialty coffee.
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Now displaying: Category: general
Mar 26, 2024

Our coffee podcast program The Coffee Sprudgecast returns with an episode fresh off the US Coffee Champs première partie at Klatch Coffee in Rancho Cucamonga. Over a sun-soaked Southern California weekend, the 2024 United States Barista Champion, Brewers Cup Champion, and Cup Tasters Champion were crowned. Sprudge co-founders and hosts Zachary Carlsen and Jordan Michelman talk through it with the delicious assist of Klatch Coffee’s seasonal Songbird Blend.

Host Zachary Carlsen had a conversation with a coffee enthusiast who held a strong belief that coffee blends were inherently bad. On the show, we discuss how blends like Songbird from Klatch Coffee (among several others!) are testaments to the delicious possibilities and flavor complexities specialty coffee blends can offer.

How do you feel about coffee blends? Are your feelings about coffee blends true? Can you absolutely know that it’s true? How do you react when you believe that thought? Who would you be without that thought? Remember, there are no right answers—these questions will hopefully lead you toward deeper inquiry.  (h/t Byron Katie)

A big thanks…

This year’s USBC/USBrC/CTC highlights the power of the coffee community. Competitors, judges, volunteers, and sponsors all worked together to showcase both the nation’s top competitors and finest coffees, demonstrating extraordinary talent, dedication, and passion. We’re grateful to Klatch Coffee for hosting this incredible event and making us feel so welcome.

We’re deeply humbled by the kind words from y’all for our US Coffee Championships coverage. All credit goes to the Sprudge Rancho team: Sprudge Managing Editor Zac Cadwalader kept everyone at home in the loop with exceptionally detailed real-time updates as photographer Charlie Burt captured every moment in vivid detail.

A huge thank you to our event coverage partners at Third Wave Water! Their support champions the specialty coffee community, our independent coffee competition coverage, and their products help make coffee even more vibrant. Thank you!

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by BaratzaPacific Barista Series, Ghirardelli, and DONA.

Mar 3, 2024

Our coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast is back for another rousing episode where hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen take a shortcut… a tiramisu shortcut? Michelman discusses an epic event held with La Marzocco in Florence to promote But First, Coffee that included a whole tiramisu cupping (three cakes that used three different coffees). Carlsen springs a package of Twinkies and claims to be able to make a quick tiramisu out of it. There’s some horror, some shock, followed by some shocking surprises.

There’s so much more. Several coffees are had, all brewed with the Ceado Hoop Brewer. Michelman talks about Monmouth Coffee out of London and a bring-your-own-doughnut-to-a-cafe Dorkage Fee. There’s an eccles cake and Lancaster cheese. Coffee ice cream is had. A lot going on here. Have a listen!

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by BaratzaPacific Barista Series, Ghirardelli, and DONA.

Beverages Discussed On The Podcast

DONA Hari River Mint Herbal Tea: Dreaming of springtime, we kick off the episode with DONA’s delicious Hari River Mint Herbal Tea which is sundried at the source in Herat, Afghanistan. It’s the freshest-tasting dried mint tisane we’ve had (and we love fresh mint tea).

Equator Coffees El Salvador Las Pirineos Gesha Natural & Colombia Finca El Guaca Ahi: Equator Coffees continues to push the envelope with outstanding extra-specialty coffees. We couldn’t get enough of both and clearly, others couldn’t either—the Aji is out of stock! There are plenty of options on Equator’s new arrivals page for your perusal, however, so you can find something.

La Marzocco / La Accademia Tanzania Songwa Estates: Visitors at La Marzocco’s former factory La Accademia del Caffé can taste the delicious coffees from Songwa Estates of Tanzania roasted on site. La Marzocco, Probat, and Mahlkonig all went in on this project back in 2007 and the coffees shine bright here in 2024.

Portland Coffee Roasters Guatemala: Representing one of its lighter roasted coffees, Portland Coffee Roasters’ Guatemala comes from their partners Miguelina and Finca El Paternal, a twenty-year relationship that has seen an increase in production innovation with tasty results.

Other Mentionables

St. John Eccles Cake & Lancashire Cheese

Lello Ice Cream Maker by Musto

Feb 15, 2024

Breaking! There’s a new episode of Sprudge coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast! On the newest episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen talk about the winners of the 15th Annual Sprudgie Awards, all while drinking the newest iteration of the Wilder Blend from Verve Coffee Roasters in California.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by BaratzaPacific Barista Series, Ghirardelli, and DONA.

Nov 9, 2023

Podcast listeners, do we have a surprise for you. That’s right, there’s a new episode of The Coffee Sprudgecast. Hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen are back with fresh coffee, new gear, and a heck of a lot news and updates.

Nightswim Coffee’s Ultraviolet Blend is brewed live on-air using the new award-winning Hoop Brewer from Ceado and the results are surprising! Never one to limit oneself to a single beverage, the hosts also try a new Rishi Tea botanical blend.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by The Fargo-Moorehead Caffeinated Crawl, BaratzaPacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.

Sep 29, 2023

The latest episode of the coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast is out! Hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen are back—and they’re drinking delicious a new offering from Bellingham, Washington superstars Camber Coffee.

The pair had the La Papaya Anaerobic Typica from legendary Ecuador producer Juan Peña. Brewed in a Chemex, the coffee’s flavors of pineapple, milk chocolate, maraschino cherry really shined. While the Ecuador La Papaya Box Set is currently sold out, you can sign up for Camber Coffee Artist Series text alerts to learn about the latest Artist Series drops!

Camber Coffee participates in our new Roasters Village program. Are you looking for a coffee recommendation right now? Check out http://sprudge.com/coffee for fresh recommendations from our roasting partners!

Listeners have the opportunity to hear the thumping beats of summer single “Build It Out” one last time as the hosts talk about four outstanding new cafes from the Build-Outs of Coffee summer series.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by The Fargo-Moorehead Caffeinated Crawl, Lelit, BaratzaPacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.

Aug 31, 2023

Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen are back for another exciting episode of the coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast. Michelman and Carlsen drink some stunning coffee from Monogram Coffee. The hosts enjoy La Llama from Bolivia and an exceptional offering from Finca Takesi, a small-screen gesha coffee brewed in an automated dripper and a Chemex, respectively.

La Llama is part of their Wonder Collection, coffees that exhibit an adventurous quality and is a Coco Natural processed coffee. Monogram explains:

La Llama does grow many different varieties, but they are really well known for their beautiful caturras and javas. This particular coffee has been processed using Agricafe’s Coco Natural process, which leaves coffee to ferment longer than the average natural process. They pay very close attention to their processing during every step to ensure that they produce the most delicious coffee that they can. They refer to this process as “Coco Natural” because of the way the bean resembles a cocoa bean at the end of processing.

Monogram Coffee participates in our new Roasters Village program. Are you looking for a coffee recommendation right now? Check out http://sprudge.com/coffee for fresh recommendations from our roasting partners!

The steady build of the summer hit single “Build It Out” makes way for another exciting edition of the Buildcast—where Michelman and Carlsen discuss brand-new cafes featured in our Build-Outs of Coffee summer series. New cafes from Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Denmark are discussed. Are you building out your dream cafe? Let us know!

Read more about these beautiful builds in the show notes below.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Lelit, BaratzaMoccamasterPacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.

Show Notes

Roaster’s Village

Build-Outs Of Coffee: Urban Sailor Coffee In Salt Lake City, UT

Build-Outs Of Coffee: Play Coffee In Orange, CA

Build-Outs Of Coffee: Equator Coffees In Los Angeles, CA

Build-Outs Of Coffee: Ubuntu Coffee Roasters In Sakskøbing, Denmark

Aug 3, 2023

Welcome to another episode of the coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast with hosts Zachary Carlsen and Jordan Michelman. In this episode, Michelman and Carlsen drink Block Party, the new limited-release summer blend from Partners Coffee in Brooklyn, New York, with an incredible packaging collaboration with illustrator Sophie (@soupiestudios).

Sandwiched by the new summertime hit single "Build It Out," Michelman and Carlsen discuss brand-new cafes in the US, Canada, and UK. These cafes are featured in our annual Build-Outs of Coffee series—submit your build today! Read more about these beautiful builds in the show notes below.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Lelit, BaratzaMoccamasterPacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.

Jun 14, 2023

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is all about Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen’s new book But First, Coffee. Michelman and Carlsen take us behind the scenes, talk about the juicy innards, and discuss the process of making the book. But First, Coffee is out 10/10/23 and now available for pre-order everywhere fine books are sold.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by BaratzaMoccamasterPacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.

May 31, 2023

Reach for the sky and hold your head up high. For tonight and every night? You're a superstar.

On the latest episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen are jamming out to Love Inc. and Superstar DJ Keoki while sipping on a honey-processed single-origin Verve Coffee Roasters brewed on a brand new Moccamaster KBGV Select in the Pistachio colorway

Michelman and Carlsen discuss Sprudge's latest Berlin guide from Tatiana Ernst, a lovely new fashion hub in Portland, and much more. Have a listen!

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by BaratzaMoccamasterPacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.

May 18, 2023

On the latest episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, guest host and photo journalist Elizabeth Chai reports live from the 2023 United States Barista Championship! Chai had an opportunity to interview competitors Frank La (he/him) of Be Bright Coffee in Los Angeles, California and Gray Kauffman (they/them) of Caffe Vita in Seattle, Washington. Each competitor brought their own unique set of skills to the stage and Chai finds out how they brought it, what they brewed with, and what makes them tick. It’s a fabulous episode and we’re thrilled to finally share it with the world!

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by MoccamasterPacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.

Apr 13, 2023

Things are really heating up here at the Coffee Sprudgecast, as your intrepid hosts guard their ears and gird their loins for the impending 2023 SCA Expo, hosted in Portland, Oregon April 20th-23rd. You'll be reading and seeing much more about the show right here on Sprudge, but in the meantime, we taste and sip our way through an eclectic assortment of specialty coffee products, from a very exciting new home brewer with a proud, steady stream to a satchel of evocatively spiced coffee gummies in flavors like Cascara and Spanish Latte. All this and much more on this latest episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by MoccamasterPacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.

Jan 12, 2023

Welcome back to the Coffee Sprudgecast! In our very first episode of 2023, hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen share the winners, honorees, and finalists of the 14th Annual Sprudgie Awards Presented by Pacific Barista Series. For the full list, visit here.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Straus Family Creamery, DONA and Pacific Barista Series.

Jun 30, 2022

The celebrations continue for our tenth Build-Outs season (submissions open) on this very special episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast. Hosts and Sprudge co-founders Zachary Carlsen and Jordan Michelman eat a nut butter collaboration that combines Big Spoon Roasters almonds, Equator Coffees Tiger Walk Espresso, and a hint of spices and coconut nectar for a spread so good we ate it with spoons. Well fed, the hosts discuss brand new cafes in France, Colombia, Vietnam, and the western most fleshy part of Michigan.

Submissions for the 2022 Build-Outs of Coffee season are now open! Register here!

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, Straus Family Creamery, and DONA.

The 2022 Build-Outs of Coffee is presented by La Marzocco, Dripos, Dona, and Mill City Roasters. Build-Outs of Coffee 2022 is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, Acaia, Cropster, and Marco Beverage Systems.

Hit the links below to dive deeper into the topics discussed in this episode.

Show notes and links:

Big Spoon Espresso Almond Butter

Oatly Upcycled Ads Merch

Build-Outs Of Coffee: Deep Coffee In Marseille, France

Build-Outs Of Coffee: 43 Factory Coffee Roaster In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Color Reader EZ

Build-Outs Of Coffee: Last Mile Cafe In Grand Rapids, MI

Build-Outs Of Coffee: Cafe San Alberto In Cartagena, Colombia

Submit a Build-Out today!

Apr 6, 2022

In this episode, hosts Carlsen and Michelman drink new loose-leaf offerings from DONA and a sparkling botanical beverage from Rishi while dishing on the events of the week, specifically all the United States Coffee Championships happening this weekend at the Specialty Coffee Association Specialty Coffee Expo in Boston, Massachusetts.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, Straus Family Creamery, and DONA.

Hit the links below to dive deeper into the topics discussed in this episode.

Show notes and links:

SCA Specialty Coffee Expo Official Website

SCA Specialty Coffee Expo COVID-19 Safety Protocols

US Coffee Championship Main Portal

Re:co Specialty Coffee Symposium

DONA Loose Leaf Teas & Herbal Tisanes

Rishi Sparkling Botanical Beverages

Feb 16, 2022

The Coffee Sprudgecast returns! On the latest episode of the show, Sprudge co-founders Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen taste a plethora of fascinating coffees and chat about new roasting projects, infused blends, and one very special, very small Scandinavian town. Stealing the show was a very special, and unexpectedly delightful, new coffee from Fire Department Coffee, whose whiskey-infused beans set off a cascade of intrigue and inquiry.

Dec 1, 2021

Happy Holidays from everyone at the Coffee Sprudgecast! Hosts Zachary Carlsen and Jordan Michelman discuss a variety of topics in this episode: roasted fig coffee substitutes, white chocolate, charitable organizations worth supporting this season, and what they really want for the holidays.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, Fellow, Tea Pigs, and DONA.

Hit the links below to dive deeper into the topics discussed in this episode.

Show notes and links:

FigBrew

Askinosie Chocolate

Monsoon Chocolate

GoFundBean

Compassion Access Project + Getchusomecare

Coffee Coalition For Racial Equity

Glitter Cat Barista

Onyx Advent Calendar

 

Aug 20, 2021

We're back with another Build-Outs of Coffee Podcast Spectacular on the Coffee Sprudgecast. In what is the fourth and surely most exciting episode of the series, we're talking through some extraordinary builds, from Ho Chi Minh City to London. The 2021 Build-Outs of Coffee feature series is presented by Fellow and sponsored by La Marzocco, Pacific Barista Series, Marco Beverage Systems, Dona, and Sustainable Harvest.

Show notes and links:

Colombia Finca El Rubí roasted by Hola Coffee in Madrid

Dayglow Coffee Subscriptions

The Build-Outs discussed:

This week we talk about new cafes Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters In Sandwich, MA; Lacàph In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Dear Coco Street Coffee In London, England; and Three Keys Coffee In Houston, TX.

snowy owl coffee 10

Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters in Sandwich, Massachusetts

lacaph 2

Lacàph in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

three keys coffee 1

Three Keys Coffee in Houston, TX

dear coco street coffee 8

Dear Coco Street Coffee in London, England

The 2021 Build-Outs of Coffee feature series is presented by Fellow and sponsored by La Marzocco, Pacific Barista Series, Marco Beverage Systems, Dona, and Sustainable Harvest.

Jul 16, 2021

We try Ujjo's yet-to-be-released hot sauce in two spice varieties at the top of the show paired with Mexico Finca La Laja roasted by Coastal Coffee Collective out of Santa Barbara, brewed up with a Fellow Clara French Press.

To help celebrate the good times and great builds, we'll be dedicating a little air space to our very favorite Build-Outs features throughout the coming months, a pop-up takeover if you will on the Coffee Sprudgecast. In the second episode, we're talking through some beautiful builds, from Pacifica to London to Whiting and Nashville. The 2021 Build-Outs of Coffee feature series is presented by Fellow and sponsored by La Marzocco, Pacific Barista Series, Marco Beverage Systems, Dona, and Sustainable Harvest.

Hit the links below to dive deeper into the topics discussed in this episode.

Show notes and links:

Ujjo Hot Sauce

Our first article about Ujjo

Our admission that hot sauce in coffee can be pretty good!

Some spicy hot takes on Instagram

The Build-Outs discussed:

saint nine london 3Saint Nine and their lovely mural.[/caption]

Build-Outs Of Coffee: Saint Nine Coffee In London, England

botz coffee 3Botz Coffee interior.

Build-Outs Of Coffee: Botz Coffee In Whiting, IN

elixr nashville 1Elixr Nashville interior.

Build-Outs Of Coffee: Elixr Coffee In Nashville, TN

craftsman coffee 1Craftsman Coffee truck.

Build-Outs Of Coffee: Craftsman Coffee In Pacifica, CA

May 18, 2020

There's a new website in town: Sprudge Maps. Check out Sprudge Maps to discover cafes in your neighborhood and find out their latest operating hours and safety protocols. If you're a cafe owner, you can list your shop for free right now at http://sprudgemaps.com.

In this episode, Zachary Carlsen and Jordan Michelman share sneak peeks of three new podcasts joining the Sprudge Podcast Network: No Free Refills, A Better Table, and Seed To Cup. Find out more at http://sprudge.com/podcasts.

This episode is brought to you by Pacific Foods Barista Series.

Apr 17, 2020

In this episode, Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen discuss coffee's response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. 

Michelman and Carlsen introduce the Sprudge Podcast Network with brand new shows A Better Table, Seed To Cup, and No Free Refills.

Carlsen interviews Ever Meister of Cafe Imports.

This episode supports http://fuelfrontlines.com.

Dec 16, 2019

Notable Roaster

This award honors a roaster doing exemplary work in 2019. This may include roasted coffee quality, the strength of e-commerce, cafe locations (if applicable) and all other facets of running a successful coffee roaster. This year’s nominees are:

Dune Coffee Roasters (Santa Barbara, California)
Dear Green Coffee Roasters (Glasgow, Scotland)
Mother Tongue Coffee Roasters (Oakland, California)
Onyx Coffee Lab (Rogers, Arkansas)
Hola Coffee (Madrid, ESP)
YES PLZ WEEKLY (Los Angeles, California)
Market Lane (Melbourne, AUS)
Ditta Artigianale (Florence, IT)

Vote here!

Notable Coffee Producer

This award honors outstanding work by a coffee producer at origin. This year’s nominees are:

Damian Chavez — Honduras
Rosalba Cifuentes Tovia — Mexico (Mayan Harvest Coffee)
La Palma y El Tucan — Colombia
Long Miles Coffee Project — Burundi
Tesfaye Bekele — Ethiopia (Suke Quto)
Virgelina Perdomo — Colombia (Finca El Diamante)
Don Fabio Caballero — Honduras (Finca San Francisco)
Juan Peña — Ecuador (Hacienda La Papaya)

Vote here!

Best New Product

This award honors a new coffee product released for public use in the year 2019. This year’s nominees are:

AeroPress Go by AeroPress
Carter Everywhere Mug by Fellow Products
La Marzocco KB90
FrankOne Brewer
Acaia Pearl S
Sanremo Brave
Wilfa Uniform Grinder
Ember Mug²

Vote here!

Best Coffee Video/Film

This award honors an original coffee video or film released in the year 2019. This can include feature films, short films, promotional videos or social media clips. The nominees are:

James Hoffmann (YouTube)
Chris Baca (YouTube)
Seattle Coffee Gear (YouTube)
“Baristas” (Rock Baijnauth)
“Breaking The Crust” (Stumptown Coffee)
“Wax & Gold” (Stumptown Coffee)
“Coffee Farmers Hopeful For Their Dying Crops” (National Geographic)
“Coffee” from SHOP: A Pop Opera by Jack Stauber (Adult Swim)

Vote here!

Best Coffee Writing

This award celebrates the best coffee writing of the year. This year’s nominees are:

Umeko Motoyoshi, “The @WastingCoffee Guide To Not Wasting Coffee”
Ashley Rodriguez, Boss Barista
RJ Joseph, The Knockbox
Brian Williams, Brian’s Coffee Spot
Arielle Rebekah Gordon, Trans & Caffeinated
Anonymous, Vancouver Coffee Snob
Amanda Mull, “The Rise of Coffee Shaming” (The Atlantic)
Jonathan Gagné, Coffee Ad Astra

Vote here!

Best Coffee Magazine

This award honors an outstanding coffee magazine or print publication release. This year’s nominees are:

25 Magazine (USA)
Coffee People Zine (USA)
Roast Magazine (USA)
Solo Magazine (Spain)
Standart (Slovakia)
The Coffee Magazine (South Africa)
Drift (USA)
Revista Espresso (Brazil)

Vote here!

Best Social Media

This award honors outstanding work across social media platforms. This year’s nominees are:

@FellowProducts (Instagram)
@getchusomegear (Instagram)
@50percentarabica (Instagram)
@dayglowcoffee (Instagram)
@shitfrommykitchen (Instagram)
@ditriech (Twitter)
@wastingcoffee (Instagram)
@nicely85 (Instagram)

Vote here!

Best Coffee Podcast

This award honors outstanding work in the podcast medium. This year’s nominees are:

Sourceress
Cat & Cloud
Boss Barista
Keys to the Shop
La Crema: Podcast de Cafe
Craft Your Own Coffee Podcast
Filter Stories
The Specialty Coffee Association Podcast

Vote here!

Best Design/Packaging

This work honors notable design or packaging work in coffee. Nominees may include coffee products, coffee bags, coffee logo or graphic design work, or any other example of outstanding coffee design. This year’s nominees are:

Camber Coffee Artists Series (Bellingham, WA)
Coffee Collective (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Fjord Coffee Roasters (Berlin, Germany)
Hard Beans Coffee Roasters (Opole, Poland)
Intelligentsia Coffee (Chicago, IL)
Joe Coffee (New York City, NY)
Talormade Coffee (Oslo, Norway)
YEZ PLZ WEEKLY (Los Angeles, CA)

Vote here!

Best New Cafe

This award is presented to a cafe that has opened in 2019. This year’s nominees are:

Intelligentsia Coffee (Austin)
Canary Coffee Bar (Milwaukee)
The Coffee Movement (San Francisco)
Formative Coffee (London)
The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab & Tasting Room (Oakland)
Prototype Coffee (Vancouver, BC)
Wrecking Ball Coffee (Berkeley, CA)
Substance Cafe (Paris)

Vote here!

Sustainable Cafe

This award is presented to a cafe for prioritizing sustainable environmental stewardship. This can include zero waste practices, pursuing a reduced carbon footprint, and highlighting sustainable coffees and products. This year’s nominees are:

Oddly Correct — Kansas City, Missouri
3FE – Dublin, Ireland
Isla Coffee — Berlin, Germany
Bar Nine — Los Angeles, California
Counter Culture Coffee Training Centers — United States
Miss Margaret — Preston, Victoria, Australia
Horizon Line Coffee — Des Moines, Iowa
Crema Coffee — Nashville, Tennessee

Vote here!

Outstanding Achievement In The Field of Excellence

This award is presented each year to a remarkable coffee person, organization, cause, or entity that embodies coffee excellence. This is our most prestigious award. This year’s nominees are:

Alice Wong of Disability Visibility Project
Chris McAuley of Getchusomegear
Coffee At Large
Jooyeon Jeon, 2019 World Barista Champion
Peter Giuliano of Coffee Science Foundation and SCA
T. Ben Fischer of Glitter Cat Barista Boot Camp
Virginia Bauman of Cuties and Go Get Em Tiger
Margaret Nyamumbo of Kahawa 1893

Vote here!

Jan 9, 2019

Welcome to the winners announcement for the 10th Annual Sprudgie Awards presented by Oatly, honoring the very best in coffee. Nominees for each category were chosen by a worldwide public ballot. Public voting for the Sprudgies took place over several weeks in December 2018, with the ballot box closing at 11:59 PM on Friday, January 4th, 2019.

Thanks to the tens of thousands of voters who helped make this the biggest voting field in Sprudgies history. Congratulations to all the nominees—to us, every single 2018 finalist was a winner. Here they are: the winners, honorees, and finalists for the 10th Annual Sprudgie Awards, presented by Oatly!

Notable Roaster

Winner: Go Get Em Tiger (Los Angeles, CA) Honoree: Red Bay Coffee (Oakland, CA) Finalists: Devoción (Brooklyn), Black & White Coffee Roasters (Wake Forest, NC), Square Mile Coffee (London), Gardelli Coffee (Italy), Sey Coffee (Brooklyn), Coffee Manufactory (San Francisco & Los Angeles).

Best New Cafe

Winner: Dayglow Coffee (Los Angeles, CA) Honoree: Misión Café (Madrid, Spain) Finalists: Ladder Coffee (Spokane, WA), Mane Coffee (Boca Raton, FL), Provider (Indianapolis, IN), Rosslyn Coffee (London, UK), Center Coffee Myeongdong (Seoul, South Korea), Stumptown Coffee Cobble Hill (Brooklyn, NY).

Sustainable Cafe

Winner:  Smith Canteen (Brooklyn, NY) Honoree: Isla Cafe (Berlin, Germany) Finalists: Casa Quilha (Brasilia, Brazil), Bar Nine (Los Angeles, CA), Madcap Coffee (Grand Rapids, MI), Houndstooth Coffee Walnut Hill (Dallas, TX), Kokako Organic (Auckland, New Zealand), Miir Flagship (Seattle, WA).

Best New Product

Winner:  Modbar AV Honoree:  Umeshiso Cupping Spoons Finalists: Minor Figures Oat M*lkAtmos Vacuum Canister by Fellow ProductsMelodripYes Plz Coffee SubscriptionDrinkTrade.comHuskee Cup.

Best Coffee Video/Film

Winner: Gender In Coffee Honoree: James Hoffmann on YouTube Finalists: Chris Baca on YouTubeAeroPress MovieGo Get Em Tiger on YouTubeCafe Imports Roasting Concepts SeriesFlower Of Flowers by Stumptown CoffeeUnpacking Coffee.

Best Coffee Writing

Winner: Sabine Parrish for She's A Lady (originally appearing in Standart Magazine) Honoree:  Dear Coffee Buyer by Ryan Brown Finalists: James Hoffmann for JimSeven.com, Jenn Chen for Newsletter and Collected Works, Ashley Rodriguez for Barista Magazine OnlineThe Monk Of Mokha by Dave Eggars and Mokhtar Alkhanshali, RJ Joseph for The Knockbox, Phyllis Johnson for Strong Black Coffee (originally appearing in Roast Magazine).

Notable Coffee Producer

Winner: Juan Peña, Hacienda La Papaya (Ecuador) Honoree: Aida Batlle, Aida Batlle Selections (El Salvador) Finalists: Daterra Coffee (Brazil), Benjamin Paz (Honduras), Long Miles Coffee Project (Burundi), Gesha Village (Ethiopia), La Palma y El Tucan (Colombia), Gilberto Baraona (El Salvador).

Best Coffee Magazine

Winner: Standart (Slovakia) Honoree: Coffee People Zine (USA) Finalists: Roast Magazine (USA), Pour Over by Califia Farms (USA), Barista Magazine (USA), Caffeine (UK), Solo Magazine (Spain), Drift Magazine (USA).

Best Design Packaging

Winner: Coffee Manufactory (San Francisco and Los Angeles, CA) Honoree: Onyx Coffee Lab (Bentonville, AR) Finalists: Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters (Lakewood, CO), Brandywine Coffee Roasters (Wilmington, DE), Kaffa (Oslo, Norway), Fjord Coffee Roasters (Berlin, Germany), Lüna Coffee (Vancouver, Canada), Friedhats (Amsterdam, The Netherlands).

Best Coffee Podcast

Winner: Cat & Cloud Honoree: Boss Barista Finalists: Keys To The ShopThe Coffee PodcastCoffeaCoffee People MXCoffee With AprilSproCast.

Best Instagram or Twitter Account

Winner: @symmetrybreakfast Honoree:@coffeefeedpdx Finliasts: @umeshiso_@dapperandwise, @catcloudcoffee@coffeetablemags@perfectdailygrind@fellowproducts.

Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence

Winner: Umeko Motoyoshi Honoree: Agnieszka Rojewska Finalists: Phyllis Johnson, Michelle Johnson, T. Ben Fischer, Adam JacksonBey, Colleen Anunu.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Erna Knutsen

The 10th Annual Sprudgie Awards are presented by Oatly.

See all past winners of the Sprudgie Awards.

Dec 8, 2018

On a very special edition of the Coffee Sprudgecast, we take you live to the event floor at the 2019 US Coffee Champs Qualifying Event in Denver, Colorado! There we join multimedia director Elizabeth Chai, who—in addition to helming our must-follow Instagram coverage of the event—taped a series of original interviews for this week’s episode of the podcast.

In this episode Chai talks to Blair Smith, a Brewers Cup competitor for Augie’s Coffee in California’s Inland Empire region. Smith placed 9th overall in the qualifying event, earning a bid to move on and compete at the 2019 US Coffee Championships national event next March in Boston.

Chai also sat down with Hana Kaneshige, a barista competitor and Regional Educator representing Counter Culture Coffee, a wholesale roaster hubbed in Durham, North Carolina and Emeryville, CA with satellite training centers nationwide. Kaneshige would also place ninth in the US Coffee Champs Barista Competition field, earning a coveted spot to move on and compete at nationals next year in Boston.

 

Oct 20, 2017

In this very special episode we interview Erika Lee Vonie, the 2017 New York Coffee Masters champion.

Aug 23, 2016

We do it live in Emeryville, California at the Counter Culture Coffee Training Center. Guests include Mokhtar Alkhanshali, Port of Mokha; Katie Carguilo, Counter Culture Coffee; Richard Sandlin, Royal Coffee; and Devorah Freudiger, Equator Coffees & Teas.

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