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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 Baratza, Pacific Barista Series, Ghirardelli, and DONA.
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 Baratza, Pacific 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.