January 2012
43 posts
1 tag
The Year That Was 2011.
It’s the last day of 2011, and as I do every year, as many people do, I’m reflecting on what it was, and what it wasn’t. This should be incredibly scattered and random, as was the year.
I’m totally cool with who I am, and where I’m at. All self-confidence issues aside, I’ve become comfortable with who I am. I’ve worked ridiculously hard in my career, and...
December 2011
17 posts
1 tag
"Best of" Lists are Worthless. At least for...
Well, I’ve seen another “Best of” list for coffee, and yet again, it makes no sense. This one was on Zagat, and is titled, “The 10 Coolest Independent Coffee Shops Around the U.S.” And I know, they’re very much like reviews from a very popular coffee reviewer. When they mention coffee that belongs to us or our include our shop, they’re retweeted and posted...
2 tags
WatchI am so happy to support Blood:Water Mission (@bloodwater). This video from this past year shows why. So much good being done by such an amazing organization. We were also glad to be able to be at the Well:Done Celebration in the video, and hand brewing coffee for the folks who attended. www.bloodwatermission.com
8 tags
WatchHow I Brew With The Clever Dripper. The Video.
growing in culture. 2011.
I’ve been trying to add more culture to my life. In 2011, this is how I did it:
I attended an art show.
I attended a Broadway musical. (STOMP!)
I attended a ballet. (The Nutcracker.)
I attended Celtic Woman, whatever you’d consider that.
I caught two really cool indie bands. (not out of my element, but culture nonetheless.)
I caught a bluegrass band. (Well, not just any, but...
Anonymous asked: Hi Jason, Obscure question here. But I just saw your barista photo project and really liked it. Do you know if there historic images of Baristas? I found some cool ones at the la pavoni museum website under the second column "Italian Perioid" and "Int'l Period." Do you know of others? Thanks, Erik
1 tag
My Top 20 Albums of 2011.
Well, it’s the end of 2011, and as such, we’ve finished up another year of new music, and I’ve made my list of my top 20 albums. So, here ya go. Be inspired.
20. The Strokes- Angles 19. Stars- The Bedroom Demos 18. Toro Y Moi- Underneath The Pine 17. Eisley- The Valley 16. Radiohead- The King of Limbs 15. Feist- Metals 14. St. Vincent- Strange Mercy 13. Matt Pond PA- Spring...
1 tag
Anonymous asked: So how can you adequately gauge their machine if the one you saw didn't have their thermoblock in it? Wouldn't it be like bring a GS3 and saying my new machine will act a lot like this so you should buy it. Am I wrong in my understanding that the thermoblock is probably the most important part of their machine? and if they don't have a machine you could use with it that it's a...
5 tags
ZPM Espresso Machine. (Or The Kickstarter PID...
Just got done meeting with Gleb, Rachel and Janet from ZPM Espresso, and am posting my thoughts. First off, they didn’t have a demo machine to actually use, simply a prototype without the working thermoblock they’ve designed. For that information, we were patched into Igor up in Blacksburg, VA via Skype, who gave us a full rundown on the design and structure of the thermoblock. Igor...
6 tags
WatchToday’s Coffee Ambush led us to the fine creatives over at adult swim, the animated tv network geared towards the adult cartoon watching crowd. Already customers and fans of Batdorf & Bronson, there was just way too much goodness at adult swim. From the delicious Papua New Guinea Baroida, to the awesome walls and desks all around, this was one of the most fun yet. Special thanks to...
community, thank you.
Yesterday, I announced my resignation as Chair of the BGA. I’ve shared already what a tough choice it was, but to be honest, I was a little apprehensive as to what the reaction would be from others. What I was not expecting, was the level of support and respect I’ve received from the coffee community, and my friends outside of it. It further strengthens my love for the coffee...
2 tags
Why Did I Resign From BGA Chair?
I wanted to write about why I resigned from my position as Chair of the Barista Guild, something I’ve worked for for many years, and a guild that’s been so much of my passion in coffee. I told my wife tonight I’d decided it, and her response was, “I’m so sorry to hear that. You’ve worked so hard to get there.” This decision hasn’t come easily, but...
5 tags
One More Reason I'm a Mac Guy.
Today, I delivered my iMac to one of my co-workers. Why? Well, I moved from MobileMe, which was canceled earlier this year, to iCloud, so that I could sync all my calendars, photos, and music to the cloud. April was putting dates on the calendar at home, that no longer showed up on my iPhone, and that led to some overbookings. The remedy? Well, iCloud works with OSX Lion and beyond, so I just...
