We sit down with the legendary Mike Strumpf from Swiss Water Decaf. Mike shares his fascinating journey into the world of specialty coffee, from his start in Madison, Wisconsin, to becoming a key figure in coffee competitions worldwide as a WCE rep and head judge. We dive into the evolution of coffee competitions, the unique process behind Swiss Water’s decaf, and why decaf coffee deserves a spot on the top shelf. Mike also opens up in an incredibly touching moment about his personal...

We dive into the world of sensory-driven coffee design with Hany Ezzat, founder of Ni Wares. Hanny shares his journey from his early days making coffee in a Turkish restaurant to the inception of Ni Wares, his company dedicated to designing cups that elevate the sensory experience of coffee drinking. With insights from years as a competitive barista, Hany explains how colors, shapes, and textures of cups can alter our perception of taste, transforming how we experience every sip. Throughout...

In this episode of Buy The Drip, Juan Pablo Campos from Lojas Coffee dives deep into the cutting-edge processing techniques that are revolutionizing the coffee industry. From thermal shock to innovative fermentation methods, Juan Pablo shares how these advancements are shaping coffee flavors and elevating the quality of specialty coffee. He also sheds light on the recent controversies surrounding the Best of Panama and its open letter to Colombian coffee producers, addressing industry...

In this compelling episode of Buy the Drip, hosts David Crosby and Cole Torode dig into the real reasons behind the closure of Forward Coffee. They explore the highs and lows of running a green coffee importing business, from the struggles of cash flow to the complexities of direct trade and the often misunderstood pricing pyramid. Cole reflects on the critical role relationships play in sourcing high-quality coffee and how transparency can both help and hinder business operations. Listeners...

Listen to the inspiring Elysia Tan, a three-time Singaporean Brewers Cup champion and co-founder of Home Ground Coffee Roasters, as she explores how she’s transforming the home brewing scene in Singapore. Elysia opens up about her journey into the coffee world, her passion for creating a welcoming space for coffee lovers, and how education is key to building an engaged community of home brewers. The conversation dives deep into the challenges of coffee competitions, where Elysia...

In this episode of Buy The Drip, host David Crosby and co-host Cole Torode welcome Nelson Phu, the 2024 Canadian Barista Champion, to share his inspiring journey into specialty coffee. Nelson opens up about his path from Rosso Coffee Roasters in 2015 to becoming a national champion, the intense world of barista competitions, and the surprising parallels between coffee and fine dining. The trio explores the critical role of storytelling in coffee, how competitions challenge baristas beyond...

Hunter Tedman, fourth-generation coffee farmer and president of the Best of Panama (BOP) competition, delves into the competitive landscape of the coffee industry. He addresses the controversy surrounding infused coffees and the rigorous rules and regulations that govern the competition. Hunter explains how farmers submit their coffee, the criteria for taste and processing, and the importance of maintaining transparency and preserving the integrity of Panama Geisha coffees. He also...

In this special episode of Buy the Drip, we’re flipping the script. While we’re usually the ones asking the questions, this time, we’re the ones in the hot seat. Recorded in late January during our time in Romania, we sat down with Bogdan and Calin from Meron Coffee to chat about our experiences in the coffee world. Check out SUBEXTRAS by Meron on YouTube. We dive into a range of topics that go beyond just competition. We explore the evolution of coffee culture in Canada and Romania, the art...

Kyle Ramage joins Buy The Drip Podcast. Listen to the compelling conversation with Kyle Ramage, former United States Barista Champion and co-owner of Black & White Coffee Roasters. Kyle takes us through his fascinating journey in the coffee industry, starting with how he got involved in the specialty coffee scene, his experience participating in the World Barista Championship, and his role in a documentary about barista competitions. He opens up about the challenges and rewards of...

Curious about the world of coffee subscriptions and how they operate? In this episode of Buy the Drip, host David Crosby sits down with Suneal Pabari, co-founder of The Roasters Pack and Leaderboard Coffee. Suneal shares his fascinating journey in the coffee industry and the challenges he faced along the way. Suneal talks about starting The Roasters Pack, a coffee subscription service that delivers three unique coffees from different roasters each month. He opens up about the initial...

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in the world of coffee roasting? In this episode, Paul Stephens, Head Roaster of Rosso Coffee Roasters, takes us on his incredible journey from tasting his first espresso in Spain to becoming the roaster for the 2023 and 2024 World Barista Champions. Paul shares fascinating insights into the roasting process, from the crucial moments of temperature control, first crack, and development time to the innovative use of technology like...

Mikael Jasin shares his incredible journey from his introduction into the coffee industry as a dishwasher to becoming the World Barista Champion in 2024, ten years later. He discusses his entry into specialty coffee, the challenges he faced, and the importance of mindset and mental resilience. Mikael highlights the evolving Indonesian coffee industry and the significant role of competition in advancing baristas' careers. He emphasizes the need for baristas to take risks and participate in...

Episode 20: Cole Torode - Brewing Tips, World Brewers Cup, and Brotherly Love Welcome back to Buy the Drip! In this episode, host David Crosby sits down with his brother, 2023 Canadian Brewers Cup Champion Cole Torode. They dive deep into Cole's journey through the Brewers Cup, discussing his unique brewing techniques and the experience of competing on the world stage. Highlights: World Brewers Cup: Cole shares his journey to the world stage, detailing the rigorous preparation, the...

Buy The Drip is finally back, and we’re excited to release the long-awaited Part 2 of our interview with Boram Um, the 2023 World Barista Champion! Join host and coach David Crosby and Cole Torode as they continue the conversation with Boram, diving into his extensive World Tour, traveling for 100 days, and his love/hate relationship with running. Highlights: 🌍 World Tour: Discover Boram and the team's experiences traveling for 100 days around the world. 🏃 Running Passion: The boys talk...

We are back!  Ply Pararj, Canadian Brewers Cup Champion, is this weeks guest. Listen to Ply tell his story of how he became interested in specialty coffee and ultimately became an owner in Rogue Wave Coffee Roasters. Ply is a PhD candidate searching for bioactive compounds extracted from marine organisms that could be potentially developed into immunosuppressant drugs (wow!). Ply placed 5th in the World Brewers Cup Championship and provides advice, tips and tricks on how to blend and brew...

In the first "Ask Me Anything" episode, David answers a wide range of questions from podcast listeners.  Learn how much coffee David drinks a day all the way to his embarrassing answer about Crossfit, UFC and rap music.  He gives a few tips on starting a coffee shop and some great memories from the World Barista Championship. Time 0:58 - How much coffee I drink each day 2:02 - How I drink my coffee 3:39 - My favourite moments from coffee sourcing trips 7:43 - The best cups of coffee I've...

Chef Mike Pigot was awarded best chef in the city of Calgary in 2020. We had a great conversation about food trends, the challenges of opening a new restaurant during the last year and how he goes about designing a menu.  There's some tips and tricks for cooking at home, for all the chef enthusiasts out there.  Mike also takes us through some behind the scenes stories from reality TV and the unique experience of winning Guy Fieri's Grocery Games. Timestamps 0:50 - The  humble beginning in...

Danilo Lodi started his career in the specialty coffee scene in 2004.  Danilo's conversation with David hits a wide range of topics from coffee consulting to training to become a World Barista Champion judge.    Born and raised in Brazil, Danilo provides his thoughts on the Coffee C-Market and the impact of higher pricing has on the quality of coffee. Danilo has/had a goal to taste coffee from all producing countries in the world!?  Hear his advice for aspiring coffee professionals and why he...

In this episode David is joined by Lucia Solis, a former winemaker and current coffee processing specialist. She also hosts the wildly informative podcast Making Coffee with Lucia Solis. We talk about her history in the wine industry and the series of opportunities that led her into an entrepreneurial journey, as a globally renowned consultant on coffee processing. It’s a dense conversation where she shares the synthesis of her extensive knowledge of microbiology, processing coffee and wine,...

Grab a glass of wine and listen to the similar, yet so different world of wine with Erik Mercier & Mark Couillard of Juice Imports. Juice is one of the first companies to import natural wine into Canada.  Erik and Mark break down the difference between natural and conventional wine with great storytelling.  Listen to the importance of buying quality wine (and coffee!) and the dark side of what goes into conventional wine.  The conversation ends with great advice on starting a new business...

Enjoy listening to Ania B's unique balance as a multi faceted entrepreneur. As one of her many accomplishments Ania was nominated for the Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards (CAFA) in the Digital Influencer Of The Year category.  Get tips and tricks on advice for pursuing creative work and how to deal with the fear of failure.  Ania pulls back the curtain on how big brands create promotional content with her and other digital creators. The chat ends on Ania's massive renovation project with...

Grab a cup of coffee and learn about how Freda Yuan (The 3 Time UK Tasters Cup Champion) tastes coffee.  Freda talks with David about her coffee journey into becoming a green coffee buyer.  Through this journey, she found her true passion in the sensory elements of coffee, which started after her struggle, and recovery from bulimia.  Freda also touches on writing a book Sip and Slurp: A Guide to Expert Coffee Tasting. 1:01 - Freda’s history in the industry; growing from Barista to Green...