Roast and Reason: A Coffee Podcast Andrew Boyer: Coffee Lover and Home Coffee Roaster

Coffee is traded or sold in very different ways.  In fact there are basically two coffee markets: commodity coffee or non-commodity coffee (specialty coffee).  Specialty coffee consumers value a variety of factors like origin, growing and processing techniques, roast level, etc.  But with commodity coffee only one thing matters: price.  


Commodity coffee is like any other commodity, the only differentiating factor is price.  And the price for commodity coffee is set on the Intercontinental Exchange in New York city.  


As a financial asset, commodity coffee has had a pretty terrible year in 2018.  Coffee prices decreased about 20% over the year, to lows that haven’t been seen since 2006.  This price collapse occurred due to a number of factors in the market that have lead to oversupply.

Tis the holiday season.  If you have some last minute holiday shopping this gift guide for the fellow coffee lover on your list might help.  

Mr. Green Beans is a one-stop shop for coffee lovers in Portland, Oregon.  This shop sells a great selection of green coffee beans and supplies for home coffee roasting and coffee brewing.  Their staff is knowledgable and extremely helpful.  So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Mr. Green Beans has become my favorite place to buy coffee and coffee-related supplies.
During this episode Trevin Miller, the owner of Mr. Green Beans, shares his expertise and experiences in the industry.  Trevin and I discuss what you really need to start home roasting, what many home roasters get wrong, some major trends in the coffee world, and more.
Mr. Green Beans has a website.  So if you’re looking for coffee supplies or green coffee beans to roast at home check out their website www.diycoffeeroasting.com.  

Fine Line Roasting is a small startup coffee roaster from Boise Idaho.  Their founder and roaster Josh Webb started listening to the Roast and Reason podcast when he was researching coffee roasting.  So I’m honored and extremely excited to share this conversation with Josh.
During this conversation Josh candidly shares his experiences starting a small coffee roasting company.  He talks about his successes like his thrill when people actually liked his coffee as well as the struggles he has encountered.  
Kudos to Josh and Taylor for all they have accomplished so far as a new coffee company.  I look forward to hearing and tasting much more from them moving forward.
To learn more about Fine Line Roasting or try their coffee for yourself. check out their website www.finelineroasting.com.  

Odds are you have tried or heard of Jamaican coffee, specifically Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee.  But how much do you know about the history of coffee growing on the island?  What makes Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee so popular and sought after?  By the end of this episode you will know all of that and more.


Jamaica’s coffee growing history dates back to the early 1700s.  The island was a leading coffee producer in the early 1800s, but then the coffee industry suffered and coffee quality decreased.


The Jamaican government launched several programs to increase coffee quality and created a very successful marketing program.  These changes stimulated demand for a specific designation of Jamaican coffee, Jamaica Blue Mountain.


This episode will discuss the history of Jamaican coffee further, what makes Blue Mountain coffee unique and in demand, what Jamaican coffee tastes like, and more.

Home roasting coffee was the thing that really sparked my interest in specialty coffee and eventually led to this podcast.  I have been home roasting for about a year and a half and very much enjoy it.  Home roasting is a great hobby that is part science, part creative, and totally delicious.


Previous episodes in the home coffee roasting series have discussed DIY methods for roasting coffee including roasting in the oven or on the stovetop and also dedicated home roasting coffee machines.


This episode will cover some excellent options where you can find and purchase green coffee beans that you can roast at home.