As a coffee roaster, offering wholesale to coffee shops is core to our business model. For us, however, it's not just about getting more coffee out the door. Coffee roasters and coffee shops should be working together to help each other thrive and succeed. In this episode, we talk about how we set coffee shops up for success when they partner with us.

As coffee roasters, we understand that we can only roast a coffee to the potential of the green coffee itself. In many cases, we're doing our best to try to maximize the potential of each coffee and minimize the loss it may go through in the roasting process. That being said, starting with quality, fresh green is plays a vital role to roasting good coffee. In this episode, we specifically talk about the impact aging can have on your green coffee. Shop Our Coffee: https://bit.ly/36gPLRU Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/ Mirror Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster located in Bellingham, WA.

Coffee competition has always intrigued us, and these last few months have been very busy because of that. Sergei just came back from competing in both cup tasters and brewers cup, and in this episode we talk about his prep, routine, and what it takes to compete on the national level.

Something we hear and are asked often is how we brew coffee based on origin. The same goes for our roasting approach as well. In this episode we talk about how different origins impact the brewing and roasting process and if it's even as important as we think it is.

When brewing pour over coffee, for the most part you're left with either a flat bottom or cone shape brewer. Both of the major categories come with their own nuances, flavor profiles, and recipes. In this podcast episode, we dive into our experiences with brewers like the Orea, V60, and Stagg brewer as well as how we approach brewing with them.

Recently, we've heard of several well known coffee brands sell either a big chunk or all of their business to other big brands. Oftentimes people call this selling out and paint in negative light, but is that always the case? In this episode, we share our thoughts and look at past acquisition to get a better idea of what this could mean.

We've all been there. You order a coffee at a coffee shop and the barista asks you to answer a few simple questions on the screen. Tipping your barista is normal, and we believe it should happen, however, with the increase in tipping amounts and inflation, has it gone too far? What are tips in hospitality for? We answer these questions in episode 130 of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast.

We've been running our coffee roasting business for 4 years now, and we're still learning old and new things in the process. As 2023 comes to an end, we're reflecting back on two big things that we're walking away with that being owners of Mirror Coffee Roasters taught us.

This year flew by fast, and very quickly did we pocket another year as a coffee roasting company. It's been an incredible year of relationships, connection, incredible coffee, and competition. In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast, we look back at the year and reminisce on our favorite moments of the year.

The holidays are always bringing people together and there's a good chance coffee will make its way amongst conversation and gatherings. This is a great opportunity to expose people to tasty coffee and hopefully give them the eye opening experience many of us have had about coffee. In this episode, we share a few tips on how to get your friends and family hooked on the world of coffee they may not have experienced!

Filter roasts and espresso roasts have been around for a while in coffee, however, are they absolutely necessary? Can't you just have one roast for both brew methods? In this episode, we touch up on the pros and cons of different roasts for different brew methods and why for now we've chosen an omni roast approach.

Coffee roasting, water chemistry, and coffee flavor notes are all linked together and are a bit more complicated than we'd like. Both coffee roasting and water chemistry create a flavor experience unique to the combination, however, when one is off, things usually are thrown off.

Roasting coffee is similar to dialing in a cup of coffee or shot of espresso. Under and over extracting your coffee leaves you with an unpleasant taste in your mouth, and there's nothing better than a perfect extraction. The same goes for roasting, and in this episode, we dive into how we perceive dialing in our batches and what we're tasting for in our QC.

This is a Q&A episode where we got some questions from you and answered them on the podcast. We cover a few topics including today's coffee culture, what we did professionally before starting Mirror, and our greatest fears and dreams.

An eventful few weeks for the coffee industry with new gear rolling out at World of Coffee in Milan as well as recent coffee news that's worth highlighting. On this episode, we highlight the new Mahlkonig EK Omnia, the updated La Marzocco Strada X, and the recent news with Alaska Airlines.

One of the key data points we use in coffee is time. Whether we're pulling espresso, making a pour over, or roasting coffee, it's something we're always keeping track of. Although it's helpful in the process, what does it actually tell us? What limitations does this key data point have? We dig into these questions on this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast

Coffee is mainly water with small, extracted coffee particles. Water makes up most of your beverage and depending on its alkalinity, hardness, and other factors, it could make or break a delicious coffee. In this episode we talk about our frustrations with water, how we've adjusted our brewing and QC practices around water, and how we're planning to tackle this inconsistency moving forward.

Loving the craft behind coffee is one thing, but building a thriving business is another. Often times we hear people start coffee shops because they love it which is an absolute must when embarking on such a journey. It doesn't take long to realize that is not the only part necessary to being successful. In this episode, we dig deep into the sobering truth of running a coffee business.

Working in as a barista in coffee looks great from outside, but once you're in it, the job comes with many challenges and oftentimes compensated poorly. In this episode, we give practical tips on how someone can build a career in coffee and set themselves up for success and growth in the industry.

With over 100 episodes recorded and over 50k streams, we break down how we started our podcast, our current gear setup right now, and why we need more media like this in the coffee industry. We hope this inspires someone to take the step of faith forward and launch their own podcast whether it's about coffee or not.

Here in the Pacific Northwest and especially Bellingham, WA, we have drive-thru coffee everywhere. It's become very popular and although we have so many, it's still not our preferred coffee stop which has only made us wonder what we would do if we started one. In this podcast episode, we talk through our experiences with drive-thru coffee and a few things we would love to see changed.

Starting a coffee shop or a coffee roasting business can be difficult as it is, but you can do a few things to make it easier on yourself. In this episode we talk about the one thing we highly recommend that will launch your coffee shop business in the right direction and set you up for success.

Coffee culture all around the world is very different from what we experience here in the states. Since we just returned from travels in Singapore and Indonesia, we invited our friend Justin to talk about his experience in Korea, his most memorable coffee experiences there, and what makes coffee culture in Asia so special.

Coffee sustainability and transparency is important, and in this episode, we debrief on our recent trip to Indonesia and the eye opening experiences we had with farmers and producers around this topic. This is a complex conversation that is far larger than a short podcast episode, but we hope this broadens your perspective and gives you something to think about with your coffee.

We chat with Taylor, who helps produce coffee in Indonesia, about their local coffee scene, different processing methods, and why talking about coffee sustainability is not all about paying farmers more. This episode is filled with insight into coffee farming at origin and its overlap with culture.

Iced coffee and cold brew is a perfect drink for summer, but it comes with a few drawbacks. Getting optimal extraction, flavor clarity, and complex flavor can be challenging to get out of these drinks, but in this episode, we share a few practical tips on how to get the most out of your iced coffees including how we make our cold brew delicious.

Making coffee outdoors has become one of our favorite things to do. On this trip to the WA coast, we share our process and how we make coffee out in the wild during these trips. We would highly recommend trying to make coffee in the wild at least once!

Jessica Greenwalt, a creative director at Vayner3, joins us to talk about all things web3, emerging technologies, and the implications of different technology. She's also the founder of Pixelkeet and Co-Founder of Unum Game and has extensive experience with the newest technologies being developed today. We talk about espresso and milk terminology, the state of NFTs, and how we can use emerging technologies in coffee.

There's so much happening in the coffee industry. This episode is our *almost* unfiltered take on a few trends we see in coffee and breaking down what we think about them. No offense is intended and we hope you can enjoy the banter.

We're obsessed with coffee. Recently we realized it's now taking over our travel itineraries and has become a huge part of how we plan for trips. How has coffee changed that over the years? What do we predict might be coming in the future for coffee and travel? We talk about all of that in episode 107 of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions Podcast.

Ansley Randall is a graphic designer and mural artist based out of Florida. She's played a huge part here at Mirror Coffee Roasters by designing our new coffee bags which were released earlier this year. In this episode, we talk about her journey from barista to graphic designer and a few helpful tips on how coffee businesses can work with graphic designers to grow.

Comandante is known for their superior hand coffee grinders that have been seen being used on the competition stage including this year at the 2023 Brewers Cup Championships at SCA. Comandante has led their own brewing competitions for years now and this year they came to Vancouver, BC. We knew we wanted to participate, but we had no idea we'd be winning the 2023 Canadian Comandante Championship. In this episode, we break down how the competition is run, our approach to brewing, and what this means for us as a roasting company.

Coffee competitions are a big part of specialty coffee. It gives those working in coffee an opportunity to showcase their passion for the craft. In this episode, we sit down with Keziah who competed this year as a US barista competitor. She talks about why she competed, her advice to others considering it, and some of her biggest takeaways from being a competitor.

Kyle Rowsell started as a YouTuber and content creator which has led him to launching his coffee roasting company called September Coffee. Kyle Rowsell opens up about starting a kickstarter, running the coffee business with his wife Natasha, and some of the challenges they have faced over the last few months. This conversation is vulnerable, encouraging, and gives you an inside look at the details that are often not seen from the outside. Check out September Coffee: https://september.coffee

Tanner Colson started by creating coffee content on TikTok a few years back without much expectation of going viral. Little did he know that this was just the beginning to viral TikToks, a following of over 1 million, and doing what he loves for work. We discuss what it's like to go viral and how to use your following to add value and positivity to the world.

Sourcing and roasting coffee are two very important aspects of a roasting company. Once you've sourced a really delicious coffee, how do you transfer that into a production roast? In this episode, we share our process from cupping sample roasts to carrying it over into a production roast we're satisfied with.

Our coffee podcast just hit 100 episodes. What initially felt like a side project of our roasting company now has become one of our favorite parts of our whole operation. On episode 100, we reflect back on our favorite moments on the podcast, how impactful this community of listeners has become, and dreaming big about the future of the podcast.

What sets a coffee roasting company apart from others? As home baristas, we've noticed that everyone claims to roast the best specialty coffee. Given how subjective coffee flavor is, is that enough to be different and stand out? In this podcast episode, we break down a few ways we think coffee roasters can stand out and provide more value to coffee drinkers and home baristas.

This week, we blindly cupped over 60 coffees and 14 coffee roasters all at once. There were many delicious coffees on the table which was very fun to taste and experience the many flavor profiles they had to offer. Apart from enjoying all these coffees, this was a big learning experience. Every roaster and every coffee had a piece of data and information that we could learn from. In this coffee podcast episode, we go over the main takeaways from this cupping and how you can start learning from similar experiences.

This is another Q&A podcast episode with really incredible questions ranging from taking risks as a coffee roasting business, the influence of AI on the coffee industry, and how coffee has impacted our family dynamics. The coffee questions as well as the more personal questions really made us think deeply about these topics and challenged us. We had so many really great questions and we're looking forward to answering the others we didn't get to in the coming podcasts.

One of the challenges of having a coffee roasting business is green coffee buying. How you buy green coffee will define the quality level of your finished product. In today's podcast, we dive into how we balance green coffee inventory with coffee harvest seasons from origin to origin. Although there's a lot of nuance to this conversation, we did our best to cover the topic and share how we've maneuvered green coffee inventory over the last few years.

We just came back from our first coffee origin trip as a coffee roasting company. We spent the week traveling, visiting farms, connecting with our producing partners, and learning more about what it takes to turn coffee cherries into coffee beans. This was an extraordinary experience and it has so much to do with the core of what Mirror stands for. Although it's hard to put words to the whole experience, we hope this coffee podcast episode gives you a glimpse of origin!

There's a lot of things that go into running a success coffee roasting operation, but we feel like there's one standout concept that is an absolute essential part to roasting delicious coffee. When we first started to crack down on systems around our roasting operation, a lot of things began to improve. It was a game changer. Tune in to this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast to hear more about the importance about systems in roasting and how that could help you in your roasting.

What does one of the most expensive cup of coffees taste like? What should you expect a coffee scored at 96 to offer? Is this even necessary or beneficial to coffees at these price points sold and brewed?  We answer these questions and more in this episode as we talk about our experience trying Proud Mary's Panama geisha natural called the Black Jaguar. This was by far one of the most memorable cups of coffee we've had, and there is so much to share about the experience.

On this coffee podcast episode, we have Andrew Pernicano from Flair Espresso! This was such an enjoyable conversation as we dived into the story behind Flair Espresso, how they come up with new coffee gear for home baristas, and what it's like making coffee with the Flair 58 espresso maker. Andrew shares about what he's noticing amongst home baristas and coffee enthusiasts, and what they're working on in this upcoming year.

Coffee is one of our biggest passions we're pursuing and see ourselves continuing to go after it for the next decade. The craft behind coffee is both challenging and rewarding at the same time. That being said, do we ever get bored of coffee? In this podcast episode, we talk about the boring, monotonous parts of coffee that are often not talked about.

The coffee experience at home or in a cafe is far more than just coffee flavor. It's a collective of aesthetics, visuals, aromas, sounds, and more. For over a year now, we've been planning and working on creating a unique experience for those who want to enjoy our coffees. From the website to the packaging, this is a creative expression of both of us, and we can't wait to share this with you.

How you roast coffee is a huge determiner of what your coffee will taste like. Although there are plenty of other variables at work that can arguably impact taste more than roasting, how a roaster approaches the process defines the outcome. What can get tricky is the subjective preferences that play a huge role in the roasting approach we create. In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast, we dive into what a coffee roasting style is and how that is affected by taste preference.

Running a coffee business as taught us a lot about each other as well as ourselves. That includes our strengths but also our weaknesses, insecurities, pain points, and things we wish we wouldn't have to confront. On this podcast episode, we dive into the intimidating moments of having to face these uncomfortable parts, but also how we use them to leverage unstoppable growth. This is not just for business owners. This is something we all face at different stages of life.

On this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast, we wrap up 2022 with one last episode talking about the what we predict will happen in the coffee industry in 2023. The coffee industry is growing and changing fairly quickly and as we observe some of the growing trends we've seen, there's a few things that we believe will only become more common in the upcoming year. On the other hand, with rumors of a recession looming, there is a feeling of uncertainty for the next 12 months.

How do you roast a coffee you have little information about, limited quantity of, and it needs to be done within a short timeline? A few weeks ago we were approached by our good friends and partners in coffee about doing a very limited run roast of a special coffee for them.  Our roasting knowledge and skill was put to the test and in this episode we talk through some of the ideas we wrestled with as we dialed in and roasted this coffee. Coffee Roaster based in Bellingham, WA Shop Our Coffee: https://bit.ly/36gPLRU Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

Exceptional coffees should be celebrated. After all, the work it takes to grow, produce, process, roast, and brew is all for the sake of a delicious cup of coffee. In today's episode, we reflect on the amazing coffees we wish everyone had the opportunity to taste. These are coffees that inspired us to pursue excellence. These are some of our favorite coffees of the year along with a few roasters we recommend you try!

Starting a business with family has both negative and positive connotation behind it. There bad stories we hear about business and money destroying relationships in families are very real, but it's not all bad. Although it comes with its unique set of difficulties, there are a handful of benefits worth mentioning.  In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast, we talk about what its like running Mirror Coffee Roasters as brothers, the challenges we've faced, and the advantage it has brought to our business.

Podcasting and listening to podcasts have become nearly as common as listening to music. Podcasts have become a resource of education, entertainment, storytelling, and a form of journalism. Even though it has many similarities to an AM station on your radio, it has many differences that have made it seamlessly integrate with culture.  On this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast we talk about our favorite podcasts and how podcasts are changing how we live, think, and learn.

You've decided to start your coffee shop, coffee cart or buy coffee for your restaurant or employees at your business. The question we've seen come up over and over again is how and where do I buy coffee beans. Although this may seem like common sense, in some cases this could make or break a cafe or business. In this episode, we talk through how we would approach buying coffee and what you should be aware of in the process.

On this Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast episode, we talk about holiday blends and buying your first home espresso machine. Sergei recently picked up a lever machine for home which he's been wanting for a while, however, it wasn't quite everything he expected. His experience with his first home espresso machine over the last several weeks gave him some insight on why someone would want to get a machine for home use and what you should consider when buying a machine for your home. Coffee Roaster based in Bellingham, WA Shop Our Coffee: https://bit.ly/36gPLRU Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

When it comes to making coffee, we tend to lean towards putting an emphasis on the basics of brewing. It's easy to overcomplicate coffee extraction, different brewers, and entertaining speculations so much that we lose the basics that get us most of the results.  On the other hand, if it wasn't for the desire to push the boundaries of what's possible and obsess over the details, we would be very far behind where we are now. Thanks to the rise of a niche group of folks, innovation is being encouraged more and more in our industry. Coffee Roaster based in Bellingham, WA Shop Our Coffee: https://bit.ly/36gPLRU Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

How do you get better at coffee roasting? This can be a difficult question to answer because there are so many variables at play and the lack of resources available online make this slightly complicated. Over the years, we've learned one thing that has truly transformed our roasting approach. It's something that could be adapted by nearly anyone regardless of machine, roasting style, or coffee being roasted. This turned out to be a really great episode that we enjoyed recording! Based in Bellingham, WA Shop Our Coffee: https://bit.ly/36gPLRU Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

What keeps baristas and coffee drinkers coming back to coffee shops? Although both show up for different reasons, why they choose to stick around for the long run have some similarities. It quickly gets messy when those needs are not met and taken cared of. Tune in to this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast as we break down what we think can improve the coffee shop experience for both coffee drinkers and baristas. We're a coffee roasting company based in Bellingham, WA Shop Our Coffee: https://bit.ly/36gPLRU Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

It's been an eventful week. Coffee Fest PNW happened which was emotional, community driven, and a celebration of craft. There was also a handful of new coffee gear, like the Fellow Stagg Kettle, xBloom brewer, and melodrip, being released and announced to the public which we wanted to talk about. Shop Our Coffee: https://bit.ly/36gPLRU Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0JFSdEj_yV43g0-d_WfNTQ Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

This week we had Coffee Fest Seattle and this year is the 30th anniversary of Coffee Fest. Coffee Fest isn't the only event for coffee enthusiasts and those who contribute to the industry. It's hard to put into words the experience, excitement, and impact these events have on coffee community. In this episode, we chat about why you should consider going and the value that they offer for the coffee community.

There's nothing quite like buying a bag of coffee and being disappointed with the results. Although flavor plays a huge role in this, there's another factor we don't always think about which is price. Should a higher cost coffee come with higher quality expectations? What happens when that expectation isn't met? We've been on both ends of the spectrum. We've been disappointed with bags of coffee we've bought from roasters, and we also understand the nuance of being the ones sourcing and roasting coffee. In this episode, we take a dive into this challenging conversation that we've had many times both as home brewers but also as roasters.

Coffee might just taste like coffee to you. The idea of tasting flavor notes in coffee might sound both overwhelming and impossible, but we've all been there at some point. That's what inspired this podcast episode to begin with! We wanted to share a simple guide on how to approach tasting your everyday coffee, and what you can be thinking about as you dive into this hobby. There's a lot more to it than what we covered here, however, this should get you drinking your morning brew a little differently. We hope you enjoy this episode. Share this with someone who might find this helpful!

This week we're doing a Q&A podcast episode. On Instagram, we asked folks to ask us questions we can cover on the podcast, and we got some really good topics that were hard to answer in such short time. We had questions about direct green coffee buying, how to learn coffee roasting, what are good cafe manager qualities, and so much more. We enjoyed making this episode and hope you get value out of this conversation!

The flavor difference between a light roast coffee and a dark roast coffee are substantial. Unfortunately, dark roasted coffee has some weight and negativity attached leaving many coffee roasters around the world, especially those leaning on the lighter side of the spectrum, completely abandoning that approach to roasting. Like most things, there are both pros and cons. In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast, we talk about a topic we don't hear discussed enough which is dark roast coffee. Based in Bellingham, WA and shipping! Shop Our Coffee & Apparel: https://bit.ly/36gPLRU Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/ Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MirrorCoffeeRoasters

Many of us have had a coffee enlightenment at some point in our lives. That moment you taste your first natural process Ethiopian, and you realize the bitter, instant coffee you grew up on was falling short of an amazing coffee experience. The complex flavor of coffee is why we're so meticulous about farming, processing, roasting, and brewing. On the other hand, we've realized that it has become so much more than just a great tasting coffee. In this podcast episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we talk about three things that completely change the daily coffee experience outside of flavor.

Owning a small business is challenging, rewarding, fun, and a huge learning experience. Over the last two and a half years of running a coffee roasting business, we've had to grow in ways we didn't expect to grow. Although many people start business to make more money, there is so much more benefits that come with it. In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we talk about the skills we learned owning a small business and how you can leverage your current experience for your longterm dream.

Coffee roasting is much more complex than just turning coffee brown. Dialing in the best roast for each coffee is both an art and skill, but maintaining peak quality is just as important. How does a roaster maintain quality as the green coffee changes over time? How do we make sure each roast tastes up to the standard of our initial dial in? In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast, we dive into quality control as a coffee roaster and what it takes to do that consistently.

We took last week off to head out of town for Sergei's birthday. It was a much needed vacation. We drove to Portland, OR with plans to enjoy the city's coffee scene and enjoy all the delicious food it. What caught us by surprise was a Cup of Excellence coffee tasting that our friends Onyx Coffee were hosting with a couple world class coffee producers. In this coffee podcast episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we talk about Portland's coffee scene, both the good and the bad, and connecting with Guatemala's best coffee producers.

Recently, we were recording some video content about our business model, vision and mission, and the goals for the near future. We were left asking ourselves, what would happen if we failed as a coffee roasting business? What is at stake in the grand scheme of things? This led to a much needed conversation that hopefully will leave you inspired to look towards your goals in your personal and professional life.

Coffee processing plays a huge role in flavor, and may be one of the most important steps in the entire coffee supply chain. Although we may have seen washed, honey, and natural processed coffees on the shelf at the local coffee shop, we may not know what those words mean and what is happening at the farm level. Now with the rise of many experimental processing, words and labels are getting even more complicated with anaerobic, carbonic maceration, and so on. In this podcast episode, we talk about the major processing methods, what they are, and some of the general flavor profiles they can bring out in coffees.

Starting any business from scratch is intimidating. There are so many rules to follow and things that need to be done right especially when it comes to taxes, city permits, laws, and so much more is in involved. Several folks from our audience has reached out with questions about launching a start up as a coffee roasting business or a coffee brand. Although we can't answer all the questions since many of these variables involve your particular location, we do outline some things to consider and a general direction that might help you get started.

Change is inevitable, and in today's modern time, the world is constantly changing ever so quickly. Owning and running a coffee roasting company is no different. From keeping up with new coffee brewers, green coffee buying, and roasting to constantly learning about business, scaling, and more social media platforms, everything is asking for attention. In todays episode, we talk about some of the changes we had to go through as a roasting company and why change might actually be healthy.

The Hario V60 coffee brewer has become one of the most popular brewers in the coffee industry. Whether you use it every day for your pour overs or you keep seeing it appear in cafes, movies, and Instagram posts, it's a far from anything new, and that's for some very good reasons. For us it's become our daily driver, and we thought it might be worth doing a dive into all things Hario V60. Tune in to this episode for a break down of one of the best coffee brewers on the market that has stood the test of time!

Coffee is one of the most popular commodities in the world and runs on a complex supply chain. If we're being honest, it's far from perfect. From low wages to climate change, there are real issues at hand that we should seek to solve, but we're not the only industry with problems. Kenna Warren joins the podcast as she talks about her studies in social entrepreneurship and what she has found in the fashion industry. Although very real problems exist, there is a glimmer of hope. In this podcast episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we talk to Kenna Warren about social entrepreneurship and how we can move towards a healthier way of running businesses and purchasing products.

Transitioning from being a multi-roaster cafe to a coffee roasting company is not easy. Roasting itself has a lot of technical skills that need to be learned, mastered, and executed on. On the other hand, there are some unforeseen challenges that don't get talked about often. We have our good friend and fellow roaster, Tim Shenkin, on this week's episode. Tim is the manager of Makeworth Market in Bellingham, WA which is now becoming Makeworth Coffee Roasters. In this episode, Tim shares the process of transitioning into a roasting company and some of the nuances that he's navigating in the process.

NFTs took the internet by storm in 2019 - 2022. Many people, including ourselves, were confused why jpeg images were selling for thousands of images. The NFT space started to look like a scam and virtual fade that sounded ridiculous to the everyday web user. As much as wanted to shake it off as unimportant, we were intrigued by the phenomena and started looking into it. After hours of podcasts, YouTube videos, articles, and a few NFT purchases, our approach has changed towards them, and the coffee industry might have to rethink its approach to this new technology. In this episode, we breakdown our journey of learning more about NFTs and why the coffee industry should reconsider how they can be used.   DISCLAIMER: we are still learning as this is all very new for many of us. If you believe we shared something incorrectly, leave a comment on YouTube or send us a DM or email.

Few things compare to the satisfying feeling of buying coffee gear that check all your boxes, preferences, stylistic choices, and ultimately empower you to brew a tasty cup. That being said, more coffee gear is being released than ever before. New gear is fun, but is it all worth it. In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we break down some of our experiences with roasting equipment, brewing gear, and reflect on some bad purchasing decisions.

Baristas do a lot more than just make coffee at a coffee shop. They're the ones cleaning up spills, washing floors during closing, and communicating with customers from all backgrounds. In addition to serving an excellent cup of coffee that is dialed and brewed with precision, there's so much more that's happening in the background that isn't talked about. In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we bring on one of our favorite local baristas, Micah Jones, to share his experience and share the big picture vision of working behind a coffee bar.

Koji Process. You may have heard of it, and we wouldn't be surprised if you haven't. it's a fairly new experimental coffee processing method, and it's innovative. Over the last decade, we've seen experimental processing become more and more popular yielding some very interesting flavor profiles in coffee that previously were not possible. Koji takes it up a notch, but have these processing methods gone too far? Are processing methods impacting flavor far too much? In this episode, we break down what the Koji Process consists of, an our experience with our first several brews of it.

Home baristas are changing the coffee industry. From gear becoming more and more affordable with the access to information and education only increasing over time, it's given room for this niche crowd to grow exponentially. If you could pull an incredible shot of espresso from any roaster in the world at home, then why would you go to a cafe? In this episode, we talk about the ever growing popularity of being a home barista and some of the significant impacts it has on the industry.

From the beginning, starting a coffee roasting company was never just about coffee. There's always been an underlying purpose and vision beyond the coffee bean, and layering that on top of our passions and interests outside of the coffee industry has given roasting coffee fresh life. In this episode, we talk about the community that has helped us reach 10,000 streams on podcast platforms and the other projects we are launch today that go beyond coffee.

Being a small business let alone a coffee roasting business is not easy. On the other hand, it is not much easier running a larger coffee roasting operation. There are trade offs and difficulties in both, however, we're all facing some very unique challenges as global tensions rise, c-market is reaching new highs, and coffee yields are fluctuating around the world.

Sergei just got back from competing in Coffee Fest New York in their latte art competition. He placed in the top 16! We cover a wide range of topics from travel, his preparation for competition, and what made competing for him such a great experience.

Buying and roasting new coffee is always such an exciting process. From tasting the samples to packaging and selling it for folks to enjoy at home, it comes with its fair share of discovery, nuance, and of course challenges. These challenges can come from green coffee quality, logistical issues, and so much more. One of the tasks we need to maneuver is roasting a coffee for the first time. In this episode, we talk about how we approach roasting a new coffee and what we look to achieve in that first roast!

In this industry of craftsmanship, we're always looking for ways to boost our understanding of coffee. Over the years, we've seen huge advancements in great resources for learning more about coffee, however, this tried and true method will take your understanding to the next level.   In this episode, we talk about the one thing that will take your coffee knowledge to the next level!

We launched Mirror Coffee Roasters in Bellingham, WA in December of 2019, and since then we've had the opportunity to source, roast, and serve really incredible coffees. Our job as a coffee roasting company is to source, roast, and share these delicious coffees, but what does a podcast have anything to do with it? As we hit our 50th podcast episode, we want to reflect back on how this has become one of our favorite and unexpected to come out of the last two years of roasting coffee. We also wanted to express how grateful we are for those who have been listening and watching over the last 50 episodes. This is a huge milestone, and we couldn't have done it without this community! We look forward to the next 50 episodes to come as we aim for 100.

Maxwell Mooney has been in the coffee industry for nearly a decade now, and in the next few weeks he will be opening up the second location of Narrative Coffee here in Bellingham, WA. His expertise in the industry and experience starting two coffee shops made for a powerful conversation. We were so excited to chat with him, and listen to what he had to say about the coffee industry. In this episode, we talk to Maxwell Mooney about some of the lessons he's learned as one of the owners of Narrative Coffee, and what was essential to their growth as a cafe.

Competing in specialty coffee is exciting for many of us in the industry. For us, coffee competitions go beyond just receiving a shiny award. Whether you're competing in the barista championships, coffee roasting competitions, or any of the many other categories, there's something more about these events that resonates with us. In today's episode on the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we break down why we compete in specialty coffee and why you may want to as well.

Our small town, Bellingham, WA, has become quite the coffee hub over the years with several big plans of expansion in the near future. If we're being honest, we did not see this huge explosion of specialty coffee in Bellingham coming. To see it unravel before our eyes with popularity in the last five years has been extraordinary. In this episode, we talk about the history and journey of our small town becoming a Pacific Northwest coffee hub.

Starting a coffee roasting company has become a very popular thing to do. We regularly hear of a new roastery starting from scratch which is very exciting. We're all for more talent, variety, and delicious coffee brands in the industry. On other hand, we also think running a coffee roasting company has been over glorified with a handful of misconceptions. In this episode, we break down a couple reasons why starting a coffee roasting company may not be the right move for you.

Working in the coffee industry as a roasting company, it's often easy to get caught up over details, business logistics, quality control, sourcing coffee, and the many things that come with running a coffee business. When we came across these coffee consumption statistics, it was helpful in many ways as we move forward not only as an industry, home coffee brewers, but also as a roasting company. In this episode, we unpack several interesting statistics about coffee drinkers in America that made us think twice about what we thought we knew.

Before we knew it, 2021 came to an end. With our 2021 Spotify Wrapped reminding us of all the good tunes we've been listening to this year, we're also thinking back to the learning experiences we've had as a coffee roasting business but also as people. There's a lot of unknown ahead of us in 2022, but we are excited and hopeful for what's coming in this new. In this episode, we cover some of the lessons we learned in 2021 and use that to set goals and make changes in 2022.

You wake up, and it's Christmas morning. What does your day look like? Where are you? For us, a cup of coffee is essential whether that's made with a Ratio drip coffee maker, an Aeropress, or a delicious chemex. We also have a couple annual Christmas traditions that are a little different than most. In this episode, we wish you a happy holidays, chat about this eventful morning, and give a you a sneak peak into a Mirror ritual.

Coffee brewing at home is becoming more and more popular with time. Equipment, knowledge, and other helpful resources are becoming accessible which in return is elevating the quality of coffee you could produce at home. That being said, how can you up your coffee brewing game in 2022? In this episode, we break down helpful literature, online resources, and other helpful tips on how you can elevate your brewing experience at home.

Over the last two years, we've received many emails from folks around the world asking about starting a coffee roasting company. Most of the time, they are questions that deal with the same general uncertainties and unknowns. That being said, we decided to revisit some of these topics and hope to help those searching for answers about roasting coffee. In this episode, we unpack several different questions we received in an email recently.

Taking the first steps towards your goals can be just as exciting as it is intimidating. Whether that's what others will think of you, your personal insecurities, or the long road ahead to get to where you want to be, there are barriers that need to be overcome.   In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast, we talk about some of the difficulties of taking those first steps can be, some of our personal setbacks, and what we can do to face them.

It's that time of year when we're doing our holiday gift shopping. Many of us will be searching for those couple people in our lives who would die without coffee. We thought it might be helpful to break down the best Christmas gift ideas for coffee enthusiasts from a coffee fanatic's perspective. Any of these gifts will surely make the coffee lover in your life overjoyed and potentially brewing you a tasty cup as a sign of gratitude.

Is that really blueberries you're tasting or did the coffee bag trick you into tasting that? Often times, flavor notes, branding, origin, and our preconceived ideas get in the way of tasting coffee objectively for what it has to offer. Chances are, that's not only happening more often than we'd like, but we're also not developing our pallet when that's the case. It actually ends up hurting our growth as tasters when we allow those things to get in the way. In this episode, we talk about what we've learned over the years cupping coffee, and how we attempt to eliminate bias as coffee roasters when we go about tasting coffees.

Coffee hand grinders have grown not only in popularity, but also in quality and accessibility. Grinders like the Commandante C40 have changed how we look at these tools and what they're capable of. Although they can be inconvenient at times, there are definitely a couple reasons why we think you need one. In this episode, we break down our experience with coffee hand grinders, the Commandante C40, and why they're good to have. Based in Bellingham, WA and shipping! Shop Our Coffee: mirrorcoffeeroasters.com Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

Coffee sustainability at origin has been a huge conversation amongst the specialty coffee community. It's really refreshing to see the industry have these conversations. On the other hand, from our conversations with producers, farmers, importers, and scientists, it's a much bigger issue to take on. One thing is for sure, we have still have a lot to learn. In this episode, we reflect back on some of the powerful conversations we've had with those working closely at origin, and we share the insight we have received with you.

Our first in-person podcast guest is Edwin Martinez, the CEO of Onyx Coffee and third generation Guatemalan coffee producer at Finca Vista Hermosa. They import spectacular Guatemalan coffees for roasters to add to their menu. Edwin has an inspiring story that starts in Guatemala at origin and navigates through starting a coffee shop, owning a coffee roasting business, and now importing coffee. On this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we dive into his story and touch up on running a business, importing coffee, sustainability, and more.

We're doing our first Q&A on the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast! On our Instagram this week, we asked folks to submit your questions, and we were pretty excited to see what we got. We got questions anywhere from V60 questions to pour over recipes, coffee grinders, and small business life.

Coffee roasting is an art, craft, skill, and mystery. Well to a certain extent it's a mystery. We've listened to countless podcasts, read books, attended roasting classes, and many great resources of information will not agree on a handful of roasting approaches. Although we've learned a lot from many educators, some things you won't quite fully grasp until you charge a batch of green coffee into the roaster. In episode 33, we break down three things we learned from experience as coffee roasters with hopes that it encourages, inspires, and educates coffee roasters around the world.

Grab a cup of coffee and sit down with us as we talk about whatever comes to mind. Of course coffee had to be part of the discussion. We touch base on drip coffee, how it has grown over the last several years, and how Scott Rao’s UFO Spray Head helps brewing drip coffee on commercial machines.

When will you start a coffee shop? We get that question all the time. As we approach two years of running our coffee roasting company, we reflect back on why we started a roasting company specifically in the first place. Although owning a cafe sounds a bit more exciting than a roasting company, we had intentional reasons for what we did.   In this podcast episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we breakdown why we started a coffee roasting company instead of a coffee shop.

We all have goals and dreams we hope to accomplish. In a time of instant gratification, it's very easy to be distracted from what you're out to achieve especially when it's a long term goal. Staying focused in the midst of distractions and, in our case, competition is a challenge but absolutely essential.  In this Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast episode, we think out loud about some of the difficulties we've run into and some practical tips of how you can stay focused on your next greatest accomplishment.

The current climate of the coffee industry is going to affect us all in one way or another. Because coffee is a global industry, it adds layers and layers of complications. In this podcast episode, we break down what is happening and some of the changes we as coffee drinkers and business owners in the industry will experience.

Over the last several years, there's been a surge of interest in the home barista niche. Whether that's having a home pour over bar or a single group head espresso machine with some of the best grinders in the world, more and more people are getting into brewing top notch coffee at home. On the other hand, we continue to see more coffee roasting companies and cafes open which is growing the demand for skillful baristas behind bar. Although there are similarities between the two, they are also different in more than one way. In this episode, we break down some of the similarities and differences of being a home barista vs working in the industry as a professional. We also talk about how to find the place that fits you best between the two!

Do we need more coffee gear? What about more pour over brewers? Over the last several years, we've noticed a huge increase in coffee equipment hitting the market. From innovative espresso machines to home coffee grinders to pour over brewers of every shape and size, but is it all necessary? In this Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions episode, we break this coffee gear conversation down and share our personal experiences with some of this gear.

What does coffee taste like? Today we're talking about flavor notes on coffee bags. Are they helpful? Do you buy coffee based on the notes labeled? Maybe you have no idea what coffee flavor notes on a bag mean? Today we dive into flavor notes, how we come up with them, and why we even have them on coffee bags. This discussion is a sequel to our previous episode where we break down how we describe what our coffee taste like. If you haven't listened to that, we'd highly recommend you listen to it!

What does your coffee taste like? Is it bold, smooth, burnt, light, or maybe it just tastes like coffee. Describing what our coffee tastes like can get really complicated really fast.  It's been said that there are over 850 aroma and flavor compounds found in coffee, and that's scientifically proven. How we discern that in our coffee tastings or cuppings can get a little crazy. In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we break down the words we use to describe what we're tasting in coffee and how you can too.

Coffee blends have been a debated topic over the last decade in the specialty coffee community. Although there isn’t anything horrible about coffee blends, which we touch up on some of the positive aspects to them, they’re definitely not perfect. To a certain extent, it goes beyond just a preference. In this Coffee Roaster Warm Up Session, we dissect some of the arguable points for both. Although we do lean towards single origin coffees, this podcast highlights both sides from an objective stance.

In this episode, Sergei talks to his good friend Taylor about what it has been like for him living and now working in Indonesia for the last seven years. This podcast is packed! They talk about robusta, arabica, helping the people of Indonesia, and how he's after impacting the future of Indonesian coffee.

Sergei returned from his trip to Florida, and he had the opportunity to hit all of his favorite coffee shops in Florida. Sergei gives us a run down of some of his favorite cafes he was able to visit and share his experiences. Both of our recent trips out of town has sparked a lot of thought about the specialty coffee experience in cafes. Today we touch up on what we think can be improved to make these visits that much sweeter.

Mark just got back from San Francisco and of course he had to hit the best coffee shops in the area. San Francisco has a rich coffee culture that is such a pleasure to discover as someone visiting the city. We also talk about Sergei's trip to Florida and what we think is the most important part of the coffee shop experience.

Buying coffee can either be very simple or unnecessarily overwhelming with the amount of options there are. There are new roasting companies popping up all the time yet there are so many well established ones we've grown familiar with. In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions Podcast, we dive into some of the nuances we face when purchasing coffee from roasting companies.

Running a coffee roasting business alone has many moving parts, but grasping coffee roasting itself is just as difficult if not more intricate. There's still so much to learn and explore in this craft, but we wanted to give some guidance to beginner coffee roasters. Here we break down a couple coffee roasting basics, and a couple resources we recommend for starting your journey!

Working in coffee as a barista or roaster is sometimes over romanticized. If you're looking from the outside in, things appear to be much different than they really are. That being said, some people are thriving working in those positions. With the current labor shortage going on in the country, in this episode wanted to talk about why that may be happening, what we can learn from the past year, and how that is impacting the coffee industry. Based in Bellingham, WA Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

Fishing season started a couple weeks ago here in the Pacific Northwest. It's been years since we've enjoyed a good fishing season. As small business owners and running a coffee roasting company, it is far too easy to get in the nonstop cycle of working, getting things done, and keeping up with new trends in the industry. Over the last few weeks, we've jumped back into fishing. In this episode we talk about how fishing has impacted how we run our business, and what we have learned from it over the last couple weeks. Based in Bellingham, WA Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

If we haven't said this enough, roasting coffee is a very complex process. Taking a coffee from a green color to a brown color is fairly easy, but there's so much more happening there. Each roaster has their unique approach to roasting and style which results in a huge variety of unique options for us to enjoy. In this episode, we break down just one of the parts of roasting which is color. From light roast coffee to dark roast coffee, there are a couple things we consider when deciding where we want to take these delicious coffees we have. Based in Bellingham, WA Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

Is pour over coffee really better than french press coffee? Although that's been an industry standard for the last decade, we argue why french press coffee ( immersion brewing ) is in some ways a better way to make coffee at home than pour overs ( percolation brewing ). We also venture into talking about the aeropress and the newest brewer on the market, the Tricolate brewer. Based out of Bellingham, WA Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

It was Fall of 2019 that things got really serious about starting a coffee roasting company, however, it was in the talks long before that. For years before our launch, we have been discussing how we can impact the coffee industry, especially at origin, and our dream of starting a coffee company. It finally fell into place. In this episode of Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we talk about the origins of Mirror Coffee Roasters and why we eventually pursued this journey. Based out of Bellingham, WA Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

Specialty coffee is growing rapidly and taking over the coffee industry slowly but surely. Delicious coffee is accessible now more than it ever has. We're not just talking about the light roast trend because there's so much more that is happening, and we couldn't be more excited about it! Based in Bellingham, WA Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

This last week, we were setup for an incredible opportunity that almost felt like a dream. It was everything we talked about when we entertained the idea of starting a coffee bar. As tough conversations went on and on, at the last minute we realized this wasn't the right decision to make. Sometimes saying no is the right thing to do even when it's hard. Based in Bellingham, WA Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

Over the past year, we have dove into the world of social media and even more specifically, the coffee content of social media. It's been such a pleasure to be able to find other coffee enthusiast, get to know them, and be inspired creatively by the art they've made. The coffee community on these social media platforms are absolutely incredible! That being said, it's not always perfect, and we cover all of that in this episode of Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions. Based in Bellingham, WA Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

Years ago, coffee wasn’t a thing for us. At least not the way it is right now, however, through several travel and cultural experiences, that has changed significantly. In this coffee podcast episode, we dive into some of the most memorable experiences we’ve had in foreign countries that has transformed how we see coffee. Based out of Bellingham, Washington Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

The other week, we were asked on Instagram, "How do you get into specialty coffee as a beginner?" In addition to that, we found ourselves discussing what is specialty coffee to start with! We absolutely loved this question because at one point we were exposed to specialty coffee, got into it, and then eventually it changed our lives completely. In this coffee roaster warm up session, we discuss our stories as well as some practical things you could do to learn about specialty coffee! Based out of Bellingham, Washington Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

Buying green coffee is arguably one of the most important aspects of a coffee roasting company. With an endless amount of possibilities and options out there, how does one decide which coffee to buy? In this episode, we discuss one of the several key aspects we look for in coffee which is the flavor profile. Based out of Bellingham, WA Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/

Cold brew is a beverage we're all too familiar with yet we don't think it gets talked about enough especially in specialty coffee. After our recent collaboration with Stemma Brewing out of Bellingham, WA, it has come to our attention that cold brew coffee can be sweet, complex, and not your average brew.  In this episode of Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions, we talk about some of the biggest aspects of brewing amazing cold brew and some practical tips on how you can make it at home.

As a coffee roasting company, we're always pursuing excellence in all we do. This is great until it starts to hurt us and stunt our growth. Both of us are perfectionist, and we've also noticed how much it has suppressed us from living out our full potential and growing.  In this Coffee Roaster Warm Up Session, we talk about what that's like dealing with perfectionism while still going after excellence.

We just passed our first year since starting our coffee roasting company, and it's been a wild ride. So many unexpected events happened and we learned a lot as a business. In this Coffee Roaster Warm-Up Session, we talk about some of the things we have learned as a new coffee company in its first year. Thank you so much for the support! We are looking forward to this upcoming year.

This was such an enjoyable conversation to have as we looked back over the many years of experiencing the holiday season. From the scent of the holidays to iconic Christmas movies, and even experiencing world record snowfall, the holidays are always such a unique and memorable part of the year for us. Reminisce with us on these classic holiday season memories.

We live in a world of one-click orders, quick shipping times, endless sign ups to subscriptions, and impulse purchases that can be made far too easily. Although not all of these things are bad, we think being a bit more intentional will dramatically improve our quality of life. Intentional living could be in your spending, time management, decision making, and more. In this Coffee Roaster Warm Up Session, we talk about intentionality and the impact we witnessed happen when people took responsibility towards that.

Today we talk about the recent natural disaster that hit Central America. A coffee importer we work with in Guatemala shared the news on social media, and it felt so personal for us. We have bought coffee from these countries that were hit by Hurricane Eta, and to know their families and communities were heavily impacted moved us deeply. These moments have significant future impacts for these communities and the coffee industry as a whole.

The coffee industry is an industry that is undergoing a lot of change. The specialty coffee subcategory is fairly small yet growing quite rapidly, but like all things, there are a lot of difficulties we have to wrestle with when things are developing through their younger stages. We talk about what the year 2020 has done to the coffee industry and the incredible support we felt from people supporting small businesses like ours! Shop our coffees: Mirrorcoffeeroasters.com