Yet again, a huge thanks to Cindy for putting together these excellent show notes!

17.2mb, 59:21 mm:ss. 40 kbps bitrate, 44.1Hz sample rate, mono channel.

Questions or comments podcast@coffeegeek.com or call the voicemail line at 1-206-965-8185, or Skype to Skype - search for the "CoffeeGeek" username.

Take your pick on how to listen:

RSS Feed link for subscribing, or

CG Podcast 031 MP3 File  for straight downloading.

Apple iTunes (updated!) direct link.


Show Notes

A Barista in Ethiopia: Angie Lof, Head Trainer at JJBean (2:03)
- Ethiopia Trip: the Harrari; women in Ethiopia (2:37)
- Cultural highlights (5:13)
- Chat use in Ethiopia and coffee farming (8:37)
- Coffee: Ethiopian coffee ceremony (12:46); visit to coffee plantation in Harrar (21:51); coffee cherries (24:34)
- Kenya Trip and coffee (30:43)
- Results of the Cup of Excellence Brasil Auction and coffee prices (32:18)

New York Times Article on Grinders (42:11)

Guardian Article mentioning the CG Podcast (45:02)

Cup of Excellence Brasil Auction, Part I
- Interview with Instaurator, who in association with Michel’s Espresso and Caffe Artigiano, paid a record-breaking price ($49.75 US) for a Cup of Excellence coffee (45:21)
- Breaking down the cost per cup (49:00)
- The price of coffee and the wine analogy (52:53)
- Interview postscript – Cup of Excellence (56:47)
- To be continued in the next CG podcast…

Once again, a huge thanks to Cindy for putting together these excellent show notes!

20.7mb, 72:28 mm:ss. 40 kbps bitrate, 44.1Hz sample rate, mono channel.

Questions or comments podcast@coffeegeek.com or call the voicemail line at 1-206-965-8185, or Skype to Skype - search for the "CoffeeGeek" username.

Take your pick on how to listen:

RSS Feed link for subscribing, or

CG Podcast 030 MP3 File  for straight downloading.

Apple iTunes direct link.


Show Notes

The News with Jeanette Chan (1:52)
- Kenyan coffee farmers in debt (2:00)
- New Orleans-based PJ’s coffee reopening locations closed by Katrina (2:38)
- Coffee lowers risk of breast cancer in certain women (3:10)
- Starbucks wins trademark infringement suit in China (4:32)
- Lakewood, WA couple charged with forcing their niece to work as a slave at their espresso stand (5:25)
- Culprit in string of espresso stand robberies in Washington state apprehended (8:24)

Phuong Tran, 2005 US Barista Champion (9:29)
- Phuong’s café: Lava Java, Ridgefield, Washington (10:05)
- Phuong’s road to the USBC (10:43)
- What the competition consists of (14:47)
- What barista competitions are all about (19:21)
- How to improve barista competitions (22:03)
- Rumors of a competing body to the World Barista Championship (WBC) (26:59)
- Phuong’s experience at the Nordic Cup: cow milking; triangle tests; milk tasting tests; signature drink team competition; coffee brewing test (27:32)
- The 2005 WBC (34:50):  Mark’s view on Phuong’s finish (36:02); the finalists (congrats to Sammy Piccolo on his new baby boy!)  (37:31); a behind the scenes look (38:42); Phuong’s training (43:53); Phuong’s signature drink, the Crimson Sage (47:23)
- Judging and the sensory skills test (54:38)
- The Great Lakes Regional Barista Competition (58:39)
- Vancouver café crawl: Caffe Artigiano, JJBean, Prado, Wicked Café, Elysian Room (59:31)
- Mark and Phuong compare shots and discuss flair vs consistency (1:02:26)
- Phuong’s thoughts on what could be done differently at the USBC (1:07:57)