Brewing at Home and on the Road with Justin Pierce

Brewing at Home and on the Road with Justin Pierce

Florencia y Fortunata: A Café Empowering Women in Peru

The Cusco café, founded by Carolina Peralta Minaya, sells coffee from women producers and features women demonstrating their skills behind the bar. BY JORDAN BUCHANANBARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Photos courtesy of Carolina Peralta Minaya Traceability, sustainability, and conscientiousness are key values pervading the specialty-coffee trade. For many consumers and traders, these values inform their decision to […]


Miami-Made Panther Coffee is Popping Up in Manhattan

Beloved Miami specialty coffee company Panther Coffee is making its first major New York City showing with the opening of a popup shop in Soho. With a soft opening scheduled…


Test Drive: Update Your Grinding With More Comandante Grinder Accessories

The popular hand grinder has more to offer with a new line of tools and accessories now available. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Feature photo by Tanya Nanetti To brew the perfect cup of coffee, it’s important to choose the right coffee equipment. One essential is a reliable coffee grinder. Most coffee lovers start with a […]


Playing Leaderboard, the Arcade-Inspired Coffee Game

We sat down to try the newest version of the game—a fun opportunity to learn more about coffee while vying for cool coffee prizes.  BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos by Tanya Nanetti I’ve never been much into video games, except for the classic arcade games of my youth.   Growing up in the ‘80s meant […]

Brewing at Home and on the Road with Justin Pierce

Brewing at Home and On the Road with Darrin Daniel

We check in with the Cup of Excellence executive director to learn his current coffee-brewing habits. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Featured photo by Emre via Unsplash Brewing coffee is, for many coffee professionals, more than just a job.   They usually brew coffee every day, both for themselves and their customers. Perhaps they do it […]


Know Your Sweeteners: Agave: Part One — Indigenous Use

Known today primarily as a sweetener, agave can be traced back thousands of years. BY EMILY JOY MENESESBARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Featured photo by Bruno Cervera via Unsplash Recently, we launched our brand new article series “Know Your Sweeteners,” where we’re discussing a variety of sweeteners and syrups, and analyzing the unique characteristics of each one. […]


How to Make the Best Coffee at Home By James Hoffmann: Book Review 

James Hoffmann’s new book, How to Make the Best Coffee at Home, is finally out, and is the perfect guide for both professionals and amateurs. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos by Tanya Nanetti James Hoffmann is one of the most recognizable people in the world of specialty coffee. His YouTube channel is both informative […]


Understanding the Process: Koji Fermentation

Continuing our series on coffee processing, we learn about koji fermentation, a unique process usually associated with the brewing of sake. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Forest Coffee If brewed properly, a cup of coffee can offer countless variations of flavor and aroma. The quality and complexity of these attributes depend on many different […]

Brewing at Home and on the Road with Justin Pierce

What I Learned from My First Tea Ceremony

After taking in a brief moment of a tea ceremony in Thailand, I finally had the chance to participate in the full experience recently in Malaysia. BY TANYA NANETTI SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos by Tanya Nanetti In the years that I worked as a barista in a café, tea always played a marginal role in […]


Serving Coffee in the Epicenter

The Turkish specialty-coffee community is coming together to support earthquake relief. BY MICHAEL BUTTERWORTHSPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE When Niji Coffee went live on Instagram, it felt as though the entire Turkish specialty-coffee community was watching with bated breath. Niji Coffee made a name for itself in the Turkish specialty-coffee scene when, as a relatively […]


Breaking New Ground: A Sicilian Coffee Plantation, Part One

The impacts of climate change are starting to be felt in Sicily, but while they’re causing problems, the rising temperatures are also bringing new opportunities. BY JOSEPH PHELANSPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Featured image courtesy of Henrique Ferreira on Unsplash The Sicilian love affair with coffee is known the world over. Sicily, the largest of […]


Joven and Atucún Join Forces to Empower Young Farmers

The two brands have collaborated to create a unique coffee bar and support young farmers in the coffee and cacao industries. BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Joven Coffee  For their first-of-its-kind bar, Joven Coffee and Atucún Chocolateria combined coffee beans, extracted cocoa butter, and organic cane sugar. Committed to supporting young farmers […]

Brewing at Home and on the Road with Justin Pierce

Brewing at Home and on the Road with Justin Pierce

minimum dose size?

Jan 31, 2024 |

I use the Hario switch to brew my coffee and am trying to reduce my caffeine consumption. Hence I would like to brew smaller cups of coffee. I am currently using 10g of coffee with 160g of water. (1:16 Ratio) I am wondering if there is a minimum amount of coffee...

Brewing at Home and on the Road with Justin Pierce

In this series, we ask coffee professionals how they like to drink their coffee while at home and when traveling.

BY TANYA NANETTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT

Feature photo courtesy of Justin Pierce

Coffee professionals tend to spend most of their days brewing coffee. Baristas brew coffee behind the bar for their customers. Roasters brew it to check the roast profile; bloggers brew it to share a new recipe with the world. But what happens when they’re not at work? What are their coffee habits when they’re relaxing at home? How do these habits change when they travel? 

Meet Justin Pierce, aka Daddy Got Coffee

Justin Pierce is a 36-year-old coffee blogger who lives a little north of Toronto with his wife and three kids. In addition to his main occupation in digital marketing, he runs his coffee channel: Daddy Got Coffee. He loves “helping people discover their own breakthroughs in coffee,” as he puts it.

So what are Justin’s coffee habits when he’s chilling at home? What is his favorite brewing method?

Justin and his three kids watch while he pours water from a white gooseneck kettle into an AeroPress. They are at the kitchen table with an overhead lamp. A couple of houseplants are visible, and a gray door and chandelier are in the background.
Justin and his wife, Sarah, keep the coffee flowing while at home, from Americanos to batch brew. Photo courtesy of Justin Pierce.

“Oh man, I really change it up,” Justin says, “but Sarah and I always start the day with a round of Americanos. After that, we usually crank out a couple pourovers, maybe a batch brew. And often we’ll have some decaf espresso or drip later in the day!”

Out and About Near Toronto

Justin’s days are typically full of caffeine, but does he also go out for coffee at specialty-coffee shops in his town? And what is his go-to order?

“I live near a couple of small towns with a very small number of shops. If I’m in a hurry I’ll get an Americano to go. But I also love a good pourover, and if I feel like sitting down for a sec, I love getting a single-origin espresso and water. So good!”

The interior of a bustling Toronto cafe. The space is large and industrial looking, with exposed brick, hanging lamps, and tall windows and a glass door. The tables are wood and metal, with plain chairs and a shiny espresso bar. An assortment of people sit at the bar and at tables for two.
When Justin visits a coffee shop while traveling, he likes to ask the barista for recommendations. Photo by Nick Hillier via Unsplash.

For Justin, however, coffee outside is the exception. He almost always drinks it at home, frequently taking it with him if he has to go out. He has even set up a little coffee bar at his office, to make coffee there as good as the coffee he has at home. “When I visit a café,” he says, “it’s because I love connecting with the people there.”

Coffee with Friends

Things obviously change a lot when Justin isn’t home: a visit to friends or family can be somewhat tricky when you’re a coffee pro. Will their coffee be “good enough”? Will they feel the pressure?

“Because of my Instagram account and YouTube channel, when we’re visiting friends and family, comments are usually made about them being nervous to make coffee!” Justin shares. “But the reality is, when we’re visiting someone, we’re there for the company, not the café-quality coffee. We always drink whatever is served, and even if it might not be what we would make at home, we enjoy it just as much if not more!”

The Pierces On the Road

When Justin travels somewhere else, perhaps visiting a new city, he always tries to hit a couple of great local cafés with his family. His favorite way to order at a new spot is always the same: “I’ll take one of whatever you would have.” Wherever possible, he loves to try a barista’s recommendation.  

Justin brews coffee with his three small children in tow. They are in the kitchen, using an AeroPress at the table. The smallest child is trying to put a red toy on Justin's head.
Justin and his wife have three kids, who also get into the coffee-brewing process! Photo courtesy of Justin Pierce.

The ’Essential’ Travel Kit

For Justin, traveling means visiting new cafés and sticking to specialty-coffee shops as much as possible. But for someone so used to brewing at home, it also means traveling with a “small” brewing kit. 

“Don’t ask my wife if I’m traveling with a simple brewing kit, because she might give you a different answer—ha! In my mind, I’m a minimalist, but it always seems to balloon to a little beyond what may be considered … appropriate. If I had to pick three essential coffee tools, I would say a great hand grinder (currently a TIMEMORE Xlite), an AeroPress Go, and a scale. Maybe a small kettle, in case there isn’t one there. And while I’m at it, I may as well bring a Kalita Wave. And water-additive pouches don’t take up much space. … Let’s just say I haven’t packed up an electric espresso machine, yet. But sometimes I pack a manual machine and an electric grinder. I should stop before I incriminate myself further; I think you get the picture!” 

Justin has one final suggestion regarding the best way to drink and brew coffee while traveling. “It’s really hard to beat the hand grinder/AeroPress combo. At a hotel, I’ll even use the junk coffee maker to heat up water for the AeroPress! Such a forgiving and lightweight setup, even if you just eyeball it!”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tanya Nanetti (she/her) is a specialty-coffee barista, a traveler, and a dreamer. When she’s not behind the coffee machine (or visiting some hidden corner of the world), she’s busy writing for Coffee Insurrection, a website about specialty coffee that she’s creating along with her boyfriend.

The post Brewing at Home and on the Road with Justin Pierce appeared first on Barista Magazine Online.

Brewing at Home and on the Road with Justin Pierce

Perfect Little Beans

Chinmey Hill Coffee uses specialty-grade beans with zero primary defects (such as black beans or sour beans) and less than five secondary defects (such as broken beans). This is important because primary defects will greatly affect the taste of the coffee. Having zero defects allows the coffee to be the most optimal flavor.

Window for Optimal Flavor

Chimney Hill Coffee ships our coffee the same day it was roasted, so you will receive it before it enters the window of optimal flavor.  This means you’ll never miss the opportunity to enjoy the coffee’s peak flavor.

Coffee Ratings

Coffee undergoes many scoring processes by professionals who achieved their Q Grader certification. Coffee is first graded when it’s green. If there are defects the coffee is determined to be “not-specialty grade”. For those coffees that pass green grading, they are sample roasted and cupped. (Cupping is the official term for critically tasting and scoring coffees. The official cupping form is standard worldwide, and where the 100-point scoring system comes from.) A coffee’s dry fragrance, wet aroma, flavor, aftertaste, body, acidity, balance, and overall impression are taken into consideration while uniformity issues and defects, will lower the overall score.

Specialty Coffee

Specialty coffee, coined by Erna Knutsen in 1974, refers to a coffee that receives a quality grading score of 80 percent or higher. While “premium” or “gourmet” seem like they’re synonymous with “specialty,” they simply are marketing terms with no defined standards. Specialty coffees are grown in specific and ideal micro-climates, and have distinctive and unique flavor profiles, with little to no defects.

Third-Wave Coffee

We’re currently in the third wave of coffee. The first wave of American coffee put pre-ground, vacuum-sealed cans in kitchens across America. The second wave started with the late ‘60s introduction of Peet’s coffee (by Alfred Peet) through the proliferation of Starbucks. The third wave of coffee focuses on origin transparency, nuanced flavors, and artisan roasting. The term “third wave” is synonymous with specialty coffee.

Brewing at Home and on the Road with Justin Pierce

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