Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

What are modular espresso machines & how do they work?

For decades, espresso machine design and technology have been evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of coffee shop owners and baristas. From multi-boiler systems and automation to custom branding, there are now more factors to consider than ever before when it comes to the design of an espresso machine. Many businesses choose to position their […]


Cup of Excellence to Offer El Salvador Immersion Program

The immersion experience will allow participants to grow their knowledge on Salvadoran culture and coffee varieties. BY J. MARIE CARLANBARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Photos courtesy of Cup of Excellence Cup of Excellence is launching a new learning opportunity in 2024: the Origin Immersion Program, to be held in El Salvador from February 26 to March 5. […]


The Barista League Releases New Competition Calendar

Presenter of sustainable, accessible events, The Barista League plans to hold 12 competitions in 10 countries in the months ahead. BY J. MARIE CARLANBARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Photos courtesy of The Barista League The Barista League has officially announced its event roster for the next year. Last year saw 10 Barista League events worldwide, and the […]


An In-Depth Look at Gruppo Cimbali’s Coffee Technician Wheel

The Coffee Technician Wheel is a new tool that helps technicians understand the complexity of coffee extraction. BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Edgardo Ferrero and Espresso Academy Coffee technicians are responsible for a complex set of tasks related to the production and extraction of coffee. They manage customer requests and need to […]

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

How do you roast coffee for milk?

It’s impossible to deny just how popular milk-based coffee drinks (such as the flat white, latte, and cappuccino) are in coffee shops around the world. According to 2020 data from Project Café USA, the latte was the most ordered drink in the UK, and the third-most popular beverage in US coffee shops. In line with […]


5 Amazing Coffee Drinks in Reno, Nev.

Here are some standout specialty drinks you can try in the Biggest Little City in the World. BY EDDIE P. GOMEZSPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE Photos by Eddie P. Gomez Reno, Nev., has more cafés per capita than just about any other place in North America. And because it is a snowier-than-usual winter in northwestern Nevada […]


How to roast anaerobically fermented coffee

Among the many different kinds of experimental processing methods, anaerobic fermentation is perhaps the most popular and intriguing. Interest in this processing technique is only growing, with more and more anaerobic fermented coffee available in cafés and roasteries around the world. Moreover, of all the advanced processing methods, this particular technique has one of the […]


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 […]

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

An Unfiltered History of Vietnamese Coffee

We explore the history of coffee in Vietnam and how the industry’s perception of Vietnamese coffee is evolving.  BY EMILY MENESES BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Featured photo by frank mckenna via Unsplash What do you think of when you hear the term “Vietnamese coffee”? For Kim Dam, founder of Portland Cà Phê, it extends far beyond […]


Conflict in the Red Sea: Why coffee roasters need to prepare for shipping delays

Like many other industries, conditions in the coffee supply chain can change quickly, and in turn, have a huge impact on all actors and stakeholders. Price volatility is one of the more pertinent – which is influenced by many factors. These include fluctuations in supply and demand, extreme or unexpected weather events, global economic downturn, […]


Ukraine’s Soloway Coffee Opens First US Shop in Chicago

A specialty coffee roasting company based in western Ukraine called Soloway Coffee (Instagram link) this week opened its first location in the United States. Beans roasted in Ternopil, Ukraine, using…


Medium-sized farms play an important role in specialty coffee

For many consumers and industry professionals, specialty coffee and direct trade are inextricably linked. Building strong and mutually beneficial working relationships between producers and roasters is often seen as a cornerstone of establishing a truly sustainable supply chain. So with this association between specialty coffee and direct trade, there can be a narrative of smaller-sized […]

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

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...

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

The February + March 2023 issue of Barista Magazine features New Zealand coffee & chef champion Sam Low on the cover. Also inside: a special section on branding, understanding trademark law, an interview with Laura Sommers, field reports from Kansas City, Indonesia, and Hong Kong, and much more.

BY KENNETH R. OLSON
BARISTA MAGAZINE

We’re excited to release the February + March 2023 issue of Barista Magazine! Our writers and editors did a tremendous job to create another issue packed with great informational articles. The February + March 2023 cover features Sam Low of New Zealand, who’s not just a champion barista but also the newly crowned winner of MasterChef New Zealand. Inside we’ve got a special section on branding and rebranding, an interview with longtime specialty coffee pro Laura Sommers, field reports from across the globe, and more.

Want a physical magazine to read and keep? Order a subscription or single copy today in our online store. Additionally, as always, everyone has access to the new issue for free online with our digital edition. 

Cover Feature: Sam Low

While the COVID-19 pandemic locked almost everyone away from the larger world, Sam Low used his time in isolation creatively, re-plating and Instagramming his meals while spending weeks in quarantine in a hotel, for example. The New Zealander had already made a name for himself as a coffee pro and barista champion, but Sam emerged from the pandemic with a new title: champion chef. Barista Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Sarah Allen, interviews Sam about his journey as a coffee expert but also a child of immigrants and a queer advocate.

(Re)Branding

Whether your business is expanding to new locations, acquiring an existing business, or is simply looking to freshen things up, a rebranding initiative can be costly and disruptive. Writer Josh Rank takes a look at what advice to take and which mistakes to avoid when creating an updated brand in “(Re)Branding: A Second First Impression.“

Special Branding Section

While we take a deep dive on rebranding in the February + March 2023 issue, we also pull back to the larger view of breaking down the basics of branding. In our special branding section, we talk to coffee professionals Julia Mayer of Dune Coffee, Sam Schroeder of Olympia Coffee, and Jess Steffy of Square One Coffee about their experiences building a brand. We also highlight common mistakes to avoid and successful steps to emulate when creating your brand.

Cashbox: Trademarking

A close companion to branding is trademarking. A trademark is not a brand but rather a piece of a brand. A trademark offers legal protections but can also come at a cost for your business. Barista Magazine’s longtime business columnist Tracy Allen of Brewed Behavior breaks down what goes into a trademark and whether or not your business should file for one in “Cashbox.“

’One on One: Laura Sommers’

Sure, she’s spent time dressed as a latte, waving customers into a café, but that just means Laura Sommers has devoted a lot of time to working in coffee. Ask her why, and she’ll say the answer is easy: the people. Since starting in specialty coffee in Seattle in the 1990s, Laura has been at the forefront of innovation and change in the industry. She talks about the growth she’s seen, her humble beginnings, and what she sees for the future of the coffee community in the February + March 2023 issue “One on One“ interview.

All of these stories and more are in our latest issue. Inside the February + March 2023 issue, you’ll also find field reports from Kansas City, Hong Kong, and Indonesia, while the “Foam“ section features articles on DIRT Coffee, trans joy, and what it’s like to work at the northernmost and southernmost cafés in the world.

Subscribe and More!

As always, you can read Barista Magazine in paper or digital format. Read the February + March 2023 issue for free with our digital edition. And for more than three years’ worth of issues, visit our digital edition archives here.

You can order a hard copy of the magazine through our online store here, or start a subscription for one year or two.

The post Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue appeared first on Barista Magazine Online.

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

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.

Out Now: The February + March 2023 Issue

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