Blog — Specialty Coffee
Make Sam's Coffee Sherry Cocktail at Home
Winter blues got you down? Why not warm up with a coffee cocktail? We suggest one of Sam Schroeder's Coffee in Good Spirits concoctions—because nothing beats the winter chill like the thrill of mastering a competition-worthy cocktail, right?Meet the Coffee Sherry: a beautifully balanced and stunningly delicious coffee cocktail. Sam served this little number up at the Coffee in Good Spirits Championships. And he recently teamed up with Reyna (who, in 2024, is embarking upon her own Coffee in Good Spirits journey) to whip up a non-alcoholic version to serve at our Columbia City cafe. For a competition-crushing cocktail, it's...
Natural Wonders: Three Unique Takes on Natural Processing
When we talk about flavor in coffee, we’re never talking about just one factor. From the varietal of bean to the soil it grew in—all the way to how it fermented and dried, and how it was roasted—flavor is a journey, a story in the making. And it ends, most deliciously of all, with a sip from your very own cup.True, we talk a lot about coffee processing: the factor we’ve found to have the most pronounced impact on flavor. And no process is richer in history and tradition than the natural process. An age-old technique mastered first in Ethiopia,...
What's in a Roast? Understanding Our Coffee Roast Profiles
Think of the last coffee description you heard or read. Did the words "dark," "light," or "medium" come up? Or maybe you noticed terms such as "French," "Italian," or "espresso?" All these words can be used to describe a coffee roast: the particular way in which a coffee was transformed by heat from green seeds to the dark-brown beans you find at the store or your neighborhood café. But what, exactly, do roast levels mean? And how important are they to picking the perfect coffee for you? Beyond country of origin or even flavor descriptors, roast levels are the primary...
- Tags: Blog, education, guide, Olympia Coffee, Roasting, Specialty Coffee
How to Cup Coffee, According to the U.S. Cup Tasting Champion
This week, we're cheering on our resident cup tasting legend Jake Donaghy as he heads to the World Cup Tasting Championships in Athens, Greece! Jake's journey from Olympia Coffee roaster and green coffee buyer to U.S. Cup Tasting Champion has been a wild and exciting ride for us, to say the least. For those following along, you might be thinking, "Wow, what a pro!" You might also be thinking: "How can I get this kind of tasting experience for myself?" Or, possibly: "What's with all the slurping?" Whatever your questions, Jake's here to help answer them! In this quick video,...
Stirring It Up: Make Sam's "Hot Mama" Cocktail at Home
Our co-founder Sam Schroeder returned from Portland with a shiny first-place trophy from the U.S. Coffee in Good Spirits Championship... and half a mind to take a couple days off after a very long weekend. So, after some well-earned rest, he was gracious enough to meet us back in our Training Lab to chat about what’s next at the World stage of this competition. And to make one of his winning cocktail recipes: a custom creation that he's whimsically dubbed the "Hot Mama." For competition, Sam was tasked with mixing up three cocktails: two of his own creation, one hot,...
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Ask Reyna Anything! Q&A with Olympia Coffee's 2024 Barista and Coffee in Good Spirits Competitor
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Coffee Sherry, Part 2: Master Mixology for the N/A Curious
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Make Sam's Coffee Sherry Cocktail at Home
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Coming in 2024: Olympia Coffee in Downtown Seattle
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Three Cheers for Little Buddy, a 2024 Good Food Awards Finalist!