I pulled together a list of publications about coffee that I think are pretty interesting and thought provoking. What do you think? Got anything to add?
Books:
These are a couple of the books I keep at the shop for staff and interested customers. “The World Atlas of Coffee” and “Coffee” are pretty technical and a good way to dig deep, while “God in a Cup” and “Uncommon Grounds” are more narratives about history, growers, and the people that make your coffee. I think this is a good mix, not all technical and not all storytelling. A great beginner box set for your new barista.
Magazines:
The first thing I did months and months before I even opened the doors to Church Alley Coffee Bar was subscribe to as many trade journals as I could find. Barista Magazine, Fresh Cup, and Roast Magazine are three of my favorites. They really keep their pulse on trends while making sure we don’t forget the fundamentals.
Websites:
If you want to dig deep into specific questions about your coffee journey, check out Barista Forums. A couple years ago I got to spend a week learning the from the founders and it was a really interesting and thoughtful experience. The biggest lesson they had to say about opening a coffeeshop was stop looking for the template, there is none, nothing can help you except following your instincts and your personality. #truth
It was around the same time that I found Intelligentsia Coffee’s super cool video brewing guides! They are very well done and an easy explanation of almost any brewing type.
Sprudge is a great resource for what is happening right now. They do a ton of shop profiles and really are a spotlight of this moment in coffee.
More Publications, Websites etc:
There are so many instagram and facebook accounts that are doing a wonderful job of keeping track of this diverse and exciting industry that I mostly suggest picking a roaster on instagram that you know and love and then sitting back and clicking on. You will be able to find a ton of interesting people doing great things in coffee.
One my favorite women in coffee is Jen Chen. She has a great list already compiled of sites that I love. Check it out!
Cat & Cloud Podcast – This is a podcast from two men in a bromance that first bloomed at a barista competition. How cute! It’s a really great podcast that asks a ton of questions that only longer conversations could find. They interview unique people from all around industry and it gives you a well rounded education.