On the latest episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, Zachary Carlsen brews BlendIn Coffee Club’s Colombia Los Nogales, the winning 2024 US Brewers Cup Championship coffee (which also happens to be their house decaf coffee!) Weihong Zhang of BlendIn Coffee Club in Houston, Texas, your 2024 United States Brewers Cup champion, took top honors in Rancho Cucamonga using a decaf Typica variety from Colombia, with a coffee he serves on bar every day. Pick up a bag of it online or in their cafe year-round. This is exactly what host Jordan Michelman did the evening Zhang was announced the 2024 champion!

The decaf underwent a decaffeination process developed by Oscar Hernandez of Finca Los Nogales in Huila, Colombia. After de-pulping, the green coffee is then decaffeinated using, in part, its mucilage, which helps “[avoid] off flavors and [enhance] complexity with floral and fruity notes,” Zhang told Sprudge in an interview with Zac Cadwalader.

Sprudge’s coverage of the 2024 US Barista Championship in Rancho Cucamonga is presented in partnership with Third Wave Water. 

Zachary Carlsen replicates the brew process deployed on the Brewers Cup stage as accurately as possible (with a slightly different hand grinder and variety of Hario V60—listen in to find out more). The process is especially interesting due to its use of two water temperatures and a touch of water bypass at the end.

Hold on to your coffee-loving merchandising trucker hats, because it's time for another action-packed episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast. This week, hosts Zachary Carlsen and Jordan Michelman are all abuzz about the imminent Specialty Coffee Association Expo this weekend in Chicago, Illinois. The comps! The booths! The gallons and gallons of alternative milks! We'll be there—with perhaps a special visit from Buzzy the Bean!

Check out the latest show, and read on for show notes, links, and highlights.

Things we're excited for at the Specialty Coffee Association's Expo in Chicago, Illinois

The competitions: 2024 US Latte Art Championship, 2024 Roasting Championship, and the 2024 Coffee In Good Spirits Championship off-site at the new Lavazza Training Lab.

Our Chicago Guide and special competition coverage on Finals Sunday from Arielle Rebekah!

Tech and innovations reporting from our editor-at-large on the floor Jenn Chen!

The True Artisan Cafe from La Marzocco featuring some of the very best coffee roasters in the country.

Special thanks to Bellwether Coffee, our Presenting Sponsor of our SCA Expo Coverage, and thank you to our coverage sponsors Created Co. and Proper Syrup!

What we're drinking on this episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast

Relevant Coffee Hops Cold Brew from Vancouver, Washington.

We just love RTD! Special thanks to Snapchill Coffee for presenting the Ready To Drink series on Sprudge this year.

Loose Threads

George Howell loves Buzzy the Bean on LinkedIn.

The vegan Doe Donuts' Chocolate Espresso Bear Claw from Portland, Oregon is delicious with a chocolate sauce and espresso glaaaaze.

Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher is a delicious alcohol-free drink.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Baratza, Pacific Barista Series, Ghirardelli, and DONA.

Our coffee podcast program The Coffee Sprudgecast returns with an episode fresh off the US Coffee Champs première partie at Klatch Coffee in Rancho Cucamonga. Over a sun-soaked Southern California weekend, the 2024 United States Barista Champion, Brewers Cup Champion, and Cup Tasters Champion were crowned. Sprudge co-founders and hosts Zachary Carlsen and Jordan Michelman talk through it with the delicious assist of Klatch Coffee’s seasonal Songbird Blend.

Host Zachary Carlsen had a conversation with a coffee enthusiast who held a strong belief that coffee blends were inherently bad. On the show, we discuss how blends like Songbird from Klatch Coffee (among several others!) are testaments to the delicious possibilities and flavor complexities specialty coffee blends can offer.

How do you feel about coffee blends? Are your feelings about coffee blends true? Can you absolutely know that it’s true? How do you react when you believe that thought? Who would you be without that thought? Remember, there are no right answers—these questions will hopefully lead you toward deeper inquiry.  (h/t Byron Katie)

A big thanks…

This year’s USBC/USBrC/CTC highlights the power of the coffee community. Competitors, judges, volunteers, and sponsors all worked together to showcase both the nation’s top competitors and finest coffees, demonstrating extraordinary talent, dedication, and passion. We’re grateful to Klatch Coffee for hosting this incredible event and making us feel so welcome.

We’re deeply humbled by the kind words from y’all for our US Coffee Championships coverage. All credit goes to the Sprudge Rancho team: Sprudge Managing Editor Zac Cadwalader kept everyone at home in the loop with exceptionally detailed real-time updates as photographer Charlie Burt captured every moment in vivid detail.

A huge thank you to our event coverage partners at Third Wave Water! Their support champions the specialty coffee community, our independent coffee competition coverage, and their products help make coffee even more vibrant. Thank you!

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Baratza, Pacific Barista Series, Ghirardelli, and DONA.

Our coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast is back for another rousing episode where hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen take a shortcut… a tiramisu shortcut? Michelman discusses an epic event held with La Marzocco in Florence to promote But First, Coffee that included a whole tiramisu cupping (three cakes that used three different coffees). Carlsen springs a package of Twinkies and claims to be able to make a quick tiramisu out of it. There’s some horror, some shock, followed by some shocking surprises.

There’s so much more. Several coffees are had, all brewed with the Ceado Hoop Brewer. Michelman talks about Monmouth Coffee out of London and a bring-your-own-doughnut-to-a-cafe Dorkage Fee. There’s an eccles cake and Lancaster cheese. Coffee ice cream is had. A lot going on here. Have a listen!

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Baratza, Pacific Barista Series, Ghirardelli, and DONA.

Beverages Discussed On The Podcast

DONA Hari River Mint Herbal Tea: Dreaming of springtime, we kick off the episode with DONA’s delicious Hari River Mint Herbal Tea which is sundried at the source in Herat, Afghanistan. It’s the freshest-tasting dried mint tisane we’ve had (and we love fresh mint tea).

Equator Coffees El Salvador Las Pirineos Gesha Natural & Colombia Finca El Guaca Ahi: Equator Coffees continues to push the envelope with outstanding extra-specialty coffees. We couldn’t get enough of both and clearly, others couldn’t either—the Aji is out of stock! There are plenty of options on Equator’s new arrivals page for your perusal, however, so you can find something.

La Marzocco / La Accademia Tanzania Songwa Estates: Visitors at La Marzocco’s former factory La Accademia del Caffé can taste the delicious coffees from Songwa Estates of Tanzania roasted on site. La Marzocco, Probat, and Mahlkonig all went in on this project back in 2007 and the coffees shine bright here in 2024.

Portland Coffee Roasters Guatemala: Representing one of its lighter roasted coffees, Portland Coffee Roasters’ Guatemala comes from their partners Miguelina and Finca El Paternal, a twenty-year relationship that has seen an increase in production innovation with tasty results.

Other Mentionables

St. John Eccles Cake & Lancashire Cheese

Lello Ice Cream Maker by Musto

Breaking! There’s a new episode of Sprudge coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast! On the newest episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen talk about the winners of the 15th Annual Sprudgie Awards, all while drinking the newest iteration of the Wilder Blend from Verve Coffee Roasters in California.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Baratza, Pacific Barista Series, Ghirardelli, and DONA.

It's 2024 and time for a new installment of the Coffee Sprudgecast! In this episode, hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen sip DONA teas and tisanes, drink espresso-forward beverages with Olympia Coffee Roasting Company, and look ahead at what is shaping up to be a very big year here at Sprudge.

From award programs to the decade-long Build-Outs of Coffee series, the fun just doesn't stop. If you listen deep enough, you'll even hear a podcast listener exclusive scoop! So listen right now!

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Baratza, Pacific Barista Series, Ghirardelli, and Moccamaster.

Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen return for another spirited episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast. Several beverages were prepared for this episode—including fresh offerings from Madcap Coffee, Greater Goods Coffee Co., PERC Coffee, and Rishi Tea. That's a lot of buzz for one session.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Baratza, Pacific Barista Series, Ghirardelli, and Moccamaster.

Podcast listeners, do we have a surprise for you. That’s right, there’s a new episode of The Coffee Sprudgecast. Hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen are back with fresh coffee, new gear, and a heck of a lot news and updates.

Nightswim Coffee’s Ultraviolet Blend is brewed live on-air using the new award-winning Hoop Brewer from Ceado and the results are surprising! Never one to limit oneself to a single beverage, the hosts also try a new Rishi Tea botanical blend.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by The Fargo-Moorehead Caffeinated Crawl, Baratza, Pacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.

The latest episode of the coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast is out! Hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen are back—and they’re drinking delicious a new offering from Bellingham, Washington superstars Camber Coffee.

The pair had the La Papaya Anaerobic Typica from legendary Ecuador producer Juan Peña. Brewed in a Chemex, the coffee’s flavors of pineapple, milk chocolate, maraschino cherry really shined. While the Ecuador La Papaya Box Set is currently sold out, you can sign up for Camber Coffee Artist Series text alerts to learn about the latest Artist Series drops!

Camber Coffee participates in our new Roasters Village program. Are you looking for a coffee recommendation right now? Check out http://sprudge.com/coffee for fresh recommendations from our roasting partners!

Listeners have the opportunity to hear the thumping beats of summer single “Build It Out” one last time as the hosts talk about four outstanding new cafes from the Build-Outs of Coffee summer series.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by The Fargo-Moorehead Caffeinated Crawl, Lelit, Baratza, Pacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.

Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen are back for another exciting episode of the coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast. Michelman and Carlsen drink some stunning coffee from Monogram Coffee. The hosts enjoy La Llama from Bolivia and an exceptional offering from Finca Takesi, a small-screen gesha coffee brewed in an automated dripper and a Chemex, respectively.

La Llama is part of their Wonder Collection, coffees that exhibit an adventurous quality and is a Coco Natural processed coffee. Monogram explains:

La Llama does grow many different varieties, but they are really well known for their beautiful caturras and javas. This particular coffee has been processed using Agricafe’s Coco Natural process, which leaves coffee to ferment longer than the average natural process. They pay very close attention to their processing during every step to ensure that they produce the most delicious coffee that they can. They refer to this process as “Coco Natural” because of the way the bean resembles a cocoa bean at the end of processing.

Monogram Coffee participates in our new Roasters Village program. Are you looking for a coffee recommendation right now? Check out http://sprudge.com/coffee for fresh recommendations from our roasting partners!

The steady build of the summer hit single “Build It Out” makes way for another exciting edition of the Buildcast—where Michelman and Carlsen discuss brand-new cafes featured in our Build-Outs of Coffee summer series. New cafes from Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Denmark are discussed. Are you building out your dream cafe? Let us know!

Read more about these beautiful builds in the show notes below.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Lelit, Baratza, Moccamaster, Pacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.

Show Notes

Roaster’s Village Build-Outs Of Coffee: Urban Sailor Coffee In Salt Lake City, UT Build-Outs Of Coffee: Play Coffee In Orange, CA Build-Outs Of Coffee: Equator Coffees In Los Angeles, CA Build-Outs Of Coffee: Ubuntu Coffee Roasters In Sakskøbing, Denmark

Welcome to another episode of the coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast with hosts Zachary Carlsen and Jordan Michelman. In this episode, Michelman and Carlsen drink Block Party, the new limited-release summer blend from Partners Coffee in Brooklyn, New York, with an incredible packaging collaboration with illustrator Sophie (@soupiestudios).

Sandwiched by the new summertime hit single "Build It Out," Michelman and Carlsen discuss brand-new cafes in the US, Canada, and UK. These cafes are featured in our annual Build-Outs of Coffee series—submit your build today! Read more about these beautiful builds in the show notes below.

This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by Lelit, Baratza, Moccamaster, Pacific Barista Series, and Ghirardelli.