AA Cafe Podcast

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Explore coffee through history, science, music, and other vaguely-related topics. Join Brian Franklin from Tulsa-based DoubleShot Coffee Company and co-host Mark Brown from Argentfork.com as they meander around coffee-inspired ideas and engaging interviews.

  • 21 minutes 26 seconds
    Amanda in Costa Rica

    After a trip to Costa Rica, visiting Hacienda La Minita, Amanda gets back behind the microphone to discuss her experiences.

    Details about the DoubleShot Birthday, celebrating 22 years:

    Thursday, March 5 - live music 5-630p - The Coffee Purist book launch and party 630-8p

    The DoubleShot Space Program will also debut with a natural Gesha from Jardines del Eden.

    26 February 2026, 4:43 pm
  • 44 minutes 28 seconds
    Ten Things 2025

    Every year Mark and Brian conjure up a "ten things" list, and this year it's memories of 2025. Brian's cohost for the episode is KC, an Oklahoma girl who is a fan of DoubleShot and just so happened to be in the studio when it was crunch time. The pair taste and talk about Priscilla Gonzalez's Bambito Estate Yellow Catuai Anaerobic Natural, banter about Mango coffee and Mango the street artist, and celebrate the first harvest of Dos Manzanas. The episode ends with Brian's ten things, and then Mark's - from afar.

    23 December 2025, 2:28 am
  • 1 hour 35 minutes
    Juan Ramón Diaz in Tulsa

    In this extended episode, Juan Ramón Diaz comes to Tulsa to visit DoubleShot. Mark and Brian begin by chatting about a chocolate tasting with David De Olier from Salento, Quindio, Colombia. Then Juan breaks in to serve his own coffee in the AA Cafe studio. Producer Juan Ramón and Roaster Brian held an event to talk about all things coffee. The audio isn't perfect, but you'll feel like you're right there in the room listening. It's a long one, but probably worth a listen if you're interested in what it's like to be a coffee farmer or how your roastmaster works with producers to get the great coffees served at DoubleShot.

    Buy Juan Ramón's Pacamara natural.

    And check out our selection of chocolate bars from David De Olier.

    18 November 2025, 12:13 am
  • 1 hour 9 seconds
    Coffee Prices

    Brian just returned from a trip to Colombia, visiting Cofinet in the Quindio region. While there, he had lunch with Luz Helena Salazar, owner of Maracay - producer of several coffees in the DoubleShot lineup over the past couple years. Felipe Arcila, co-owner of Cofinet sat down for an interview on the farm. While there, some turmoil came to a head (Brian's head, specifically) about coffee prices and what other roasters are doing to keep costs down. Costs at DoubleShot are not going down.

    We cut out a fairly aggressive rant that spontaneously erupted during recording, and Mark and Brian went back for a stab at more civil discussions about what set Brian off in the first session. Listen at your own risk.

    Order that Maracay Honey at DoubleShotCoffee.com

    5 October 2025, 8:50 pm
  • 25 minutes 27 seconds
    Audio Guide to Graffiti & Nature

    Liz Blood was the guest on this episode, discussing her career in journalism and her current projects in TV and print media. Mark and Brian discuss the meaning of art, the new graffiti-inspired BOOST summer coffee shandy, and Liz's new book, the Creative Field Guide to Northeastern Oklahoma. Get the shandy and the book at DoubleShotCoffee.com.

    2 September 2025, 4:39 pm
  • 16 minutes 9 seconds
    Purist.Coffee

    Mark is OOO and Amanda has stepped in for her podcast debut. In an abbreviated episode, get caught up on the status of The Coffee Purist, a teaser on something definitely NOT puristic from the coffee purist himself, and an opportunity to listen to a chapter of the book with a certain AA Cafe-inspired slant. Most everything besides the coffee is available at the website purist.coffee.

    15 July 2025, 5:23 pm
  • 42 minutes 15 seconds
    SCA 2025

    The annual convention for the Specialty Coffee Association was held in Houston April 25-27. Amanda, Mark and Brian all went down to represent DoubleShot, try and pre-sell some of The Coffee Purist books (slated to be on your coffee table by fall 2025), catch up with old friends, and get a pulse on what's happening today in "specialty coffee." This episode is all about that experience. Of note: a first introduction to Wondafrash Edema, a run with Firaol Ahmed, an insightful conversation with George Howell, and a lot of whispering about the T-word.

    4 May 2025, 11:25 pm
  • 47 minutes 8 seconds
    Nicaragua 2025

    Brian has just returned from another trip to Nicargaua, where he had a few revelations concerning cupping, relationships, and the world economy. Mark comes along for the ride and the diatribe. Throughout the episode, you might learn about the effects of tariffs on coffee prices and business sustainability, the importance of judging coffees circumstantially rather than absolutely, and the prevalence of coffee roasters lying about their relationships with producers. It's hot and heavy. And hopefully thought-provoking.

    20 April 2025, 6:40 pm
  • 24 minutes 32 seconds
    Evolutionary Monkey Business

    DoubleShot Coffee Company turns twenty-one on March 5, 2025. Mark and Brian discuss the ever-perplexing birthday poster, which incorporates a spray painted chimpanzee ripped off from nemesis, which was originally created as a part of the second human trial for a banana coffee through the spurious American Society for the Caffeination of Primates. Wednesday marks the launch of the Sappy Meal, available at DoubleShot. You too can wear the Sappy shirt seen in the nemesis painting, available at DoubleShotCoffee.com. While you're there, buy a pound of Juan's Montelin Pacamara Natural. Happy birthday to us.

    4 March 2025, 5:24 pm
  • 46 minutes 26 seconds
    Jim McEnaney - the state of affairs

    It's January and coffees harvested a year ago are just arriving in Tulsa. With coffee commodity prices soaring and shipping complications worldwide, the coffee industry is in chaos. Jim McEnanay joined Brian and Mark via zoom to discuss the state of affairs. This interview was recorded December 6, and since then the EUDR has been postponed to December 30, 2025. The dockworkers' strike that was set to begin on January 15 has been averted due to a new contract agreement. The commodity price of coffee today is $3.98, up from $1.89 one year ago today.

    5 February 2025, 5:33 pm
  • 32 minutes 3 seconds
    2024 Recap + Ten Things

    As 2024 draws to a close, Mark and Brian talk about the highlights of the past twelve months. And end with their annual "ten things" lists. Check out the playlist on spotify, if you dare. Happy holidays.

    22 December 2024, 9:05 pm
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