The Joy of Coffee: From Tiny Seeds to Your Morning Cup
Shawn Steiman, Ph.D, is a coffee scientist, consultant, entrepreneur and lecturer at the University of Hawaii. He is the owner of Coffea Consulting, a coffee-centric consulting firm, and Grok Coffee, a coffee delivery, event, and tour company. Dr. Steiman is the author of The Hawai‘i Coffee Book and The Little Coffee Know-It-All, and is a co-editor and author of Coffee – A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry.
Overview
Coffee can be an unremarkable caffeine delivery system… or a rewarding sensory experience. Join coffee scientist and consultant, Shawn Steiman, as he takes us through a coffee seed’s journey from the tree which grew it to the cup you’re drinking from. He’ll focus on myriad topics along that journey, such as growing, roasting, and tasting, to help guide drinkers in their understanding of coffee and their discovery of what they will likely enjoy.
Recommended Reading:
Coffee A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry, by Robert Thurston, Jonathan Morris, and Shawn Steiman, eds.
God in a Cup: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Coffee, by Michaele Weissman
The Hawai‘i Coffee Book: A Gourmet’s Guide from Kona to Kaua‘i, by Shawn Steiman
The Little Coffee Know-It-All: A Miscellany for Growing, Roasting, and Brewing, Uncompromising and Unapologetic, by Shawn Steiman
The New Rules of Coffee: A Modern Guide for Everyone Hardcover, by Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World, by Mark Pendergrast
Where the Wild Coffee Grows: The Untold Story of Coffee from the Cloud Forests of Ethiopia to Your Cup, by Jeff Koehler
Discussion Questions:
- Do scores/numbers on products, like coffee or wine, help you discover products you enjoy?
- What is holding you back from exploring the range of coffee quality available to you?
- Does the appreciation of one product, like audio speakers, chocolate, or clothes, encourage you to explore other products, like coffee?
Reviews
Excellent presentation! Thank you
I couldn’t wait to watch this video, as I’m a really big fan of coffee myself. I have a favorite location (Papua New Guinea) for origin of coffee, but it’s not very easy to get it, so I’m always on the lookout for ways to replicate that kind of taste. I learned a lot about the drying and roasting processes and how that affects the coffee flavor and quality, so I have things to explore with my local roasters that might help me get a little closer to my favorite experience. Lively presentation and great info – please do an advanced version soon! Would love to see some of the biochemistry of coffee, too.