Coffee Diaries

In this episode, we’re digging into Mexican coffee: where it came from, why the industry rose and then took a hard hit, and why so much of it ends up in our cups here in the US. Plus, I share what I tasted in my honey-processed vs. washed process taste test, and the results surprised me.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How coffee arrived in Mexico in the late 1700s, and why it didn’t really take off until after the Mexican Revolution
• The rise and collapse of the Mexican Coffee Institute (INMECAFÉ), and how Mexico went from the world’s fourth largest coffee producer to around tenth
• The predatory brokers called “coyotes” (yes, really) and how the fair trade label was born in Oaxaca
• Mexico’s four main coffee growing regions: Chiapas, Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Puebla, and what makes each one special
• Why Mexican coffee tends to be balanced, with those chocolate, caramel, and toffee notes I can’t get enough of
• A fun decaf fact: what “MWP” (Mountain Water Process) on your bag means, and why it’s Mexico’s answer to Swiss Water
• Why a country that grows so much arabica imports robusta for its instant coffee
• My honey processed vs. washed taste test, and what’s coming next (hint: Kenya)

Timestamps:

• 00:00 How Mexican coffee picked me
• 03:34 A quick history of coffee in Mexico
• 06:38 The silver lining: fair trade and the Max Havelaar Foundation
• 07:47 Coyotes, the predatory coffee brokers
• 08:40 Mexico’s coffee growing regions
• 11:31 What Mexican coffee tastes like
• 11:51 Your decaf might be from Mexico
• 12:43 Robusta and Mexico’s instant coffee habit
• 13:46 The taste test: honey vs. washed
• 17:12 What’s next: an anaerobic fermentation coffee from Kenya

Guest Grinds of the Week:

• Lone Pine Roasters (Bend, OR): Mexico, washed process
• Back Porch Coffee Roasters (Bend, OR): Honey Bear, honey processed
• Keebler Coffee Roasters (Longview, WA): Mexico, washed process

Resource:

• The World Atlas of Coffee by James Hoffmann: order your copy here
• ☕ My home coffee setup: the grinder, mug, and brewers I actually use every morning → Shop my coffee essentials As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show!

Coming up: Thanks to a Threads recommendation, a Memphis coffee shop is sending me an anaerobic fermentation coffee from Kenya. I can’t wait to taste how it compares.

If you love learning a little more about your daily cup, subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. And if you’ve got a coffee-loving friend who’d enjoy this, send them your favorite episode. I’d love for them to join us.

Got a Guest Grind recommendation? Tell me! I’m always looking for my next bag.

Decaf coffee has been keeping me up at night, but not in the way that you would imagine. I was curious how caffeine-free coffee was created and how many people actually drink it. Today's episode answers those questions, along with how decaf came to be.

Wanna know my at-home setup? Click here to check out my coffee-making essentials.

In today's episode, I share the mythical legend of where our life with coffee began. Followed by the historical underbelly of how coffee was outlawed for being the devil's drink. How Americans decided on coffee as an act of rebellion. And where you can get a free or discounted cup of joe to celebrate National Coffee Day.

National Coffee Day is celebrated on 9/29 in the US. International Coffee Day is celebrated on 10/1.

If you're interested in learning which coffee brewing products I use at home, click here.

In today's episode, we take a journey through three different brewing styles, plus a bonus brewing style that combines two of the styles. I share how the different styles create different robustness and what's left at the bottom of some cups. I also cover cleanup and why we no longer take our French press camping.

Whether you're brand new to brewing at home or have been brewing your own coffee for decades like me, I hope today's episode gives you something new to explore or consider.

If you're interested in learning which coffee brewing products I use at home, click here.

In today's episode, I explore the two coffee plants responsible for the vast majority of coffee consumed worldwide. I dispel the myth that one is better than the other by explaining how each flavor profile fits the preferences and palates of different coffee lovers.

If you enjoyed today's podcast, remember to subscribe and share the Coffee Diaries. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Curious about my at home coffee setup? Click here for my coffee essentials. (I earn a small commission on any purchases at no additional charge to you)

In today's episode, I take a deep dive into the three main coffee processing methods. I explain how the processing method influences flavor and the potential for things to go wrong. Then I explain the fermentation styles used alongside processing, including one highly controversial style that many people in the coffee world are debating.

If you enjoyed today's podcast, remember to subscribe and share the Coffee Diaries. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Curious about my at home coffee setup? Click here for my coffee essentials. (I earn a small commission on any purchases at no additional charge to you)

My partner and I love visiting new coffee shops. When we visit one that also roasts its own coffee, we tend to buy a bag that becomes our Guest Grind of the Week at home.

In today's episode, I compare last week's Guest Grind from Sisters Coffee in Sisters, OR, with this week's from Lone Pine Coffee Roasters in Bend, OR.

• Sisters Coffee: Burundi Heza Nkonge
• Lone Pine Coffee Roasters: Mexico Yosotatu

I also explain what the washed process means and what I'm learning about my own palate.

Curious about my at home coffee setup? Click here for my coffee essentials. (I earn a small commission on any purchases at no additional charge to you)

Welcome to the Coffee Diaries podcast! My name is Tiffany Marlink, and I'm excited to take you on a journey of learning all things coffee. My love for coffee started in high school and has blossomed into a new level of curiosity. I want to find my perfect cup, and I'm taking you with me on the journey to find it.

Curious about my at home coffee setup? Click here for my coffee essentials. (I earn a small commission on any purchases at no additional charge to you)