On this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast, we wrap up 2022 with one last episode talking about the what we predict will happen in the coffee industry in 2023. The coffee industry is growing and changing fairly quickly and as we observe some of the growing trends we've seen, there's a few things that we believe will only become more common in the upcoming year. On the other hand, with rumors of a recession looming, there is a feeling of uncertainty for the next 12 months.

How do you roast a coffee you have little information about, limited quantity of, and it needs to be done within a short timeline? A few weeks ago we were approached by our good friends and partners in coffee about doing a very limited run roast of a special coffee for them.  Our roasting knowledge and skill was put to the test and in this episode we talk through some of the ideas we wrestled with as we dialed in and roasted this coffee.

Exceptional coffees should be celebrated. After all, the work it takes to grow, produce, process, roast, and brew is all for the sake of a delicious cup of coffee. In today's episode, we reflect on the amazing coffees we wish everyone had the opportunity to taste. These are coffees that inspired us to pursue excellence. These are some of our favorite coffees of the year along with a few roasters we recommend you try!

Starting a business with family has both negative and positive connotation behind it. There bad stories we hear about business and money destroying relationships in families are very real, but it's not all bad. Although it comes with its unique set of difficulties, there are a handful of benefits worth mentioning.  In this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast, we talk about what its like running Mirror Coffee Roasters as brothers, the challenges we've faced, and the advantage it has brought to our business.

Podcasting and listening to podcasts have become nearly as common as listening to music. Podcasts have become a resource of education, entertainment, storytelling, and a form of journalism. Even though it has many similarities to an AM station on your radio, it has many differences that have made it seamlessly integrate with culture.  On this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast we talk about our favorite podcasts and how podcasts are changing how we live, think, and learn.

You've decided to start your coffee shop, coffee cart or buy coffee for your restaurant or employees at your business. The question we've seen come up over and over again is how and where do I buy coffee beans. Although this may seem like common sense, in some cases this could make or break a cafe or business. In this episode, we talk through how we would approach buying coffee and what you should be aware of in the process.

On this Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast episode, we talk about holiday blends and buying your first home espresso machine. Sergei recently picked up a lever machine for home which he's been wanting for a while, however, it wasn't quite everything he expected. His experience with his first home espresso machine over the last several weeks gave him some insight on why someone would want to get a machine for home use and what you should consider when buying a machine for your home.

Coffee Roaster based in Bellingham, WA

When it comes to making coffee, we tend to lean towards putting an emphasis on the basics of brewing. It's easy to overcomplicate coffee extraction, different brewers, and entertaining speculations so much that we lose the basics that get us most of the results.  On the other hand, if it wasn't for the desire to push the boundaries of what's possible and obsess over the details, we would be very far behind where we are now. Thanks to the rise of a niche group of folks, innovation is being encouraged more and more in our industry.

How do you get better at coffee roasting? This can be a difficult question to answer because there are so many variables at play and the lack of resources available online make this slightly complicated. Over the years, we've learned one thing that has truly transformed our roasting approach. It's something that could be adapted by nearly anyone regardless of machine, roasting style, or coffee being roasted. This turned out to be a really great episode that we enjoyed recording!

What keeps baristas and coffee drinkers coming back to coffee shops? Although both show up for different reasons, why they choose to stick around for the long run have some similarities. It quickly gets messy when those needs are not met and taken cared of. Tune in to this episode of the Coffee Roaster Warm Up Sessions podcast as we break down what we think can improve the coffee shop experience for both coffee drinkers and baristas.

We're a coffee roasting company based in Bellingham, WA