We've got a special bite-sized episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast this week, featuring an interview with 2025 World Roasting Champion Mikaël Portannier. Liz Chai caught Portannier on stage moments after announcements to learn more about his epic win.

Host Zachary Carlsen sips Passenger Coffee's India Bhadra while thumbing through a copy of their 2024 Transparency Report. "In addition to prices paid for every pound of green coffee contracted in the most recent harvest year, and cup quality data," says Passenger, "our 2024 Transparency Report also includes dispatches from our green buying team." It also happens to be beautiful—with rich photos and thoughtful design. Check out Bhadra and their transparency report on their website.

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

On this special episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen talk about the winners of the 16th Annual Sprudgie Awards. This episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast is sponsored by TerraCycle, Ceado, Pacific Barista Series, La Marzocco, Ghirardelli, and DONA.

On this very special episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen list off all the incredible things to see, do, and experience at this weekend’s SCA Expo in Houston, Texas. On the show we also try out the new double-the-size AeroPress XL and make not one but TWO delicious YesPlz “Soft Power” Blend coffees in one pump! It’s a genuine flavor journey and testament to the size and girth of one of specialty coffee’s favorite brew methods.

To celebrate coffee history’s final SCA Expo we make ourselves elevated coffees with the convenience of a Keurig. We recently partnered with a company called BestCup who crafts Keurig compatible “Hi-Fi Coffee Pods” using quality coffees roasted by respected roasters like Amavida and La Barba (just to name a few). It marks the first time Sprudge has had a Keurig machine in its podcast studio. Did our hosts enjoy it? Listen along to find out!

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

It's time again for another rousing episode of the Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen on the Sprudge coffee podcast The Coffee Sprudgecast! Learn about how we curate our popular city guides, find out about the 16th Annual Sprudgie Award Finalists (voting open now!)

On this episode of The Coffee Sprudgecast Michelman and Carlsen wet their whistles with a Chemex brew of Bekele Kachara Natural out of Muraga, Ethiopia roasted by our friends and partners Heartwood Coffee Roasters. "Bekele employs a meticulous approach to coffee farming," Heartwood writes on its website, "using shaded pre-drying beds on-site and nurturing specific coffee varieties. he uses organic methods, fertilizing his farm with compost or agricultural residues. His expertise in coffee processing comes from years of experience, including work at stations in the Bensa and Bona districts of the Sidama region." Delicious!

As things started to heat up, the hosts alleyooped a Ceado Hoop Brew of Partners Coffee's *secret process* Ethiopia Suke Quto. What's the big secret? We have a few guesses after tasting flavor notes of wild cherry, pineapple candy, and concord grape.

So too does Partners Coffee green buyer Sam Klein, who writes,  "we mean it when we say 'secret' process—the few things we do know only add to the mystery. (We think there was inspiration drawn from a globally beloved soft drink.) What's left, then, is sensory clues. It appears to have been dried as a natural (with the fruit still intact), judging from the intensity of fruit flavor, syrupy body, and the reddish appearance of the unroasted coffee. The flavors are articulate and complex, and we're consistently reminded of grape and cherry soda, lambrusco, and root beer, which gradually mellow to white peach, pineapple candy, and passionfruit. Signs point to some kind of intervention in the fermentation process that would aid in the coffee's complexity—perhaps an additional fermentation stage, possibly in an environment where ambient oxygen has been displaced or removed." We love a little mystery in our cup. Who doesn't?

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

On this episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, hosts Michelman and Carlsen drink Partners Coffee's limited-edition Valentine's Day "Be Mine" specialty instant coffee and the 4th Place Guatemala Cup of Excellence coffee—a natural pacamara from the Ponderosa farm roasted by Proud Mary.

It's Sprudgies Season! Lots of discussion is had about the Sixteenth Annual Sprudgie Awards. Nominations are open through the end of Presidents' Day weekend—submit a nomination today!

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

A new year, a new Coffee Sprudgecast. It's 2025 and hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen talk about all of the incredible Sprudge Design Award winners on the latest episode of Sprudge's coffee podcast.

Ceado Hoop Brewers come out to brew up a lovely cup of Verve Coffee's special Green Tip Gesha from Elida Estate in Panama. Before diving into the coffee, the hosts tried a hot Black Scottie Chai out of Snohomish, Washington using hot steamy oat milk. Lots of ginger, lots of spice: a classic coffee house chai.

Check out all of the finalists and winners of the Sprudge Design Awards over here.

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

Hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen ring in the holidays with an epic seventeen coffee cupping on the latest episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast. So many holiday blends (some not blends at all!) to taste through—and Carlsen and Michelman slurp through them all!

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

Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen return for another rousing episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast. Myths are busted, minds are opened, and we have thoughts on special gifts for special friends.

Michelman and Carlsen drink a Chemex of Klatch Coffee's Empire Blend and brew a couple of Ceado Hoop Coffee Brewers of PERC Coffee's box set of Cinnamon and Lychee co-ferments from Colombia.

Michelman and Carlsen discuss their holiday wish list. Vintage mugs, hand grinders, pod machines (and the Nod Pod) all make the cut! Listen in to find out who wants what and who prefers Lychee to Cinnamon.

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

On this episode, hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen drink coffees from Verve Coffee, Sightglass Coffee, and Dito Coffee powered by Madcap. The Dwell Brewer is used, as well as the Lafeeca DJ electric kettle.

Welcome back to a very, very special new episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, in which hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen make a Chemex of Touchy Coffee while talking about the fifteenth anniversary of Sprudge!

The Touchy Coffee comes courtesy of the Welcome Conference, the annual New York City hospitality symposium, where six roasters served 1,800 guests on eighteen La Marzocco Linea Mini espresso machines. Touchy Coffee joined forces with roasters Onyx Coffee Lab, Counter Culture Coffee, Parlor Coffee, Black Crown Collective, and Driftaway Coffee. Special thanks to Felicity Jones and Mike Romig for the Touchy Coffee and an extra special thanks to World Brewers Champion James McCarthy of Driftaway Coffee for the espresso!

Celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of Sprudge, Michelman and Carlsen go back to some of their favorite pieces. Look forward to 15 Memorable Features From Fifteen Years of Sprudge also published today right here on the site!  And thank you so much to all of you out there in Sprudge land for reading us over the last decade and a half. It means the world.

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