We unpack why specialty coffee is cleaner and safer, how quality controls work from farm to roaster, and why mycotoxin “tested” labels can mislead. We also share ways to improve Keurig brewing, highlight our El Socorro reserve, and explain what small roasters do that big brands can’t.

• rigorous grading, defect rejection, and moisture control across the supply chain
• washed vs natural processing with controlled drying and raised beds
• protective packaging using GrainPro or vacuum seals to prevent contamination
• roasting safeguards and why OTA testing claims fall short
• home storage tips and better water choices for cleaner flavor
• Keurig shortcomings and practical upgrades with reusable or compostable pods
• El Socorro Makatura flavor notes and small-batch 80 g tins
• small coffee advantages in freshness, microlots, traceability, and farmer pay

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We taste a wild yellow Pacamara and use it to crack open a bigger story about price shocks, shifting standards, and why grocery shelves rarely serve great coffee. Lawsuits, tariffs, value discovery, and practical buying tips round out a fast tour of specialty’s new map.

• Pacamara’s origin, processing, and creamy flavor profile
• Competitions driving rare varietals into the spotlight
• Washed versus natural tradeoffs for roasters
• Misleading labels and where coffee actually grows
• Tariffs, Brazil exposure, and price volatility
• Robusta shortages pressuring Arabica demand
• Specialty’s pivot from technical scoring to value discovery
• Ethics, traceability, and coferments under debate
• Why we avoid grocery shelves and margins math
• How to pick better coffee at the store
• La Marzocco visit, roasting gear, and new classes
• Holiday bundles, coffee syrup launch, and shipping deals

Find all classes under our Education tab. Christmas bundles and gift cards now live. “We ship nationwide, free shipping for everything over $40.” “Black Friday, we’re gonna ship everything for free.” “If you’re in Moscow December 6th, come to the Moscow fair because we are gonna be there.”

We dig into why brewing at home delivers better quality, value, and ease, then zoom out to Big Coffee’s shifts—Starbucks’ wobble, Luckin’s app-first push—and finish with a clear guide to experimental processing that unlocks bold flavor. Along the way, we share practical gear we love and how to build iced “espresso” drinks without an espresso machine.

• quality and convenience gains from home brewing
• cold brew concentrate as an espresso stand-in for iced drinks
• simple syrups, filtered water, and easy gear wins
• Ethos Kalita-style brewer and leak-proof travel mug
• Starbucks as simulacra and the market wobble
• Luckin’s gamified coupons and race-to-the-bottom risks
• competing at the top with objective cup quality
• value through traceability, direct trade, and fair pay
• experimental processing: anaerobic, selected yeasts, co-ferments
• flavor-forward lots from Pepe Hijon and Diego Bermudez

Go ahead and subscribe to us on YouTube if you want to see our videos and know when they come out. Share this podcast with your friends. Any recommendations or anything you want us to talk about, go ahead and shoot us an email at contact at halfmilecoffee.com