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Max Gonzalez

Male

Houston, Texas

United States

Profile Information:

What is your position in the coffee industry?: barista, manager, coffee shop owner, barista trainer, coffee roaster, coffee enthusiast, industry professional
Where are you located? ( City and Country ): Houston ,Texas
How many years have you been in the industry?: 4
If you are a barista or shop, are you interested in a barista exchange with another coffee shop/barista?: maybe
Tell us more about your coffee shop or barista skills.: Catalina Coffee is a small shop near the west side of downtown Houston. We are dedicated to coffee and constantly reevaluating the preparation of a quality cup.
What cities or countries are you interested in traveling to?: All
About Me:: I own Catalina Coffee and Amaya Roasting Co. and I love coffee.....
About My Company:: Catalina Coffee, named after my mom, is my first venture in the specialty coffee industry. We constantly attempt to improve the quality coffee market by learning as much as we can and then passing that information on to the consumer.

Amaya Roasting Co. roasted its first batch on August 4th 2008. It is the next logical step for me to take control of the products that we offer at the cafe. With quality and sustainability in mind, one of the first agendas of Amaya was a direct trade trip to Nicaragua were we found a wonderful washed Caturra from Finca San Juan in Jinotega.
What is your favorite thing about the coffee industry?: Coffee
Website:: http://www.catalinacoffeeshop.com

Comment Wall:

Sean Marshall

Yea! Coffee is fun!

Aug 27, 2008
Lorenzo Perkins

I've got my ears in every corner of every coffee shop . . . i guess that makes me like Big Coffee Brother. That sounded a little creepier than I meant . . . but count me in!

Aug 28, 2008
Holly Josey

Love your coffee and looking forward to your event! Best wishes for a fun event. I am in Houston also. A new Barista. Looking to open my place in Bellville in Spring 2009.

Sep 2, 2008
Greenway Barista

glad you opened.

Sep 2, 2008
Holly Josey

Hey, thanks! Small world - my husband grew up in Hempstead. Surely our families know each other. My building in Bellville is where the Fainting Goat was, and the old gas station - that corner.

Sep 2, 2008
Nicole Michaud

I will be there with bells on!
Then in your neck of the woods the 21st-24th.
Would love to come check out the roastery!

Sep 2, 2008
Dan Streetman

I am planning too..... it will be a great precursor to the Austin party!

Sep 3, 2008
Keith Adkins

Yes, I am leaving this afternoon, trying to get everything done....You know how it goes. Should be a Great Time! Staying w/ a friend of a friend or if all else fails on the floor w/ Ken and Sean....Got about 4 hours to get everyone else their coffee, hurricane prep, and hopefully get on the plane! See you in Seattle!

Sep 10, 2008
Aaron Blanco

So glad you are enjoying Jacinto. Wish time had permitted us to come visit today but we had to head back to San Antonio as quickly as we could to beat the traffic.

We'll see you at the end of September at Catalina.

Sep 11, 2008
Lorenzo Perkins

Hope you guys are doing well . . . see you in late September.

Sep 14, 2008
Jason Haeger

I hope you'll read the reply I left you in the comments section of the posted event. There were no ill intentions. It was genuine curiosity more than anything else.

Personally, however, even in a milk art contest, the medium for this art is an espresso and milk cocktail, and when drink-building, I still believe in keeping quality as high as possible. The World Latte Art Championship judges on taste as well as appearance. I think that's a good model.

I hope you don't think I was attacking or intending offense. I won't be able to make it down for the Throwdown (it's a 10 hr. drive away!), but here's hoping I'll see you cats at the SCRBC in Austin next month.

Take care.

Sep 16, 2008
Jason Haeger

I was more worried that I had come across the wrong way. (I know I am more abrasive than I realize sometimes.)

No hard feelings from my end.

One of the few shops open? From what I've heard of Catalina, you may as well be the ONLY shop open. Keep on rocking the H-town. I'm glad you guys kept safe when Ike hit.

Make sure someone takes a lot of photos for the throwdown! It would make a good piece for tx-coffee.com. (and free promotion for Catalina)

Sep 17, 2008
Kristen

I visited your shop when i was home about a month ago. I love your espresso machine! :)

Sep 19, 2008
Kristen

oh, that sounds awesome! is the guest espresso program a training class open to the public? I'll be home around the holidays, maybe there is some way i can get some training by you or your shop. I've heard awesome things about your shop from my friends at taft.

Sep 19, 2008
Kristen

wow, thats so cool! i've never heard of an idea like that, but it sounds amazing. most shops are stuck to what they normally use as espresso, but with your idea, people get to taste all different types and tastes.

i'll definitely have to let you know what dates i'll be in town, when i figure it out. i'd love some more help with latte art, and to just learn some coffee knowledge that I don't know already! :) Thank you.

Sep 20, 2008
Jeremey Barrett

Max, I'm loving the peaberry in the Chemex this morning... fantastic stuff.

Sep 22, 2008
Aaron Blanco

Hey Max. Glad to hear things are okay and we are still on for the weekend. I'll be there with bells on. Give me a call with any info I need to know.

Looking forward to it.

Sep 24, 2008
Aaron Blanco

Ready to help and ready to rock! See you Saturday.

Sep 25, 2008
Aaron Blanco

What a great time, Max! Thanks again for hosting such a cool event.

Sep 30, 2008
Aaron Blanco

It was my pleasure. We can thank Ike that I had to be in town anyway. :)

Your shirt arrived. Tell me again what size and I'll get it out to you ASAP.

Sep 30, 2008
Kristen

how was the throwdown? :) wish I could have been there.

Oct 1, 2008
Aaron Blanco

Yeah, man! Glad you are liking it. Wear it in good health, friend.

Oct 17, 2008
Kristen

Max,
Looks like I'll be hitting up Texas faster than I thought! My boyfriend got a Job offer at a tattoo shop in Austin, so we''ll be moving there mid-November! I'm so excited! I miss home! bummer that I'll be JUST missing the SCRBC, though. I'll be seeing you around soon!

Oct 24, 2008
Kristen

oh, I am so excited about training with you! I am pretty flexible, but It's probably better to wait until december, because I'll be busy finding a place to live in Austin, and a Job (and sounds like you have your hands full with the new roasting adventure, too!). I hope I can find an awesome shop to work at in Austin. It would be sad if I couldn't find work in the specialty coffee industry.

Anyways, you're new roasting company sounds exciting! I would love to evetually learn how that all works. Maybe one day in the future, you can give me a tour of your new place! Thanks for being so Hospitable towards me. You're right that enthusiasm will take you far, but it's also key to have awesome people with experience who are eager to pass on the knowledge that they have worked so hard for. I'm looking forward to learning from you!

Oct 29, 2008
Steve MacDowall

Hello Max - greetings from Canada - Steve

Dec 14, 2008
Greenway Barista

coffee 4 life

Dec 17, 2008
Mike Spence

Hi Max! As one of the sponsors here, I hope you enjoy! If there is every anything we can answer for you or your clients concerning POS, please let me know.
Mike@SelbySoft.com
800-454-4434

Jan 9, 2009
Jeremey Barrett

Sweet, thanks! I'll be in around 1 tomorrow, would love to pick up the beans while I'm there.

I just uploaded the pics I shot, you can see them here for now: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremey/sets/72157612720385537/

Jan 19, 2009
Joshua Longsdorf

Hey Max, what's going on man? Will I see you at SCAA?

Mar 16, 2009