Jackie Billings

Profile Information:

What is your position in the coffee industry?
manager, coffee roaster
Where are you located? ( City and Country )
Brattleboro, VT
How many years have you been in the industry?
Define "in the industry." 3 years working directly with coffee, 8 years involved in agricultural development and coffee politics.
If you are a barista or shop, are you interested in a barista exchange with another coffee shop/barista?
no
Tell us more about your coffee shop or barista skills.
I was a barista once upon a time. Now I roast coffee on my newly refurbished 1938 Probat UG-22! *swoon* We're in love.
What cities or countries are you interested in traveling to?
Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia
About Me:
A former Anthropology and Third World Development Studies major from Smith college, with a thesis entitled “More than just a Better Bean: Coffee Quality through the Support of Indigenous Agriculture,“ Jackie comes pretty much as close as you can get to having a bachelor's degree in coffee. She’s still trying to convince her parents that said degree was worth the ridiculous amount of money that they paid for it, so she encourages you all to buy lots and lots of Mocha Joe’s coffee.
About My Company:
Mocha Joe's is a small, artisan roaster of specialty, organic, and Fair Trade coffee based in Brattleboro, Vermont.
What is your favorite thing about the coffee industry?
It's hold over basically the entire world.
Website:
http://www.mochajoes.com

Comment Wall:

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  • kito

    wow, brattleboro, my wife and i always stop through there when we head to vermont. great town. we are from bergen county, nj, just outside nyc. i was looking for a roaster in in the 6-7k range. not too big, something i could fit in the cafe. im hoping to create interest in the coffee process from bean to cup. those poor folks drinking their freeze-dried robusta! i would greatly appreciate any connection you could provide regarding a used probat. i thought about ambex b/c they fit into my price range nicely with the ym2 or 5. if the probats can be serviced down there with available mechanical parts, great!

    my wife is originally from ecuador, and we are down there every year, so we have a pretty good network of friends and family who can help us scout locations. i have not looked intently at an area for a cafe, as we have only recently decided to do this. the university area sound intriguing. i figured there would be at least a juan valdez shop there by now, as they seem to be taking over ecuador (not to mention nyc.). i have been roasting at home with a freshroast (sad, but i have to start somewhere, right) for a short period of time and i have a long way to go. but im determined to do this. since i want to source the beans myself, i also have to learn the good from the bad, but im taking it one day at a time. have you been down to ecuador recently?
  • Jim

    Hi Jackie just got on and working my way around. I will be in the area tomorrow if you all are roasting.
  • Jesse Bladyka

    Before Apron Strings, but I know Tammy, I taught her daughter for a year, great family. I worked at Morning Star Cafe, just across the road where 56 Main is now. I learned a lot about service and the industry from Mac and Neomi. Hit me with an email j.k.bladyka@gmail.com and we can trade beans.