It happens often enough that the coffee baton is dropped. For example, the farmer allows some under-ripes through or the wrong Jute bags are used
or the green coffee sits in the port too long or the roaster "sleeps"
on the roast or the barista doesn't dial in the grind or any number of
reasons. At those moments, it is important to realize in this small
Specialty Coffee Industry we are all on the same team. We have to deal
with what is at hand, not every coffee can be mind blowing-ly good. I
personally don't believe in bad people. People do bad things, and
sometimes coffee can suffer the consequences. If we are handed a
sub-par coffee, we have to deal with what is at hand, no amount of
complaining or finger pointing will actually make that coffee better.
The coffee supply chain operates in a one-way transfer of ownership.
Once a product is sold, the prior owner has no control over it. That
would be like selling a bicycle and then telling the new owner how it
can be ridden! When I sell my green to a roaster, I have no recourse if
he roasts it poorly. Now, if we decided to change the dose weight or
shot volume or pick up the phone and call the teammate before us,
coffee will get better, and I guess that is the point of Specialty
Coffee.