What is your position in the coffee industry?

barista, home barista, coffee enthusiast

Where are you located? ( City and Country )

Santa Rosa, United States

How many years have you been in the industry?

3 years

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.

Well, let's see... my first time at an espresso machine was back when I was a bartender (and let me just say: not a good combination). Not long after I got a job as your run of the mill beginner in a local espresso bar and had to unlearn all the nasty habits that had been instilled in me by oblivious restaurant managers and coworkers. Since then I've begun devoting my time to just the coffee shop, learning the basic ins and outs of the industry, and assisting the managers when needed. I still can't do latte art on demand, but that's probably more to do with laziness when it comes to practicing than anything else. Recently I've begun assisting the roaster - which is beyond exciting - and I hope to one day move more in that direction.

What cities or countries are you interested in traveling to?

Everywhere :) But if I had to pick a few: Ethiopia, Kenya, Indonesia, Ireland (for a second visit), Barcelona, Italy, and France. There are many more, but those are probably the top few.

About Me:

I have to admit, I was a hardcore tea drinker right up until my last year of undergrad. I began to seriously drink coffee and espresso mostly out of necessity, and was pleasantly surprised when I quickly realized that I love coffee on its own merits. It didn't hurt that the coffee shop on campus had these delectable lavender mochas that were to die for.

I was excited the first time I realized I could actually tell the difference between a good cup o' joe and burned one; that I prefer medium/light roasts with full bodies to dark french or tangy light roasts; and that given a choice I would most likely go for the americano over the drip any day.

About My Company:

I work for Sunshine Organic Coffee Roasters, and its sister company Roasters Espresso Bar (now with three shop locations): two small, local, community oriented businesses with an emphasis on quality coffee that's worth the price you pay.

I love our coffee shops, though they're not much larger than walk-in closets and tend to feel a bit cluttered. And I love our coffee, which is pretty gourmet compared to most of what's available in the area, though in the grand scheme is probably more for the average connoisseur than the master cupper. We also work with only blends than single origin, which is okay for us (I would, however, love to start experimenting with single origin, if nothing else than to hone my palate).

What is your favorite thing about the coffee industry?

The coffee itself, of course :)

Website:

http://writebutme.blogspot.com