Our ultimate guide to forums, podcasts, social media accounts to get you caffeinated in time for International Coffee Day on October 1
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Coffee protocol podcast: Motorcyclist and coffee lover Binny Varghese loved listening to podcasts even before they became cool in 2009. “I realised that there was no content around coffee from India. In 2019, he began recording interviews with coffee experts and created a buzz around his favourite drink. The podcast revolves around all things coffee. “The essence of this podcast is coffee and everything around coffee. The main idea is to make coffee simple, more conversational and more inclusive. The idea is to look at coffee and the ecosystem positively and definitely learn a few things on the way,” says Varghese, who is Baroda-based but travels the length and breadth of India as a coffee consultant. Not surprisingly, his Instagram handle @baristaonbike also marries his two loves, namely bikes and coffee.
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>> Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World: Author Michael Pollan, known for The Omnivore’s Dilemma, How to Change Your Mind and Cooked, in this Audible original, explores the science of caffeine addiction and withdrawal. He takes listeners through the history of the discovery of coffee in East Africa, to its role in human history through wars, politics and economies. Interestingly, he calls coffee the most used drug in the world.
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Rahul Aggarwal and Geetu Mohnani
>> Winemakers Perspective on Specialty Coffee: Rizwan Amlani, founder of Dope Coffee Roasters, recommends this podcast by Lucia Solis, a former winemaker turned coffee processor. She takes the listener behind the scenes of coffee-making. You’ll hear her converse with coffee growers and producers all over the world, in her efforts to document the process of bean to cup.
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>> Coffee forums: Cafe consultant and coffee curator Geetu Mohnani loves to surf through coffee forums. “It tells you what the coffee world is up to,” she says. Her top picks are Sprudge, the world’s most popular coffee publication. Explore the world of chefs, baristas, entrepreneurs, artists and cafe creators tell their coffee story. Once you begin to brew your own cuppa, it takes you into the world of brewing, and you pay attention to your coffee’s origins and the production processes. If you’re a nerd, she recommends Perfect Daily Grind, a coffee publication. For professionals, she recommends Barista Hustle, an online training provider. Read their blogs on the art and science of brewing. You’ll learn a thing or two about leaving the lid off while your coffee brews in the French press, how to choose a green coffee and acing the pour-over technique without burning your coffee.
Binny Varghese
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Caffeinated: Rahul Aggarwal, founder of Coffeeza recommends this documentary on coffee released in 2015. “For anyone who wants to understand coffee from scratch and know how it is produced and processed, this is the film,” says Aggarwal. The story is narrated by people who have dedicated their lives to coffee — growers who man the process, from planting the seeds, to roasting the beans and ensuring that the cup is perfect.
Log on to: imdb.com