Empathizing with the middle.
Fate lead me to a roaster, named Brian.
<- This is him
Backstory: How I got here:
I’ve met Brian and Lindsey when we shared a table in the Hawaii Coffee Association conference in the big island. UCC was a sponsor of the event, but I showed up as a self-sponsored independent. We simply found ourselves introducing about each other’s background, and I learned that Brian and Lindsey started a roastery/cafe in Oahu that would love to focus on education. Along a brief conversation, I asked if they would accept Roasting apprenticeship. Brian said “We can work on something like that” (with a sly smile). oh and Brian, hi. if you’re reading this. Your face gave me that high possibility that you’re my next step. Haha
One thing lead to another. We kept in contact via instagram. Throughout my time in the farm, or the Fermentation Camp in Colombia, we’d have a call or a conversation. We had a talk about an invite to their roastery during the Brewer’s Cup preliminary, finally met them again, and decided that this is where I’ll have to be for my next chapter.
… and so I moved to Oahu in the beginning of January to work with Tradition Coffee Roasters, and picking season in the farm is done on that time.
To tell you the truth, I felt different having to be in conversation with guests when it comes to coffee. It was a different feeling, discussing about farming, and processing with the team. I have an initial stand in mind when words are spoken, because of what I’ve experienced before getting here. I was more cautious about giving an opinion. I stood a ground, empathizing so much with the producers and the work they do.
It would irk me to hear about naturals, honey, anaerobic fermentation, terroir, wine references and many more. It’s a conclusion of the thought process in my head because of podcasts I listen to, conversations, and things I experienced in the farm.
However, in the case of the farm, the work has stuck to me the most, because I’ve done a full 365 days of thinking and doing while having that one year experience.
I realized, I kept much of myself in the shoes of my farm manager, Maria. Maybe too much.
Rather than getting excited of an unusual coffee process, skepticism became my initial response. My past kept me in the place of loving simple and clean.
While that’s okay in many cases, I realized many things while having a conversation with Brian while really understanding where my frustration is coming from.
Not all farmers have the same case as I did. My resources, the climate, the variety, was simply different with everywhere else in the world, and so I realize that the approach for every coffee farm, variety, process is always different while considering the factors that may vary, and the only absolute way of having a judgement if it’s a direct partnership. Importers are responsible for sourcing their product that fits the standard that the roaster would want to trust.
Do I really understand the processing terms or is it a feeling that’s attached to it when brought up in conversations? Made me rethink that coffee vocabulary.
The excitement for exploring coffee in its range of flavors shall be kept alive! Before I actually dig deep into its source, the enthusiasm of doing it good must be kept as a default approach. Excitement before skepticism. Why? Well, this is why I fell in love with coffee in the first place. It was the sparkle in my eyes that brought me to where I am. It still has to be that same feeling that should get me even further.
Oh and the last one is, I am in the area where I am in an encounter with a roaster himself that buys coffee. I have to understand the perspective Brian’s coming from, of buying green, and roasting for guests to enjoy. He is in the absolute middle of doing what’s right, and serving it right. If it’s something he is, it’s that he does his best to hear both sides which brings me back to one of my important goals. To empathize with every factor of the industry. And now, the opportunity of working in production, education and mostly this roasting apprenticeship should bring me to open my mind once again and to make sure that I empathize with Brian.
It’s this year when I should and I could empathize with the middle, and so it shall be done
