The Human Brew

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Latest — 07 Oct 2026

The Fermentation Project

A short reflection on the cupping I attended on October 3. Since I drink, brew, and taste a lot of different coffees every day, I’m always curious about sensory details. Especially over the last couple of years, I’ve been trying to train myself to go deeper — to really

More issues

Light – lighter – ultra-light

There is something slightly strange happening with light roast. I have been thinking about it for a while now. Not only because I drink more and more very lightly roasted coffees myself, but because I have started noticing how quickly the definition of "light" seems to be moving.

Grounded

A conversation with Matthias Hoppenworth Matthias Hoppenworth is the co-founder of Hoppenworth & Ploch, one of Germany's oldest specialty roasteries, founded in Frankfurt in 2008. Earlier this year, he spent two months in Australia and New Zealand with his family. We've met at the World

Falling for the Cup

A personal essay on falling for the cup We All Start Somewhere For a long time, the best coffee I knew was a grande latte from Lavazza, with cherry or hazelnut syrup. Or the same thing from McDonald's. That was the whole spectrum. And I genuinely thought I&

Coffee Elsewhere

Australia, Volume I — Julia Some people plan their way into coffee. Others just end up there. Julia ended up in Australia needing a job. The answer came quickly — barista work is everywhere, and it pays well enough that it makes sense even without much experience. You meet baristas constantly. It&

A Different Kind of Machine

A quiet look at a different kind of espresso machine — and how it changes the way you work, move, and pay attention behind the bar.

Not Everyone Dances

A reflection on rhythm in coffee shops — where music, light roasts, and quiet attention shape an atmosphere not everyone notices, but everyone can step into.

Hello

The Human Brew is a living journal about specialty coffee and the people behind it. Observations from behind the bar, brewing experiments, competition notes, and quiet conversations that shape how coffee is made, served, and understood. It grows in real time — through work, curiosity, mistakes, and shared experience.

Editor’s Note

A short note on what this journal is, how it’s growing, and why it exists at all. Small observations, mistakes, and discoveries from inside the work.

Human Behind the Cup

Coffee carries people behind it — their choices, routines, and quiet presence behind the cup.