In this episode, we sit down with Jack Simpson [https://www.instagram.com/jacksimpson32/?hl=en], the 2025 World Barista Champion! We explore the full journey behind his rise to the top of competitive coffee.

Jack talks about how he first got into specialty coffee, the moment he left his carpentry apprenticeship to chase a new passion, and the long/sometimes difficult road that eventually brought him to the WBC stage.

We get into what changed for him mentally and emotionally over the years, how judging and coaching shaped his approach, and what it was like to compete at the highest level three years in a row.We also dig into the training, the preparation, the tools, and the tiny adjustments that helped him keep improving.

Jack opens up about the emotional side of competition, the impact of traveling to origin, and how relationships with producers shaped the routine that ultimately won him the title.

This is one of the most honest and personal conversations we have had on the podcast, and a look at what it really takes to become World Barista Champion!

63. How Jack Simpson Became the 2025 World Barista Champion

Dave and Cole finally catching up after one of the wildest WBC seasons we’ve ever been part of.

We break down our six-week training camp in Japan, what it was like coaching Hiroki Ito toward the 2025 World Barista Championship and all the chaos along the way.... language barriers, roasting puzzles, gear challenges, and even a hospital scare just days before the finals in Milan.

We also talk about Cole tasting the world’s most expensive coffee!! How it was processed, what it tasted like, and whether it actually lived up to the record-breaking price.

From strategy and stress to breakthrough moments and big lessons come follow along!



63. Japan, Milan & the World’s Most Expensive Coffee. Our Full 2025 WBC Breakdown

In this episode, we sit down with Ben Put [https://www.instagram.com/benjaminput/?hl=en]seven-time Canadian Barista Champion and co-founder of Monogram Coffee [https://monogramcoffee.com/?srsltid=AfmBOornVHLw0AzJ1ek4y7BYc_bHnUrdB7AUeZ6If7Pb8onisMs1L84B], to talk about what it really takes to stay at the top of the game for more than 15 years.



We go back to the beginning...when Ben first discovered coffee through a newspaper article on latte art, long before competition stages and national titles. From those early experiments to building Monogram from a 400-square-foot pop-up into one of Canada’s most respected coffee brands, Ben shares the lessons, challenges, and philosophies that shaped his journey.



We also dive deep into his role roasting for Best of Panama, how his approach to competition has evolved, and why he believes the future of barista championships depends on creativity, mentorship, and pushing coffee culture forward.

It’s a conversation about craft, competition, and what keeps one of coffee’s most consistent champions inspired year after year.



👉 Like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes of Buy The Drip!💌 Join a Global Audience with BUY THE DRIP WEEKLYGet our personal coffee insights, brewing tips, and behind-the-scenes content delivered straight to your inbox every week...https://buythedrip.beehiiv.com/subscribe

62. The Relentless Pursuit of Coffee Perfection | 7x Canadian Barista Champion - Ben Put!

Cole sits down with Tamiru Tadesse [https://www.instagram.com/tamiru_tadesse.t] founder of Alo Coffee [https://alo-coffee.com/], to trace his remarkable path from studying electrical engineering to becoming one of Ethiopia’s most influential coffee producers.

Tamiru recently made global headlines by hosting Alo Coffee’s first-ever auction [https://alocoffee.auction/], where he shattered records with a historic $1,739 per kilo sale and an average price of $625 per kilo setting a new benchmark for Ethiopian coffee on the world stage.



Tamiru shares...

- His path into coffee and the origins of Alo Coffee

- How Ethiopia moved beyond the commodity exchange system

- The challenges and triumphs of running an international auction

- Why altitude and variety matter for quality

- His vision for the future of Ethiopian coffee and "luxury coffee"



📌 Connect with Alo Coffee: alo-coffee.com

👉 Like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes!

💌 Join a Global Audience with BUY THE DRIP WEEKLY

Get our personal coffee insights, brewing tips, and behind-the-scenes content delivered straight to your inbox every week...

https://buythedrip.beehiiv.com/subscribe


61. Inside Ethiopia’s Most Expensive Coffee Ever | Alo Coffee’s Tamiru Tadesse

we sit down with Juan Diaz [https://www.instagram.com/knowwherecoffee/?hl=en] — Director of Nowhere Coffee [https://kwccoffee.com/] based in Medellín, Colombia to unpack his incredible journey into the world of specialty coffee.Juan went from being a nursing student and line cook in Gainesville, Florida, to building a global coffee sourcing network that connects roasters, producers, and baristas across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.



We dive into...

☕ How a chance encounter at a coffee cupping changed his life

🌎 The evolution of Nowhere Coffee from a Gainesville cafe to a worldwide sourcing powerhouse

💡 Why his “no-bullshit” approach to coffee sourcing sets him apart

🤝 The real meaning of direct trade, transparency, and working with “quality people”

🏍️ His passion for motorcycles, travel, and how that ties into his coffee journey

🏆 Lessons from competing on the national barista stage in both the U.S. and Colombia

If you’re a coffee professional, aspiring entrepreneur, or just curious about what it takes to change the game in specialty coffee, this conversation is packed with insight, honesty, and inspiration.



👉 Like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes of Guess The Drip!

💌 Join a Global Audience with BUY THE DRIP WEEKLY

Get our personal coffee insights, brewing tips, and behind-the-scenes content delivered straight to your inbox every week...

https://buythedrip.beehiiv.com/subscribe


60. The Untold Truth About “Direct Trade” Coffee with Juan Diaz of KWC

Today on Buy The Drip, we sit down with Pete Licata [https://www.instagram.com/petelicata], 2013 World Barista Champion, consultant, and now co-founder of Caffeine Control Coffee [https://www.instagram.com/caffeinecontrol.coffee].

Pete’s story is one of reinvention. We explore how winning the World Barista Championship catapulted him into the global coffee spotlight, reshaping his career and opening doors into consulting, entrepreneurship, and now innovation.

His latest project, Caffeine Control Coffee [https://caffeinecontrol.coffee/], tackles a challenge almost every coffee drinker faces: how to enjoy coffee without overdoing caffeine.

In this episode, Pete shares how his personal experiences with caffeine inspired the launch of a brand blending decaf and regular coffee for a more balanced daily brew.

Beyond the product, it’s a conversation about how competition, curiosity, and hard lessons can fuel entirely new ways of thinking about coffee.

59. The Barista Champion Who’s Challenging Caffeine Itself with Pete Licata

What does it really take to bring the world’s best coffee from farm to cup?

In this episode, Cole Torode shares his experience living and working in Panama for six months... cupping over 2,000 coffees, navigating government red tape, and seeing firsthand the struggles and triumphs of coffee producers.



From the challenges of sourcing rare geishas, to why the global market still undervalues specialty coffee, Cole pulls back the curtain on an industry that most of us only experience at the cafe.

58. Behind the Scenes of the World’s Rarest Coffee with Cole Torode of Forward Coffee

In this episode, we sit down with Luke Waite [https://www.instagram.com/lukedwaite/?hl=en] a coffee consultant who’s been through it all.

From brewing in a back-alley café chasing Michelin-star standards, to running operations at top roasters, to helping cafés and roasteries figure out the brutal truth of profitability



Luke shares the stories, struggles, and strategies behind building a coffee business that lasts.



Like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes of Guess The Drip!💌 Join a Global Audience with BUY THE DRIP WEEKLYGet our personal coffee insights, brewing tips, and behind-the-scenes content delivered straight to your inbox every week...https://buythedrip.beehiiv.com/subscribe☕ ROSSO COFFEE ROASTERS, since 2007Anyone can be a specialty coffee drinker, and that means you. We roasted for the last two World Barista Champions and would love to roast a coffee for you too – try our world-class coffees: www.rossocoffeeroasters.com🎓 COACHING & CONSULTINGElevate your coffee game or business with personalized coaching and consulting: www.buythedrip.coffee

57. The Brutal Truth About Running a Coffee Business with Luke Waite

Morgan Eckroth [https://www.instagram.com/morgandrinkscoffee/?hl=en] coffee journey started at sixteen with a simple mocha in Corvallis, Oregon and has taken them all the way to becoming the 2022 U.S. Barista Champion [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4tRg6zJFZE] and placing second in the World Barista Championship [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agLdXmYYb54].



With 8.7 million followers across social media, Morgan has built a global community through what they calls “digital hospitality” creating moments of connection both online and behind the bar.

In this episode of Buy the Drip, we talk about..

☕ How Morgan went from barista to world-class competitor

📱 Building a massive social media presence around coffee

🏆 The intense preparation for U.S. and World Barista Championships

💡 The meaning of hospitality in both physical and digital spaces

📖 The upcoming coffee book and signature beverage creations



Whether you’re a barista, a coffee lover, content creator or a fan of inspiring career stories, this conversation is full of insight, humour, and behind-the-scenes moments from one of coffee’s most recognized voices.

56. Your Friendly internet barista with 8.7 Million Followers… and the U.S. Barista Champion Title - ⁠Morgan Eckroth⁠!

Tyler Hagan [https://www.instagram.com/commonlycoffee/] didn’t get into coffee to go viral. He followed curiosity, stayed consistent, and turned storytelling into influence.

What started as a personal passion of brewing, experimenting, and sharing his journey online [⁠https://commonlycoffee.com] became something bigger. Now Tyler has built a reputation as one of specialty coffee’s go-to content creators, trusted for his storytelling and perspective.



In this episode we explore the mindset behind his content, the challenge of staying original, and what it takes to build a voice in an industry that’s still figuring out what to do with creators.

This one is about curiosity, storytelling, and building trust one post at a time.

Follow Tyler on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/commonlycoffee [https://www.instagram.com/commonlycoffee/]

Read his blog

https://commonlycoffee.com [https://commonlycoffee.com/]

55. Coffee. Content. Community. How Tyler Hagan Found His Voice in The Coffee Community

David started Rosso Coffee Roasters over 10 years ago. His 'bootstrap' business
technique got the company to where it is today. Who gave him a microphone? We're
not exactly sure... but through this podcast, he'll uncover the awesome stories
of fellow entrepreneurs and business-minded friends. From green coffee to magic
mushrooms and more—it's time to discover your new favourite podcast, Buy the
Drip!

David Crosby

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