Coffee Passion Without Apology: Find Your Way

In this episode, I dive deep into the mindset of truly embracing your coffee obsession without apology. I share my personal journey of how coffee transformed from a simple routine into a passionate pursuit that led me to YouTube, podcasting, and starting my own coffee roasting business. I discuss the importance of trusting your palate as your guiding light, regardless of what others might think about your coffee enthusiasm. Throughout the episode, I encourage listeners to experiment with every brewing method possible - from pour overs and immersion brews to AeroPress and cold brew - because your unique palate will tell you what works best.

I also address the inevitable ups and downs of the coffee journey, including those moments when you fall out of love with coffee or when that perfect cup you had once doesn't taste the same the second time around. By listening to this episode, you'll gain the confidence to pursue your coffee passion unapologetically and learn why trusting your own taste preferences is more important than following anyone else's rules or recommendations in the coffee world.

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:30 Embracing the Journey Despite Others
• 3:00 Trusting Your Palate as Your Guide
• 4:30 The Pursuit of Perfect Coffee
• 6:00 Dealing with Coffee Ups and Downs
• 7:30 Personal Coffee Preferences and Discovery
• 9:00 Final Encouragement and Sign-off

Transcript

[00:00:15] I didn't know what I was looking for, I just kept brewing anyway. I thought coffee was just going to be a routine, not an obsession. Kind of weird how things worked out that way, right?

[00:00:32] Everybody has an origin story - their first sip, their memory of drinking coffee. It doesn't matter how we got into this thing that we love all the time.

[00:00:49] But I'm here to tell you that being obsessed with something isn't a bad thing. Some people may think you're crazy, but that's fine. Let them think that way. It doesn't matter.

[00:01:04] I'm just here to give you that push if you're hesitant or on the fence about taking this particular hobby to the next level. What I mean by that is try everything. Try it all. It doesn't matter. Try immersion brew, pour overs, moka pot, AeroPress, cold brew, Chemex - which I think are disgusting. But don't let me sway you in which way to go. It doesn't matter because your palate is what it is. It's amazing. It can tell you so many different things.

[00:01:45] When I started drinking coffee obsessively, I didn't have the internet. I just knew that I was obsessed. I knew that I just wanted to share with people, and this is more me giving you a gentle push to keep going because there are going to be things along the way that push you out of the norm. It gets you in a place where you're second guessing yourself, wondering why you're doing this thing.

[00:02:23] It doesn't matter what others think, and the beauty of all this is that as you keep going down this journey, this metaphorical rabbit hole, you start to find your way. You start to find the coffees that you actually like and the reasoning why you like them.

[00:02:44] As you keep going down this path, you may meet some people that have the exact same passion. You may find them online. You may find them locally. It doesn't really matter. But at the end of the day, it's about you trusting your palate, letting that be your guiding light.

[00:03:07] For me, I don't really know what I was chasing. I didn't know that I was going to do this whole YouTube podcast thing. I didn't know that I was going to start a coffee roasting business. I didn't know that I was going to be an avid lover of pour overs and lever espresso machines. I had no clue where all of this was going to go. I just knew that I had to keep going, keep trusting myself no matter what.

[00:03:45] Just keep brewing coffee. So this is my coffee right now. The actual coffee that I'm drinking doesn't matter right now. It's just something that I do each and every day. I look forward to it.

[00:04:06] And that first sip is always something that keeps coming back to you. It's one of those things - we have to be the guiding light that we will always have to be. We always have to try to get better. I think coffee, to an extent, allows us to get better in other aspects of our lives. When we obsess over things, especially when it comes to coffee, we try to perfect it. We try to get that buzz, try to chase and conquer those tasting notes on the back. Those are the things that we cherish and look forward to and really try to understand as we keep going down this particular path.

[00:04:55] As we do that, we have no clue where it's going to go. You may find yourself falling out of love with coffee from time to time. You may find that coffee that just sucks and you don't want to drink it anymore, and this questions your psyche. You may find that coffee that just sings and resonates with you. And then when you pick up that same bag again, it's not the same.

[00:05:28] A lot of times when I drink coffee, I try to remember the first time that I actually drank it or the first time that I actually knew that I was hooked. I have no clue when that was. I truly don't remember the origin of all of this.

[00:06:05] So I'm going to be on this path where it's unknown. It's going to die with us. That's the thing that I really want to talk to you about. No matter which path you're on, no matter who you're listening to, it doesn't matter. At the end of the day, you're brewing your coffee, either for yourself or for others, but more than likely it's for you. It's for something that you want to do for yourself.

[00:06:40] As you keep going and keep understanding and keep the passion going, it's going to be a great ride - ups, downs, but mostly ups. Those are some of the things that I want to give back to you. If you're feeling like you're in a rut, listen to this all the time if you can. Or just remember that the rut that you're in, you're just one cup away from finding something magical, something that you can remember, something that will keep you going down this path of unknown.

[00:07:38] I never knew that I was going to be a fanatic of pour overs, of beans that taste like coffee with a hint of fruit - spectacular, sometimes acidic forward, sometimes fruity, and always chasing that sweetness. I never knew that I was going to be a Hario guy.

[00:07:43] I never knew that I'd have a disdain for different things in the coffee world, which is perfectly fine. But what I'm really saying here is that it doesn't really matter. The path that we go on, the things that we like, is because of the palate. As long as we keep trusting, giving ourselves that freedom to love and enjoy the journey that we're on.

[00:08:31] So not giving you permission, but giving you a push back that you are going in a direction. Remember, no matter what is out there, what is brand new, what gear is out there, I hope that you are chasing the cup.

[00:08:52] Try the opposite of that. Try different coffees, try naturals, mix them up. It doesn't matter. The rules are what they are, but you can make your own rules as you keep going down your own path in this coffee world.

[00:09:38] With that being said, I'm going to enjoy this cup of coffee. I hope that you also figure out what you want to do in your coffee journey because at the end of the day, that's the only thing that matters. It doesn't matter what I say. It doesn't matter what others say. It matters what you feel your drive is. As you keep going down that hole of wonder and mystery, just keep going and trusting your palate.

[00:09:45] This is Okea Everyday being signing off. I hope that you're well and you're ready to drink your next cup of coffee. I'll talk to you later. Bye.