The phrase “third wave coffee” sounds inflated but it’s a term that best sums up the current trend that many coffee companies are invested in. Many independent coffee shops care about the nuanced flavors of different regional or varietal beans so they buy beans, or roast their own, from domestic companies which use roasting methods that bring out the distinct flavors of each kind of bean. Most of these companies also care about the ethical and environmental impact their industry has on the globe so they make efforts to do direct or fair trade with organic coffee farmers around the world.... Read More

As a former barista and current coffee enthusiast, I regularly find myself talking to others about coffee. In the coffee discourse, my aim is to promote the ideals of third wave coffee without sounding grandiose. A label that is often met with eye-rolls and associated with shallow trendiness, “third wave coffee” is actually an extensive umbrella term and one that I like to use when describing my favorite aspects of America’s current coffee culture. On this new weekly column, I’ll be expounding on contemporary coffee themes and exploring Boulder’s very own coffee scene.     I... Read More