For the coffee professionals and the deep diving coffee drinkers, infused coffees are those that are fermented with various fruits or spices (most famously cinnamon) to enhance particular flavours in the coffee. This has become quite a contentious debate in the specialty coffee world. Artificially flavoured roasted beans are generally looked down upon and even though the green coffees are naturally flavoured in fermentation tanks, a lot of coffee professionals feel this takes the coffees too far away from what coffee is meant to be (of course, this is a subjective question).
Buy the Drip is hosted by brothers Dave (Founder of Rosso Coffee Roasters) and Cole
Torode (2x Canadian Barista Champion, 3rd in the World), and takes you into the heart of the coffee world. From the latest industry news to inspiring stories and expert insights, Dave and Cole provide the perfect context for your morning cup of coffee, with
experience training the last two World Barista Champions.
On the latest episode of "Buy The Drip," hosts David and Cole Torode interview Hunter Tedman, fourth-generation coffee farmer and president of the prestigious Best of Panama (BOP) competition, as he tackles one of the hottest debates in the coffee world: infused coffees. Hunter explains why BOP made the significant decision to ban infused coffees, a trend that’s creating a stir within the specialty coffee industry.
The decision to ban infused coffees has sparked widespread discussion, with many questioning the impact on the integrity of coffee competitions. Hunter provides a deep dive into how BOP ensures transparency, why these strict standards are necessary, and the importance of preserving the authenticity of Panama’s iconic Geisha coffees.
Key topics in the episode include:
-The controversy surrounding infused coffees and BOP's bold ban.
-How the Best of Panama competition maintains integrity and transparency.
-A look into how coffee producers submit their coffees and the criteria used for judging.
-Hunter’s sustainable farming practices, the unique terroir of Boquete, Panama, and his soil food web approach.
