Coffee, mmmm! The rich brown liquid has been a favorite of people around the world for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. According to the International Coffee Organization, coffee beans were first discovered on the Horn of Africa in Ethiopia “where the coffee tree probably originated in the province of Kaffa“.
One of my favorite ways of enjoying a mug of home brewed coffee is with my girlfriend while we read the newspaper and discuss the latest developments. Of course, there’s the occasional cup at work to keep myself going.
I came across Daily Shot of Coffee a couple months ago and quickly became a frequent reader. Mike Crimmins, founder and author, writes about coffee in a way that even casual drinkers can enjoy. He reviews different types of coffee, coffee products (like the Zojirushi Fresh Brew Thermal 10-Cup Carafe) and discusses anything coffee related.
What prompted you to start blogging and why did you pick coffee as your topic?
I’ve been blogging for a while, on a number of topics – some were profitable, but none were really something that I could focus on and
want to write about every day. So it was only a matter of time before those blogs faded out. That’s when I started looking at my hobbies and passions. I love the New York Yankees, but there were dozens of blogs that do the Yankee news better than I could. However, I felt like there was a spot for me in the coffee blogging world. There’s lots of coffee blogs, but not many written from the point of view of an average coffee drinker.
“Today, I drink anywhere from a half a pot to an entire pot a day. If I see a coffee shop, it’s a safe bet that I’ll be stopping in.”
Of all the coffee you’ve tried, which one is your favorite?
That’s a hard one. I’ve had some amazing coffees in the past year. However, there’s two that come to mind. The first is a coffee from
Papua New Guinea by a roaster called Higher Ground. It’s a dark roast and I usually like the lighter roasts, but it’s full of flavor and
really made me realize that I need to check out more darker roasts. The other was a coffee called Ethiopian Yirgacheffe by Barista On
Duty. It’s a coffee that is full of flavor, unlike just about any others that I’ve ever tried.
For new Shot of Coffee readers, what posts would you recommend?
- Caffeniated London Broil
- 16 Coffee Quotes
- Marley Coffee – One Love Review
- 8 Steps To Coffee Perfection
- Peppermint Mocha Showdown
What are the challenges of writing about coffee? Or, perhaps, writing in general?
For me, writing about coffee is the easiest thing that I’ve ever written about. I look forward to writing every day about it and I
can’t say that about many other topics. The only challenge that I have about it, is that I can’t write about it all of the time.
As far writing in general, I think the main challenge for me is getting into the habit of writing. Even before I started blogging, I
couldn’t keep a daily writing schedule. With blogs that meant that they often failed. However, once I was able to keep a regular writing schedule, I’ve seen my writing improve and seen success with my blog.
In your interview with Coffee Hero, you mention Gary Vaynerchuk as an inspiration for blogging. Have you read his book CRUSH IT! and if so, what’d you think?
I love the book. I’ve read it a couple of times myself and even bought it as a Christmas present for one of my friends. I use it as
everything as a practical guide to blogging and social media to motivation to strive to build the best business that I can. Plus, Gary
was at least part of the motivation for me starting the coffee blog. Some of his videos really made me start to examine my passions as the topic for my next blog.
Crimmins’ approach on Daily Shot is to keep elitism to a minimum — he doesn’t profess to be a connoisseur. “I think I have my own point of view,” Crimmins said. “I’ve always considered myself an average coffee drinker.” [Interview with Coffee Hero]
Do you follow any of the political/policy/trade issues that affect coffee production?
I’m really starting to follow a lot of the issues with the way that some coffees are produced. Unfortunately, the land is often devastated and workers working in inhumane conditions for pocket change. It’s something that I’m starting to pay more attention to and I think those issues are going to be working their way into my blog in 2010.
Mike, thanks for chatting with me!
Coffee blogging is relatively new and counts among it’s writers, not only Mike, but also Robb Sutton and Michael Allen Smith. If you like coffee these are a few good blogs to explore.
