Episode #007: Coffee Industry: Conversations with Paul Meikle-Janney

We’ve caught up with Coffee Industry Guru and Dark Woods Coffee Co-founder, Paul Meikle-Janney. Paul speaks about the often overlooked Batch Brew process, how the SCA Barista standards came about, and how he’s helped countless cafes and restaurants serve better coffee.

Paul Meikle-Janney got into coffee through the hospitality industry, working in hotels and discovering a love for coffee brewed well. He soon began his own company as a coffee consultant, working right across the industry with all sorts of outlets serving coffee. Offering advice on all things from sourcing to equipment.

I still remember first coming accross Paul when we started our first cafe in 2008 and Paul was brought in to do our barista training. The training really fired us up with the potential of coffee and how good it could be, and even remember being confused when the coffee company’s engineer would try to set our machine up differently to the way Paul had taught us. We had caught the infectious passion for creating a good coffee.

Paul takes time in this podcast to describe how good a batch brew of coffee can be - indeed it is his go to method in the roastery. He shares from his depth of knowledge for brewing good coffee, getting the correct ratios, and talks of his proudest achievement of being involved in writing Barista training with the SCA which is now used right across the world.

Here is someone who we deeply respect and understands coffee. He even shares tips for how the cafe industry needs to understand how to make it easier for customers to interact with the choice available.

This is a rare opportunity to hear insights into the world of coffee from one of the world leaders.

This is Paul Meikle-Janney - the interview - Part One.