GeekWire Radio: Seeking the perfect cup of coffee, with a shot of technology

How can you brew the best cup of coffee at home or work? Are convenient home-brewing technologies making your coffee better or worse? What are the tricks for getting the best espresso at a coffee shop? And should you consider roasting beans yourself?

Those are just a few of the topics on this special edition of the GeekWire radio show, featuring three guests who provide different perspectives on the world of coffee. Joining me in the studio are …

• Tad Haas, a startup founder, Microsoft veteran and avid home roaster whose passion for coffee has been fueled by his travels in North and Central America.
• Scott Callender of La Marzocco USA, a leader in espresso machines and coffee equipment, based in Seattle;
• Major Cohen, senior project manager for global coffee engagement at Starbucks, who oversees the company’s experimental Roy Street Coffee & Tea on Seattle’s Capitol Hill.

Listen to the show via the audio player below or this MP3 file.

It’s a timely topic in this part of the world, even more than usual: Next week the Specialty Coffee Association of America will hold its annual conference in downtown Seattle, drawing thousands of people from around the world to explore the latest coffee trends.

Highlights of the show include our guests sharing their opinions on the coffee in the KIRO Radio/710 ESPN break room, known for Brock Huard’s scolding sign.

And in this extended podcast version of the show, we hear more about topics including Tad’s home roasting techniques, Starbucks’ approach to its Roy Street store, and La Marzocco’s push into the home espresso market.

App of the Week: UP Coffee by Jawbone.

Name that Tech Tune: The answer to last week’s challenge was the Windows XP shutdown sound, of course! Congrats to our randomly chosen winner, Bethany Frank, who wins a pair of tickets to the upcoming GeekWire Awards in Seattle.