Easily one of my favourite ways to start the day. Fresh cup of coffee, a great book (currently reading John Bogle’s Enough) and a quiet house. Everyone else is asleep.

In the most white collar ‘injury’ ever, I’m carrying some coffee to the meeting and I trip on the stairs. My knees ultimately paid the price to save the coffee and I am totally feeling it now. Turns out those stairs are a known trip hazard (have caught others out which explains the useless stickers cautioning you). Can most certainly feel the pain now.

The BIRD¹ brewer costs a cool $360 (US) and introduces the world to a unique brewing mechanism. It is a cross between a French press and an AeroPress, made from premium materials and looks to bridge a brewing gap between pour overs and espressos.

This review from Lance Hedrick pits it against a whole bunch of alternative brewers trying to replicate the outcome (some using a similar-ish method, but none as elegant, or quite the same). The quick take is that while the profile can be replicated with other techniques/brewers, none as elegant as the BIRD.

It is currently out of stock- which does not come as a surprise. Smaller businesses, whether they are micro-brand watches, stationary, iPhone accessories or in this case coffee brewers typically have this issue if they have anything remotely successful.

Apparently Sprudge is one of the big websites surrounding coffee. It’s not the best put together web experience, but it does have a few interesting elements. Firstly, they are the Apple Maps guide to coffee (already bookmarked a few places in Toronto), and there is a book, The New Rules of Coffee, that I’ve just ordered as well (breaking my no new books until I’ve finished reading other books on my list self imposed rule of 2024).

Spent a little time this morning exploring the coffee industry websites. Fascinating to me that there is a ton of industry information out there, but I wasn’t really able to find the Daring Fireball of this industry…

☕️ Just when you think you know most of the possible ways to brew a cup of coffee you find out about the BIRD. Super interesting product, and has a real satisfying spin.

☕️ It took me a while, but I finally found my coffee beans purveyor of choice in Toronto, Pilot Coffee Roasters. Great quality. Solid selection. My only suggestion is increasing their Japanese tea selection (looking for some Hojicha).

Finished reading: How to make the best coffee at home by James Hoffmann 📚

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the ability to lean into several of my hobbies. I bought Jame Hoffman’s book How to make the best coffee at home, which is essential reading for anyone making coffee at home. Very well written, the photos throughout remind me of something I usually get when reading The Monocle. It does a great job of educating you and making you get excited about coffee. The only part I am not keen on, is the cover. Great buy and one that I hope to use regularly as I expand my knowledge of this hobby.

I was able to buy a non brand tamper (that I hope works) for my CoffeeJack. Finally got my CoffeeJack this year, tried a couple of times to make coffee without the tamper and lost the will to live and made a right mess of my kitchen. A tamper is an essential part of the kit of making coffee with that contraption. The stand is also pretty important, but will wait until they have their shit together over there before I send them any more money. Also I want to be sure that I like making and drinking coffee this way.

Finally, I got a Timemore Basic Pro scale. This is another major upgrade in my coffee accessories. The gooseneck kettle was pretty key for me and this is another one that just makes life a lot easier. The built in timer is a game changer for me. Yes I know I have a smartphone and a clock on the wall, but honestly this is that much more convenient.

The final piece of the puzzle for me is a machine grinder, I have my eye on the Varia VS3. This appears to be one of the better small amount grinders out there. Might even go for the white version.

Once I have this, then it’s just paraphernalia (a cupping spoon here, a funky mug or two there). Still need to see if I want to invest in an espresso machine, but that can wait for a while I think.

Patio coffee time.

☕️ I hate running out of coffee. My issue is that I now have access to good quality stuff from Latin America, only a few clicks away. I just need to be organised enough to order in advance. Otherwise I am stuck with ok-ish stuff from the supermarket (for nearly the same price).

☕ Didn’t know that there was a Specialty Coffee Expo (in hindsight, of course there is). Good excuse to visit Chicago for the first time.

On my way to work I occasionally walk past a young woman with a Tim’s cup of coffee. It’s always on the same strip of road at around the same time. Today I saw her baby bump for the first time and wanted to say, ‘Hey, congratulations’, but stopped shy of being the weirdo in the big city.

What’s this? I got a message in my inbox this week that my Coffeejack is making its way from China? Damn. I’ll believe it when I see it, but it will be good to draw a line under this project, turn off notifications and maybe enjoy a different method of coffee making.

☕️ Oh man I was not wrong. I’ve always felt that Costa Rica had something special when it comes to coffee beans. What an incredible cup of homemade coffee.

☕ Damn that’s a good cup of coffee. Every once in a while you nail it.

I am soo done with Kickstarter.

My biggest gripe isn’t the wait. It’s poor communication from the project makers. For years I have been getting one direction communication with the CoffeeJack creators. They inundate my inbox with emails about progress (or lack of it), delays, additional costs - all of which is fine.

What is not fine is the fact that I want confirmation of something, send an email months and months ago and no response. I follow up a few times. Crickets. They basically don’t respond to email.

☕️ Definitely didn’t get my quota of coffee today.

☕️ I first experienced this tiny little creamer on a visit to Micheal Graves architects over a decade ago. The part that blew my mind is the way it works, no milk drips unlike typical ceramic versions which suck at their only job.

☕️ The Alessi Moka Pot, by David Chipperfield, is a wonderful update to a design classic. At the moment only in the market for one based on looks alone.

☕️ Quick follow up on yesterday’s post, this new V60 technique really does provide a pretty damn good cup of coffee.

I have been using Hoffman’s (or more accurately a smaller version) v60 technique since it originally came out. Can’t wait to try out his new better 1 Cup V60 Technique.

I totally procrastinated about getting a gooseneck kettle. Big mistake. Along with the scales an essential tool in your coffee making arsenal.

As if he knew I was cheating on him with another book The Hoff publishes his own How To Make The Best Coffee At Home. Yes please.

📚 Currently reading Craft Coffee: a Manual by Jessica Easto. I typically hate books on cooking (cooking via YouTube is game changing), but this page on coffee harvest times showed it was going to be an education.

See a guy eating a croissant and carrying a no descript cup. Investigate where he came from and find a cute little coffee joint, Sam Jones Coffee Bar.

Its not every day that two of my favourite interests are combined, watches and coffee. This Brew Watches Metric Retro has so many awesome details (beyond the coffee bean logo on the dial and case back). Only bad thing is the fact you can’t buy one right now.

☕️ All this for a cup of coffee…

While I am on this coffee kick at the moment, ordered my first physical book in probably over a year, The World Atlas of Coffee by James Hoffmann.

📚 Just finished reading The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers. Great book that was both a great read and super educational. The history of coffee and how it spread easily being the highlight for me (although the escape from Yemen was also high up there).

I picked up The Monk of Mokha on the back of learning more about coffee. Latest chapter about the history and how it spread across the world is nothing short of amazing and worth the price of admission. If you’re curious about coffee, highly recommended.

2021 was the year of learning. What I have learnt is that in fact I want this to be a constant part of my life. Every year should in some form be the year of learning. This year is when I would say that I finally learnt how to cook. Gaining confidence in the kitchen is an amazing superpower and one I hope to share with my boys. I learnt how to ride a cargo bike. I learnt how to juggle. I learnt about coffee beans (the last space in the coffee world that has eluded me while I learnt brewing techniques).

For 2022, I have decided it shall be the year of momentum. I have put several things in place that I need to continue to build more and more momentum around. Things that I started 20 years ago, 10 years ago, 3 years ago are all on the cusp of bearing fruit. I will persevere through these and make sure I give it my very best. Central to all this is the understanding that you can only control your own actions and reactions. The rest is either a direct consequence or outside your control or ability to influence.

📚 Currently reading The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers. This seems like the perfect way to continue this coffee centric week.

My coffee education continues. This time at Impact Roasters, an Ethiopian micro-roaster 10 min from my house…wait what? Kinda annoyed I only found out about this now, but also it is good timing because I can now hopefully appreciate it all the more.

Jul (Christmas in Danish) tea season is upon us. A little early? Sure, but I’m not fussed about that. Definitely need a different drink to coffee, which I have been hitting a little too hard these last few months.

☕️ One of the biggest reasons to avoid going back to the office? The coffee sucks. In every office around the world. Thinking about asking for a bunch of v60s, a burr grinder, some filters and coffee beans. Seriously, would make an infinitely better cup than the horridness we have.

☕ Recently I had not been enjoying my V60 coffee. Then it dawned on me that I have been using a fine grind size (one I use for the Aeropress). It’s impressive how different a cup of coffee tastes depending on grind size - in my case going from a fine 1.5 setting to 3 setting.

Coffee is so difficult to nail consistently, which is down to the number of variables. It starts off with the type of bean; which country did it come from? How was it roasted; dark or light? How did you grind it; what setting and was it a burr grinder? What kind of water did you use; soft or hard? What temperature was the water exactly when you prepared it? What extraction method did you use; pour over, Aeropress, moka pot, other? What method did you use? How many grams did you use? Stacked and in concert it totally changes the outcome.

I always knew there was an entire universe surrounding coffee. A bunch of coffee nerds talking about grind, water quality, grams per litre, percolation, pour over. You needed to have all the gear to make something half decent. You needed beans (sustainably sourced) from Guatemala. And on and on.

Honestly, you can go as deep as you want, like with anything attached to any industry. I’ve had a reasonably varied relationship with my coffee. This year however is when I take it up a little notch. No, not going to be buying an espresso machine any time soon, but will be building my coffee making collection purposefully.

I have been using the v60 almost exclusively over the last year to make pour over filter coffee. The first enhancement has been the introduction of a small kitchen scale and a Bodum milk frother. Its a surprising purchase that actually makes a decent milky based coffee at home. I am going to be (re)buying an Aeropress next (I lost the filter a while back and never bothered to replace it). One of the coffee nerds guiding me on this journey is James Hoffmann. Definitely recommend his videos on the subject. Suitably snooty about what he is doing, but actually comes from a factual and scientific angle.

Having released a number of projects in 2019 (it was after all the year of release), the focus of 2020 was the year of consolidation. The intent was to focus my mind on these projects and make them better - implicit was the fact that I was not to add any new projects.

What I didn’t expect was that in 2020, I would also start my personal learning journey.

1. I learnt how to draw trees, which really laid the foundation for my artwork to take a step forward.
2. I had never made sweet potato buns, now these have become a regular staple in the house and have seriously elevated my burger-fu. I have become ever better at making eggs in a number of ways (omelettes were conquered early on, but now boiled and Korean-style egg sandwiches are normal for us).
3. I finally understood how to make a better cup of coffee (I was 80% of the way there, that last 20% really makes all the difference).
4. I dove deeper than I care to admitt into the world of watches, which I hope to expand upon one a year until I have my collection where I want it to be.
5. I spent hours working out my clothing style (and working out where to buy what), which I hope will come together more in 2021.
6. I discovered digital minimalism and time block planning. I still suck at both, but at least I know what I need to do.
7. I finally consolidated my notes into a Zettelkasten built around Obsidian and 1Writer.
8. I was able to loose about 10kg using the No-S diet. I fell off the wagon a little bit in the last few months (mainly due to work pressures and just being a little bit mentally exhausted).

For 2021, the year of learning I want more of the above. I’m not sure what exactly I want to learn specifically, but I know that I really have enjoyed the process of getting better personally at certain things and understanding the reasons why.

My coffee has been weak sauce for about 2 weeks now. I chalked this up to the coffee beans themselves. Nope. Turns out my handground setting was on 8 (coarse) when it usually is at 3. Incredible how fiddly a simple cup of coffee can be. In other news, my other fiddly piece of coffee gear from Kickstarter doesn’t arrive until May/June of next year which is a major bummer.

Nutmeg. Red leaves. Colder weather. Longer nights. Gloves. Falling leaves. Rainy days. Mugs of coffee. Scarves. Brisk autumn walks. Pumpkin pie. Scary ghosts. Orange leaves. Witches. Warm jumpers. Woolly socks. Apple pie. Hot tea. Cinnamon buns. Warm blankets.

Coffee time.

If you’re into coffee and want something that can really bring some more flavour to your brew, you have 8 hours left to back the Coffeejack on Kickstarter.

I think I may have found my new favourite website on the internet. It’s called Our World in Data. Honestly, I am likely going to get lost on this site for days. Send food. And coffee.

Finally tried oat milk. Happy to report it not only tastes pretty good, but all the gunky stuff stays at the bottom of the mug, so it looks much better than using almond milk in coffee. Next stop is trying to cut out the bread in my life…soo hard, but actually necessary.

☕ Almond milk in coffee looks disgusting …but it tastes pretty good. Ran out of normal milk…could this be a trend?

Drove for 5min this morning and a dreaded yellow warning signal comes up that oil is low. On the long drive down, a quick visit to the lube-me-up section of the petrol station and before coffee had been brewed, oil is topped up. Sometimes things come together.

Sun has just come up. The city is starting to fully wake up. I’m on my second cup of coffee and I’ve managed to read a decent amount from Ryan Holiday’s Perennial Seller. The one thing I’m lamenting this summer is not reading enough. Time to change that.

I thought it would be interesting to run some numbers on all the Kickstarter projects that I have backed over the years.

I started contributing to crowd funded projects back in October 2014. I’ve spent around $1300 over 3½ years and 19 Kickstarter projects.

Breaking all the projects down by loose categories, it’s clear I go through waves of interest. Currently I’m in a book and software buying phase and over the stationary phase.

Diving a little deeper into each project:

What’s not on this list is the plethora of projects that I did not end up backing and a couple of projects that I ended up buying things directly after the kickstarter project was already over.

Taking the last column and summarising it a little shows me that it’s generally been a positive experience and I’m either using the products or aim to use them in the future:

Going forward my plan is, with regards to Kickstarter, to be a lot more discerning and selective in the projects that I back. Where I see something truly unique and special, that is where I should concentrate my efforts.

First day of waking up at 5am again since January. Get some coffee made and get down to it before the rest of the family wakes up.

Coffee time!

How often do you read a comment to a review on Amazon and can’t stop laugh? This comment for the Zojirushi SM-SA48-BA Stainless Steel Mug is one of those.

I bought the 20-ounce Zojirushi SM-SA60-BA the week after I got married so that I could keep my coffee warm on the commute to and from my new job downtown. It is literally the world’s best travel mug. I could put steaming hot coffee in it in the morning, and if I forgot it in my truck I would still have steaming hot coffee for the drive home. No kidding! It’s incredible. This was an exciting time for me. My time with Jennifer was limited but boundless in its glory. When I wasn’t working, Jennifer and I would go hiking at the park, take road trips, sit up late and watch the stars. And, of course, have long nights of passionate love making. And through it all, my 20-ounce Zojirushi SM-SA60-BA provided me with hot, fresh coffee and a sleek, ergonomic feel. It’s amazingly well designed and made to last.That was seven years ago.

He then follows it up with this:

These days, Jennifer is as cold and emotionally distant as an uncharted asteroid. Now the most passionate conversations we have involve either our fiberoptic internet bandwidth or Your Damn Mother. At work, I am merely a shadow defined by once-authentic ambition. Original thought at my office is as pointless as a Libertarian vote, and my commute is like a scene from Walking Dead. I’m writing this on my iPhone as I sit behind a third-world chicken truck on I-35. I’m numbing myself to waste another eight hours at The Bad Place and fantasizing about replacing the painful vacuum of affection from She Who Cannot Read Oil Change Reminder Stickers with that new girl from logistics.

And ends strongly:

But now that I think about it, the one constant source of warmth and comfort in my life is still the 20-ounce Zojirushi SM-SA60-BA. Buy one. Buy one now, or feel only the chill yearning for an early grave that poor life decisions and emotional complacency can reap.

Also bonus, read the followup comments which give the actual truth, which is a lot more heartwarming.

It’s not every day that you get a lesson handed down to you via the internet, while you’re still drinking your morning coffee.

Yesterday was a reasonably tough day for me. We finally took Zane out of the house and into the big bad world. We got all the gear, took the nursing cover with us in case he needed to eat while we were out and off we went to the mall (yeah it’s August in Qatar, there’s precious little else you can do at 2pm in the afternoon).

Everything was fine, until we went into Mamas & Papas. After being nursed in the changing rooms for 20min I was tasked with burping and holding him, and he went MENTAL. Usually pretty good at sorting the boy out, yesterday was not meant to be. After having walked back to the car TWICE, I had to go back a third time to return something. Baby continued crying and I was just tired at this stage.

Come home and my arm was seriously aching because I’ve been holding him looking outwards and my arm is his seat. Mentally, I was tired of this for today. I needed a bit of break, thankfully sleep came easily to both of us.

This morning I saw the trailer of the Theory of Everything and it just completely smacked me in the face that I should be genuinely thankful for every single moment I have with the boy and never take it for granted. Ever.

To be clear, I have many examples in my life where fathers cannot be there for their children in one capacity or reason or another - this trailer just gave another example, but reminded me clearly of this fact.