Barista Magazine

APR-MAR 2014

Barista Magazine is your home for the worldwide community of coffee and the people who make it.

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First coffee job: I worked at my dad's shop: Pasta, Spice & Everything Nice. Coffee in your childhood home: My dad drank black coffee from a standard drip pot. I never understood how coffee could smell so good and taste so bad. My mom added tons of cream and sugar— and that's how I got addicted to Coffee Nips. First time coffee knocked you on your ass: Petaluma, 2006. It was the first time I attended a barista competition. I remember getting up early and rushing to try coffee on the fourth machine. Pele Aveau was working at Flying Goat and served me something tasty—I remember it was bright, light, and complex, and I knew my competi- tion coffee tasted nothing like it. Besides coffee: I hang with my family and the Bacas a lot. I love film, especially Wes Anderson. I surf and take trips up and down Highway 1 to hike or eat tasty food. Life in Santa Cruz: Obviously, it's the worst. Living five minutes from the beach, working for a great company with amazing people and coffee while having fairly mild weather isn't that conducive to, oh, who am I kidding? It rules here. I really have it all. If only Disneyland was closer and the water was slightly warmer. Working for Verve: I have a unique take because I was involved before the company opened. Even though I don't own the place, it feels like my own. I am totally attached and love it. I can't believe all that's been done in six years. Absolutely surreal. On barista competitions: They teach you to focus on the details. Every time you compete, you get feedback, and if you care at all, you utilize that feedback and improve not only your game, but the game of anyone you work with. Favorite coffee of 2014 so far: La Colmena from Honduras. I threw the coffee into the espresso machine the day before Big Western and immediately wished I had entered. The coffee was so sweet and tropical, and had a finish that stuck with me for a long time. I went and made Baca one and then he made me make him another one. Fortunately Ryan from Bellano got third in the Southwest Brewers Cup with it! On visiting coffee-producing countries: I was able to go with Café Imports to Costa Rica after winning the Southwest Regional Barista Competition in 2012. The experience was amazing. The impact we can have on these coffee-producing countries was extremely humbling. The farmers were so eager to figure out what we wanted as far as cup quality so they could jump into the specialty market. What we don't realize is the difference between specialty and C-market is typically a semi-impoverished state. It's sad to think about. Basically, we need to sell more coffee. When you knew you'd made coffee into a career: When I real- ized people enjoyed getting coffee from me and experiencing what I love. It also helped that I got offered the job by Ryan [O'Donovan] and Colby [Barr]. The everyday excitement of coffee: Espresso. And the opportu- nity to coach people into understanding not only the craft of coffee but the leadership and business involved in running a café. Jared Truby, 31 Born in Napa, Calif.; Raised in Chico, Calif. Head of Retail for Northern California Verve Coffee Roasters, Santa Cruz, Calif. 70 barista magazine B o o k 5 5 - 8 8 . i n d d 7 0 Book 55-88.indd 70 3 / 1 9 / 1 4 1 0 : 0 8 P M 3/19/14 10:08 PM

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