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The industry mantra "educate the consumer" has become almost offensive to me. Understanding the washed process would not have magically allowed my father to pay for my liberal-arts education. It is unrealistic to think that most customers would start buying better coffee at more equitable prices only because they knew how much work went into each cup. For us to expect consumers to be excited about coffee in the same way we are is analogous to expecting Intro to Algebra students to be excited about calculating equations for Space Shuttle atmospheric re-entry. At the same time, if we are going to survive as an industry, special- ty, third-wave coffee needs to be presented to and embraced by the masses. We need to approach this challenge hospitably and with an effective educational method. In other words, invite customers in, meet them where they are, be friendly and listen to their story, and then invite them back. In this way, we can help them create space in their day for specialty coffee. Baristas have unwittingly determined four archetypical characters in the stories told by customers coming in to the café. The first is the True Believer. When she comes in, she looks at the origin offerings for the manual bar or asks how the single-origin espresso pairs with milk. She likely prefers coffee prepared a certain way and is loyal to the brew method itself for the way it can showcase a quality coffee. In my café, this customer is either a coffee tourist or is committed to a flavor profile rather than a specific roaster. This is the customer we can talk with about microclimates and cultivars. Most likely, she is a barista, roaster, or some other coffee pro. The second is the Fan. He knows what he likes when he tastes it, though he might not be able to explain why, and uses a vigorous bar- rage of superlatives. His order is most likely a pourover because, he says, "Pourover is the best way to make coffee." He tends to visit shops based on their aesthetic because he correlates a certain style with qual- ity. Most likely he maintains fierce loyalty to at least one but no more than a handful of roasters. Our third is loyal to a specific drink, usually a larger size sweet and milky drink with espresso added for the benefit of caffeine. This cus- tomer will prefer larger chains so that his drink is made with consisten- cy, or because he knows how to speak that specific chain's language (grande, quad shot, etc.) when ordering. This customer constitutes the largest consumer group in the American market. The fourth character doesn't really mind what is served as long as it's plain coffee and there is plenty of milk and sugar available, if desired. This character is a utilitarian consumer who drinks coffee out of tradi- tion, habit, or routine. Price is the primary concern. Coffee is bought like gas for the car; the price may not be negotiable but there is always the option to go where it is least expensive. Each of these characters plays a different role in the café narrative. Each does so for their own reasons, which are rooted in their own per- sonal narrative. When a roaster or coffeehouse hosts a cupping, brew demonstration, or other event, there is often a celebration of the stories of the coffee, of the producers and farmers. Yet for some reason we neglect to appreci- ate our customers and instead divide them into groups of the ones who get it and those who don't—just as the baristas who defined those four types of customers did. Most often this is not a conscious choice, but our own prejudices and preferences expressed through assumptions based on consumer stereotypes. We label our guests as one of the four static characters void of any personal story. The most effective classroom teachers know how to accept incor- rect answers or odd observations from students without shaming or embarrassing them. The teacher will continue to engage and encourage Your Event. Your Future. :2'4+'0%' 0)#)'06'4#%6 Ȉ 200 Ȉ 75 Ƭ Ȉǡơ Ƭ 2015 : ȈǦ Ȉơ Ȉ ')+56'41&#; 999T%1((''('56T%1/ MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Coffee Fest Portland : October 23-25, 2015 &2))(()(67&+,&$*2 June 5-7, 2015 /BWZ1JFSt&BTU;(SBOE"WF$IJDBHP*- Coffee Fest New York: March 11-13, 2016 ǤǤ 2015 : 78 barista magazine