

IT’S JUST COFFEE!
Ben Bicknell & Rohan Cooke
Whether you’re a world barista champion brewing a $150 rarecoffee from the hills of Panama, or you’re stirring a spoon ofinstant coffee in boiling water, at the end of the day, It’s JustCoffee!It’s Just Coffee! is a podcast for all those coffee lovers out thereand we're endeavouring on a journey to find the perfect cup.Not only will we be talking to the world’s best coffee makersand roasters, we’re going to be talking to athletes, comedians,celebrities and anyone that just loves a great cup of coffee.The coffee community around the world is engaged andpassionate (sometimes to a fault), and we want to exploresome of the biggest debates that happen across the Internet,and in the local cafe around the corner from you.Questions like:• Which country has the best coffee in the world?• Should it be illegal to mix milk in black coffee?• Is Starbucks actually coffee?We’ll dive into some of the best coffee conversations on theinternet, but we will always remind ourselves at the end of theday, that It’s Just Coffee!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 18, 2024 • 27min
Movies, Soy Milk and the Price of an Iced latte | COFFEE BREAK
Time to put the feet up!Take a Coffee Break with Rohan, Kirk and Liam.This Week: Our ultimate plane movies, crying in the cinema, Rohan’s overdue dentist visit and the Chinese Coffee Industry.Also! We’re fresh from chatting with Caleb Holstein and keen to discuss the relationship between growers and green buyers. One last thing!! Should iced lattes be priced the same price as hot coffee? The boys reveal their favorite alternative milks and deepdive into the psychology behind drinking soy milk. Oh, and Kirk reveals the ONLY way to make a hot chocolate.Action packed.Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on the fly barista tips, honest and unfiltered cafe reviews (eek), hospitality stories and gate kept coffee secrets.Love our content?Watch Tuesday’s full episode and all other past eps on YouTube or find them in your podcast feed - and follow us @itsjustcoffee on Instagram!Want more of Rohan and Kirk? (yes pls) Check out Kirk’s cafe @projectzero.coffee on Instagram and find Rohan @goldenbrown.coffee.Plus!! Get your hands on some quality beans for home brewing at Golden Brown Coffee. And let’s chat! Get in touch with us via email at hello@itsjustcoffeepod.com. Thanks for joining us. See you next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 16, 2024 • 1h 8min
Greensquare is changing the way we buy coffee | CALEB HOLSTEIN!
Caleb Holstein, Co-Founder and CEO of Greensquare, began his coffee startup to help people buy and manage beans. We had the pleasure of hearing his journey - from being raised by hippies on the Central Coast, to roastery consulting and falling in love with Excel spreadsheets - you’ll find that the path of an entrepreneur is never straight!But first! A real life heist has taken place at Rohan’s shop, and the thieves left behind a calling card… Plus, Project Zero Coffee gets a paw review from an unsuspecting canine, and why has Kirk’s two week Nokia stint come to an end? In coffee news: Starbucks have launched a city-wide returnable cup trial in California, and RMIT students have made concrete 30% stronger by adding coffee. If you're new here (heyyy), our show dives into some of the best coffee conversations on the internet, but we will always remind ourselves at the end of the day; It's Just Coffee!Thankyou Caleb for sharing your story on the pod, it was great to hear the breadth of your knowledge. Check out Caleb on Instagram @calebholstein and Greensquare @greensquare.co or www.greensquare.co.Want more coffee content? Follow us on instagram @itsjustcoffee or browse all of our content here.Thanks for listening! Want to get in touch? Hit us up at hello@itsjustcoffeepod.com for any questions or comments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 11, 2024 • 30min
Whats the deal with Italian coffee ? | COFFEE BREAK!
You deserve a Coffee Break!Join Kirk and Rohan as they chat about all things coffee. In this episode, we dive into Jade's experience competing in some of the toughest years of the Australian Barista Championships.Plus, we’re exploring what happens when coffee becomes an essential, not a luxury. We talk about integrity in the industry, and Kirk has some big news... he's opening a new café!Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on the fly barista tips, honest and unfiltered cafe reviews (eek), hospitality stories and gate kept coffee secrets.We’d love to hear your feedback on the show! Let us know your thoughts at hello@itsjustcoffeepod.com. Love our content?Watch Tuesday’s full episode and all other past eps on YouTube or find them in your podcast feed - and follow us @itsjustcoffee on Instagram!Want more of Rohan and Kirk? (duh)Check out Kirk’s cafe @projectzero.coffee on Instagram and find Rohan @goldenbrown.coffee.Plus!! Get your hands on some quality beans for home brewing at Golden Brown Coffee. Thanks for joining us this week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 9, 2024 • 1h 8min
Your favourite barista’s favourite barista | JADE JENNINGS !
Hey! Today we’re talking to the wonderful Jade Jennings. Jade is a championship barista, coffee trainer, and all-round legend. Her journey began in 2005 when she transitioned from disability care to part-time work at Hudsons Coffee. Since then, she’s earned the titles of 2016/2017 Southern Barista Champion and runner-up in the 2016 Australian Barista Championships—all while raising a young family, which she describes as “like having two full-time jobs.” So, how does she do it??We discuss her experience as a barista trainer; what skills she teaches first, mastering taste, the secrets of latte art, and the impact of modern machinery on brewing. Plus, Jade details how she’d go about starting a coffee business - get your pens peoples!In coffee news: We’re one of the lucky 500 to score a packet of Doritos coffee-flavoured chips, researchers have discovered how to make cold brew in under 3 minutes, and Rohan’s got some notes for the Italians…Thank-you Jade! It was epic to have you on the pod.Want more coffee content? Follow us on instagram @itsjustcoffee or browse all of our content here.Want to get in touch? Hit us up at hello@itsjustcoffeepod.com for any questions or comments.Enjoy your coffee this week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 4, 2024 • 24min
Is Italian food overrated? | COFFEE BREAK!
Take a Coffee Break with us!Kirk is joined by Sonam Sherpa, co-founder of Golden Brown Coffee. The boys unpack this week’s episode with Anthony Douglas - praising his calm, humble and kind approach to life. Plus we’re asking the big questions… is Italian food overrated? We’re talking ravioli vs xiaolongbao, curry vs pizza, lanzhou beef noodle soup and halal snack packs - hope you’re not hungry!Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on the fly barista tips, honest and unfiltered cafe reviews (eek), hospitality stories and gate kept coffee secrets.We’d love to hear your feedback on the show! Let us know your thoughts at hello@itsjustcoffeepod.com. Love our content?Watch Tuesday’s full episode and all other past eps on YouTube or find them in your podcast feed - and follow us @itsjustcoffee on Instagram!Want more of Rohan and Kirk? (duh)Check out Kirk’s cafe @projectzero.coffee on Instagram and find Rohan @goldenbrown.coffee.Plus!! Get your hands on some quality beans for home brewing at Golden Brown Coffee. Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 2, 2024 • 58min
ANTHONY DOUGLAS! | World Championship Barista
Hey! Joining us today, World Barista Champion Anthony Douglas!Anthony - who originally trained as a baker - became interested in coffee while making the odd brew at his restaurant job. He fell in love with the process, completely altering his path to become a barista. Fast forward to 2022 and he’s winning the World Barista Championship... Not bad!We’re chatting about his incredible journey to the championships. Andy takes a mindful approach to coffee (and life in general), working with a mind coach before competing.Plus, he shares his vision for the next 10 years of the industry, along with a controversial extra-hot take!In coffee news: South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas is revealed to drink a shocking amount of instant coffee, professional footballer Cooper Kupp has started a coffee brand, and why has there been a huge surge in Indian coffee exports?Thank-you to Anthony for joining the show, it was a pleasure to have you on. You can find him on Instagram @anthony_jdouglas. Want more coffee content? Follow us on instagram @itsjustcoffee or browse all of our content here.Want to get in touch? Hit us up at hello@itsjustcoffeepod.com for any questions or comments.Have a great week of coffee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 28, 2024 • 34min
During Our Live Coffee Machine Showdown | COFFEE BREAK!
Grab your brew, we’re going on a Coffee Break.Rohan and Kirk are back to spill the beans on their blind espresso machine tasting with none other than the queen of food critique, Dani Valent. They dive into the surprising results (trust us, you won’t believe it!), share the watery details of the setup, and chat about why they’re fired up to bring more exciting content like this to the show.With Producer Liam out of the picture, Sam steps in behind the desk for this one—fingers crossed nothing goes haywire! Rohan’s also cooking up plans for a Broadsheet-style review series, which could be the start of something really cool. And of course, it wouldn’t be Coffee Break without a bit of drama: they dig into Emma Chamberlain’s latest coffee controversy, Kirk reads a spicy DM that’s got his cafe in the hot seat, and the boys share some beautiful emails from you, our listeners.Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on-the-fly barista tips and unfiltered cafe reviews (eek!) to hospitality stories and the secrets behind your favorite brews.We’d love to hear your feedback on the show! Let us know your thoughts at hello@itsjustcoffeepod.com.Love our content?Watch all our episodes on YouTube or find them in your podcast feed - and follow us @itsjustcoffee on Instagram!Want more of Rohan and Kirk? Check out Kirk’s cafe @projectzero.coffee on Instagram and find Rohan @goldenbrown.coffee.Plus!! Get your hands on some quality beans for home brewing at Golden Brown Coffee.Thanks for listening, love ya! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 21, 2024 • 24min
Cinnamon infused coffee?! | COFFEE BREAK!
Tools down, we’re having a Coffee Break. Ever sipped a coffee and wondered, "What are these flavours supposed to be?". Tasting notes can be elusive for many reasons, let’s discuss why! Plus, Kirk and Liam take a closer look at co-fermentation—how it enhances flavour, its impact on coffee competitions, and whether we're moving towards artificially flavoured beans. Kirk also updates us on ‘Project Zero Coffee’ and explains why he’s changed his approach to operations. Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on the fly barista tips, honest and unfiltered cafe reviews (eek), hospitality stories and gate kept coffee secrets.We’d love to hear your feedback on the show! Let us know your thoughts at hello@itsjustcoffeepod.com. Love our content?Watch Tuesday’s full episode and all other past eps on YouTube or find them in your podcast feed - and follow us @itsjustcoffee on Instagram!Want more of Rohan and Kirk? (Miss you Ro!) Check out Kirk’s cafe @projectzero.coffee on Instagram and find Rohan @goldenbrown.coffee.Plus!! Get your hands on some quality beans for home brewing at Golden Brown Coffee. Good on ya, have a great rest of your week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 19, 2024 • 56min
The Godfather of Melbourne Coffee | MARK DUNDON!
Few people understand coffee like Mark.Today, we're joined by the iconic Mark Dundon, founder and co-owner of Seven Seeds Coffee Roasters. Since the early 2000s, Mark has been pushing the boundaries of specialty coffee. His ventures - including the legendary ST. ALi and Brother Baba Budan - have set the pace for cafes in Melbourne, establishing Mark as patriarch of the caffeine scene.In this episode, we discuss everything from fermentation processes to ferrari driving green buyers. Mark reflects on nearly 30 years in the industry, shares insight on the intersection of coffee and climate change, and reveals the lasting impact he hopes to make on the coffee world.In coffee news (a slow week): Sabrina Carpenter made a splash at London's Blank Street Coffee with a special collaboration event, even stepping behind the counter to take orders from fans. Meanwhile, in Panama, coffee farms face an unexpected threat…If you're new here (welcome), our show dives into some of the best coffee conversations on the internet, but we will always remind ourselves at the end of the day; It's Just Coffee!Massive thankyou to Mark for this inspiring conversation. Check out Seven Seeds @7seedscoffee and Mark @triclops on InstagramWant more coffee content? Follow us on instagram @itsjustcoffee or browse all of our content here.Thanks for joining us this week! Want to get in touch? Hit us up at hello@itsjustcoffeepod.com for any questions or comments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 14, 2024 • 16min
Honest Review of APAX LAB | COFFEE BREAK!
Grab your brew, we’re going on a Coffee Break. So, seasoning water with minerals… gamechanger or gimmick? Kirk and Liam are behind the mics today for an honest review of APAX LAB’s mineral concentrates. We also explore the dominance of espresso culture in Australia, and discuss how a shift to filter coffee could save time and money. Plus, Kirk has a surprising beef with a coffee meme page?Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on the fly barista tips, honest and unfiltered cafe reviews (eek), hospitality stories and gate kept coffee secrets.We’d love to hear your feedback on the show! Let us know your thoughts at hello@itsjustcoffeepod.com. Love our content?Watch Tuesday’s full episode and all other past eps on YouTube or find them in your podcast feed - and follow us @itsjustcoffee on Instagram!Want more of Rohan and Kirk? (Rohan is coming back soon!) Check out Kirk’s cafe @projectzero.coffee on Instagram and find Rohan @goldenbrown.coffee.Plus!! Get your hands on some quality beans for home brewing at Golden Brown Coffee. Thanks for listening, love ya! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices