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La Taza Habla

La Taza Habla

By: doncox
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 La Taza Habla (The Cup Talks) takes you on a 20-year java journey through specialty coffee’s rich tapestry, brought to you by ”Bald Guy Brew Coffee Roasting Co.”, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Each episode unveils the untold stories behind your daily brew—from origin to roast to ritual. Join founder and chief brain-hydrant Don Cox, a.k.a. ”Bald Guy,” as he transforms complex coffee concepts into engaging narratives that deepen your connection to what’s in your mug, the hands that crafted it, and why it matters. Visit us at www.baldguybrew.com or connect on Instagram and Facebook @baldguybrew.Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Art Cooking Food & Wine
Episodes
  • Remembering Bill Kennedy - Mentor, Teacher, Friend, and His Legacy

    Remembering Bill Kennedy - Mentor, Teacher, Friend, and His Legacy
    Dec 12 2025

    In this heartfelt tribute episode of La Taza Habla, host Don Cox honors the life and legacy of Bill Kennedy, CEO and founder of San Franciscan Roaster Company, who unexpectedly passed away in December 2024. Over two decades of friendship, Bill transformed specialty coffee through American-made coffee roasting equipment, education programs, and unwavering mentorship.

    This deeply personal episode recounts their first conversation in the early 2000s when Bill refurbished Don's 25-pound roaster—his very first customer—sparking a partnership that would impact coffee professionals worldwide. From his background as an educator and principal to becoming a coffee industry pioneer, Bill embodied servant leadership, faith-driven values, and commitment to excellence in coffee roasting. The episode explores Bill's role in creating coffee roasting curriculum, launching the Coffee Roasting Legends podcast, establishing Telegraph Coffee & Tap in Fallon, Nevada, and supporting countless entrepreneurs through equipment sales and personal mentorship.

    Bill's legacy lives on through his family, six grown children, and the thousands of roasters whose lives he touched. A moving remembrance for anyone in specialty coffee, entrepreneurship, or small business ownership seeking inspiration from a true industry gentle giant.

    I'll add more links as they become available

    1. Daily Coffee News Official Obituary (Must-read industry tribute) https://dailycoffeenews.com/2025/12/11/bill-kennedy-san-franciscan-roaster-owner-and-educator-dies/
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    9 mins
  • Ep 2: Mexico's Map of Flavor

    Ep 2: Mexico's Map of Flavor
    Dec 5 2025
    Discover the intricate flavor map of Mexican Specialty Coffee, a world leader in high-quality, organic coffee. In this episode, your 20-year veteran host of La Taza Habla takes you on an origin journey through Mexico’s "Big Three" growing regions: Chiapas, Veracruz, and Oaxaca. Learn why Chiapas is the "heavyweight champion," producing 40% of the country’s coffee with a chocolate-rich flavor profile and intense citrus acidity, thanks to its high-altitude volcanic soil. We explore Veracruz, the "wise veteran" and Mexico’s oldest coffee roasting region, known for its delicate, approachable cup with cinnamon and soft citrus notes. Finally, we unveil Oaxaca, "the artist," home to the masterpiece Pluma Hidalgo , a unique, lighter-bodied origin with floral complexity. Most importantly, understand that choosing Mexican coffee means partnering with the small family farms and coffee cooperatives that cultivate the world's highest rate of USDA certified organic coffee. Check out the Bald Guy Brew Youtube ChannelStay Connected: Get exclusive coffee stories & tips delivered to your inboxFresh Roasted Coffee delivered to your door: Bald Guy Brew Coffee Roasting Co. 5 Takeways Mexico is the global leader in Organic Coffee: 25% of the world's USDA certified organic coffee comes from Mexico, the highest rate on the planet.Altitude is a "Slow Cooker" for Flavor: Higher elevations, particularly in Chiapas, slow down the ripening process, allowing sugars and acids in the cherry to fully develop a deeper, more complex flavor profile (like a vine-ripened tomato).The "Big Three" are Distinct: Chiapas is powerful and chocolate-forward; Veracruz is delicate and approachable with cinnamon notes; Oaxaca is elegant, floral, and lighter-bodied.Pluma Hidalgo is Protected: This Oaxacan coffee has earned a Denomination of Origin—a protected status ensuring that only beans from that specific region meeting quality standards can use the Pluma name.Shade-Grown = Sustainability: The widespread return to traditional, shade-grown and organic methods preserves forests, protects biodiversity, and keeps carbon in the ground, making your cup an act of environmental partnership. A Glossary of Key Terms from La Taza Habla Altura Spanish word for "height," used to designate premium, high-grown coffees, such as the "Altura beans" from the highlands of Veracruz. Altitude The elevation at which coffee is grown. High altitudes (e.g., 2,600 to 6,000 feet) are said to act as a "slow cooker for flavor" by providing cool nights and warm days that extend the ripening period, allowing sugars and acids to fully develop. Chiapas Known as the "heavyweight champion" of Mexican coffee, this state sits near the Guatemalan border and produces 40% of all Mexican coffee. Its coffee is characterized by a chocolate-rich, deep flavor with a bright citrus acidity. Coffee Co-operatives Groups formed by small, multi-generational family farms in Mexico that collectively returned to traditional, shade-grown, organic methods to preserve their ancestors' knowledge and empower their communities. Denomination of Origin (Protected Status) A certified designation, similar to a protected status, given to Pluma Hidalgo coffee. This ensures that only coffee sourced from that specific region and meeting high quality standards can use the name. Flavor Profile The set of sensory characteristics (taste, aroma, body) unique to a coffee. For example, the Chiapas profile is chocolate-forward, while Oaxaca's is lighter-bodied and floral. Gesha Variety An acclaimed, high-quality coffee varietal. When grown in the Soconusco subregion of Chiapas, a Gesha lot scored 93 out of 100 points in the Cup of Excellence, showcasing flavors like jasmine, bergamot, and vanilla. Oaxaca Described as the "artist" among Mexico’s coffee regions. Located between Chiapas and Veracruz, its coffee is notably lighter-bodied, with floral aromatics, a wine-like complexity, and a robust chocolate backbone. Pluma Hidalgo The "masterpiece" or "crown jewel" subregion in Oaxaca. Its name, Pluma, means "feather" in Spanish. Shade-Grown A traditional, environmentally-conscious farming method where coffee plants are grown under a canopy of larger trees. This preserves forests, protects local ecosystems, and is a key component of sustainability efforts by Mexican farmers. Soconusco A subregion within Chiapas where many coffee artisans work, known for producing balanced beans with clear finishes. USDA Certified Organic Coffee Coffee certified to meet strict organic production standards. Mexico produces 25% of the world's USDA certified organic coffee, which is the highest rate on the planet. Veracruz The "wise veteran" and Mexico's oldest coffee region, where beans have been grown since the late 1700s. Its Gulf Coast location contributes to a more delicate, medium-bodied cup with softer citrus and cinnamon undertones.
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    11 mins
  • Ep 1: Mexican Coffee - Why Organic Was an Accident

    Ep 1: Mexican Coffee - Why Organic Was an Accident
    Nov 21 2025
    How is it that the number one producer of organic coffee in the world has hungry coffee farmers? In this episode of La Taza Habla, we unpack the Paradox of Fragility that defines Mexican Coffee. Unlike other origins, Mexico’s coffee culture was built from the bottom up by smallholder farmers and indigenous communities—an "accident of history" caused by the Spanish obsession with gold over agriculture . We begin with the sensory ritual of Café de Olla—brewed in clay pots with piloncillo (raw cane sugar) and cinnamon—before diving into the economic devastation of 1989. That year, the government agency INMECAFE vanished overnight, leaving half a million farmers exposed to predatory "coyotes" and the free market . You’ll discover how this collapse forced farmers to adopt organic coffee farming not as an environmental trend, but as a survival strategy because they simply couldn't afford chemicals . Join us for a story of resilience, from the Mexican Revolution to the 90+ point scores in today's Cup of Excellence. Check out the Bald Guy Brew Youtube ChannelStay Connected: Get exclusive coffee stories & tips delivered to your inboxFresh Roasted Coffee delivered to your door: Bald Guy Brew Coffee Roasting Co. 5 Takeaways Context Over Purity: While specialty coffee often obsesses over clean cups, the Mexican ritual of Café de Olla prioritizes context. The clay pot imparts an ancient, mineral quality, while spices like cinnamon and star anise create a "sensory time machine" . Indigenous Roots: Unlike other regions dominated by European plantations, Mexican coffee was largely preserved by indigenous communities in Chiapas and Oaxaca because colonial Spain viewed agriculture as a "side hustle" to mining . The Vacuum of Power: The rapid dissolution of INMECAFE in 1989 serves as a cautionary tale. Without a transition plan, farmers lost access to credit and transport instantly, forcing them to abandon farms or sell to predatory middlemen . Accidental Organic Leaders: Mexico became the global leader in organic coffee out of necessity, not ideology. When government credit vanished, farmers couldn't afford fertilizers, making organic certification their only viable market differentiation . Resilience is Quality: Despite the devastation of the La Roya (Leaf Rust) virus in 2012, cooperatives rebuilt their industry. Today, Mexican coffees from Veracruz and Puebla rank 10th globally and consistently hit top-tier quality scores. 3 Questions The host describes Café de Olla as a "sensory time machine." What specific coffee ritual transports you to a different time or place?We learned that Mexico's organic dominance was born from poverty. Does understanding this economic reality change how you view the "Organic" label on store shelves?"Como México no hay dos" (There is no other like Mexico). How does the history of indigenous smallholders make Mexican coffee distinct from plantation-heavy origins like Brazil? Glossary Café de Olla Literally "Coffee of the pot." A traditional Mexican coffee ritual brewed in a clay pot with cinnamon, piloncillo (sugar), star anise, and sometimes cloves. It dates back to the Mexican Revolution of 1910.Como México no hay dos A saying unique to Mexico that translates to "There is not two of them" or "There is no other like Mexico." It is a declaration of uniqueness and national pride, which also applies to the distinctiveness of Mexican coffee.Cooperatives Collective groups formed by farmers after the 1989 government crash. These groups pooled resources to buy processing equipment, share transportation, and negotiate with buyers to survive without state support.Coyotes Predatory middlemen who appeared after the dissolution of INMECAFE. They exploited farmers by buying beans for "pennies on the pound" and reselling them at a profit when farmers had no other way to reach the market.Cup of Excellence A prestigious global coffee competition that held events in Mexico in 2024 and 2025, highlighting the country's resurgence with multiple coffees scoring above 90 points.INMECAFE (Instituto Mexicano del Café) A government agency created in 1973 that acted as a safety net for farmers, providing technical support, credit, and guaranteed purchases. It was dissolved overnight by President Salinas in 1989, leading to a crisis for smallholders.La Roya The "coffee leaf rust" virus that devastated crops across the Americas, including Mexico, starting in 2012. It attacks the root system and causes leaves to fall off, preventing the plant from producing berries.Organic Certification In the context of Mexican history, this was adopted as a "survival strategy" rather than an environmental ideology. Following the economic crash, farmers could not afford chemical fertilizers, so they marketed their coffee as organic to differentiate themselves and survive.Paradox of Fragility The central theme of the episode describing Mexico's coffee industry. It contrasts with Colombia's "Paradox of ...
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    11 mins
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