Adventures in HomeBrewing, Distilling, & Coffee Roasting + the Launch of Calibration Coffee Lab

Adventures in HomeBrewing, Distilling, & Coffee Roasting + the Launch of Calibration Coffee Lab

Author: BLISTER May 24, 2023 Duration: 1:05:52

Before Alex LeBlanc started Calibration Coffee Lab in Greenville, South Carolina, he was a mechanical engineer by trade, a home brewer, a home distiller, and a home coffee roaster. So what led him to leave the world of engineering to start Calibration Coffee Lab, and roast beans for a living? And how did he go about doing it? This conversation is about the process of turning your passion into a business, and the process of creating some very good roasts, too.

Want to try some Calibration coffee? Check out the following deals:

  • Use the code Blister for 15% off your first order
  • Use the code COFFEELOVE to get $10 off of your first subscription
  • Sign up for their email list to get 15% off of your first order of non-subscription coffee.

TOPICS & TIMES:

  • 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Wave Coffee (2:44)
  • Home Brewing (6:15)
  • Home Roasting (18:44)
  • Alex’s Engineering Background (22:13)
  • Roasting Preferences (28:31)
  • The Engineering & the Art of Roasting (30:10)
  • Why Start a Roasting Company? (34:42)
  • Beans & Blends (51:23)
  • Farmers Markets & Where to Purchase (1:01:04)

RELATED LINKS

SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


There's a particular kind of conversation that happens when someone has dedicated their life to making something tangible, driven by obsession over details most of us overlook. CRAFTED, from BLISTER, is built on those conversations. Each episode moves beyond a simple product review to explore the entire ecosystem of creation, whether the subject is a meticulously roasted coffee, a complex whiskey, a precision timepiece, or a bold new wine. You'll hear directly from the individuals who define these fields-brewers, distillers, founders, and artisans who started their ventures not because it was easy, but because they couldn't imagine doing anything else. This podcast digs into the raw materials, the failed experiments, the business risks taken on a principle, and the quiet triumphs that happen long before a product reaches a shelf. It’s about the philosophy embedded in the process as much as the technical skill. Tuning in feels less like listening to an interview and more like pulling up a stool in a workshop or a tasting room, offering an intimate look at the patience, setbacks, and unwavering standards that transform a simple idea into a crafted object. The stories are specific, but the themes of creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit are universal, connecting anyone who appreciates the depth behind a well-made thing.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

CRAFTED
Podcast Episodes
A Unified Theory of Cocktails with Dr. Kevin Peterson, Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:48
The neighborhood bar is one of the last places untouched by AI, big tech, and all their algorithms. But what if that’s actually holding each us back from finding our “perfect” drink?In Part 1 and 2 of this series, we exp…
Wildflour: The Most Beloved Bakery in the Ski World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:07
Located at the base of Palisades Tahoe, Wildflour Baking Company is probably the most beloved bakery in skiing, and it definitely has the most accomplished customer base in the ski world. So Jonathan sat down with Wildfl…
A Unified Theory of Cocktails with Dr. Kevin Peterson (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:27
What if everything you thought you knew about taste was wrong? Although we like to think flavor lives on the tongue, the truth is far more interesting; more than 80 percent of what we taste is actually smell. That revela…
Bitters, Ghost Towns, & Botanical Sodas w/ Shae Whitney of Dram [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:33
How do you grow a national beverage brand without investors, trend-chasing, or artificial ingredients? Dram began as an all natural cocktail bitters producer, and (unintentionally) went on to become the leader in the ‘fu…
A Unified Theory of Cocktails with Dr. Kevin Peterson (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:22
For years, the “Mr. Potato Head” theory of drinks was accepted by bartenders to create new cocktails and memorize recipes. But until the release of Cocktail Theory, by Dr. Kevin Petersen, no one had taken the time to pro…
In Pursuit of the Perfect Coffee Grinder: Zerno founder, Vel Genov [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:01
ACASTZerno is one of the hottest brands in the world of specialty coffee, and for good reasons. So Jonathan recently met up with Zerno’s founder, Vel Genov, at their brand-new manufacturing center in Chicago, and today,…