Journal

For our final Elevated Series release of the year, we asked Reily, Madcap’s Coffee Quality Control Specialist, to explore Francy Castillo and Anayibe Ortiz’s coffees through the lens of tasting and brewing. Below, she shares what makes each coffee distinct, along with her brew guides for bringing those qualities forward in your own cup.Understanding how to go about tasting a coffee is one of my great projects in life. Tasting,...

The final Elevated Series release of the year is on the horizon. Throughout this series, we've had the opportunity to dig a little deeper into some of the most inspiring coffees we have the honor of sourcing—exploring unique varieties, thoughtful processing, and, most importantly, the people and places behind each cup. For our final release of 2026, In Pursuit brings us back to Colombia with two exceptional coffees from two...

A firsthand look at Acousticamp 2026 from Ravi Patel, Training & Events Specialist.During the week of July 13, 2026, a small Madcap team consisting of Trevor Corlett (Founder & CEO), Myke Leon (Coffee Service Technician), and Ravi Patel (Training & Events Specialist) journeyed east to bring Madcap’s renowned coffee service to Chris Thile’s Acousticamp 2026. Situated in the beautiful rolling hills of New York’s Hudson Valley, Acousticamp brought together musicians...

As we continue to draw inspiration for our signature menu from a large scope, events like the United States Barista Championship present us with so much creative opportunity. With the USBC wrapping up last month, our community is digesting this year’s competitors, their routines, and their coffee selections. This year, our Quality Control Specialist, Reily Pond, competed with a Java variety from Juliana Guevara out of Huila, Colombia. With Hopper's...

Released this July 2026, the Lelit MaraX3 brings advanced pressure profiling and real-time extraction control to the home espresso experience. We asked Madcap Coffee Control Specialist Reily Pond to spend time with the machine and share her perspective. From dialing in coffees to exploring how pressure changes shape flavor and texture, here's what stood out to her after pulling shots on the MaraX3. You've spent a lot of time behind...

Last week we had the opportunity to work alongside our partner Breville, captured by Ringo Fire to showcase a few of Madcap’s always-on coffees including Eureka, Bolt, and Placebo. Throughout the day, Trevor Corlett, Founder of Madcap Coffee, walked through building espresso at home using Eureka, our signature espresso blend designed to taste just as good on its own as it does in milk. We also spent time preparing our...

Recently, we welcomed Peter Luong of Song Tea & Ceramics to our Ferndale cafe for a private staff training following his return from origin in Taiwan and China. Song Tea & Ceramics has long been the tea partner across our cafes, and this training gave our team the opportunity to spend time understanding the work, craftsmanship, and decision-making behind the teas we serve every day. Throughout the afternoon, Peter walked...

The world of brewing extraction begins at origin. Where coffee is grown, there are an infinite number of factors that can change to impact the coffee cherries. Elevation, soil pH, climate, regional biodiversity, intercropping, and farming practices are a few of the factors that make up what we will colloquially call terroir. Along the road to the hands of the brewer, these factors all compound and multiply. Once the cherries are then picked...