10 Minutes With Drew Moody

Drew Moody, Founder & Writer
A Table in the Corner of the Cafe, a website mostly devoted to reviews of coffee and cafes
Chicago, Illinois

 

What other coffee jobs have you had?

The last coffee job I had was as a barista at Peet’s Coffee and Tea in Evanston, Illinois. I left that job in 2011 to pursue another career, but I wanted to stay involved in the coffee community. I have a decent palate and my background is in writing and journalism, so I decided to put my degree to use and start the website.

Drew pictured recently in Holland, Michigan.
Drew pictured recently in Holland, Michigan.

What’s your favorite part about working in coffee?

My favorite part about running the website is promoting small businesses. I love receiving coffees to review and I am honored that so many companies put so much stock in my opinion of their products, but the thing I love most is telling people about really great coffee roasters all over the country and, indeed, the world. That’s why I don’t charge roasters $300 for my opinion of their coffee, and that’s why I give away free advertising to any roaster that submits coffees for review. Shop local, people, and support small business!

Where do you ideally see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years… Shoot, I haven’t even thought about what I’m going to cook for dinner tonight! In 10 years, I hope to be doing something professionally in the coffee industry. I’d really love to own a small business someday ”maybe set up a small roastery in my garage and sell stuff online and at farmers markets, maybe even open a shop someday. Running my own subscription service has been a dream of mine for the past several years, but I really don’t know if the market can handle yet another one of those.

Drew with his wife, Ashley, at Madcap Coffee in Grand Rapids.
Drew with his wife, Ashley, at Madcap Coffee in Grand Rapids.

Who and what inspires you?

I’ve been really inspired lately by fellow coffee bloggers. What I started doing three years ago as a hobby, other bloggers (like Purista, Grounds to Grounds, Coffee Compass, et al) have turned into an art form. While my blog might have even inspired those folks to get started, they’re the ones inspiring me to create really great content.

Here's Drew and his wife, Ashley, enjoying Chicago summer. Both hail from the city.
Here’s Drew and his wife, Ashley, enjoying Chicago summer. Both hail from the city.

What are you drinking right now?    

I just had some incredible coffees from Coffee Mojo in Wicklow, Ireland ”Kenya Kagumoini, and a natural from Santa Maria de Lourdes in Nicaragua; and two amazing roasts of the Kenya Kiawamururu from Phil & Sebastian in Calgary, Canada, and THE BARN in Berlin, Germany. I think Ethiopia really dominated the scene in 2013, but I think 2014 will be the year that Kenya really blows people away ”that’s why this political stuff happening in Nyeri is so scary. Really hoping for good results to come of that because it would be a tragedy to see production quality dwindle in this amazing region.

Drew back in his barista days at Peet's. Now he focused his coffee energy on writing his popular blog, In the Corner of the Cafe.
Drew back in his barista days at Peet’s. Now he focused his coffee energy on writing his popular blog, A Table in the Corner of the Cafe.

Crazy/memorable coffee experience you’d like to share?

The craziest experience I’ve had in coffee is the amount of solid friendships and relationships I’ve forged on social media. And, of course, some of those friendships and relationships have been forged with crazy people, like @randy_levine, @abcdevanfg, @soundguyandy, @ddavidn, and @maxwellamooney.

What do you do when you’re not doing coffee?

When I’m not doing coffee I’m working through my project of reading every novel to win a Pulitzer Prize (only 13 to go!), playing guitar, cooking, playing with my dog, or just spending quality time with my wife.

 

 

About Sarah 929 Articles
Sarah Allen (she/her) is co-founder and editor of Barista Magazine, the international trade magazine for coffee professionals. A passionate advocate for baristas, quality, and the coffee community, Sarah has traveled widely to research stories, interact with readers, and present on a variety of topics affecting specialty coffee. She also loves animals, swimming, ice cream, and living in Portland, Oregon.

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