The February + March 2021 issue of Barista Magazine is out, featuring U.S. Coffee In Good Spirits Champ Matt Foster on the cover.
Also included: Articles about matcha, accessibility, COVID-19’s effects on coffee producers, an interview with Honduras’ Benjamin Paz, and much more!
BY KENNETH R. OLSON
BARISTA MAGAZINE
The February + March 2021 issue of Barista Magazine drops today! Print issues are already making their way to subscribers through the mail system, and the digital edition is live now. We are excited to bring you the new issue and to close out our 16th volume of the magazine.
It’s hard to believe that our last February + March issue release coincided with the last business trip I’ve taken in a year. I was in New York hosting a panel discussion at Coffee Fest, and giving away hundreds of copies to attendees making their way among hand sanitizer dispensers, signs cautioning against hand-shaking, and people trying to maintain some social distance when it was a brand-new concept. Almost no one wore a mask. One of the questions raised at my panel was about preparations for COVID-19. Most people seemed to think it wasn’t much to worry about. Of course, we all unfortunately know better now.
As we mourn the loss of so many lives over the past year, and the businesses, livelihoods, and community events that have also vanished, we know that the essence of life is to carry on, even in the face of disaster. Over the past 12 months, we’ve watched as you switched up your business models, sought emergency funding, or pursued other strategies to stay in business, and keep employees safe, healthy, and paid. It hasn’t been easy, but our global community has been resilient. As we look to better days ahead, we keep soldiering on through these challenging waves of disease, discord, and despair, knowing that if we stick together, look out for our neighbors, and act together for the common good, we will reach a better place in the months to come.
Cover Feature: Matt Foster
Matt Foster is the reigning, and so far only, U.S. Coffee In Good Spirits champion. In the February + March 2021 issue of Barista Magazine, Matt shares how he found himself at a personal nexus of coffee and cocktails, what he loves about both, and how his personal journey to Korea has influenced his approach to life and his work as the coffee and cocktail beverage manager at the Annex Coffee and Foods in St. Louis.
‘Matcha for the Masses’
Whether it’s for health or taste, matcha is making a mark in cafés, beverages, and coffee drinks, as the traditional ingredient finds a growing demand in shops around the world. In the February + March 2021 issue, Katrina Yentch takes a deep dive into matcha, what makes it special, and what you can do with it in your café.
‘Access for All’
We know that accessibility is important. We want people to have access to the abstract, like education or opportunities, as well as the tangible, such as physical spaces. With access to both, one can accomplish amazing things. In “Access for All,” writer and disability-rights advocate Jill Summerville talks to coffee professionals with both visible and invisible disabilities about cafés as disability-inclusive spaces.
‘The Pandemic From Producers’ Perspectives’
We’ve covered the COVID-19 pandemic in depth throughout the last year, as it has affected cafés, coffee shops, and roasters around the world. In the February + March 2021, issue writer Sunghee Tark takes a closer look at how the pandemic has impacted coffee producers, and what it means for their future in “The Pandemic from Producers’ Perspectives.”
‘One on One: Benjamin Paz’
Our “One on One” interview in the February + March 2021 issue features Honduran coffee fixture Benjamin Paz talking with Julia Mayer of Dune Coffee Roasters as he tells her about his journey into specialty coffee, why he loves working with Honduran coffee farmers, and where he hopes the specialty-coffee community can go in the future.
Thank you to everyone who has continued reading Barista Magazine and Barista Magazine Online through this last year. We are grateful to you and this community. And I am incredibly proud of the work Sarah, Katrina, Chris, Demitri, Mark, and everyone who contributes to this publication in all of its forms has done all year long. We would not do it without you, the reader, and we could not do it without all of these people who put so much effort into each issue and article.
And as always, you have your choice to read Barista Magazine in paper or digital format. You can order a hard copy through our online store here or start a subscription. Of course, you can also read it for free with our digital edition. You can visit our digital edition archives here.
