John

John's been working in coffee since 2013, and he joined Onda in 2022. He's half the brains behind Roaster's Choice and oversees quality control at every level of production. When he's not holding it down in our garage roastery, he's probably birding.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was little I was obsessed with sea otters and I wanted to be a Marine Biologist so I could hang out with otters all day.

What’s your favorite thing about sourcing and roasting coffee?
Coffee continues to evolve in new and interesting ways every year. I really enjoy trying new coffees from new areas of the world, new varietals of coffee, and new processing methods. Ana Nelly Luna’s Pink Bourbon and Carlos Pola’s Dehydrated Honey process are two great examples!

What are a few of the things that go into selecting coffees for Coffee Club?
Usually it’s a coffee that we are particularly enjoying at the moment, or one the cafe staff is excited about. It’s always fun to preview our newest coffees to the Club as well.

How did you learn what you know about specialty coffee?
I learned a lot from connecting with the greater coffee community through industry events and gatherings. Beyond that, I've always tried to challenge conventional wisdom when it comes to anything, and coffee is no exception. We have a lot of tools for a data-driven approach to coffee quality and roasting, which I know sounds totally boring, but that really helps us produce consistently great-tasting coffee for the people and present the hard work of our producers in a way that honors their efforts as best we can.

Do you have any surprise hobbies or talents?

I am a reasonably good amateur birder, I can put a bicycle together from its parts, and I can touch my toes.

What do you like most about selecting coffees for Coffee Club members?
Foisting my favorites onto the masses.