Making Coffee with Lucia Solis

Lucia

A behind the scenes look at what goes into making one of the world's favorite beverages. Lucia is a former winemaker turned coffee processing specialist. She consults with coffee growers and producers all over the world giving her a unique perspective into the what it takes to get a coffee from a seed to your cup.

Subscribe Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

20 episodes
Updated July 27

Support the show

Support this Podcast

Goes straight to the publisher. podnod takes nothing.

Episodes20

Newest first

July 27 · 1 hr 6 min
The Coffee Producer Toolkit #1: Farming
The Coffee Producer Toolkit is the podcast that can help you run a more profitable coffee farm. Hosted by coffee journalist James Harper (Filter Stories podcast) and fermentation specialist Lucia Solis (Making Coffee with Lucia Solis podcast), it's built for farmers who want to run their farm like the business it is. Over two years we interviewed 50+ producers and experts across 20 countries. Each episode takes one part of the business — agronomy, processing, fermentation, storage, quality, sales — and lays out what the best farms are doing. In this first episode, we show you how you can benchmark your farm against the two numbers that matter, protect your flowering without paying for irrigation, avoid the exotic variety trap that's costing farmers their harvests, stop wasting money on fertilizer your soil doesn't need, and save weeks of labor a year with tools that cost less than $50. Follow us on Instagram - Lucia (@lluciasolis) - James (@filterstoriespodcast) and tag us in an Instagram story. Join our Patreon community to be a part of our live Office Hours sessions. Stay up to date through our newsletter Discover how James produces Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to his Substack newsletter Cover Art Designed by Nick Hafner Related Podcasts: Lucia: #79: Farm First: Lalo Perez on Long-Term Coffee Health James: The Science of Coffee: The Magic of Soils The Science of Coffee: Plant Genetics People mentioned in episode: Fernando Castillo Guatemala Paulino Quintero, Colombia Orlando Osoria, Colombia Julia Ortega, Mexico Sergio de la Vequia, Mexico Hugo lopez, Innovakit Agronomists: Manuel Mata, Colombia Sam Knowlton, USA Lalo Perez, Mexico Resources Anacafe technical management Coffee Cascara Compost Guidelines (English) Compostaje de la pulpa/cáscara de café (Espanol) Netafim Drip Irrigation manual Innovakit: abonador (fertiliser applicator) Innovakit: aroplateo (tree guard for weed whacking) Innovakit: selector de arvenses (low-drift sprayer) Innovakit: canguaro (sleeves) World Coffee Research variety catalogue Recommended varieties: Centroamericano, H1, H16, Mundo Maya Coffee&Climate Toolbox Access Agriculture World Coffee Research Resources Barista Hustle’s Coffee Farm Management series Our partner sponsors The Coffee Quest Descamex BWT InterAmerican Coffee Pinhalense Novonesis GrainPro Support the show
July 16 · 45 min
#81: Nobody Wants to Pick Coffee
Check out our YouTube videos AI writing shape Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter to hear about the next episode, FTC dates, and coffee releases. Support the show
June 30 · 35 min
#80: How Microbiology Can Explain Beginner's Luck
Buy Roasted Coffee Here. Check out our YouTube videos #63: Terroir for Busy People Dirty Jobs Hawaiian Coffee Clip Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter to hear about the next episode, FTC dates, and coffee releases. Support the show
April 6 · 1 hr 39 min
#79: Farm First: Lalo Perez on Long-Term Coffee Health
Lalo's substack page Ikaria Coffee (Lalo's farm + roasted coffee) Biofilia (agronomic consultancy) Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter to hear about the next episode, FTC dates, and coffee releases. Support the show
March 18 · 44 min
#78: What Is Specialty Coffee? And Who Gets To Define It?
If you would like to watch our YouTube video on "What is specialty coffee" You can watch that here. If you are a roaster and are interested in participating in the Fermentation Project with James Hoffmann, click here -> For Roasters: Buy Fermentation Kit Listers Movie (bird watching) it's beautiful, I highly recommend this. Email info.luxiacoffee@gmail if you would like to discuss Pluribus or Listers Movie in our Discord server. Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Support the show
Dec 24, 2025 · 30 min
#77: The Most Challenging Harvest We've Had
Roasterkat IG Reel about rain. YouTube version of the Q&A portion James Hoffmann Healthy Coffee Video The 2025/2026 Harvest has not gone according to plan. Nick and I have found ourselves with some down time and therefore have put together this casual, end of year update on how the season is going so far. Spoiler alert: not well. I've combined a harvest update with listener questions about fermentation. Questions featured in this episode are: Are all coffees that are not anaerobic, aerobic? Am I aware of any efforts to design yeasts for Robusta? Do I think producers should create terms that further describe processing? How can you more precisely measure fermentation process with whole cherries? What's the most eco-friendly way to treat waste water and effluent? Email info.luxiacoffee@gmail if you would like to discuss Plur1bus. Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Intro song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show Support the show
Nov 16, 2025 · 1 hr 16 min
#76: How Commercial Microbes Threaten The Coffee Industry
Sprudge Best Of Panama Article Remanence and survival of commercial yeast in different ecological niches of the vineyard Responses, Inquiries, & questions about coffee sales or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Intro song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show Support the show
Aug 14, 2025 · 1 hr 13 min
#75: Getting Great Water for Coffee
Water massively impacts your coffee's flavours. But most of us struggle to fix our water because water science is confusing... Join me and James as we go step-by-step through: Why these concepts matter for coffee flavour and equipment How to test your water at home How to fix it, depending on what you're working with Check James' website for all of the visuals mentioned in the episode. Resources: #44: Are Wine Making Techniques the Future of Coffee? Responses, Inquiries, & questions about coffee sales or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Intro song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show
Jul 14, 2025 · 1 hr 10 min
#74: Supply Chain Reflections: Consulting Insights from Farm to Roaster w/ Luke Waite
Resources: Responses, Inquiries, & questions about coffee sales or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Get a ticket to FTC-10 December 2025 Luke's Website: Pomelo Coffee Consulting Luke's Book: Pre-Order Pomelo book Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. Office Hours with Luke: 9am (GMT-6) Friday July 18th 2025 Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Intro song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show
Jun 18, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
#73: Cultivating Identity: A Life Forged by Migration and Fermentation
This episode developed thanks to Nick, who thought it would be a good time to revisit a bit of my history in coffee to reconnect with long-time listeners, and to share a bit more about myself with new listeners. We started this podcast about 6 years ago, and if you've been through all 72 episodes, you probably have a good idea about my coffee philosophies. But I also know that not everyone enjoys, or maybe even has the time to go back and start at the very beginning of a podcast. So we thought it would be a good opportunity to give you a bit of my coffee origin story, and a manifesto of sorts, all under one roof. Resources: Responses, Inquiries, & questions about coffee sales or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Intro song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show
May 26, 2025 · 42 min
#72: Planning Your First Coffee Fermentation Trials? Start Here.
Today's episode offers a behind the scenes view of how I approach a coffee producer's first time using yeast for their coffee fermentations. We run through all of the potential variables to pay attention to when designing your first trials with commercial microbes. From cost of production to work-flow and data collection. This conversation was recorded during a recent Office Hours session through our private Discord community. If you would like to be a part of this community, join Patreon and come participate in the discussion. View the decision flow-chart here Resources: Inquiries about coffee sales or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Into song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show
May 1, 2025 · 1 hr
#71: How to De-Funkify Your Naturals and Get Them to Dry Faster.
#54: Visiting Producers, Advanced Tourism & The Coffee Hunter with Tom of Sweet Maria’s #57: Will Frith Solves Terroir & Other Lessons From Vietnam Resources: Inquiries about coffee sales or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Into song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show
Apr 15, 2025 · 44 min
#70: What do coffee cascara and rose wine have in common? Roasted coffee labels, batching your cherries over multiple days
Some of the questions in this episode: What typically happens to the water, along with cascara and whatever else is part of a fermentation, after the fermentation has been completed? Cascara is sometimes processed into a secondary product, cascara tea. Are there other secondary products that are made? As a roaster, what should we put on our bags to better point towards the farm? What's the consensus on adding flavor descriptors to bags? Do or don't? How can I store coffee cherry for 2–3 days without creating high damage? Resources: Inquiries about coffee sales or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Into song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show
Mar 30, 2025 · 48 min
#69: Whole Coffee Cherry Fermentations—The Multiple Paradoxes of Naturals
This episode is a final harvest update and the behind the scenes of performing whole cherry fermentation with various microbes in an attempt to create a Dry Process/Natural coffee that I want to drink. Resources: Inquiries about coffee sales or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Into song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show
Dec 3, 2024 · 36 min
#68: Fermentation vs. Germination: A Look at The Seed From The Inside, Out
I have wanted to make this episode for a long time, but I wasn't sure how to make it work. Finally some research for Dr. Flavio Borem helped crack the topic for me and the result is today's new episode. Things we discuss on this episode: Washed processed that tastes like a natural Process-forward coffees, funky coffee Neutral processing The need for speed, & gentle drying Drying is not just removing water Biggest producer mistakes, not upgrading the drying Fallacy of terroir Support the show
Sep 4, 2024 · 1 hr
#67: Addressing Climate Collapse & Coffee Labor in Brazil with Ana Luiza of Fazenda Mió
In this episode we talk about: How Ana decided to join the family business after pursuing a career in art. The advantages and drawback of growing coffee in a "Full Sun" system. The future of coffee picking and the role of Mechanical Harvesters. Brazil's 6 different biomes. How technology helped Brazil jump from 6 coffee bags/hectare in 1960 to 29 bags/hectare in 2023 How climate change has affected the crop How Precision Agriculture is helping the farm use resources efficiently Tattoos! Resources Ana's Precision Agriculture Presentation on Coffee Knowledge Hub (you will need to make an account but it's free!) Anacafe Presentation on Price Volatility (by Albert Scalla in Spanish) Picture of Mechanical Harvester Instagram Support the show
Aug 23, 2024 · 1 hr 6 min
#66: Winemaker Tools for Coffee Producers: Sugar & Acid Additions, Co-Fermentation w/ Fruit
I was going to create a new episode about Infused vs Inoculated Coffees, but much of what we established back in Episode #39 is still relevant. So I am pulling a Taylor Swift and going to re-release a new version of episode 39, keeping what still works and adding some new perspectives from the last 3 years. In this episode I talk about: The sugar and acid additions that French and California winemakers use How adding mango to a fermentation tank is completely different from adding passion fruit or citrus How to tell when a coffee is infused with a flavor Cinnamon flavor in a coffee Inoculation vs Infusion vs Co-Fermentation The role of enzymes in removing mucilage Gravity! Inquiries about coffee samples or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Into song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show
Jul 24, 2024 · 37 min
#65: To Blend or Not to Blend? Wine Vintages, and Harvest Update.
On today's episode I will be updating you on the coffee we made this harvest season and speaking of the importance of blends. If you’ve listened to even 1 other episode of this podcast, you’ll know that I'm usually trying to discourage the coffee industry from blindly adopting wine culture. Usually I share my thoughts that adopting a wine model benefits consumers more than producers and further accentuates inequality between the coffee buyers and coffee producers. Usually I believe the wine mode does more harm than good. But here is a rare occasion where I think coffee could truly benefit from the wine model. In this episode I talk about: Identity shift from a wine person to a coffee person Why coffee could benefit from adopting the wine vintage model How I approach blending coffee lots in the season Is Coffee Hunter an outdated term? My risky coffee sales strategy Inquiries about coffee samples or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Into song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show
Jul 4, 2024 · 35 min
#64: What Kind of Coffee Lover am I? How Much am I Willing to Pay for a Cup of Coffee?
This episode also comes on the heels of our recent trip to London. Our very first stop was the Nagare coffee shop in Shoreditch in North London. Nick and I do what we usually do when we step into a coffee shop and order the pour overs. They had 2 different coffees on the menu for a pour over so we got one of each and sat back at our cute little table in a cozy cafe, and it was only when we looked down at our empty Kinto ceramic cups that we finally realized we had paid 18£ ($23 dollars!) for 2 small cups of black coffee. I experienced sticker shock because we have been living on farms in Colombia and Guatemala for the last 4 years and we are very out of touch with big city prices. I knew London was going to be expensive but I was not emotionally prepared to spend $11/cup on our daily coffee. Nick and I needed more coffee that morning but if we got 2 more cups at Nagare, we would be close to $50 and we hadn’t even had breakfast yet. In my head, a voice was saying, dang $11 is an expensive cup of coffee. And then immediately another voice said, hold on.... "don’t we want the price of a cup of coffee to rise?" Aren't low coffee prices a big part of the problem with our supply chain? The conversation about the price of a cup of coffee is one I have often. What should coffee cost? Who gets to set the price? How does price reflect value? The conversation about price and value is often at the forefront of my mind because there is such a disparity between what a coffee producer gets paid for growing and processing the coffee and what a consumer pays for a cup of coffee made from their raw material. Resources: https://www.macrotrends.net/2535/coffee-prices-historical-chart-data https://ourcountrygarden.co.uk/british-gardening-statistics/ https://www.carelink24.org/doctors-prescribe-gardening/ https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/02/21/headway/peat-carbon-climate-change.html Inquiries about coffee samples or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Into song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show
May 20, 2024 · 37 min
#63: Terroir For Busy People
Inquiries about coffee samples or future Fermentation Training Camps: info.luxiacoffee@gmail.com Support the show on Patreon to join our live Discord hangouts, and get access to research papers, transcripts and videos. And if you don't want to commit, show your support here with a one time contribution: PayPal Sign up for the newsletter for behind the scenes pictures. Cover Art by: Nick Hafner Into song: Elijah Bisbee Support the show