COFFEE INEQUALITY
If you could take a journey into the roots and fruit of the coffee industry, what darkness would you find lurking in its complicated history?
Topic 1
WHY COFFEE INEQUALITY?
At Mad Priest we are committed to sharing the real stories of the coffee industry, and we don’t shy away from the hard truths of coffee’s past & present. Hence why we decided to kick off our “Get Mad Crusade” with a deep dive into the injustice of the industry. The story of coffee across the centuries is littered with the injustices of colonialism, slavery, racism and more. Who’s ready to jump in?
Coffee Inequality
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Coffee Inequality
RESOURCES
Coffeeland, One Man's Dark Empire and the Making of Our Favorite Drug by Augustine Sedgewick
“Wonderful, energizing . . . Coffeeland is a data-rich piece of original research that shows in compelling detail how coffee capitalism has delivered both profit and pain, comfort and terror to different people at different times over the past 200 years . . . Sedgwick's great achievement is to clothe macroeconomics in warm, breathing flesh.” —Kathryn Hughes, The Guardian
Cheap Coffee: Behind the Curtain of the Global Coffee Trade by Karl Wienhold
“The supply chain for coffee is broken. Cheap Coffee provides a broad explanation of the economics, mechanics and power structures that define the industry today….Change, restructuring and conscientious participation from all stakeholders are needed if coffee farming is to be a viable livelihood for the next generation and part of the solution to the climate crisis that is upon us.” –Daily Coffee News
The Triumph: Black Brazilians in Coffee by Phyllis Johnson
“The book addresses the centuries-old history of slavery in the Brazilian coffee sector that has shaped modern-day dynamics in the coffee trade. It also follows the experiences of Black, first-generation landowners who are currently producing specialty coffee.” –Nick Brown
Brewing Justice: Fair Trade Coffee, Sustainability And Survival by Daniel Jaffee
"Brewing Justice hones in on the global coffee industry and the issue of Fair Trade. Fair Trade tends to be a term that is regularly thrown around but seldom fully understood by coffee enthusiasts….what does [fair trade] mean, and how much as coffee consumers should we care? This book reads well, has been carefully researched, and sheds light on a vital ethical issue that is integrally tied to your morning cup of joe.” — James Hyslop
This Is Your Mind on Plants by Michael Pollan
“Blending artful exposition of the evolution and neurochemistry of botanical drugs, erudite history, and (usually) precise and evocative prose, this is an insightful take on plants’ beguiling sway over the human psyche.” — Publishers Weekly
Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World by Michael Pollan
“Caffeine, it turns out, has changed the course of human history: Pollan’s reporting explores how caffeine has won and lost wars, changed politics, and dominated economies. He asserts, with the support of voluminous research, that the Industrial Revolution would have been impossible without it.” – Audible Originals
Coffee: A Global History by Jonathan Morris
"This is for the coffee nerd in your life. . . . It's jam-packed with information. I don't think I have read a book this information dense and yet still incredibly readable possibly ever. A great little book that I recommend highly. If you want a ton of history, a ton of information, a ton of background on coffee, this is a great gift." –- James Hoffmann
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World by Mark Pendergrast
"An exhaustive, admirably ambitious examination of coffee's global impact, from its roots in 15th-century Ethiopia to its critical role in shaping the nations of Central and Latin America....Should be read by anyone curious about what goes into their daily cup of Java." ―Kirkus
Also, not about coffee inequality but the names are amazing…
The Devil's Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee: A History of the World According to Coffee by Stewart Lee Allen
“Who knew that the story of coffee was such a fascinating saga of cruelty, madness, obsession, and death? The Devil’s Cup is absolutely riveting, alternating between the informative and the hilarious. Essential reading for foodies, java-junkies, anthropologists, and anyone else interested in funny, sardonically told adventure stories.” —Anthony Bourdain, author of Kitchen Confidential
God in a Cup: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Coffee by Michaele Weissman
“Weissman illustrates how the origin, flavor compounds and socioeconomic impact of a cup of coffee are relevant now more than ever. . . . Tagging along behind the main characters in today’s specialty coffee scene, [she] travels from the exotic to the expected to artfully deconstruct the connoisseur’s cup of coffee.” —Publishers Weekly
A Film About Coffee
"A Film About Coffee" is a love letter to, and meditation on, specialty coffee. It examines what it takes, and what it means, for coffee to be defined as "specialty." The film whisks audiences on a trip around the world, from farms in Honduras and Rwanda to coffee shops in Tokyo, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and New York….This is a film that bridges gaps both intellectual and geographical, evoking flavor and pleasure, and providing both as well.” –A Film About Coffee
Black Gold
“Black Gold offers a penetrating look into the unbalanced struggling between poor coffee farmers in Ethiopia and greedy multinational coffee companies to do fair trade.” –Anonymous Review
Connected by Coffee
“Connected By Coffee tells the story of Latin American coffee farmers and how our daily brew is deeply connected to a troubled past and hopeful future. Following a 1000-mile journey from Mexico to Nicaragua, the film will show how equitable trading relationships are empowering communities and bringing social justice.” —Connected By Coffee
A Sustainable Coffee Buyer’s Guide - Vera Espindola Rafael
Vera Espindola Rafael on Markets in Producing Countries | Re:co Symposium 2019 - Vera Espindola Rafale
”288: The Truth behind Cheap Coffee w/ Karl Weinhold”, Keys to the Shop Podcast
“Increasing In-Country Consumption with Vera Espíndola Rafael”, Boss Barista Podcast
“Grounds for Revolution: The Stimulating Story of How Coffee Shaped the World”, Gastropod Podcast
“Ep 23: Slavery and Coffee in Brazil”, Coffea Podcast
“Yemenia, Bigger than Gesha?”, James Hoffman
“#72 | Vera Espindola Rafael on Markets in Producing Countries”, Re:co Podcast
“#71 I Phyllis Johnson and Keba Konte on Letting Go of Sameness”, Re:co Podcast
Many Episodes, Filter Stories (Coffee Documentaries) Podcast
Many Episodes, the Special Coffee Association Podcast
Recently Published: A Business Case to Increase Specialty Coffee Consumption in Producing Countries, by Vera Espindola Rafael
“Capitalism’s Favorite Drug: The dark history of how coffee took over the world”, by Michael Pollen
“An Open Letter to the US Coffee Industry on Racism” by Phyllis Johnson
“An Open Letter to the US Coffee Industry on Racism: One Year Later”, by Phyllis Johnson
Click here for ALL ARTICLES by Karl Weinhold on Daily Coffee News!
“Coffee and Climate Have a Complicated Relationship”, by Tatiana Schlossberg
“Sustainability in Coffee: What Are The Main Issues?” by Hazel Boydell
“The Problem With Fair Trade Coffee” by Stanford Social Innovation Review
Our production roast days are Monday and Thursday. All orders are processed respectively when they are received, roasted on one of these days, and shipped within 24 hours. For example, an order on Sunday evening would be roasted on Monday and shipped on Tuesday.
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We roast on Mondays and Thursdays. As long as your subscription (or online order) is received by the morning of the roast day, it will be roasted and shipped within 24 hours. If your subscription falls on a Thursday afternoon for example, your order won't process until Monday and ship Tuesday. But you can control the days/time of your subscription in the portal (we suggest setting it for Sunday night or Wednesday night). And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!
Our coffee is available at our two retail locations in Chattanooga, TN, our Espresso Bar in Southside (1900 Broad Street) & the Drive-Thru Espresso Bar at our roastery in East Chatt (3399 Wilcox Blvd). And it’s available on our website (SHOP NOW!) and at our wholesale partners around town (more info on wholesale partnership here).
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You bet! For online orders, just choose the grind size based on your brew method, or bring in a Mad Priest bag and we can grind it at either location.
Once the coffee bag is open, keep your coffee as sealed and airtight as possible. Coffee de-gasses and loses its freshness around 30-60 days after opening. If possible, we suggest that you only grind it as needed for maximum freshness.
We are always studying the science behind coffee roasting and attempting to improve our craft. We attend roasting guilds, take classes, and assist in training at expo events. We focus heavily on a well developed coffee which maintains its sugar compounds and acid compounds. Though many of our coffees are light to medium, we do have a darker roast that maintains its sweetness and acidity, despite having that rich, roasty flavor.
Our primary goal in all our roasting and brewing techniques is balance. Acidity without body, or sweetness without brightness, does not produce a balanced cup. We seek to ensure our roasting style always reflects a balanced cup.
Our name comes from the incredible novel “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas. In the story, Edmond Dantès was ready to give up and die in prison. Just then, the "Mad Priest" (or Abbe Faria) came on the scene and gave him a reason to hope again, along with the practical skills he needed to win at life. So the Mad Priest is a fictional character that embodies the fight for justice, freedom, and opportunity.
And as a company, we are striving to do just that. Instead of wrongly-accused fictional Frenchmen, we champion real-life people displaced by war, disaster, tragedy, gentrification, and incarceration. We are righteously indignant about racism & inequality in our country as well as the current unprecedented global refugee crisis. #GetMad
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