Barista Profiles (Part 2): Moh and Matt on Coffee Education, Tasting, and Global Beans

I guess for me, as somebody who’s getting more involved in coffee education, there are a lot of different tastes. But to somebody who isn’t really educated, it might all just seem the same.

How do you keep a mental inventory of it all? There’s so many taste notes, different regions… how do you keep it all in mind?

Mohsin: I mean, a lot of it is having a clean tongue. That’s number one. You always have to cleanse your palate and see what you can detect. It’s hard if you have a cold or something. That’s the worst for a barista—if you can’t taste anything, you can’t tell how your coffee is. And personally, I don’t trust anyone else’s taste over mine.

Matt: Yeah, for me, what did we just have?

Mohsin: That was an Ethiopian, from Little Marionette. That’s what Saltwater has right now. We use it for filter and cold brew, depending on who’s making the coffee. If I’m making the cold brew, it’s Ethiopian hands down. Filter we switch around. Espresso is different—unless I ask specifically, it’s not going to be dialed in perfectly.

Matt: Right.

Mohsin: Little Marionette in Australia often uses the Aaman machine. According to Ed, the owner, their coffee tastes best with that machine. He tried all sorts—Selli, other machines—and said it wasn’t the same. He’s been in the industry 13-plus years. He dropped out after high school, started playing with machines in Sydney, opened a shop, expanded to a roastery, and branched out to the UK with Roasting Party UK, run by Kiry Sinclair, a really good roaster.

Matt: So Saltwater was like a conduit for Little Marionette coffee to come to the U.S., right?

Mohsin: Yeah. New York being New York, it made sense.

Matt: For me, Little Marionette coffee is amazing because of the history behind it. Ethiopia… the origins of coffee.

Bill: Wakanda?

Matt: [Laughter] Wakanda, pure vibranium. By the time we’re done, your bones are going to feel like vibranium.

Mohsin: Historically, coffee in Ethiopia wasn’t like what we drink now. They would boil the cherries and drink it like a broth. No roasting, just boiled cherry water. Still got the energy from the cascara. Sufi mystics later used coffee to stay awake for prayer.

Matt: Yo, so coffee is Muslim!

Mohsin: Yeah, that’s why I reclaim it. It’s my holy quest to reclaim coffee for the Nation of Islam.

Matt: [Laughter] Cappuccino head.

Mohsin: For me, learning about coffee itself was very interesting. Once I saw Bill’s collection, I realized I had a lot to experiment with. I make 100g pour-overs, which some might think is overkill. But it’s about understanding the coffee, not just making a drink you’re used to.

Matt: Right. Some people have been drinking coffee for decades, their first instinct is milk, sugar… but a proper natural-processed 92-point Ethiopian deserves to be tasted on its own.

Mohsin: Exactly. That’s why I charge $6 for a pour-over—it’s fair to the farmers, fair to the process. The public isn’t always aware, so you have to guide them gently.

Bill: It’s a fine line between craft and the general consumer’s expectations.

Mohsin: Yeah. I’ve seen people get upset if you ask them to try coffee black. You have to respect their palate but also educate them. That’s why premium coffee costs more—it’s incredible, but it’s also a system.

Bill: What about other shops? Particularly for people in New York, or places you’ve traveled.

Matt: In Miami, Panther Coffee is huge. They do a great job with pourovers. Also Deco Coffee—really clean, beginning roaster, still getting their feet wet. Amia is nice. There are others, like Argy and Switchbox, both in Florida, both fantastic.

Bill: Mohsin, how about New York?

Mohsin: One of my recent favorites is Black Fox. They carry George Howell, 49th Parallel—solid coffee, solid espresso. Owner Chris Turner knows his stuff. Black Fox is probably the best multi-roaster in NYC. Small Batch from Australia is another great source. Luna is a new, blossoming coffee that’s excellent. Also, Breve Mundo—you get the love there, and he’s very good at what he does.

Bill: Sounds like both of you have explored some of the best offerings locally and internationally.

Matt: Definitely. It’s about understanding the coffee, appreciating the process, and sharing it with people—even if they’re used to milk and sugar.

Mohsin: Right, coffee is an art, a history, and a science. And it’s about finding joy in every cup.