A (Good News!) Update About This Patreon (Patreon)

I have an update for all of you and about Patreon in general - it’s good news, don’t worry! First of all: thank you! Your support continues to be incredible, allowing us to make things which we’re proud of and which we hope you enjoy.

The Patreon was started to fund reviews and to keep us independent. Your generosity has provided us with incredible opportunities. I simply couldn't spend that much money every month on equipment to review. So it felt inappropriate to keep talking about Patreon on the channel, when there wasn’t a need for it for additional support.

The extra funds have allowed us to invest in better testing equipment, in things like a particle size analyser and (very recently) bringing on a new team member to help with testing. They have also allowed us to do something we love: experiment with the kinds of videos we make.

Earlier this year, we made a video that I’ve been wanting to make for years: What Does A Great Cup of Coffee Taste Like?

This was an expensive and challenging production which was only possible through the support you gave the channel. We’re all very proud of the video, and very grateful that you made it possible.

We’d like to continue to make new and different styles of projects. Many of which are resource-heavy (I know I should just say “expensive”, but this is a British problem...). We could get sponsors for those videos, but for many of them I simply don’t want that to be a part of the final video. So we’re going to talk about the Patreon a bit more on the channel again.

We won’t stop making reviews, but we will use the resources to help make experimental projects.

Historically, I’ve been reluctant to talk about our productions before they’re done, but now we feel we should be sharing more about it to bring you on the journey of the productions. Here's a sampling:

• We’re making a three-part “Inside the Factory”-style series to bring you behind the scenes of facilities where coffee is decaffeinated.

• We’re working on some mini documentaries. A couple we’re actively shooting at the moment are about the accidental popularisation of the V60 by Starbucks; and about the Faema E61 espresso machine.

• There’s also some narrative fiction in the works… Probably not what you’d expect, but something we’d really like to try to tell some coffee related stories. There’s one idea about the future of coffee machines, AI and planned obsolescence that I’d really love to make.

These projects will come with more BTS, and with more regular updates from me and the team.

Also - it’s been too long since I asked you what you want to see! As much as I’m excited by all of the ideas we have (and there’s a lot of them), what you want matters too. Be it brew guides, explainers, histories or anything really! A lot of you are probably waiting to see a bunch of videos about coffee production at origin. This is definitely something want to do, but it requires more time in blocks than I'm able to manage with my various commitments. However, this is a challenge i intend to overcome!

Leave a comment with your suggestion, and if you see one you agree with then give it a like!

Thank you again,
James