755: For the Semisecret Coffee Club in New York, Membership Has Its Perks
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In this episode of This Is TASTE, host Matt Rodbard sits down with Hafiz Mangaji, founder of Huna Coffee Club, a reservation-based membership space in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The club offers coffee enthusiasts access to high-end brewing equipment, a rotating selection of global specialty roasters, and a community centered around the art and science of coffee. Hafiz traces the evolution of coffee culture through waves—first wave (invention), second wave (popularization), third wave (science and quality), and fourth wave (post-pandemic innovation driven by home enthusiasts). He emphasizes that the fourth wave is defined by home brewers who are now shaping the future of specialty coffee, not just professionals. The conversation dives into the importance of water chemistry, light roasting, and the economic realities of the coffee supply chain, with Hafiz advocating for consumers to pay more to support farmers. The episode also explores the club’s unique community of tech-savvy, passionate coffee lovers and the future vision of expanding to cities like the Bay Area. Key takeaways include: 1) Light roasts unlock terroir and flavor complexity, 2) Water quality is a critical but overlooked factor in coffee extraction, 3) Home brewing is now a driving force in the fourth wave of specialty coffee, 4) Paying more for coffee supports ethical sourcing and farmer livelihoods, and 5) Experiential spaces like Huna Club help demystify coffee and build community. The episode ends with a call to value coffee not just as a commodity, but as a craft worthy of investment and respect.
Light roasts reveal terroir and complex flavor notes that are lost in medium and dark roasts.
Water chemistry—especially remineralization—can dramatically impact coffee flavor and extraction.
The fourth wave of coffee is being driven by passionate home enthusiasts, not just professionals.
Paying more for specialty coffee supports farmers and sustainable practices across the supply chain.
Experiential spaces like Huna Coffee Club help bridge the gap between online coffee culture and real-world mastery.
The Evolution of Coffee: From First Wave to Fourth Wave
“The fourth wave is like, okay, I can get coffee from Paris in my home and make it in a very specific way. That's fourth wave to me.”
Inside Huna Coffee Club: A Sanctuary for Coffee Enthusiasts
“It's not a cafe. It's not a class. It's a club.”
The Science of Water and Light Roasting in Specialty Coffee
“If you're using tap water... you're probably missing out on a lot of your coffee experiences. It's one of the biggest game changers.”
The Fourth Wave: Home Brewers as Industry Shapers
Hafiz argues that the fourth wave is defined by home enthusiasts who are not only brewing exceptional coffee but also driving innovation and discovery in the specialty coffee world.
The Economics of Coffee: Why We Underpay and What We Can Do
“We pay $9 for a Coors Light at the bar and don't flinch. $20 at MSG for that Coors Light. Or $20 at MSG or somewhere in between. And we flinch when we see a hand-brewed cup of coffee priced at $6 with nice glassware...”
“We pay $9 for a Coors Light at the bar and don't flinch. $20 at MSG for that Coors Light. Or $20 at MSG or somewhere in between. And we flinch when we see a hand-brewed cup of coffee priced at $6 with nice glassware...”
“I wish people would pay more because there's so much... Let me back up a little bit. Coffee is tremendously low margin, like tremendously, tremendously low margin.”
“The fourth wave is like, okay, I can get coffee from Paris in my home and make it in a very specific way. That's fourth wave to me.”
Host
Guest
Hafiz Mangaji
person
Huna Coffee Club
organization
Matt Rodbard
person
Paris
place
Greenpoint
place
Datura
organization
Tiba
organization
Substance
organization
Lotus
organization
Empirical Water
organization
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