Coffee Quiz With The KC Coffee Geek (5th Edition)
We’re so excited to have coffee reviewer Steve Agocs up next for the Coffee Quiz with the KC Coffee Geek. We ‘met‘ Steve when he bought a San Giusto espresso cup and saucer set (and some espresso spoons) and then posted about it on Instagram. Once we saw he was a coffee reviewer, we knew we had to follow him and you should too!
Steve is an instructor at a university in Kansas City and came to the coffee world for a creative outlet after a sporadic stint with a beer blog. It seemed like a natural fit for someone who was into specialty coffee but also writing, photography, branding, graphic design and food/beverages. He says the center of his Venn diagram of interests is coffee and we can identify with that!
His site has way over 500 reviews (there are so many, we both lost count at some point), mostly brands from the U.S. but also Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany, Hungary, India, Malaysia, Japan, the UK and Vietnam. He also shares some of his insider knowledge of Kansas City (where to get coffee, obviously, but also where to eat, neighborhoods, places to get a great pic, etc.).
If you’re a coffee fan, follow him asap and if you’re a coffee roaster, see if he’ll review your product!
What brand (or brands) of coffee do you use at home? List as many as you use regularly.
As a coffee reviewer, I almost never drink the same coffee once I’ve reviewed it.
What types of coffee or espresso makers are currently in use or taking up space in your home? Check all that apply.
- Automatic drip coffee maker
- Keurig
- Nespresso
- ☑️ Electric espresso maker
- ☑️ Stovetop espresso maker/moka pot (e.g. Bialetti)
- ☑️ Pour over coffee maker (e.g. Chemex)
- French press
- ☑️ Aeropress
- Stovetop percolator
- Vacuum coffee maker
- Turkish coffee pot
- Other
Tell us about your morning coffee routine. For instance, what time do you have your first cup of coffee or espresso? How do you make it? Do you take milk or sweetener? Do you drink it before you officially start your day or do you have it as you’re already starting to get things done? Is it a solo or shared experience?
My wife doesn’t drink coffee, so I’m all on my own in this! I wake up early, let my dogs out and if I’m reviewing a coffee, I prepare it using a pour over method, take notes, photos, write it up on my website, post, etc. That takes about 90 minutes.
If I’m not reviewing a coffee or if I’m just enjoying coffee on a day off, I almost always make espresso using my Gaggia Classic. After I’m done with coffee, then it’s showering, getting ready for the day, etc. I usually have 1-2 espressos from a Saeco superautomatic a friend and I bought together for work, but that’s mostly social. Other teachers and students stop by and it’s a good way for everyone to let their guards down and a lot gets done over workspresso!
How much coffee do you drink in a normal day?
- 1-2 cups
- ☑️ 3 cups
- 4 cups
- 5 cups
- Too many to count!
In your experience, which country has the best coffee? Why?
I’ve had much more coffee roasted in the USA than anywhere else, so when it comes to specialty coffee, I think the USA is doing a great job!
It’s not my favorite coffee, but being able to walk into any of thousands and thousands of cafes or restaurants in a city like Rome, Italy and get a consistent espresso is pretty amazing in its own right, too.
When did you start drinking coffee regularly?
- In my teens
- ☑️ In my 20s
- In my 30s
- In my 40s or later
- Other:
Do you have any favorite facts or stories about coffee you’d like to share?
I just love that the whole plant can be used… the skins for cascara tea, the husks for compost or recycled into cups and plates like Huskee Cup, the seeds are what we roast and call coffee beans!
Do you have any projects that you’d like to highlight?
Just my reviews on my website at www.kccoffeegeek.com and my Instagram, and starting in July, Ethan Essig, who has the Coffee People podcast, and I will be doing a monthly podcast episode that I’m excited about.
You can find me at the following places:
www.kccoffeegeek.com and KCcoffeegeek on Instagram
Enjoy More Coffee Quizzes
If you enjoyed this coffee quiz, and you are not alone, here are some other people as passionate about Italian coffee and the culture as we are. Check these out:
