Who he is
James Hoffmann is the 2007 World Barista Champion, co-founder of Square Mile Coffee Roasters in London, author of The World Atlas of Coffee and The Best of Coffee, and one of the most influential voices in modern specialty coffee through his YouTube channel (1.8M+ subscribers).
Philosophy
- Take coffee seriously, don't take yourself seriously. Rigour and curiosity over dogma.
- Better questions, not louder answers. He'd rather demystify a technique than gate-keep it.
- Repeatability is the foundation of taste. Weigh everything, control variables, then chase flavour.
- Champion of transparency — origin, pricing, processing — long before it was fashionable.
Notable quotes
"If you can't measure it, you can't improve it."
"Specialty coffee is a story you can drink."
"The best espresso is the one you can make again tomorrow."
Signature gear & coffee
- Espresso: La Marzocco Linea Mini · Niche Zero / DF64 (home), EK43 / Mythos for the channel
- Filter: V60, AeroPress, Wilfa Svart kettle, Acaia Pearl scale
- Storage: vacuum canisters; freezing single-dose for long-term storage (popularised on his channel)
Known for
- 2007 World Barista Champion (representing the UK)
- Square Mile Coffee Roasters
- The "Ultimate" video series — V60, AeroPress, French Press, moka pot
- Champion of freezing coffee, refractometry, and TDS-based brewing
Championships
2007 · World Barista Championship
Champion- Sponsor
- Square Mile