third wave by tim castle 1999

[xristrettox]

http://www.thirdwavecoffee.net

thanks for mentioning it on the podcast guys, I thought it was a good find. Interesting to see Tim Castle write about it over 6 years ago.

[trish]

yes, Nick linked to this in one of the other threads...three threads on this subject!

Sorry to say that I've only had the time to skim Castle's article since Joel emailed it yesterday and posted it on his blog. I'm so excited about it! Tea and Coffee Asia? Jeez, this should have been in the European issue...or was it?

Having been able to spend quality time with Tim Castle at conference, I am surprised and delighted to see this article resurface. He treated me and Jeremy Raths to lunch...brought his own bottle of wine because he's like that...and we discussed fair trade, Roasters Guild and Accreditation... but never mentioned 3W!

This is awesome.
I wonder what jay thinks about his Punk Rock theory now?
Jay jay jay? Tim Castle is second wave, (as am I)...or is he 2.5 as Mark Prince describes it? Two and a half? That kills me!

(Jay = H.C. in The Catcher in the Rye)

[onocoffee]

My Dearest Trish,

I still think that the "Third Wave Is The New Punk Rock" Theory holds true. A movement doesn't suddenly begin one morning, it builds upon momentum. The "wave" is a great analogy because an ocean wave actually has it's origins hundreds of miles away before it is ever seen crashing on the shoreline.

While Punk Rock really hit the scene in the mid-1970s, transitional forms were on the scene several years earlier. While Punk is considered an "alternate" and "anti-establishment" form of music, it still cannot escape the foundations of music theory itself. Most punk, including the Punk Classics, adhere to a 4/4 time structure as well as verse-chorus and three-chord patterns.

As much as Punk may want to stray from the "establishment" it must adhere to establishment principles in order to flourish.

In many ways, I see this Third Wave Movement on similar terms. Today, in 2006, the 3rd Wave is upon us. Tim Castle's writings in 1999 are the early calls of the Third Wave - that same pre-1975 early music that led to Punk.

Further, the Third Wave today cannot exist without foundations in the "establishment." While Third Wave may be the New Punk Rock, we still adhere to defined priciples on cupping, brewing techniques and coffee theory that were established with the First and Second Waves. The work of today's 3rd Wavers would not be possible without the works of people like Tim Castle, George Howell, Ted Lingle, David Schomer and many others.

A number of people seem hell-bent on defining just what "Third Wave" is exactly. I think it's wasted exercise. In my experience, there are those who "do" and those who "don't." Those that "do" are too busy making it happening and pushing the cutting edge to analyze and develop exact definitions to adhere to.

Now I'll step off the ledge and try to analyze and define...

Let's look at a company I think we can mostly agree on that is part of this Third Wave Movement: Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland, Oregon. They're pushing the cutting edge of coffee today. Very forward thinking. Working with growers. Sourcing top quality beans. Cupping, educating their customer base, building a shop solely to discuss coffee and push consumer knowledge and awareness. Using old school roasters for new school coffee. Telling potential wholesale accounts to live up to their standards. Telling others outside Portland to piss off. Even their advertising is Punk Rock. I'd say that Stumptown is the epitome of the Third Wave.

But is Duane et al sitting around thinking about how they can be "more Third Wave"? Somehow, I seriously doubt that. They're too busy doing the "Stumptown Thing" to worry about being "Third Wave Enough."

----------------------------------

On a separate note, I thought I would indulge you with a brief comparison between myself and H.C.

H.C. was expelled from Pencey Prep. I dropped out of Loyola Blakefield for a week in February of Senior Year.

H.C. had a roommate who is good-looking and fairly experienced with women. I have a podcastmate who is okay-looking and experienced enough with women to be married.

H.C. loiters around New York City, visiting Club Ernies and calling the people phonies. I used to hang out in New York City, going to clubs like Nell's Basement and Tunnel while making fun of the Bridge and Tunnel people who came into the city on weekends.

H.C. hires a prostitute but cannot perform. I, while not hiring a prostitute, would never have a performance problem.

H.C. has a sister named Phoebe. I have no sisters but have had a From-A-Distance love affair (unrequited) with Phoebe Cates.

H.C. fantasized about playing in a field of rye. I have cavorted semi-naked in a blossoming canola field near Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.

H.C. isn't sure if the pat on the head was a sexual advance on the part of Mr Antolini. I've been deemed to celebrate "Gay Thursday's" by Marcus Boni.

H.C. is widely considered to be an unreliable narrator because his stories are apt to be distorted by his point of view. I offer a "Fair and Balanced" accounting of any story.


.

[nick]

Holy crap. There was an article about the Third Wave back in 225 B.C.!

Check it out!


Closeup:


Trish?!? What's going on here?!?

[barry]

The "wave" is a great analogy because an ocean wave actually has it's origins hundreds of miles away before it is ever seen crashing on the shoreline.

and the water in the wave doesn't do anything but jump up and down and around and around.

[onocoffee]

Touche Barry, touche!

[Jason Haeger]

The "wave" is a great analogy because an ocean wave actually has it's origins hundreds of miles away before it is ever seen crashing on the shoreline.

and the water in the wave doesn't do anything but jump up and down and around and around.

The water isn't what the wave is made of, per se.. it's the medium in which it exists. Kind of like we exist in space and time. We are not made of space and time, but without either, we wouldn't be able to exist.

The water doesn't travel, but the momentum does.

[barry]

pppssssttt... <whisper> it's energy.



--barry "surfs up!"

[Alistair]

[posts deleted]

stay on topic