The Woman Who Defined Third-Wave Coffee | TRISH ROTHGEB!

The Woman Who Defined Third-Wave Coffee | TRISH ROTHGEB!

From IT’S JUST COFFEE! by Ben Bicknell & Rohan Cooke

May 18, 2026 · 53 min

About this episode

Trish Rothgeb discusses her role in defining Third-Wave Coffee and the evolution of the coffee industry.

You’ve heard the term “Third-Wave Coffee”... but did you know it was coined by our guest today, Trish Rothgeb! She’s the Founder of Wrecking Ball Coffee in San Fran, and has been working in the industry for 4 decades. Together we unpack the pivotal moments of coffee history that have shaped the industry today (for better or for worse). Plus we explore the ways in which late third-wave coffee is failing us, and what we can do about it - with an emphasis on education and connection. 00:00 Introduction & Trish Rothgeb’s Coffee Legacy 01:20 The Origin of “Third Wave Coffee” 03:05 First, Second & Third Wave Explained 09:10 Community and the Evolution of Specialty Coffee 17:30 Building Community at Wrecking Ball Coffee 24:10 Meet People Where They Are 28:00 Roasting as Craft and Flavour Design 35:00 How to Become a Great Coffee Roaster 39:15 Mentorship and Sharing Knowledge 45:45 Hot Take: Why Coffee Quality Can Be Measured 50:50 Shout-Outs and Final Reflections If you're new here (welcome), our show dives into some of the best coffee conversations on the internet, but we will always remind ourselves at the end of the day - It's Just Coffee! Find Trish here…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ben Bicknell, Rohan Cooke

Guest: Trish Rothgeb

Topics covered

  • Third-Wave Coffee
  • coffee history
  • specialty coffee
  • community building
  • coffee roasting
  • mentorship

Keywords

  • Third-Wave Coffee
  • coffee history
  • Wrecking Ball Coffee
  • specialty coffee
  • coffee roasting
  • mentorship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Wrecking Ball Coffee

Places: San Fran

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