James Hoffmann
Hoffmann at the 2018 London Coffee Festival
Born
James Alexander Hoffmann

(1979-12-11) 11 December 1979
Stafford, England
NationalityBritish
EducationUppingham School
Alma materDurham University
Occupations
MovementThird wave coffee
AwardsWorld Barista Champion, 2007
YouTube information
Channel
Subscribers1.91 million[1]
Total views255 million[1]
100,000 subscribers
1,000,000 subscribers2021
Last updated: 26 November 2023
Websitewww.jameshoffmann.co.uk

James Alexander Hoffmann (born 11 December 1979)[2][3] is an English barista, YouTuber, entrepreneur, coffee consultant, and author. Hoffmann first came to prominence after winning the World Barista Championship in 2007 and has since been credited as a pioneer of Britain's third-wave coffee movement. Hoffmann has published three books, including The World Atlas of Coffee, amassed a significant following on YouTube, started several businesses, including the specialty coffee roaster Square Mile Coffee Roasters, and consulted for several coffee ventures.

Early life

Born in 1979 in Stafford, Staffordshire, Hoffmann grew up in the Lake District in North West England.[4][5] He is a graduate of Durham University.[6]

In 2003, Hoffmann released an EP under the stage name "King Seven" which featured "bell chimes, panned-and-swirling acoustic guitars and careful, sometimes glitchy percussion choices."[7] He also worked as a croupier in a Leeds casino and in the wine industry before entering the coffee industry.[4][5]

Career

James Hoffmann at the 2006 World Barista Championship in Switzerland

One of Hoffmann's first jobs after joining the coffee industry in the early 2000s was working as an espresso machine salesman for Gaggia in the high-end department store Selfridges. While working there, a chance encounter with a television producer led to him featuring on Trick or Treat, hosted by Derren Brown.[8][9] In 2004, Hoffmann started his popular blog "Jimseven".[10] Hoffmann later moved to another espresso machine manufacturer, La Spaziale, as the national training manager for the UK.[11]

Hoffmann first started competing in the UK Barista Championship in 2005, winning the competition in 2006 and qualifying to compete in the World Barista Championship (WBC). He placed fifth at the WBC in 2006. He became the UK Barista Champion again in 2007 before becoming the World Barista Champion in Tokyo in 2007.[10][6][12][13] His winning signature drink involved a "flavour marriage" of tobacco and almonds.[3] Since becoming the World Barista Champion, Hoffmann has come to be regarded as a pioneer in the third-wave coffee movement in the UK, with The Globe and Mail describing him as "the godfather of London's coffee revolution".[14][15][5][16]

Square Mile Coffee Roasters

After leaving his job at La Spaziale in May 2007, Hoffmann co-founded Square Mile Coffee Roasters with his business partner Anette Moldvaer in 2008, a London-based specialty coffee company and roaster.[11][17][18][19] It was one of the first wholesale specialty coffee companies in London, and later became the largest.[10] The 2008 World Barista champion, Stephen Morrissey, was sponsored by Square Mile, and in 2009 the winning beans also came from Square Mile.[20][21] The company was based in Cambridge Heath in 2009 and Hackney by June 2014, before moving to their current location in Walthamstow in late 2018.[22][23][24][25][26]

With his business partner Tim Williams, Hoffmann temporarily opened a coffee bar called "Penny University" in 2010 through Square Mile. The café was open in Shoreditch from May 22 to July 30 and featured no espresso drinks, opting to serve Hario V60 pour overs, flannel drip, and siphon coffee.[21][27] Square Mile took over Prufrock Coffee, a café in London, in 2017.[28]

Square Mile hosted the 2010 World AeroPress Championships, which took place alongside the 2010 World Barista Championship in London, and the 2015 English Aeropress Championships.[29][30] Hoffmann competed in the 2010 Aeropress Championship.[31]

Square Mile hosted a pop-up coffee shop during the 2016 London Coffee Festival. The pop-up included two stands, one of which taught attendees how to make good espresso and filter coffee at home, and the other offered a tasting experience of food and drink that highlighted coffee as an ingredient.[32]

In 2022, Square Mile collaborated with Cometeer to produce flash frozen pucks of concentrated coffee, which are then diluted in hot water as an alternative to instant coffee.[33][34] This was the first time Square Mile's coffee was available in the US.[35] This was followed in September 2022, when Square Mile and American specialty coffee company Fellow announced the roaster would partner with them for the September 13 "Fellow Drop", a weekly, text-based coffee ordering service.[33][36] Fellow had collaborated with US Barista Champion and fellow YouTuber Morgan Eckroth the month prior.[36][37]

As of September 2022, Square Mile had 37 employees.[36]

Writing

On October 23, 2014, Hoffmann published The World Atlas of Coffee through Octopus Book Publishing Group.[38][28] The book explores coffee history, varieties, growing methods, roasting, and preparation with a focus on origin, cataloguing the coffees grown in 29 countries.[38] The book was a commercial success, selling 320,000 copies, including a second edition in 2018 and translation editions in eight languages.[39][40][10] The book was also critically well-received, with The Guardian describing the book as "high geekery made palatable by the evident love pulsing through every sentence."[41]

In 2017, Hoffmann self-published his second book, Best of Jimseven, funded through an Indiegogo campaign. The book was a compilation of Hoffmann's popular blog "Jimseven".[42]

In 2022, Hoffmann published his third book, How to Make the Best Coffee at Home through Mitchell Beazley, a part of Octopus Book Publishing Group.[39][43] In January 2023, the book was honored at the 14th Annual Sprudgie Awards, winning in the category of "Best Coffee Magazine/Book".[44]

YouTube channel

Since 2016, Hoffmann has gained popularity on YouTube's online video-sharing platform, with his channel garnering over 1 million subscribers.[10][45] His channel primarily discusses the specialty coffee industry, reviews and compares coffee equipment, and evaluates different brewing methods.[10] His videos are noted as being practical, easy to understand, and funny, as well as consistently thorough.[28][10] Hoffmann's distinct personal fashion is also often noted as being part of the channel's appeal, with The Guardian describing the videos' style as "gentle chaos – with a widow's peak of expertly swooped silver hair, tortoiseshell spectacles, a penchant for woolly jumpers, and a soft voice. But he's not afraid to strain doughnuts into coffee or brew grounds in a bripe – a coffee pipe."[3][10]

Hoffmann uses the crowd-funding subscription service site Patreon to support his channel, making £16,000 (US$21,917.81) a month from more than 8,000 patrons in July 2021 and US$24,000 as of January 2022.[10][3] He uses some of these funds to purchase products to review, a practice intended to allow him to remain impartial. He shoots his videos primarily in his studio, which includes a kitchen and an office.[3]

In November 2022, the channel was nominated at that year's Streamy Awards in the category of Cinematography.[46] In January 2023, Hoffmann was honored at the 14th Annual Sprudgie Awards, winning runner-up in the category of "Best Coffee Video/Film".[44]

Other businesses, consulting work, and products

In 2014, Hoffmann co-founded Longberry Publishing with Ben Szobody and Jacob Forrest. The company published a magazine they stated would be an "occasional journal of coffee" available in print and e-book. The company was closed in 2018 after publishing two editions.[47][48][49]

In 2015, Hoffmann collaborated with ChefSteps and Ben Kaminsky to make a twelve-part series on coffee and coffee preparation. The producers of the series were nominated for a James Beard Award for their how-to videos, including the series with Hoffmann.[50]

Hoffmann founded Tens Hundreds Thousands, which sells limited edition coffee-related products.[28]

Hoffmann has worked with Italian commercial espresso machine and grinder maker Victoria Arduino, owned by Nuova Simonelli, since 2013. The collaboration has resulted in the Mythos One coffee grinder in 2013, the Black Eagle VA388 espresso machine in 2015, and the Eagle One espresso machine in 2020. The Black Eagle focused on simplicity of design, while the Mythos One and Eagle One focused on environmental friendliness and reducing waste for coffee businesses.[51]

Hoffmann consulted for Myracle Kitchen, a subsidiary of Nurture Brands LLC, to develop a plant-based dairy alternative called "Barista Mylk". The product was released in June 2021, with the stated goal of being comparable to cow's milk in terms of taste, experience, and texture, as well as being suitable for use in latte art.[52][53] The formulation includes oats, fava beans, and coconut cream.[54]

References

  1. 1 2 "About James Hoffmann". YouTube.
  2. ↑ "James Alexander Hoffmann - Personal Appointments". Companies House. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Tait, Amelia (31 July 2021). "From Oslo pram guy to the teenage vacuum expert: inside the obsessive world of niche online reviewers". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  4. 1 2 "James Hoffman". Allegra World Coffee Portal CEO Forum. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 Mridul, Anay (18 July 2019). "Profile: James Hoffmann on his career, talking chains, coffee preferences and Brexit". The Grammatical Nerd. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  6. 1 2 "A Fine Coffee Really isn't All Froth". Sunday Express. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2020 – via PressReader.
  7. ↑ "Musicians In Coffee #3: James Hoffmann". sprudge.com. 2 March 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  8. ↑ "Series Seven: Derren Brown: Trick or Treat (Series 2)". Derren Brown. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  9. ↑ Blunden, Mark (17 August 2020). "Amateur baristas gave coffee sales 'lockdown lift', says YouTube star". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wharton, Rachel; Shadmi, Koren (18 January 2022). "The Coffee Maker". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  11. 1 2 Overbay, Mark (27 February 2008). "James Hoffmann East Coast Tour - March 2-15". Barista Exchange. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  12. ↑ "James Hoffmann, World Barista Champion". Barista Magazine Online. 3 August 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "Every World Barista Championship Finalist, Ranked". sprudge.com. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  14. ↑ Collins, Robert (24 September 2015). "Getting a taste of London's buzzing coffee culture". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  15. ↑ Cohen, Major (2021). Coffee for Dummies. Newark: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. ISBN 9781119679042.
  16. ↑ "An Interview With James Hoffmann, Author Of The World Atlas Of Coffee". sprudge.com. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  17. ↑ Strand, Oliver (23 February 2010). "London Sips a Different Cup". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  18. ↑ "London's Penny University to Close July 30th". sprudge.com. 14 July 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  19. ↑ Rayner, Jay (7 June 2017). "Hot shot: the story behind the great global coffee revolution". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  20. ↑ Schwaner-Albright, Oliver (23 June 2008). "And the Winner Is ... London Coffee". Times Topics Blog. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  21. 1 2 Strand, Oliver (28 May 2010). "London's Penny University". T Magazine. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  22. ↑ Whitehead, Flick (15 March 2019). "London Coffee Festival and Prufrock Coffee". Square Mile Coffee. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  23. ↑ "Mr. Bean". Evening Standard. 29 April 2009. pp. A39. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  24. ↑ Rayner, Jay (7 June 2014). "Hot shot: the story behind the great global coffee revolution". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  25. ↑ "NEIGHBOURHOOD CHRISTMAS MARKET". Square Mile Coffee. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  26. ↑ Miller, Victoria (20 January 2022). "Coffee & Fripes opens on Roman Road". Roman Road LDN. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  27. ↑ McGee, Harold (27 July 2010). "To Enhance Flavor, Just Add Water". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  28. 1 2 3 4 Clayton, Liz (1 November 2021). "Who is James Hoffmann?". sprudge.com. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  29. ↑ Hallock, Betty (17 March 2011). "AeroPress coffeemakers brew loyal fans". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  30. ↑ "Aeropress Championship of England 2015". Square Mile Coffee. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  31. ↑ "WBC 2010 Mop-Up: World Aereopress Champion Marie Hagemeister". sprudge.com. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  32. ↑ Mule, Giulia (15 April 2016). "Inside Square Mile Coffee's Pop-Up At The London Coffee Festival". sprudge.com. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  33. 1 2 "In other coffee business news… 2-8 September 2022". World Coffee Portal. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  34. ↑ Yentch, Katrina (1 July 2022). "Test Drive: Cometeer Coffee". Barista Magazine Online. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  35. ↑ Chin, Tyler (25 June 2022). "You Can Finally Get This Champion Barista's Coffee in America". Gear Patrol. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  36. 1 2 3 "Fellow Partners with Square Mile Coffee Roasters for its Popular Text-To-Order Coffee Program". Benzinga. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  37. ↑ "Fellow Partners with Morgan Drinks Coffee as Guest Curator for its Popular Text-To-Order Coffee Program". PRWeb. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  38. 1 2 "Book Review: The World Atlas of Coffee". Flattop Coffee Roastery. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  39. 1 2 Chandler, Mark (5 April 2022). "Mitchell Beazley brews deal for Hoffmann's home coffee-making guide". The Bookseller. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  40. ↑ Butterworth, Michael (5 November 2018). "James Hoffmann on the World Atlas of Coffee, Second Edition". The Coffee Compass. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  41. ↑ Hughes, Kathryn (6 December 2014). "The best food literature of 2014". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  42. ↑ "James Hoffmann's "Best Of Jimseven" Book Now Available For Pre-Order". sprudge.com. 15 March 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  43. ↑ Hoffmann, James (2022). How to make the best coffee at home. London: Octopus Book Publishing Group. ISBN 9781784727246.
  44. 1 2 "The 14th Annual Sprudgie Awards Winners And Honorees". Sprudge.com. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  45. ↑ Price, Will (26 April 2020). "One Quiet British Youtuber Is All You Need to Learn How to Make Better Coffee". Gear Patrol. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  46. ↑ Escandon, Rosa (27 October 2022). "YouTube's Streamy Awards Announce 2022 Noms". Forbes. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  47. ↑ Hoffmann, James. "Work - Longberry". James Hoffmann. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  48. ↑ "Longberry, The New Coffee Magazine From James Hoffmann". sprudge.com. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  49. ↑ "Longberry, Volume Two". Longberry. Archived from the original on 24 February 2018.
  50. ↑ "Coffee-Forward Media Honored With James Beard Award Nominations". sprudge.com. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  51. ↑ Yentch, Katrina (9 March 2020). "James Hoffmann Embarks on World Tour with Victoria Arduino". Barista Magazine Online. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  52. ↑ "Myracle Kitchen Partner with World-Renowned Coffee Expert James Hoffmann Create New Barista Mylk". Perishable News. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  53. ↑ Schouten, Rebekah (23 August 2021). "Myracle Kitchen introduces 'zero-compromise' plant-based treats | 2021-08-23 | Food Business News". foodbusinessnews.net. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  54. ↑ Allen, Sarah (26 January 2022). "Attention Baristas! Myracle Mylk Plant-Based Beverage Is Hosting a Latte Art Competition, with Big Prizes, Including $1,000 and a Trip to NYC!". Barista Magazine Online. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
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