2023 - what a heck of a year
A look back on an amazing year.
This time last year, I started my year in review like this:
2022 is done and for many it’s been another dumpster fire of a year. With COVID, riots, wars, cost-of-living crisis, the Black Caps losing, the ever present threat of climate change - it can seem all doom and gloom.
It’s funny that 2023 hasn’t been much different.
Another COVID surge (currently in my household).
Another war.
A cost-of-living crisis that will be with us for a while.
The Black Caps lost in the semi-final of the ODI world cup. AND against Bangladesh in Bangladesh (though we have started the New Zealand summer in good form).
Weather impacts devastated Auckland, Coromandel, Tairāwhiti and the Hawkes Bay.
It can all seem doom and gloom, right?
Well, there have been pockets of awesome around the place too.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup was a massive success.
The Barbie movie reminded us that it’s okay to escape into our own imaginations.
The Warriors had a huge year and the ‘Up the Wahs!’ phenom took over the country.
The Magic Roast continued to grow.
I moved to Tauranga.
There has been plenty of other great things to make it feel like 2023 wasn’t a complete dumpster fire.
Join me as I take a moment to reflect on what was another trip around the sun, celebrate the wins, learn from the challenges, and get ready for another massive year.
Top stories on The Magic Roast in 2023
Overall, The Magic Roast readership is higher than it has ever bean (get it?). It’s amazing to see you get in behind these yarns and enjoy reading there.
Here are the top stories from The Magic Roast in 2023:
1. Allbrews throws down the real deal
It brings me joy that this was the top story of the year. It was such an amazing event that we will hopefully see more of in the future.
I had a lot of fun competing, and a lot of fun writing about it!
2. Review: Classic cold coffee cans
My first of two coffee can reviews for 2023. This one resonated with you (and The Spinoff, as it turned out…).
The Coffee Supreme Cascarra Fizz still stands out to me as the best coffee (adjacent) portable drink you can find.
3. Does agitation really matter?
Home-brewing 101 seems like a topic that you are interested in, and it has been evident in the hits on this story.
The thing I enjoy about these types of yarns is the experimenting I get to do, and the new things I learn. I would never have thought the old ‘dump and run’ would have come out on top in this experiment.
4. The wrong city moaned about not being in the top five
Boy oh boy. This got you talking.
My DMs blew up after this one went out.
I was half expecting that to happen, but with people advocating for Wellington. What I got was a hell of a lot of you agreeing with me.
Here is one comment that I got from [REDACTED] who works at [REDACTED] and is a really good [REDACTED]:
“Totally in agreement, I get tired from, ill be honest most roasteries around welly being like "we the best" but they do nothing that's remotely pushing the envelope on something new and interesting, most cafes peeled back their offerings after covid or shutdown.
I think the OG article was a good chance to reflect on what we consider coffee culture but looks who they had yarning about it on the news saying "na we the best this is unbelievable" I think anyone with half a brain who works specialty coffee in welly knows we suck compared to outside of NZ so was no suprise hahaa”
That was pretty consistent with the comments that I got.
Im going to keep my eye on you, Wellington. I believe in you!
5. Where’s home: Stockholm
European correspondent, Matty, spent all of The Magic Roast’s budget and lived it up large in Stockholm.
Part coffee tour part effort to get Spotify to ‘fix his algorithm so Taytay wasn’t his top artist’. Matt takes you on an amazing journey around this great city.
This story was very cool, and a useful guide for other readers of The Magic Roast when they were in Stockholm. Including other European correspondents, including TVNZ’s Mei Heron.
I’m sure I speak for all TMR readers in hoping that Matt sends us more of these coffee yarns!
6. You Oughta Know
I can’t remember what prompted this, but I’m glad I followed that particular thread to create the first regular feature: You Oughta Know.
This has been really fun for me, as I encourages me to go exploring. I read more coffee media, go down different rabbit holes, try things things, all to find some nuggets to share with you.
And it is also resonating with you! Thanks for supporting this one.
Biggest TMR fail of the year
The year started strong with a project to listen to RNZ’s top 50 albums of 2022, while brewing a different coffee. 50:50:50. It was going to be amazing.
While I did listen to every album on that god-forsaken list, I stopped writing about it after day 40. It was difficult. There were too many dumb albums. I was running out of energy.
I learnt a lot though, and we’ll see 2024 start with a look at the best albums of 2023 - but in a very different format.
Coffees of the year
I have drunk a lot of amazing coffee this year. But there are two that really stand out - one local, one international.
Here are my picks for coffees of the year.
Sit Down Plz: Colombia Geisha
Holy heckers. This coffee was the best coffee I have had, maybe ever, certainly this year.
Sit Down Plz is a roaster out of Taiwan. I discovered them thanks to the awesome crew at Daily Daily in Auckland. I was lucky enough to be in Auckland in October and they had a very special bag of Sit Down Plz on the menu. It was:
Origin: Colombia
Variety: Geisha
Process: Washed, Fermented
Taste: Huge strawberry and floral flavors.
Most coffees have tasting notes. They’ll usually be quite specific and are created by expert tasters in controlled scenarios. Very rarely can an amateur coffee drinking like me pick them up.
This was the exception. This was like a strawberry jam with jasmine. It was an amazing coffee that has become the benchmark for all other coffees I try.
I’m very glad I came across Sit Down Plz.
Frank’s Coffee: Colombia Grape fermentation
Frank is a Wellington coffee legend, champion barista, cafe owner and one heck of a roaster.
Frank’s doesn’t just find your average coffees and roasts them well. No, he hunts out top quality, crazy tasting, unique and interesting coffees and roasts them to perfection.
Origin: Colombia
Variety: Castillo
Process: Grape/Tartaric Aciid
Taste: Grape hubba bubba
The smell and taste of this coffee took me all the way back to being a kid. I’d be on my red BMX, hooning down to the local super market for some bubble gum. Always grape hubba bubba. We’d chew that stuff while hitting the mad dirt jumps next to the carpark, thinking we were flying.
This coffee took me back there. Amazing.
This community rules
I love this community for the knowledge, inspiration and kindheartedness that it gives back to me.
I do this because I love coffee, I love talking to people about coffee, I love going down rabbit holes of awesome. To have amazing people get in touch, slide into my DMs and give me feedback on what I do, is what this is all about.
But every now and then, some of you will provide a little something extra. A little something that is unexpected but gives me another boost to keep going.
To you - thanks. Thanks for the encouragement. Thanks for the beans. Thanks for the gear. Thanks for buying me a coffee. Thanks for slipping me something extra in my order. Thanks for the merch. Thanks for the love.
Become a member and support The Magic Roast
The Magic Roast Members is now live!
You can support The Magic Roast for the price of a cup of coffee. For this, you get access to the full archive, a great feeling on the inside, and my permission to get ‘TMR’ tattooed on you.
If becoming a member isn’t in your wheelhouse, all good! You’ll still get access to new posts, new reviews and new rants. You can support in other ways - by sharing, commenting and reading.
I hope you have an amazing end of the year, and I look forward to hanging out with all of you in 2024.
Legends.