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Artwork for Filter Stories

Filter Stories - Coffee Documentaries

James Harper
Coffee
Specialty Coffee
Cold Brew Coffee
Coffee Science
Water For Coffee
Organic Coffee
Coffee Extraction
Commodity Coffee
Mahlkönig
Sensory Science
Hamburg
Sustainability In Coffee Production
Brazil
Coffee Roasting
Water Filtration Science
Espresso Preparation Techniques
Flavor Chemistry
Brewing Techniques
Alkalinity
Specialty Coffee Association

Coffee stories with an extra shot of history and science. Filter Stories is a podcast revealing coffee’s hidden microscopic secrets, its powerful past, and how your choice of beans impacts tens of millions of people. See the behind-the-scenes stories on Instagram @filterstoriespodcast. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the show and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

PublishesDailyEpisodes87Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
FoodArtsHistory

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Artwork for Filter Stories

Latest Episodes

This episode explores why 30 cents a kilo is trivial for a large farm and unaffordable for a small one, the strange power imbalance that lets roasters define quality when nobody asks a winemaker what yeast they used, and how producers can talk to buy... more

YouTube

This episode explores why the specialty industry's obsession with exotic processing is a dangerous signal for farmers, five ways commercial microbes can make a farm more money, and what a well-run fermentation looks like on farms of very different si... more

YouTube

This episode explores why coffee is only fifteen years into a fermentation revolution that wine and bread went through millennia ago, what's actually happening inside the tank when microbes multiply into billions on their own, and why farmers who use... more

YouTube

This episode explores how just a handful of cheap instruments can ensure quality is reproducible year-on-year, and the wastewater crisis poisoning rivers behind picture-perfect coffee farms.

Part of The Coffee Producer Toolkit, a series made in coll... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Victor Chala
Farmer at Palma Rosa, consulting with The Coffee Quest
The Coffee Quest
Episode: Producer Toolkit: Processing, Pt 3 - Critical instruments and poisoned rivers
César Marín Acre
Owner, Chacra de Dago; pioneer in biodynamic coffee
Chacra de Dago
Episode: Producer Toolkit: Processing, Pt 3 - Critical instruments and poisoned rivers
Norberto Suárez
Panama-based coffee producer featured for mechanical dryer use
Poquete, Panama; Pinhalense mechanical dryers
Episode: Producer Toolkit: Processing, Pt 2 - Drying mistakes that ruin coffee quality
Lester Lerner
Third-generation coffee farmer, owner of Old Willow Coffee, near Bogota, Colombia
Old Willow Coffee
Episode: Producer Toolkit: Processing, Pt 1 - Coffee rockstars and picking’s brutal economics
Manuel Mata
Agronomist engineer, Universidad Magdalena
Universidad Magdalena
Episode: Producer Toolkit: Farming, Pt 3 - Starved soils and vanishing labour
Astrid Medina
Coffee farmer featured for her use of Innovakit tools
Tolima, Colombia
Episode: Producer Toolkit: Farming, Pt 3 - Starved soils and vanishing labour
Hugo Lopez
Founder of Innovakit
Innovakit
Episode: Producer Toolkit: Farming, Pt 3 - Starved soils and vanishing labour
Paulino Quintero
Coffee Quest team collaborator working on composting systems
Coffee Quest
Episode: Producer Toolkit: Farming, Pt 3 - Starved soils and vanishing labour
Sergio de la Vequia
Coffee producer in Veracruz, Mexico
Finca de la Vequia
Episode: Producer Toolkit: Farming, Pt 3 - Starved soils and vanishing labour

Hosts

James Harper
Creator and principal host guiding narrative and interviews; co-creator of ongoing series on coffee documentary storytelling.
Lucia Solis
Co-host and expert quoted throughout episodes; brings hands-on farmer experience and fermentation/processing expertise.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 393 ratings
  • You Had Me At “Water”

    This is the show you’re looking for coffee nerds!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JaySeeB
    United Statesa year ago
  • Relaxing and educational

    James Harper has a gift in telling stories especially about coffee

    His honest efforts in researching each podcast in great detail is truly inspiring to be both relaxing and stimulating educational has brought my troubled mind a great deal of peace

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    77TJ
    United Statesa year ago
  • Brillant storytelling and great information all about coffee

    My favorite podcast by far!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    vattolinos
    Switzerland2 years ago
  • Amazing stories by an independent podcast producer

    I love listening to James’s podcast. I am an eager consumer of coffee and I found his stories always fascinating, helping me understand the beauty and the dark side of this product I so much love.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Spennna81
    Germany2 years ago
  • Really well produced

    Great storytelling, insightful, wonderful sound and music.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    keepcalmcoffee
    Germany2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Brings human stories to the forefront of coffee discourse.
A must-listen for coffee lovers and industry folks alike.
Excellent storytelling with in-depth science and history.
Well-produced and endlessly informative about the coffee supply chain.
Inspiring coverage of farmers, labor, and sustainability with practical takeaways.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#134
United States/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#178
United Kingdom/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#247
Canada/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#37
Germany/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#74
Australia/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#242
France/Arts/Food

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Science: Water, Pt 1 - Alkalinity, hardness and why it matters
Q: How can we measure what's too much or too little alkalinity and hardness in water?
James promises a detailed walkthrough on measuring and treating tap water in the next episode.
Science: Water, Pt 1 - Alkalinity, hardness and why it matters
Q: How does water hardness affect coffee equipment?
Hard water produces limescale, which can build up in brewing equipment and make them inefficient, potentially causing expensive repairs.
Science: Water, Pt 1 - Alkalinity, hardness and why it matters
Q: What is alkalinity and why does it matter for coffee?
Alkalinity is how strong one solution is able to neutralize an acid, and it directly affects how acidic the coffee will taste.
Science: How specialty coffee woke up to water’s role in flavour
Q: What role does magnesium play in coffee water?
Magnesium is increasingly viewed as a crucial mineral that enhances the flavor of specialty coffees, although the exact mechanisms are still being studied.
Science: How specialty coffee woke up to water’s role in flavour
Q: What are the most important measures for water quality in coffee?
The two most important measures for water quality in coffee are Total Hardness and Alkalinity, which indicate how likely water is to cause limescale buildup and how it neutralizes acids, respectively.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Filter Stories

What is Filter Stories about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Across episodes, listeners encounter practical, data-informed discussions on coffee farming, processing, drying, and post-harvest workflows, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, labor dynamics, and profitability. The show blends hands-on farmer experience with agronomy, history, and science to reveal how choices from shade to water management and biodiversity shape flavor, resilience, and equity along the supply chain. A notable strength is weaving together field anecdotes, low-cost tooling, and larger-system context to help producers, traders, and enthusiasts understand not just the cup, but the people, environments, and history behind it.

Where can I find podcast stats for Filter Stories?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Filter Stories. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Filter Stories and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Filter Stories get?

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What are the audience demographics for Filter Stories?

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How many subscribers and views does Filter Stories have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Filter Stories has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Filter Stories?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Filter Stories:

1. Making Coffee with Lucia Solis
2. Freakonomics Radio
3. Radiolab
4. Hidden Brain
5. The Go To Food Podcast

How many episodes of Filter Stories are there?

Filter Stories launched 8 years ago and published 87 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Filter Stories?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Filter Stories?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Filter Stories from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Filter Stories?

Recent guests on Filter Stories include:

1. Victor Chala
2. César Marín Acre
3. Norberto Suárez
4. Lester Lerner
5. Manuel Mata
6. Astrid Medina
7. Hugo Lopez
8. Paulino Quintero

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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