Consistency is key.

Do I have to write ‘Consistency is key’ again?

As I sit here, sorting coffee by hand, seeking a maniacal consistency and uniformity in the shape, colour and perfection of these roasted coffee beans, preparing three talented baristas to compete for the prestigious title of Japanese Barista Champion, I’m left stuck on what to write about. Dave and I are both in a bit of a state of mind-melt; possibly a word I just made up that I’d define as the feeling when you’ve done the same task, heard the same words (currently in Japanese) or seen the same actions, over and over and over and over again. It’s been nearly three weeks in this small room, following the same schedule of 10 hour days, lunch deliveries and mostly ramen dinners.

Consistency is something we both strive for—personally and professionally. Our commitment to a weekly writing and a weekly industry conversation, is a challenge Dave and I have embarked upon to push ourselves in our practice of consistency. In our role as coaches, we hold those we work with accountable to reps, runs, or practice swings, if that’s an easier way to look at it. We challenge them to compounding growth that comes step-by-step, seeking 1% improvements. Often, it feels really slow, really slow, really slow and then all the sudden, fast.

Consistency is what we’ve strived for through our 15+ years in the industry. We’re not looking for perfection, we’re not looking to be better than others, we’re not even looking to compare ourselves to others, we’re just seeking day-to-day growth in our personal practice.

This morning, while out for a run on the Meguro River, I had two people pass me in the span of a few minutes. One was a guy around my age and the other a lady half my height and some years older than I am. At first, I thought to myself, “I’ve got to pick up the pace” and then I realized, they’re not running in my race, nor am I running theirs. I’m going at a comfortable speed, for myself, for my practice, and I should stay consistent…

At a quick glance, consistency might seem simple—in this practice, we’re writing somewhere around 800 and 1000 words a week, and recording a ~1 hour conversation. This week is nine weeks into the writing and we just released the 28th episode of the podcast and honestly, it’s been a struggle to find our groove, week to week. Neither of us are trained writers, podcasters, content creators, or whatever it is we are, or we’re becoming through this platform..

There’s a saying: "Repetition is the mother of mastery." When you perform a task repeatedly, you improve, obviously. Athletes train daily to master their sport—see our public commitment to running below. As coffee professionals we need to practice our brewing techniques, dialling in methods day after day to achieve the perfect extraction, or roasting, or tasting. The more you practice, the better you become. With consistency, your skill level increases because you’re putting in the hours necessary on your path to achieving so-called mastery—15+ years into the industry and we still seek improvement, personally and professionally, as our goal line continues to shift. Consistently, we stop to reflect on that journey that’s led us here—somewhere we never even dreamed of being.

For us, it’s about showing up, putting in the work, and maintaining effort over time. The reality is, maintaining consistency is anything but easy—take it from me, as I state again my struggle to keep up with the commitments I’ve mentioned above. As a student of discipline, I remain patient, seeing a commitment to a long-term vision—especially when the results aren't immediately visible (see our less than 300 subscribers 3 months into promoting our YouTube channel, lol 🫣)

I know that today’s struggle will be celebrated as tomorrow’s story of growth and I share this in a hope to encourage you to appreciate your own journey, wherever you might be in it. Be true to yourself and true to your race. Seek support when you need it, as you’d be amazed to find how many supporters are cheering you on. On that note, thank you for supporting us here at Buy the Drip.

We’re here for the journey, not the destination. The practice, not the mastery. We aim to get better, to get further, not than anyone else, rather ourselves. Hell, we don’t even necessarily know where we’re going, though we continue step-by-step on this path. So we’ll leave no bean unturned in our maniacal sorting—which I should probably get back to, as we have five different coffees (see below) and well over 15kg to sort between our three Champions.

Send us your best energy as we will have begun two days of Barista Championship by the time you read this, starting October 8th and 9th. We’ll update you next week with results.

arigatou gozaimasu ありがとうございます (thank you very much)

Reading: The EU Deforestation Regulation has been delayed by a year, with enforcement now starting in December 2025. It would have required companies importing commodities like soy, beef, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, timber, and rubber to prove their supply chains did not contribute to deforestation, with hefty fines for non-compliance. Companies must also digitally map supply chains down to the exact plot, even for small, remote farms. Do you think the EU Commission read our take from last week and decided to postpone the EUDR? 

Watching: Dan Fellows shares his Ultimate Irish Coffee recipe template—the same one that helped him win the World Championship. On a cold day, there’s nothing quite as refreshing as cold cream and hot coffee. Learn from the two-time World Champion and discover more coffee cocktails on his YouTube channel. 

Listening: A few people sent this one my way—Peter Giuliano, an OG in the coffee world, breaks down the stories behind coffee, how beans develop flavor, and why cold brew feels like rocket fuel on Ologies with Alie Ward.

Brewing: We’re deep into espresso these last few days as we prep for the Barista Championship here in Japan. So I’m including a nice photo for the brew bar below of an espresso extraction - a beautiful beverage, majestic and glorious. The three baristas we’re working with are using FIVE different coffees, so we’ve been brewing a Washed Janson Geisha, a Washed Esmeralda Geisha, a Yeast Inoculated Altieri Geisha processed by Lost Origin, a Thermal Shock Pacamara from Zarza Estate and a Thermal Shock Bourbon Aji from El Diviso. There’s a lot of flavours going on over here!! If you’re interested we have a few of these coffees available on the website @ Rosso Coffee

respond with a photo of your brew bar or get creative with an AI generated scene and we’ll feature and share in an upcoming week of BTD

Distance: Buy the Drip run club. Consistently clocking some kilometers.

"Consistency is key. Consistency is key. Consistency is key."

Want to join us as we hit the road? Let’s connect on Strava! or, join our Whoop group - just respond to the email and let’s grind together!