Lance Hedrick needs no introduction. Not to readers of this magazine anyway. But if you’re a coffee newb who’s stumbled onto this article via Google‘s algorithm, here’s a quick overview.

Lance is a seasoned coffee aficionado with nearly a decade of experience steeped in the world of coffee (see what I did there?). From mastering the art of brewing as a barista to delving into the intricacies of roasting, bagging, and managing, Lance’s journey in the coffee industry has been as rich and diverse as the flavors he savors.

While Lance initially pursued academia, with dreams of becoming a professor of philosophy, his path took an aromatic turn towards the realm of coffee. Now, as a wholesale representative at Onyx Coffee Lab, Lance immerses himself in the craft, constantly exploring new equipment, devouring coffee literature, and entertaining his 234,000 subscribers on what is, by far, my favorite Youtube channel on coffee.

He’s a busy guy. But we were finally able to catch up with him.

Please introduce yourself to our audience.

Hey all!

I’m Lance Hedrick. Now, an all around coffee weirdo, but have also been a barista, roaster, kitchen hand, production worker, on QC, academic, graduate and teaching assistant, and pool attendant (lol). Over the years, I have had a slew of interests, including playing rugby and singing in an acappella troupe in university, playing chess, reading obsessively about boring topics, and getting really into a plethora of beverages.

My entry into coffee actually aligned with my first coffee job, which I applied for as a flexible position while commuting to graduate school. While there, I fell in love with latte art before even enjoying coffee. Over time, I was introduced to specialty coffee and fell head over heels in love. It wasn’t long after that first experience I would forsake academia for a life of java.

It’s been about 10 years since that decision. In that time, I have worked at about 5 or 6 cafes, have roasted, done quality control, wholesale, and deliveries for a small start up, have opened a shop and managed it, and worked in wholesale and brand direction at Onyx Coffee Lab. I have also competed in the Coffee Fest Latte Art Championship Open, winning it a few times, as well as in the United States Brewer’s Cup, wherein I competed twice and took home 3rd and 2nd respectively in 2019 and 2020. My routine from 2020 garnered some international attention and really set me off in the direction of coffee science even more than the obsession that had been borne previously.

In March 2021, I began my YouTube as a way to circumvent the ivory tower status coffee training seems to have throughout the world. I had the knowledge and experience to teach others what is usually hidden behind paywalls. So, I filmed some tutorials and posted them online. The reception was wild! So, I decided to invest personal money over the next year or two into improving my presence on YouTube while maintaining my full time job at Onyx Coffee Lab, where I still work 6 years strong.

In that time, I have been able to develop some products, design burrs, collaborate with idols, and make some fun videos. I’ve gotten to work with Dr. Samo Smrke, Dr. Jonathan Gagne, Dr. Chris Hendon, James Hoffmann, Pepe Jijon, Noa Berger, and more.

I am excited about the prospect of what is still to come.

Have we reached the pinnacle in coffee brewing innovation or are there still areas where you think real innovation is lacking?

We have absolutely not reached the pinnacle in coffee brewing. Why do I say this? The volatile aromatic compounds in coffee are so complex and we are just now beginning to study how they react to temperature, time, and other variables of extraction. As for now, we are working within the same parameters we always have, which is a ratio, grind size, and temperature of water. I think there are a plethora more variables we will come up with as the science is driven forward, but only time will tell!

What advice would you give to someone who wants to learn more about specialty coffee? Apart from watching your YouTube channel, of course.

If you want to learn more about coffee, I’d first ask what it is you want to learn about. Is it brewing at home? Is it about the origins? Is it about the science of coffee? With that, I would suggest plugging into online forums and becoming active. You’ll find one that jives with you, whether it be a Facebook group, discord group, reddit, or the many online fora hosted in miscellaneous places. These often host lively and inviting conversations, as long as you’re in the one you most vibe with.

In your more than 10 years experience in coffee, you’ve worked as a barista, kitchen hand, roaster, bagger, trainer, manager, wholesaler, consultant and YouTuber. Which role has been the most rewarding and why.

Perhaps the most rewarding role I’ve had during my time in coffee is training. I am a verbal processor, so teaching others really helps me see the holes in my own approach, forcing me to become a better barista and a better coffee professional. While barista work was probably the most fun, training was rewarding above all. Getting to help others perfect their craft, get jobs, get raises, etc, is incredibly exciting.

What’s next for you?

I’m not sure what is next for me, honestly. I’m only focused on what I’m doing now, which makes me happy. I enjoy working with Onyx. I enjoy creating content and pushing boundaries. I enjoy providing scientific reason for brewing phenomena.

So, for the foreseeable future, I don’t plan on much changing beyond some of the content I’ll be making. I hope to make more origin-focused content in 2024 and beyond (yes- at origin studying processes and letting producers tell their stories).

So, here is to more videos and more brews!

Follow Lance on Youtube here, on Instagram here (all images in this article are from Lance’s instagram) and on his blog here.