Where coffee comes from, how it was harvested, the roasting process and the water used to make the brew are just a few of the factors that influence the taste of what we drink. World champion barista, and coffee roaster, James Hoffmann examines these key factors, looking at varieties of coffee, the influence of terroir, how it is harvested and processed, the roasting methods used, through to the way in which the beans are brewed.

Country by country - from Bolivia to Zambia - he then identifies key characteristics and the methods that determine the quality of that country's output. Along the way we learn about everything from the development of the espresso machine, to why strength guides on supermarket coffee are really not good news. This is the first book to chart the coffee production of over 35 countries, encompassing knowledge never previously published outside the coffee industry. For everyone who wants to understand more about coffee and its wonderful nuances and possibilities, this is the book to have.

James Hoffmann has been involved with the specialty coffee industry for more than 12 years, and throughout has been motivated to make speciality coffee more accessible to consumers. Being the 2006 & 2007 UK Barista Championship, 2007 World Barista Champion, 2008 UK Cup Tasting Champion and the UK Brewers cup champion in 2011, he built a reputation for his knowledge and skill. In his quest to make London famous for its good coffee, he founded Square Mile Coffee Roasters where currently is the Managing Director.

He worked in training, education, and as a product and business development consultant to innovate in a way that is beneficial to the broader industry. Among these projects are the creation of the VA388 Black Eagle espresso machine with Nuova Simonelli, along with the Mythos One grinder. As founder of the Coffee Jobs Board he has fostered a community within coffee.

He has written for more than a decade in his acclaimed personal coffee blog, where he has accomplished his purpose to share with the coffee community and with the industry his knowledge, thoughts and learnings. The World Atlas of Coffee, published in 2014, is his first book. He also is the publisher of Longberry, an in-depth journal that takes on and explores stories around the world of coffee.