Welcome to The Sprudge Twenty Interviews introduced by Pacific Barista Sequence. For a whole listing of 2025 Sprudge Twenty honorees, please go to sprudge.com/twenty.

Reyna is the Director of Coaching and Innovation at Olympia Espresso, the place she not solely teaches and mentors the following era of baristas but in addition evokes by her personal profession as a fierce competitor. She has constantly reached the semifinals of the U.S. Barista Championship (USBC), and in 2024, she not solely made it to the USBC semifinals but in addition received the U.S. Espresso in Good Spirits Championship.

But what makes Reyna actually exceptional isn’t simply what she achieves personally—it’s how she exhibits up for others. Earlier than claiming her personal CIGS title, she coached the 2023 champion. After her win, she coached the 2025 runner-up, and in the identical yr, coached a first-time Barista competitor into the USBC semifinals.

Her experience is widely known—she’s been quoted a number of instances in WIRED journal gear critiques as a trusted authority serving to dwelling brewers discover the most effective gear. She additionally organizes an annual throwdown for the Seattle espresso neighborhood, which has raised hundreds of {dollars} for native nonprofits. And thru all of this, she nonetheless finds time to work common bar shifts each week.

Reyna is tireless in her efforts to maneuver the espresso business ahead—one signature drink, one coaching session, and one inspiring lecture at a time. I’m proud to name her a co-worker and even prouder to witness the distinction she makes in our neighborhood.

Nominated by Sam Schroeder.

What number of years complete have you ever labored within the espresso business?

I’m arising on 11 years this November!

What was your first espresso job?

I’m actually grateful that my first espresso job was at a specialty espresso store referred to as The Curb (nonetheless there, now referred to as The Curb Kaimuki, beneath new possession) on O`ahu, working on the College of Hawai`i and within the Kaimuki neighborhood.

The places I labored at have been wildly completely different: on the college, there have been sandwiches, blenders, and “bagel nook,” the place you’d earn your rights to be on bar, and it was very fast-paced, with a variety of completely different pre-made syrups that would swimsuit the school espresso drinker’s palate. At Kaimuki 1.0 (the unique house, not the place they’re presently), the tempo was gradual, deliberately so, with a concentrate on interplay and for-here service. No batch brew, no meals, simply espresso and dialog. We didn’t have wifi, and up-charged for to-go cups, and saved tabs on all of our company orders with out writing them down, so we might present extra of a cocktail bar expertise. We had a choice of open luggage of espresso from completely different roasters across the nation and would dial in each espresso, every single day. It was an unimaginable feat of balancing high quality drinks and high quality hospitality, since you labored by your self principally the entire time.

Did you expertise a life-changing second of espresso revelation early in your profession?

Sure! I really bear in mind my first ever shot of espresso, from my good good friend Bryan (shout out Tono Espresso Undertaking) who labored for The Curb on the time. It was on 10/13/2014, Massive Truck Mix espresso, served on the little Sinclair library kiosk The Curb location (you needed to drive a golf cart with a bunch of stuff and a cooler to open it every single day), and I bear in mind considering, “oh really, that is far more scrumptious than I believed it might be!” I had spent the final yr working my manner down from an 8oz mocha to a cortado or macchiato, and Bryan was like, “Do you simply wanna attempt a shot of espresso, no strain?” It was creamy, chocolatey, with only a trace of fruit, and manner sweeter than I believed it was going to be, contemplating it was simply espresso. I take into consideration that shot the entire time, and I even have the empty bag with the old-school Olympia Espresso label on it, as a result of Bryan drew a humorous cat face on it.

Is there an individual or individuals who served as your mentor early in your espresso profession? How did they influence you?

I’ve obtained a handful of people I consider as my “espresso mentors.” Initially of my profession: Juli Burden, Justin Schiada, and Patrick Oiye. Earlier than I labored alongside them, I spent a very long time ordering espresso from them, so after I began working with them, they pushed me into the deep-end. All of them had come from various, unimaginable espresso backgrounds and fed my thirst for data. These individuals confirmed me what a long-term profession in espresso appeared like earlier than I even knew that I needed to work in espresso. About three years in, I met Sam Schroeder for the primary time, and I’d credit score him with virtually all of my skilled improvement. I don’t suppose I understood the phrase “Espresso Skilled” till I began working with him. Sam actually expanded my horizons, and raised the expectations I held of myself: in my first yr of competitors, I bear in mind receiving crucial suggestions about my sig drink, and him saying, “I do know you’re extra artistic than this.” He was proper, really. His potential to search out one thing to get enthusiastic about and get different individuals excited with him is one thing that I hope to sometime emulate.

What’s your present function in espresso?

I’m the Director of Coaching and Innovation at Olympia Espresso, which signifies that I’m answerable for the entire schooling that occurs for our retail cafes, high quality evaluation on the seven cafes + bakery, beverage standardization, menu creation, occasion planning, and innovating artistic new issues for my group to work out with me.

What aspect of the espresso business has modified probably the most throughout your profession?

I feel there’s two issues: 1.) the final uptick of high quality espresso that’s accessible all over the place and a pair of.) accessible data. Once I first obtained into espresso, I discovered it significantly exhausting to search out good high quality espresso after I traveled, however nowadays, I can depend on there being a minimum of one thing scrumptious wherever I’m, even when it’s slightly out of the best way. I’m slightly extra on-the-fence about accessible data, not as a result of I would like individuals to should work tougher for data, however as a result of I feel, on the buyer aspect, it’s actually tough to kind by the entire data accessible to search out what is definitely priceless and helpful.

What nonetheless surprises you at the moment about espresso, or offers you pleasure?

Lately, I feel espresso serves extra as a conduit for relationship constructing. There’s at all times extra to discover and at all times one thing new to study, however what actively brings me pleasure after I’m serving espresso is the individuals I get to work with and the individuals I get to serve espresso to. I do know it feels actually cliche to say one thing like that, nevertheless it’s true: I worth the individuals I meet by espresso greater than the espresso we’re consuming collectively. Everybody that I really like has come to me by espresso.

What’s one thing concerning the espresso business you’d most prefer to see change?

Oh man, it is a exhausting one as a result of each opinion I’ve about espresso is a hill I’d die on.

I’d love for everybody to drink much less espresso, however pay extra money for it, and for that cash to be extra clearly and transparently traced, ideally throughout the enterprise and again to origin. You don’t want a 16oz pour-over, however when you paid the identical value for a 10oz or an 8oz, producers might afford to have operating water of their homes. I feel we have to reframe specialty espresso as a luxurious product, as a result of sure, you have to be contemplating the influence of a cup of espresso in your pockets. Low-cost espresso cheapens our business, and it makes life exhausting not only for our producers, but in addition for people who find themselves making an attempt to make a dwelling within the business, all elements of it.

What’s your most cherished espresso reminiscence?

There are such a lot of good ones, however I feel I’m gonna should go together with serving my World Espresso in Good Spirits 2024 cocktails to Juli, who produced my espresso, and all of my pals again dwelling at The Curb Kaimuki final October. It’s one factor to current to your friends and pals, nevertheless it’s one other totally to serve it to the one who is answerable for making your espresso. Juli really obtained to return and style whereas I used to be making ready, earlier than I went to worlds, nevertheless it feels extra particular if you’re only a 30 minute drive away from the place the espresso grows. And, it felt very full-circle to have the ability to serve a few of my outdated regulars and coworkers, who got here out simply to spend time with me. I haven’t seen a few of these individuals since I moved away to Washington, so it felt like coming dwelling and celebrating with the individuals who obtained me began doing all this to start with.

Do you make espresso at dwelling? If that’s the case, inform us the way you brew!

So, after I really “brew” espresso at dwelling, I’m out right here hand-brewing with my Origami M with a Sibarist quick cone-shaped filter, no-prewet, 1:17 ratio, barely dialed in. However, in reality, most days, I’m consuming filter brewed on my Breville Precision Brewer that I programed seven years in the past and haven’t up to date the recipe settings since. Most days, I’m not even the one making the espresso–Alan, my husband, simply asks me if I’m having espresso at dwelling at the moment. I solely hand-brew if I’m making a espresso within the afternoon, or making espresso “focus” for a espresso cocktail.

What’s your favourite music/music to brew espresso to?

Style? Hip Hop, Rap, or RnB relying on the day and movement. Artist? Drake. I couldn’t decide a favourite music, however my favourite album to brew espresso to is, palms down, Views. I might by no means make unhealthy espresso if all I listened to was Drake. However, catch me on a Sunday morning at our Columbia Metropolis cafe, and also you’ll in all probability hear both Pop Punk from the 2010s, or Usher Radio.

What’s your thought of espresso happiness?

The uncommon event I get to have espresso with all of my pals. Most of us work completely different schedules, and I don’t take weekends off, so probably the most particular coffees are those that I get to get pleasure from with them. All of us work for Olympia Espresso, so an outing the place all of us are off, in a position to have espresso collectively, is sort of inconceivable to coordinate, however which means when it occurs, we’re all having an unimaginable time.

Should you might drink espresso with anybody, dwelling or lifeless, who wouldn’t it be and why?

It’s Drake, it’s at all times gonna be Drake, till it really occurs after which I’m gonna should give you one other reply. One, he simply looks as if a enjoyable man, and two, individuals with ambition actually encourage me. Personally, I’d like to make him a fruity lil espresso cocktail, in all probability tequila-based, after which I’d love to debate artistic course of. Like, are you simply out right here with the fellows, saying something, and also you detect a bar and that’s it? That goes within the music? People’ artistic processes are fascinating to me!

What’s one piece of recommendation you’d give somebody getting their begin within the espresso business at the moment?

Everybody else is giving nice recommendation, however I’ve obtained some sensible recommendation. Discover a good hand lotion, as a result of it’s a variety of not-very-glamourous dish washing. Like, significantly, the quantity of dishes is insane. I feel I spend simply eight hours of my week washing dishes, in all probability extra.

The Sprudge Twenty characteristic sequence is proudly introduced by Pacific Barista Sequence. 

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