EP20: DUANE SORENSON

This week I’m speaking with Duane Sorenson. As a coffee roaster, Duane’s passion forever changed the world of specialty coffee. Having grown up in a small town in western Washington, it was a love of music that first led him through the doors of a local coffee shop in the ninth grade. Encouraged by his father, Duane’s ability to differentiate varietals began to emerge.

By the time he left high school, Duane was a barista. Naturally competitive, he immersed himself in Seattle’s coffee scene in the early 90’s, working multiple jobs and refining his technique. When an opportunity to learn to roast coffee presented itself, Duane dove in headfirst and within a few months was roasting full time.

It was a source trip to Panama and a desire to work directly with farmers that inspired what would become Stumptown Coffee and at the same time set into motion a movement known as the Third Wave. With his goals accomplished and his company having grown to meteoric heights, Duane sold Stumptown, a decision that was not without speculation or consequence.

After opening a series of acclaimed restaurants in his beloved Portland, Duane is back on the roaster with his new venture, Puff Coffee. During the course of our conversation, we discuss his preference for hiring employees with passion over experience, taking care of people, and why success is a naughty word.

It is my pleasure to present Duane Sorenson on The Days Between..