SCA Expo 2024 | My Recap & Lessons Learned

[@spektrograf]

I've never commented before, but thought I'd just say thanks for all the work you put into the thoughtful videos you produce. It's a massive amount of work, and how polished your videos are shows how much you put into each production itself-let alone the effort that comes before to formulate your points of view. You're one of those channels that when you drop a video, I watch. I love it. There's probably a lot more like me out there who are regulars, but don't comment. So from those of us who are like me…THANKS, and keep doing you-it's what we're here for! 🙏

[@Sprometheus]

Thanks for breaking your silence! I know there are plenty of folks like you and I also know comment sections can be kind of the Wild West and worth avoiding, so I get that. Anyway, thank you again and thanks for all of the kind words and support! Means a lot to hear that as my channel and content continues to evolve.

[@nomadsolos]

@@Sprometheus I rarely do comment, mostly because my comments will not add to the conversation. I do like others appreciate your insights. Prior to discovering your channel I did not know what profiling was when pulling a shot. I am here today looking at your machine reviews, and mulling over a new machine purchase. So this note is to just say thanks for the years of videos you have made. (Yes a viewer for about five years give or take)

[@chongli297]

The kindness of viewers definitely reflects you and the standard you set with your videos. Your blend of honesty, vulnerability, professionalism, and passion is incredibly rare to find anywhere. You may have originally set out to share your thoughts and insights about coffee but your channel has grown to be about so much more than that. Now it's about people, relationships, and community. This became especially apparent when you shared your reflections about the direction the cafe industry is taking, and your feelings about La Marzocco. Thank you for everything you do!

[@ItalianSproBL]

Seeing you at SCA made the event for me, I’m sure you’ll remember me, the guy that cracked the joke about it’s been a while since you’ve been on bar. I really hope I didn’t overstep, it really was a joke and didn’t mean to be rude or mean anything by it. If it was over the line, I apologize. Like I said it was amazing meeting you and the espresso you made me was amazing and delicious! So rest easy on that, I’m sure everyone else that was there agrees, it was something special to be remembered. Looking forward to the upcoming content and I hope you know, like I said at the show, I support you to the fullest. I hope to see you at the next SCA you attend and I wish you all the best!

[@Dexterprog]

Sprometheus never laughs. You learned your lesson.

[@Sprometheus]

Haha no harm done. It was just one do the moments that popped into my head as I was recording, and I didn’t take it seriously. It seemed lots of folks were digging the espresso and I think you had two, so it couldn’t have been that bad. Anyway, thanks again for stopping by and all the kind words and support!

[@NeverMind353]

Spro my bro. Don't beat yourself up. If you feel like taking a break to mentally deload I think that is warranted too. As far as I perceive it you've been extremely consistent. I love your honesty, complete lack of ego and your content makes me smile. Cheers, pony boy.

[@BrucePappas]

My wife and I went to SCA for the first time. We stayed all 2.5 days. I agree, it was overwhelming. We started on one side and worked our way to the middle. Then we did the other side the same. I did research prior to going in, so that I knew what was there and what we wanted to see. Frankly, the competitions were surprisingly good and held quite a bit of our attention. What I'd like to see you vlog about is the social aspect of the show. Interview a few of your followers. Build the community. I wish I'd known that you were at Third Wave Friday. I would have stopped in then. Also, host a get-together of your fans. Do it live. I've always appreciated your content and look forward to seeing your work. Here's to next year at SCA (technically every two years 🙃)

[@Sprometheus]

Thanks Bruce! Glad you had a good time and enjoyed yourself. Definitely some good suggestions there too, I have plenty of time to plan for the next Expo I know I’ll attended in 2025 which happens to be at my hometown in San Diego. Thanks again for all the support over the years!

[@BrucePappas]

@@Sprometheus - thanks for your reply. I think next year is in Houston, TX. I would have preferred San Diego! ;)

[@ianshepherd6476]

Love your stuff you are very real and to the point I love it

[@MadScientist7]

Really appreciate the honesty of your videos. At 6:08 of this video, love the shot of the bag of Rogue wave coffee out of Edmonton, AB…that’s where I order my coffee from, so cool

[@coreycannon4511]

Good eye! I have 2 bags in the freezer plus one on the bar from them from my last visit. More to get next visit in about a week and a half.

[@Dogdrulezz]

You’re being too hard on yourself Sprometheus. Recording in new environments can be hard. I think going and interacting is a success either way. ❤ u

[@aeromaniac13]

I’ve always wondered how lonely this line of work can feel. I watch a lot of headphone reviewers, and every head-if event, they get together and hang out for 3 days straight. I never felt that kind of community in specialty coffee, but you definitely have a community that supports you! Happy for you!

[@JeepBigE]

I enjoy any type of content you put together. Always a learning experience for me. I'm just trying to absorb information. Appreciate your work!

[@cookfoodslow]

Maybe on years where you don't see a ton of material in the show, you could set up more visits into that cities coffee shops to explore their communities. It would be pretty cool to see more coffee content creators doing meet ups that pair with these larger events. Many coffee nerds can't afford the cover or have the time to do the whole expo, but meeting up to showcase some of the host cities' unique cafes would be pretty rad.

[@les5309]

Thanks for this vid. Please try the Pulsar with those metal screens soon. Cheers.

[@soniquesays]

I did all 3 days on day 2 I volunteered with the latte art championship on the same floor for roasting & cupping. Seeing the well-known names in the coffee community out and about was fun. I underestimated Chicago & the distance to the convention center was huge. It was a bit overwhelming for a first-timer but I will attend in Houston and see. I'd love to see the Victoria Arduino E1 on your bar and maybe Eversys or your thoughts on their machines. The Ascaso baby T also looked good.

[@coffeeengineerkenzie]

So happy to have met you, I look forward to your thoughts on our dripper! The tool is called the disputer (antonym of negotiator, haha)

[@coreycannon4511]

lol!

[@wesgimbert9663]

If you want to try more filter. Try the filter3 basket on your DE.

[@alexandertaaninggrundholm5019]

I definitely wouldn't call this a failure, as it made for a really interesting and relatable video!

[@robertusga]

Decent Bengle coming up... will it be able to completely duplicate lever shots, instead of just replicate like DE1?

[@mrecra8084]

Hi asa good to meet you at the event that ristretto you pulled was amazing, truly a highlight of the expo

[@aloogawooga]

Hey man! I get that it could've been disappointing or frustrating not being able to do what you planned on doing, but I hope you can still appreciate the time you spent there and the opportunity to pull shots for Third Wave. As someone who couldn't go I hope you can find the plus side of your experience! Honestly even if the content there doesn't fit the type you post on here, still would've loved to see your input on those things. Much love bro!

[@prestonthiessen2548]

I don’t think I’ve seen you comment on the Meticulous espresso machine which was at the expo? I’d love to hear any first thoughts about the machine.

[@MadScientist7]

Looking forward to OdysseyArgos review for sure…also more content on the Decent….. I have been only a pourover guy for many years and want to get into espresso…Argos, Decent, Flair…I just don’t know what direction to go anymore without owning multiple machines lol

[@coreycannon4511]

Ditto.

[@paul--b]

Would be cool if you could give high extraction/3rd gen baskets another shot (pun unintended), with and without bottom paper. Along with Wafo, there is of course the Sworksdesign, Weber Unibasket, Pesado and a few other smaller brands. Particularly interested in the potential to grind coarser for more even extraction while maintaining extraction percentages. And is there a benefit in milk drinks? Just an idea, keep up the great work either way!

[@tummy_fritters]

Just one subscribers thoughts: I really like directed content (like normal episodes with a script) and I usually skip stuff like expo interviews. It's not because I think they're bad content, but because they make me feel anxious and awkward. For me (just an opinion) the best thing you could do at an expo is enjoy it as much as possible, however that happens. Whether that means a blog and interviews or not even bringing a camera and mic, please do it. If you get something out of it, it will come out in your videos, whether they are filmed at the expo or not. Still lovin your videos!

[@MyCoolHistory]

Don’t beat yourself up too much! Trips not going to plan is something many can relate to. As to what I’d like to see, I think it would be interesting to hear more from the folks behind all this new gear. How they got into the industry etc etc.

[@Allthesmallteas]

Besides being a sponsor and such do you recommend the 3rd wave water over a filter system like BWT water filter that Whole Latte Love recommends?

[@antacs2672]

It really depends on your city's water. Filter systems like BWT can work, but they won't work for all tap waters because basically every local water source is different. Like you may have a lot of chloride which can create a corrosion risk. You'd really need to pull your city's water data to determine what kind of treatment is adequate. TWW and similar products remove that uncertainty and legwork. There's also the option of making your own mineral mix to add to distilled or reverse osmosis water (a google search for RPavlis water will show some examples).

[@mejasiu]

I have been interested in the Pulsar but the only reason I do not think its for me since I already have an Aeropress and it seems like basically the same concept. So for me I'd like to understand what does the Pulsar do that an Aeropress doesn't do that would really be worth getting it. Is it so amazing that its a must have? How would you compare it to Aeropress?

[@coreycannon4511]

As an owner of both, I can say they are really very different. Other than being both zero bypass and you can, theoretically, do a couple of brews in the same way. That and both offer way more variety of brewing methods than typical drippers. But they do them in very different ways. The Pulsar offers the ability to brew more like a traditional dripper than the Aeropress, for example. I’ve been having a lot of fun playing with it. Check out Aramse’s review from a couple of months ago, with 3 different recipes for some ideas.

[@TheGrandMug]

Yo, it was so good to meet you! And agreed the show floor was definitely more of incremental improvements this year, not as many brand new products. Also will say, I think Friday was overwhelming for everyone not just you. Then you start adding all the excess caffeine into the equation and it's truly a recipe for disaster haha. But all to say, your shots were dialed and the spro was mighty tasty. Thanks again to you and the Necessity guys! P.s. glad I made it into the b-roll 😂

[@TALESCOFFEE]

I'm TERRIBLE in crowded spaces, so I know how you feel. I didn't go this time but I probably would've just hidden in a corner haha. I know how you feel!

[@roger.tsai.]

You are THE best coffee KZbinr IMHO

[@TomMaynard--TCM--]

Future review: Fellow Bird. I've been enjoying my Clara/Ode combo and am intrigued by the Bird.

[@brentroman]

“Something ate her”….hahaha. I was so surprised to see me getting a shot pulled by you in this video! Wow. Spro by spro. Was great to meet you and talk with you briefly. Hope meeting with your friends and fans put some more wind in your mental/emotional sail. Keep on truckin’

[@jeffjones6667]

That happened to me last year in Portland, drove up on 4hr sleep on last day( cause live in Oregon) but yah overwelming , inconsistant coffee intake, lot vendors were already packing up and spend lot time talking vendors i wasnt even interested in. Still good time and motivating though. Seems easy to burn out in this industry, trade shows etc help. I say deep dive into pourover from sworks dripper to ground control moving forward ! My heart is always with espresso but i feel maybe i havent guven other brew methods fair chance. Its like caramel sauce vs caramel syrup...do you really want the the syrup again after having the sauce ?

[@efritz2367]

Maybe take a look at that new brewer from Fellow, the Aiden. Looks interesting.

[@dumelisdumelis]

"What are you looking for in these vlogs" - experimental content / new formats that you're interested in. When you're doing something that's new for yourself your passion & interest comes across in the videos very well and it makes for good content. Keep up the good work!

[@alanroderick7153]

Thank you for the thoughtful video. Although it did not go the way you expected, your visit does not come across as to "flop" to me. You met some people (new and old) including many of your viewers and that sounded positive and uplifting, as well as physically meeting some vendors. Coming back with filter coffee "toys" made me smile and irony of you being more espresso type of guy, made me smile. I used to help run and attend international trade shows for 10,000s of visitors and even after decade of experience, some could feel overwhelming when trying to see the show as a normal "attendee". The once every two years maybe the way to go unless a truly MUST SEE invention comes along. Take care

[@colinbriggs1963]

You don’t seem overly enthused by the experience. Perhaps an “every other year” visit would keep you more excited by the experience. I’d like to hear how you’re getting on with the Decent Pro1 - but you seem to have many appliances still in boxes - could that be an issue ? Take care Spro.

[@ryanneville6508]

Thanks for sharing! Would you consider doing some live Q&A events? I think it would be a fun way to connect with your audience on a more direct basis 😊

[@bolerkai]

UFO Brewer 1st please, I have the Pulsar, so I know that brewer. I only do filter, but still, enjoy your channel, and looking forward to seeing some filters on here.

[@vedute]

I’d love to see a highlights from the presentations, panel discussions, and poster sessions.

[@Tominthepinkgarage]

Those shots you pulled were definitely fun and funky. Never had a coffee like it.

[@matthewwilson9749]

I'd love to see the UFO brewer first

[@bjfeerus]

☕☕☕ Love Is Important ❤❤❤ ....

[@Hundredthldiot]

Burnout isn't when you can't do the things you love, it's when you can't do the things you hate.

[@robertjason6885]

I love using Third Wave Water. Great folks as well, with a terrific sense of humor. Sorry things didn’t pan out as well as you hoped.

[@joecalle1891]

Ton’s of new brewing devices than ever really, not as many grinders but there were many new ones and updates that got plenty of attention; and the amount of new roasters and awesome coffees there was especially cool, North American based as well. There’s been loads of content out there.

[@robertjason6885]

It’s all about competitions these days. Atlanta way back was the bomb.

[@davidjaniszewski6653]

Jack at MyCofferShow KZbin channel got some good video of new and exciting things at SCA. Even if there are no new game changing big toys like grinders and espresso machines it seems there are still some cool new innovation like HE baskets and brewers. There was some really nice art there too like the Nuri espresso machine crafted into a BMW motorcycle engine!

[@davidrogala7597]

good stuff

[@reggiehansen5277]

Covering a tradeshow is very exhausting. And it takes lots of mental capacity to go and shoot B roll when you feel less motivatied. Toltally understand the mindset and glad you didn't push yourself to do something you didn't have the bandwidth for.

[@charlesn]

Thanks so much for hanging out at the @thirdwavewater bar sharing your crazy skills! Hope to see you again soon!

[@Atifxx]

I have a weird request. Can you do a vid about your beard? I like it

[@cheekster777]

Thank you my friend.

[@crayzieap]

Zerno Z1 is amazing

[@fadyna3]

Aunest and authentic!

[@LightZone9]

For such events you might want to consider hiring a cameraman. With enough raw footage you'll easily be able to edit together a great video without the need for apologies. And you'll have more fun while you're at it. We see you as a "personality" not a videographer/editor.

[@FatNorthernBigot]

...and at the back of your mind, surely you were thinking "I could get a better cup of coffee at home"? 😉

[@keyoyi]

50 people in metric. Hell yeah.

[@finder2267]

I think you are being too hard on yourself. Remember, coffee and coffee stuff is only a small part of the experience.

[@richardshaw7449]

Lagom 01 review!

[@antacs2672]

Anyone who thinks being a KZbinr is an easy job doesn't really understand the platform. The battle against the algorithm and monetization is a constant source of stress and hardship for content creators. Thanks for bringing us such great videos week after week.

[@scd6969]

I appreciate the work you do but not this video. It was not necessary. You goofed. So what we all do. There’s no shortage of coverage on this in other KZbin channels. So it’s not like we are missing much it would have been far better that you just gave a recap or the actual experiences and thoughts at the show and not your lack thereof. You’ve wasted your time and your audiences time

[@Sprometheus]

I think what you’re missing here, is the fact I’m a person. I’m not here purely for your, or anyone else’s benefit. I’m here to share my stories, my experiences and when I fail I share that too. If you truly “appreciate” the work I do, you’d be much more supportive and not complain bitterly about “wasted time” when I open up. Trust me there’s more videos like this in the chamber, so you may want to just click unsubscribe.

[@newfguy1826]

spare us the whining

[@glacier0296]

Love that this is your first comment ever in 12 years of having this youtube account. Waited over a decade to be a hater

[@loganmontgomery1955]

Not you whining to accuse someone else of whining