Yowdy (that’s “yo” and “howdy”)

My name is Alexis (that’s Alex-ees).

I am a Mexican American coffee professional based out of Atlanta with over 10 years of experience in the coffee industry. In that time I’ve helped opened new shops, built training plans and programs, management and operations, been a head roaster, green buyer, and of course, drank an almost alarming amount of coffee. I’ve learned so much during that time, have connected with wonderful people, and got to share parts of everything that I am passionate about.

At the same time, I have also seen how limiting it can be to be an industry flushed with contradictions: searching for and demanding objectivity in something that is inherently subjective; providing exceptional hospitality in an environment that works against those that serve; prioritizing aesthetic and presentation over education and support—I probably don’t need to keep going, you get the idea lol

That’s what LIBRE was born out of: a desire for exploration and sharing what that looks like.

I want to explore more of my own culture, I want to share that I feel is underrepresented in specialty coffee, I want to express these experiences and approaches candidly, I want to share coffee simply because it is meant to be shared.

“to be free” implies some level of solitude— being free from something like an idea or group or the literal use of “free”; you can be “free of” something yet “free with” on its own doesn’t sound right but theoretically kinda makes sense.

Being free also requires resources—funnily freedom itself can be considered a resource—and in coffee, I find that education is a huge resource: the more you know about a coffee, the more you’re able to do with it! It makes expressions of that coffee come a lot easier. From this you can brew anything and feel better about tasting everything! Pretty sick tbh

TLDR learn stuff, drink everything, taste everything, have fun, share it with a friend or an enemy idk