For James Freeman, coffee isn’t just about flavor and extraction—it’s about the whole experience. As a former musician and founder of specialty coffee phenomenon Blue Bottle Coffee, Freeman envisioned a more elevated café culture, one that would eliminate distraction by design and instead focus on a singular objective: taking care of guests. What began as a home-delivery coffee service in Oakland, California, became one of the most successful coffee brands in specialty coffee history.

Today, Blue Bottle cafés can be found around the country—even as far as Tokyo—but that doesn’t mean quality espresso can’t be made in the comfort of our own home.

Together with our friends at La Marzocco Home, Life & Thyme spent a recent morning with Freeman in his own San Francisco kitchen listening to jazz on vinyl, sipping perfectly pulled shots from his Linea Mini, and hearing all about his journey through the world of specialty coffee.

(He was brewing Blue Bottle’s 17Ft Ceiling espresso blend in case you were wondering.)