‘Totally Dissolved’ Season 5 Is Out—Here’s What to Expect from the Popular Coffee Podcast

Coffee veterans Bronwen Serna and Kathie Hilberg are back with all-new episodes featuring exciting special guests.

BY EMILY JOY MENESES
FOR BARISTA MAGAZINE

Your favorite coffee podcast is back and better than ever. “Totally Dissolved,” the brainchild of 2004 U.S. Barista Champion Bronwen Serna and longtime coffee professional Kathie Hilberg, has returned with its fifth season.

In this all-new chapter, the two hosts will continue their discussions on coffee education with industry leaders and legends. Listeners can expect in-depth talks about origin countries, coffee business, and coffee science that build on conversations presented in season four, with guests including Omar Herrera of Cafe Imports, Mokhtar Alkhanshali of Port of Mokha, Lauren Lathrop of Mill City Roasters, and Dr. Christopher Hendon, a professor of computational materials chemistry and well-published coffee author—among others.

About ‘Totally Dissolved’

Bronwen describes “Totally Dissolved” as “an education in caffeine” meant to serve as a platform for coffee professionals, aspiring coffee professionals, and general coffee enthusiasts to delve into specialty-coffee topics in-depth.

Both based in Los Angeles, Bronwen and Kathie launched the podcast in 2022, and it was an immediate hit based on their impressive selection of guests, including key industry figures like Jaymie Lao, Selina Viguera, Tommy Gallagher, and Tony Querio, covering a wide range of topics from coffee tech and customer service to palate development and retailing.

“We’re both still very much involved in specialty-coffee and in our coffee community (so) we wanted to start a podcast project,” says Bronwen. “There are so many great coffee podcasts out there, and we wanted to create one that we felt was accessible and could provide a variety of perspectives—and have a good time doing so.”

Bronwen and Kathie share that this element of fun and accessibility is what sets “Totally Dissolved” apart from other podcasts. The two often play games with their guests, and begin each episode with an interactive segment they call “#whatsinyourcup.”

“We start each episode with a coffee of our choosing; it can be a single-origin or a trending beverage, or something that isn’t even coffee, and we give our little take on it and invite our guest to share what’s in their cup,” Bronwen says. “It builds connection, and we get to try a variety of beverages!”

A Jam-Packed New Season

Season five is officially available for streaming, and episodes delve into topics such as coffee competitions, decaf coffee, and the importance of design when creating a coffee brand. Several episodes will also give listeners a closer look at coffee production in origin countries like Guatemala, Yemen, and Colombia.

And though season five is still fresh on their minds, Bronwen and Kathie are already eagerly planning the sixth season, which they say will focus more on specialty-coffee education for the consumer and bridging the gap between coffee professionals and the public.

“Sometimes, it feels like no one is listening, and then you go to coffee events like Expo, and you’re reminded of how many supportive folks in the industry are listening to you and your friend say dumb stuff into a microphone while interviewing some of the industry’s best people,” says Kathie.

Now Streaming on Multiple Platforms

“Totally Dissolved” is now available for streaming on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Click here to start listening.

This article originally appeared in the June + July 2025 issue of Barista Magazine. Read more of the issue online here for free.

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