SOURCING & ROASTING

Our philosophy on coffee roasting begins with an emphasis on sourcing exceptional raw beans. This means that we do our homework about the coffee we are purchasing. We want to know about the origin, the farmer, the cultivation, processing, and storage. Sustainability is important, and for us, it goes beyond simply purchasing Organic and Fair Trade coffee. We are seeking relationships with producers who share our beliefs and passion for providing the best coffee possible. We strive to tell their story and honor the hard work they put in, and whenever possible we travel to these faraway places in efforts to cultivate those relationships. An origin trip is rewarding, but more importantly it makes a statement to our producer partners... that we recognize their efforts and are committing to the common goal of providing the highest quality coffee to our customers. 

There are more than 850 flavor compounds found in coffee, making it a very complex beverage. For us this is exactly what makes coffee so exciting...  the possibilities are endless!  We will “cup,” (a technique that involves slurping a tablespoon of coffee to analyze the aromas and flavors), countless samples before we commit to the purchase of a single bag of coffee. Once we've made that purchase, we will roast and cup that coffee some more until we have found the optimal roast: a perfect balance of sweetness, acidity, body, and aftertaste. 

Varietal, elevation, soil conditions, harvesting, processing, storage, transportation (all of this before it even gets to the roaster!). Within the entire coffee chain from seed to cup, there are infinite combinations of variables affecting the end result, and the coffee roasting process is no different. Our goal in roasting coffee is to highlight the inherent characteristics of each individual bean through custom roast profiling. Developing profiles (roast recipes) that maximize the true flavor dynamics of a particular coffee. This involves careful analysis of the specific coffee, and a concerted effort not to mask the true flavors and sweetness of a coffee through over roasting.

Coffee is so complex and always changing. Coffee that was harvested 3 or 4 months ago will certainly taste more vibrant and complex than it will in 9 or 10 months. For us, this means paying close attention to harvest cycles around the world and purchasing coffee that is still in-season. This reflects in our selections, as certain coffees will not be available year-round.