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Build-Outs Of Summer: Taproom Coffee & Beer/Ground Floor Coffee In Atlanta, GA

By acaia, atlanta, Build-Outs Of Summer, Cafes, East Pole Coffee Co., Featured, Fetco, Flags of Origin, Flik Independent School Dining, georgia, ground floor coffee co, La Marzocco Linea, Mahlkonig EK43, MJO Studios, mount vernon, North America, Nuova Simonelli Mythos One Clima-Pro, Places, puqpress, taproom coffee & beer, USA, View Dynamic Glass

ground floor coffee atlanta georgia

We’ve seen cafes in just about everywhere here on the Build-Outs of Summer, or at least we thought we had until today. In Atlanta, Taproom Coffee & Beer has teamed up with Mount Vernon Presbyterian School to put a coffee shop INSIDE THE SCHOOL. It’s called Ground Floor Coffee and it’s my dream come true, if but a few decades too late.

After working with Mount Vernon for various class projects, Taproom Coffee had the opportunity to pitch the administration on the idea of installing a full-service coffee bar, an idea that was “student-initiated;” even the name Ground Floor was created by one of the students. In the end, Mount Vernon agreed and now they are definitely the coolest high school around, at least based on any coffee-based metrics. At Ground Floor, they are creating the next generation of coffee consumer, and making me extremely jealous in the process.

The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer is presented by Pacific Barista SeriesnotNeutralKeepCup, and Mill City Roasters.

As told to Sprudge by Jonathan Pascual.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

We’ve had the original location of Taproom Coffee & Beer since 2014. Like a lot of other coffee companies, we strive for excellence in coffee quality and customer service. We are proud to have been there at the start of East Pole Coffee Co. (their founder, Jared Karr, was one of our baristas for our first two years of operation), and they have been our core coffee roasting partner ever since. Our main location juggles the identity of both coffee bar and draft beer bar (the draft tower is an old four-group Linea shell!) and now we’ve opened a new store with a completely different concept.

ground floor coffee atlanta georgia

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

Our new location is housed in the Upper School building of Mount Vernon, a private educational institution in the Atlanta area with over 1,000 students from 700+ families. The coffee bar is in the same building where high schoolers go to class, and right next to the cafeteria where students and faculty eat lunch. The coffee bar serves the campus community, so only students, parents, and Mount Vernon employees are able to purchase drinks at the coffee bar.

I had the opportunity to work with a handful of Mount Vernon students on a class project where they explored the idea of placing a full espresso bar in their new high school building. Over two years, I periodically visited their class and did mini-lessons on the coffee industry, cost of goods, profit/loss, and what equipment works best in an espresso bar. Those students also came to Taproom to see a specialty coffee shop in operation, and to talk through how they could apply the concept to their school. They ended up pitching the idea to the school administration, and when it came time for their new school building to break ground, they pulled the trigger and put the espresso bar in the official plans! So this was student-initiated, and is ultimately for the benefit of Mount Vernon students. They named it “Ground Floor Coffee Co.” because students were in on the project “from the ground floor” and because of where the coffee bar is in the building.

We realize this is a unique thing to have in a high school, and we’re really excited to explore possibilities of leveraging Taproom’s presence for really creative educational experiences. Students could do work internships with us, we could be a testing ground for graphic design projects, and we could help fund student scholarships or at least contribute annual financial donations to the school. The doors are really wide open!

What’s your approach to coffee?

Just like with Taproom, we want customers at Ground Floor to experience approachable, consistent, high-quality specialty coffee. Even though students will probably order more smoothies than cappuccinos, we’re still maintaining our company standards of espresso training and technique, and we will happily engage in conversations about sourcing, process, roasting, and brewing. When you think about it, we’re actively cultivating the next generation of coffee consumers—the high school students we serve are forming habits and concepts of specialty coffee that will carry through to their college years and the rest of adulthood. With an on-campus espresso bar and daily interaction with our baristas, they’re getting four years of indirect specialty coffee education.

ground floor coffee atlanta georgia

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

From our pop-up test run that we did last year, we knew that students would swarm a coffee bar before school and during lunch. To handle the volume, we installed a three-group La Marzocco Linea AV. We’ve also got a Nuova Simonelli Mythos One Clima Pro, Puqpress, Mahlkönig EK43, FETCO brewer, and Acaia scales, which is all the same setup we have running at Taproom. We have a sizable kegerator and are kegging and pouring “Nitro Flash” (our flash-brewed nitro iced coffee) alongside “Nitropical” (our nitro-infused tropical hibiscus iced tea). We’re still partnering with East Pole Coffee Co. for all of our coffee used in espresso, bulk drip, and nitro iced coffee.

How is your project considering sustainability?

Our open area of the Mount Vernon Upper School building is surrounded by intelligent smart View Dynamic Glass. This glass monitors outdoor temperature, seasons, and cloud cover to tint to the most favorable environment for learning and sustainability. All of our hot cups are made from recycled paper through Georgette Packaging. Our straws for cold drinks are 100% compostable corn plastic. Mount Vernon students have reimagined the School’s sustainability efforts during the construction of the new building launching a new campaign around the words Reclaim, Restore, and Recover.

ground floor coffee atlanta georgia

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

The opening of our new location coincided with the start of the new school year on August 13.

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Mount Vernon has partnered with many innovative companies including View Dynamic Glass in Silicon Valley, the creative and talented makers and carvers from MJO Studios in Asheville, North Carolina, and Flik Independent School Dining. Joshua Charles, Creative Director at Flags of Origin, crafted the interior design of the entire building, furnishing the spaces with pieces from Hay, Bend Goods, Industry West, VS America, and West Elm. There are large-scale murals hand-painted by Chris Sturdivant. This new and unique Upper School building pushes all the limits of what school can look like.

Thank you!

You’re welcome!

ground floor coffee atlanta georgia

Taproom Coffee & Beer/Ground Floor Coffee Co. is located at 510 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

Photos by Rikki Hagerty and Sarah Eaves

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Taproom Coffee & Beer/Ground Floor Coffee In Atlanta, GA appeared first on Sprudge.


Source: Coffee News

Build-Outs Of Summer: Congregation Coffee Roasters In New Orleans, LA

By Build-Outs Of Summer, Cafes, Cochon Butcher, Congregation Coffee Roasters, la marzocco linea pb, Louisiana, Mahlkonig EK43, Marco SP9 Twin, new orleans, North America, Nuova Simonelli G1, Places, Staff Picks, USA, Wilbur Curtis G4 Therma Pro

congregation coffee roasters new orleans nola louisiana

With the autumnal equinox but a few short days away, we’re in the 11th hour of the Build-Outs of Summer, so we’re heading to a place that has a bit of a summer feel to it all year round: New Orleans, Louisiana—The Big Easy—home to Congregation Coffee Roasters.

We’ve featured Congregation previously here on Sprudge, profiling their original Pelican Ave location. And now they are back with a brand new cafe. With the new spot, Congregation is looking at the all-day cafe model, starting off in the morning with a pastry-forward menu that transitions into more substantial noshes around lunchtime; think roasted pork and eggplant sandwiches on brioche buns. And I know this is a coffee shop, but how could you not get a sweet tea while you’re there? Truly there are options aplenty, enough to justify a coupla three visits or so to the brand new Congregation Coffee Roasters in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer is presented by Pacific Barista SeriesnotNeutralKeepCup, and Mill City Roasters.

As told to Sprudge by Elysha Rose Diaz.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Congregation Coffee Roasters is an artisan coffee company in New Orleans. Its name comes from the collective noun for a group of alligators. The company was founded by a New Orleans native and a transplant from coffee-loving Seattle, who hatched a plan to bring specialty coffee to the New Orleans area and beyond while working together at Cochon Butcher. They launched the company out of a shed behind a shotgun house in April of 2015, later moving to a full-size roastery and retail location on Algiers Point.

congregation coffee roasters new orleans nola louisiana

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

The space at 644 Camp St has been a cafe, restaurant, and/or coffee shop since the 1800s, and Congregation is keeping that tradition alive with its second location. The newest outpost of Congregation offers a casual “all-day cafe” model, designed to offer a little something for everyone in the CBD, be it a grab-and-go coffee and pastry in the morning, or a relaxed sweet tea and breakfast sandwich for lunch!

What’s your approach to coffee?

The company focuses heavily on crafting consistent blends as well as a wide range of single origin offerings for restaurant, wholesale, and retail. We believe in making specialty coffee accessible to the public, using thoughtfully designed flavor profiles that bridge traditional and modern trends in coffee. While most of our coffees fall in the spectrum of medium and light roasts, we are sensitive to the history that dark roast and chicory plays in our market, so we do our best nod to traditional palates while at the same time pushing the region’s boundaries.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

Since we forecast a high volume cafe, we went with a “tried and true” line up of equipment: La Marzocco Linea PB, Wilbur Curtis G4 Therma Pro and hot water tower, Nuova Simonelli G1 grinders, Mahlkönig EK43 filter grinder, and the Marco SP9 Twin pour-over brewers. The goal is to showcase our coffees without taking the barista’s focus away from the customers.

congregation coffee roasters new orleans nola louisiana

How is your project considering sustainability?

For environmental sustainability we do all the things we can, like using post consumer recycled paper products, recycling our plastic/paper/etc, and being part of the local compost network for our grounds, chaff, and food waste. But we are also looking at another definition of sustainability, one that is rooted in the health and well being of our team. We decided to bring the “service charge included” model to our Camp St cafe so as to remove the power dynamic between service provider and guest. We hope it will help temper the mental exhaustion that being tip reliant can bring, and offer our staff a more stable, predictable income.

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

We opened our doors on July 26th.

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Co-owner Eliot Guthrie designed and built the 644 Camp St. cafe, but not without all hands on deck! We have some excellent creatives and craftspeople to thank:

Josh Musgrove with Matthews Construction
Silvia T Designs
Jeffrey Joslyn with Carrara Marble and Granite
Backroom Fabrics
And Prescott Trudeau. We thank all of you!

Thank you!

To all the folks who support us; especially through the hot air and high waters of this New Orleanian summer, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. The appreciation is real, y’all.
-Team Congregation Coffee Roasters.

Congregation Coffee Roasters is located at 644 Camp St, New Orleans. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Congregation Coffee Roasters In New Orleans, LA appeared first on Sprudge.


Source: Coffee News

Build-Outs Of Summer: Passenger Coffee In Lancaster, PA

By Build-Outs Of Summer, Places, Staff Picks

passenger coffee lancaster pennsylvania

We get a fair amount of repeat business here on the Build-Outs of Summer, but never have we been able to report on the same space twice. Until today (kind of). Five years ago, we checked out the brand new roasting facility for Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s Passenger Coffee. And today, we’re doing it again.

The new space is a mere half-block from the original—which is still being operated as a training lab—close enough to walk over a few roasters on pallet jacks, and allows Passenger to add a small cafe to what was originally a roasting-only facility. The goal with the new space is abandon the showroom feel of the other retail location and instead offer up a more neighborhood cafe, with a more lean and mean menu instead of showcasing everything on offer. The roastery/cafe is now open, so come along for a ride won’t you to the brand new Passenger Coffee in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer is presented by Pacific Barista SeriesnotNeutralKeepCup, and Mill City Roasters.

As told to Sprudge by David Stallings.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Passenger Coffee was started just over five years ago by David Stallings, Crystal Weaver, and Kyle Sollenberger. Having worked in coffee for over a decade in Boston and New York, David Stallings wanted to move back to his hometown of Lancaster, PA to pursue a project of his own. He teamed up with entrepreneurs and fellow Central Pennsylvania natives Crystal and Kyle to make this happen. While Passenger is and has been primarily a wholesale focused roastery since its inception, three and a half years ago Passenger opened its flagship coffee and tea bar in Downtown Lancaster.

passenger coffee lancaster pennsylvania

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

The new space is just half a block away from our previous roastery. One major difference is the addition of a small and stripped down coffee bar in the front of the facility. The offering menu in this space will be very simple. This is in stark contrast to our flagship coffee bar which has a remarkably expansive list of coffees available by the cup at any given time. Our focus in the new space was creating an excellent neighborhood cafe.

What’s your approach to coffee?

Our mission statement covers this fairly well: To seek out and thoughtfully present the world’s most memorable coffee in a way that demonstrates the viability of an equitable supply chain.

This covers the obvious—sourcing delicious coffees and roasting them in a way that effectively highlights that which we seek in any given coffee, to the less obvious—being on the vanguard when it comes to things such as coffee storage techniques.

passenger coffee lancaster pennsylvania

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

We moved our Loring S-15 and Proaster 5kg roaster over from our previous facility (literally walked them down the street on a pallet jack). The only new equipment of note is our walk-in freezer! We freeze all of our green coffee. Each week we make trips to our off-site freezing facility and bring coffee back to our roastery. Having a large walk-in freezer allows us to keep more frozen green coffee on hand.

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

We just started roasting in the new space yesterday, August 19th, and plan to open the coffee bar September 2nd.

passenger coffee lancaster pennsylvania

passenger coffee lancaster pennsylvania

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Lancaster is a thriving community of makers and creatives. Owner Kyle Sollenberger really lead the way by envisioning what the space could be, including designing the coffee bar. Tono Architects of Lancaster took that vision and brought it to life through a seamless effort from their construction company Proto. Local carpenter Denison Witmer did the woodworking for the coffee bar and cupping lab, bringing Kyle’s vision to life (and absolutely knocking it out of the park in the process of doing so). We are tremendously grateful for the space these people created for us!

Thank you!

Thank you!!

passenger coffee lancaster pennsylvania

Passenger is located at 131 N Plum Street, Lancaster. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

Photos by Damien Weidner.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Passenger Coffee In Lancaster, PA appeared first on Sprudge.


Source: Coffee News

Build-Outs Of Summer: Liturgy Beverage Company In Durham, NC

By aeropress, Anchor Coffee Co, Black & White Coffee, Build-Outs Of Summer, Cafes, color coffee roasters, Durham, FETCO CBS-1131, heart, La Marzocco GS3, Liturgy Beverage, mahlkonig peak, North America, North Carolina, Places, ritual chocolate, Spirit Tea, Staff Picks, Strong Arm Baking, sweet bloom, timothy jones, USA, Videri Chocolate

liturgy beverage durham north carolina

You know, there was once a time when I was in your shoes. I was uncaffeinated and down and out with the blues. But then I found a place, a very special place. It taught me that there was no need to feel down and that all I needed was some freshly brewed grounds to do whatever I feel. And the name of that place? Why it’s Liturgy Beverage Company in downtown Durhman YMCA.

Originally a pop-up, Liturgy Beverage is establishing their first (semi-) permanent location at the Y, where they will serve all manner of coffee, tea, chocolate, and mocktails; there are just so many ways to have a good time! Currently featuring coffees from Black & White Coffee, Sweet Bloom, Heart, Anchor Coffee Co, and Color Coffee Roasters, it’s safe to say this multi-roaster keeps their pride on their retail shelves. So, if you’r looking for a coffee fix in Durham, there’s one place you can go—nay, nay should go—and that place is Liturgy Beverage Company.

The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer is presented by Pacific Barista SeriesnotNeutralKeepCup, and Mill City Roasters.

As told to Sprudge by Timothy Jones.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Liturgy Beverage is a specialty beverage company founded in Durham, NC in 2015. We primarily focus on serving specialty coffee, tea, chocolate, and creative non-alcoholic cocktails in diverse settings. Since 2015 we’ve operated a mobile business primarily doing pop-ups, events, and weddings. We are currently expanding into retail space and we are very excited about the future.

liturgy beverage durham north carolina

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

We are partnering with our local YMCA here in Downtown Durham to create a new space for our neighborhood (including the Y’s membership) to get great drinks. While we plan for the future we have a semi-permanent coffee bar set up in the lobby. We’re open six days a weeks and serve a small but carefully curated menu of coffee, tea, juice, and some pastries.

What’s your approach to coffee?

We approach coffee with simplicity and intentionality. We source coffees from a small number of roasting partners both local to NC and across the US. We look for coffees that have pronounced flavors and sweetness. We tend to appreciate roasting styles that highlight the inherent character and sense of “place” that each coffee has. Some of our current partners include Black & White Coffee, Sweet Bloom, Heart, Anchor Coffee Co, and Color Coffee Roasters.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

We use a Mahlkönig PEAK and La Marzocco GS3 for espresso and we use a FETCO CBS-1131 and Mahlkönig EK43 for filter coffee, as well as AeroPresses for our rotating coffees.

How is your project considering sustainability?

We try to consider sustainability in a holistic way, starting with composting all of our organic waste, using commercially compostable take-away products and actively recycling. Because we operate entirely self-contained pop-up bars, we also use reusable water containers.

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

We opened to the public on August 12.

liturgy beverage durham north carolina

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

We built out are space ourselves, but we are grateful to work with many great vending partners. We are proud to serve products from Spirit Tea, Videri Chocolate, Ritual Chocolate, and Strong Arm Baking.

Thank you!

No, thank you!

Liturgy Beverage Company is located at 819 Midway Ave, Durham. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Liturgy Beverage Company In Durham, NC appeared first on Sprudge.


Source: Coffee News

Decaf Your Coffee Post-Brew With Decafino

By decaf, decafino, kickstarter, Wire

Decaf coffee is having a bit of a moment right now. No longer just an also-ran on many coffee roasters’ line-up sheets, decaf is taking front and center for many coffee companies, some even going so far as to only trade in the decaffeinated realm. And despite the rantings of handful of haters, most of whom don’t ever drink the stuff, decaf coffee is good now (if you feel yourself “well actually”-ing this, you are one of those haters. You should work on yourself). But for those disbelievers, a new product may permanently alter their perceptions on what decaf coffee can be. Called Decafino, these new pouches can remove caffeine post-brew, and the results are pretty damn tasty.

Now on Kickstarter, Decafino is the product of three years of research. The result is a teabag-like pouch you dunk in your coffee post-brew, and after three to four minutes, your coffee is caffeine free. The pouch works through a “physical process called adsorption,” whereby the caffeine molecules bind to the little grey flecks contained within, which according to the Kickstarter, “contains only natural minerals, food-grade ingredients, and biodegradable materials,” making it fully compostable.

The big question is: how does it taste? Having been given a few Decafino pouches to sample ahead of the Kickstarter, I can say that the results were shockingly good. To test Decafino’s mettle, I split a Kalita Wave pour-over between two mugs, decaffing one and using the other as a flavor constant. The decaffed cup was strikingly similar to that of its caffeinated counterpart. Now that’s a decaffing customers can get behind!

According to the Kickstarter, Decafino works just as well on teas, sodas, and espresso drinks that include milk and sugar.

Only two days into the campaign, as of press time Decafino has raised $1,700 of its $25,000 goal with a little less than a month remaining. Interested parties can still take advantage of the Early Bird Special and get 20 pouches for $25, should the Kickstarter make.

There’s a lot of great decaf coffee out there these days. But even still, there’s a strain of decaf hate that remains surprisingly resilient. Decafino may be the answer to that. It may just be the last nail in the coffin all those Death-Before-Decaffers keep clamoring for.

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image via Decafino

The post Decaf Your Coffee Post-Brew With Decafino appeared first on Sprudge.


Source: Coffee News

Build-Outs Of Summer: Recluse Roasting Project In Richmond, VA

By Aimee Biggerstaff, Build-Outs Of Summer, Cafes, Diedrich IR-3, Fetco, Jack Fleming, la marzocco linea pb, Lucky Signs, Mahlkönig EKK43, North America, olympia coffee roasters, Places, puqpress, Recluse Roasting Project, richmond, Sherwood Press, Staff Picks, USA, virginia

recluse roasting project richmond virginia

The Build-Outs of Summer train is about to pull into the station for a nice nine month sabbatical, but before it does there are still a ton of cool projects we’re excited to share. One of those is the Recluse Roasting Project in the Scott’s Addition area of Richmond, Virginia. Started by two industry vets who met way on the other side of the country while working together at Olympia Coffee, Recluse is the newest edition to an exciting scene developing in Richmond right now.

In many way, the roastery/cafe is true to its name. Tucked back a ways off the street, the space is brooding and moody thanks to the dark, reclaimed wood. And there are no seats, only a standing bar that focuses on “fast high-quality takeaway coffee.” With moss and hanging greenery abounding, the space has a bit of an overgrown feel, but one that nonetheless adds an inviting touch. The word “vibe” gets tossed around a lot when talking about cafes, but Recluse definitely has a vibe all its own, and we’re here for it.

The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer is presented by Pacific Barista SeriesnotNeutralKeepCup, and Mill City Roasters.

As told to Sprudge by Aimee Biggerstaff.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Recluse Roasting Project is a specialty coffee company in Richmond, VA run by two coffee industry professionals Aimee Biggerstaff and Jack Fleming. They met while working for Olympia Coffee Roasters, where between the two of them have worked as baristas, managers, head roaster, and assisted with green buying at origin.

Originally from VA, when Jack left for Olympia, WA there was very little specialty coffee in Richmond. He had always planned on heading back to RVA to start a roastery. Aimee had already spent many years on bar and had developed a fascination with bar flow and hospitality, which grew into aspirations of someday designing her own coffee bar.

Fast forward a few years later to Jack and Aimee driving from WA state to VA with a trailer filled with a Diedrich IR-3, La Marzocco Linea PB three-group, two dogs, a cat, and everything they owned. Today they are a few months away from opening their coffee bar in a growing area of RVA.

Their goal is to source the best coffee’s possible while paying the producers they work directly with two to three times “fair trade” pricing. Doing this allows coffee producers to afford to commit to organic farming practices, add welfare to their team by helping build more structural homes and rest areas on their property, offer food packages for their workers, along with one producer offering scholarships to young women who work on his farm.

recluse roasting project richmond virginia

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

We’re located in an alleyway behind a record shop in the industrial neighborhood of Scott’s Addition in Richmond, VA. The coffee bar is an intimate space. It only takes up 500 sq ft of a 1,300-sq-ft space. The rest being used for roasting and production. The majority of the Roastery and Coffee Bar has been built by us with the help of our family and friends. We are proud to say that after so much hard work, our build out is estimated to be under $15,000.

Our cafe has a tarnished brass, moody, hole in the wall vibe with a lot of dark reclaimed wood. The space is filled with shelves that overflow with plants throughout the cafe. We liked the green walls against the dark wood because it reminded us of elements of nature like moss, ferns, and of course trees. The main bar has a concrete bar top and is framed out by refinished pallet wood. We have reclaimed wooden bleacher seats as our two additional standing bars.

There is no seating or lines in our cafe. Customers will be able to order anywhere at the bar, giving it a casual feel. We believe this type of service can improve efficiency and create a unique experience for the customer. To help with barflow we will have a mobile POS model where we meet the customers where they stand at the bar. The transaction can take place anywhere in the shop.

What’s your approach to coffee?

We try to find and buy the best coffees we can. Over the years we’ve formed several relationships with producers while traveling that we’re now able to work directly with. We are trying to work towards a model where all of our coffees will be bought this way. It is difficult sometimes, being as small as we are, but it is one of the main values for us as a business.

Before Jack was in coffee he worked as an environmental chemist. His background in chemistry and knowledge of basic food science helped create Recluse’s roasting approach, which focuses on highlighting the natural sweetness in a coffee while showcasing a coffee’s unique terrior.

We will be offering batch brew and flash brewed iced coffee from our FETCO. To help keep things simple we will be offering limited drink sizes. We wanted to be intentional with every detail especially ones that impact the customer experience. It all comes down to bar flow. We know if we set ourselves up with a proper “mise en place” then we’ll be starting out strong. We are prioritizing fast high-quality takeaway coffee. For those who want to hang around we will have plenty of standing bar space where you can slow down and enjoy a break in your day.

Our main menu will be limited to the basics (brewed coffee, espresso, etc) for quick readability. We’ll also have a rotating off menu that showcases the current coffees in our line up through unique drinks. Having a small bar vs a large sit down cafe allows us to really focus on the coffee and hospitality. There is something beautiful to be found within limitation. We may not have everything but what we offer is going to be delicious.

recluse roasting project richmond virginia

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

On our bar is a Linea PB three-group, a Mahlkönig EKK43, and two PuqPresses. We’ll be predosing all of our espresso. All coffee will be brewed on a FETCO batch brewer. We’re not opposed to making a Kalita when we are slow if a customer wants to try a specific coffee. There is a good chance we’ll be opening with a slush machine if our build out is finished before the end of summer.

How is your project considering sustainability?

It’s been a very DIY buildout. Roughly 50% of the materials used were reclaimed and repurposed. The front of our bar is all refinished pallet wood. All of which we collected from the breweries in our neighborhood. Our local Restore has been a huge resource for us as well. We bought everything we could from them including our beautiful mahogany doors. There is no easy access to affordable composting in Richmond therefore we will be partnering with local farms who are more than happy to take it off our hands.

recluse roasting project richmond virginia

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

End of Sept 2019

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

We’ve been lucky to have the support of our family and friends who are super handy. They’ve helped with electric, building walls, and pouring so much concrete. Our good friend Jami Heinricher who owns Sherwood Press in Olympia has helped us significantly with designing our labels and making our brand shine. Also, we are working with an incredible local sign painter, Sarah Apple of Lucky Signs. She’ll be creating our menu and exterior signage.

Thank you!

No thank you!

Recluse Roasting Project is located at 1310 Altamont Ave, Richmond. Visit their official website and follow them on Instagram.

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

Photos by Leah McDaniel

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Recluse Roasting Project In Richmond, VA appeared first on Sprudge.


Source: Coffee News

Build-Outs Of Summer: Canary Coffee Bar In Milwaukee, WI

By barista guild, Build-Outs Of Summer, Cafes, Canary Coffee Bar, colin whitcomb, curtis, Emily Whitcomb, la marzocco linea pb, madcap coffee, mahlkonig, milwaukee, North America, Optipure, Places, SCA, Snowdrift Coffee, Staff Picks, USA, Wisconsin

canary coffee bar milwaukee wisconsin

If there was a race for best coffee cities in America that no one really talks about, Milwaukee would be up in the front of the pack. Sure, Los Angeles, Portland, and New York City have great coffee scenes worthy of the press they receive, but there’s some homegrown excellence in the MKE, which really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise in a town counting both Brew City and Cream City amongst its nicknames. And thanks to Colin and Emily Whitcomb of Canary Coffee Bar, there’s another cafe to add to the city’s already stacked line-up.

For many, the name Colin Whitcomb will ring familiar. Formerly with Madcap Coffee, Colin is a member of the Barista Guild‘s Executive Council and can frequently be heard giving live commentary of the US Barista Championships for the SCA. He’s even done a little live tweeting over on Sprudge Live. But even as a recognizable figure in the national coffee conversation, Colin, along with his wife Emily, are focusing their efforts locally.

With Canary, the Whitcombs are hoping to appeal to as broad a coffee audience as possible instead of dogmatically beating the light-roast drum. Their hope is by bringing more folks into the fold, a brighter, more sustainable future for coffee will lay ahead. Sustainability through approachability, it’s a worthy goal and it’s what Canary Coffee Bar in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is all about.

The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer is presented by Pacific Barista SeriesnotNeutralKeepCup, and Mill City Roasters.

As told to Sprudge by Colin Whitcomb.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

We are a coffee bar owned by Colin and Emily Whitcomb, located in downtown Milwaukee.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

We are renting a space in what was originally the Hotel Wisconsin, open in 1913. The Hotel Wisconsin was a fixture in Milwaukee for decades before languishing into a residential-hotel. In 2003 is was converted to apartments. Our space has been empty since that time—west of the river in downtown Milwaukee has only recently attracted new businesses. We opted for a cosy (for MKE) 1,250 sq/ft. Half the floors have original terrazzo tile, the ceilings are 18ft high, but unfortunately there isn’t as much to retain of the original space as one might hope—the original wood paneling on the walls is long gone. We will have blue velvet stools at the counter, wood and resin cafe tables, black leather bucket chairs, and some fun hoop chandeliers. Our hope is to create a space that zigs when they zag, so to speak, looking to capture an aesthetic is that urban, yet comfortable. Nearby are offices mostly, but we have a park across the street, and are next to the old Grand Ave Mall, which is now becoming a food hall.

canary coffee bar milwaukee wisconsin

What’s your approach to coffee?

To make a welcoming environment first. Barista skills and coffee knowledge will be tools that we can use to help people connect to our product, but not our raison d’être. Our offerings will include coffee flavors that span the range of what coffee can display: dark, aromatic, fruity, balanced, etc. I’m completely exhausted with telling people which coffees I like, let alone which coffee they should get off a menu of light-roasted coffees when they expressed another preference. Instead, we’ll try to celebrate many coffee styles. I’m totally freaked about the future of coffee. I hope that a larger menu of coffees will allow us to convey the message that all coffee has value.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

La Marzocco Linea PB, Mahlkönig EK43 and PEAKs, Curtis brewer and two Gold Cups, Optipure water filtration—good tools to get the job done. Madcap Coffee and Snowdrift are two roasters we will work closely with. Our hope is to work with Ant and Rita at Snowdrift to select some coffees that they will roast for us (that’s their model, not something we asked for).

How is your project considering sustainability?

Sustainability has many aspects. We will of course be looking to compost, and our roasting partners have commitments to sustainability in their operations. We’re also interested in the sustainability of coffee, and as naive as it may sound, we hope that by charging more and paying more for coffee we can contribute to a more equitable coffee supply chain. Finally, we have goals to try and make someone’s time as a barista as sustainable as possible. However, we can’t do any of that without a sustainable business first, so we will be looking to wow as many customers as possible, with the idea that without profitability we are unable to contribute to wider sustainability goals.

canary coffee bar milwaukee wisconsin

canary coffee bar milwaukee wisconsin

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

July 2019

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Andrew and Marysol Whitcomb are our design team.

Thank you!

It’s super scary to put Canary, as we call it, and all these ideas out there. However, we hope to have a place in the specialty coffee world, and we’re excited to be part of a generation of coffee shops that are looking ever forward. I sincerely appreciate the interest.

canary coffee bar milwaukee wisconsin

Canary Coffee Bar is located at 720 N. Old World 3rd St., Milwaukee. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

Photos by April Larson.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Canary Coffee Bar In Milwaukee, WI appeared first on Sprudge.


Source: Coffee News

Daymoves: LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy Is Opening A Cafe In Brooklyn

By blue bottle, brooklyn, cafe integral, Christina Topsøe, Coptic Light, Daymoves, Four Horsemen, Grub Street, james murphy, Justin Chearno, L’imprimerie, LCD Soundsystem, new york, New York City, Nightmoves, Randy Moon, Sey Coffee, Wire

The LCD Soundsystem is blasting full stereo today on the Sprudge family of networks. Over on Sprudge Wine, we just published an interview with Justin Chearno of The Four Horsemen in Brooklyn, which he just so happens to co-own with LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy. And panning out wide to the coffee side—though not too wide because it will literally be next door—is news of Murphy’s cafe Daymoves opening this week.

As reported by Grub Street, Murphy is opening Daymoves along with the entire Four Horsemen ownership crew: Chearno, Christina Topsøe, and Randy Moon. And Murphy’s ties to coffee go beyond simply being the leader of the band that makes up a disproportionately large amount of your barista competition routine soundtrack. His coffee love—along with his rather impressive home setup—is “well-documented in Shut Up and Play the Hits,” a documentary about LCD Soundsystem’s final show (before getting back together), and Murphy even created a signature espresso blend with Blue Bottle. (Fun fact about me: I often conflate James Murphy and Blue Bottle founder James Freeman for no particular rhyme or reason. Sometimes I even mix in a Hoffmann for good measure. A James is a James is a James, I guess.) There have even been rumors that while on tour, LCD Soundsystem would local specialty coffee shops to set up would-be pop-ups backstage.

Scheduled to open tomorrow, Thursday, September 19th, Daymoves will feature coffee from fellow Brooklynites Sey Coffee and Coptic Light as well NYC’s Café Integral. Per the article, the new coffee spot wants to stray away from the “high-volume, get-up-and-go cafe.” Nor is it meant to be a remote office for the workaday crowd. It’s a shop “made for lingering,” which will include listen to records from Murphy’s personal collection on oversized speakers of his own making while enjoying a pastry from L’imprimerie. The cafe will “start serving some dishes from Four Horsemen chef Nick Curtola” in the coming weeks as well.

The plan for the space is to be an all-day cafe of sorts, with Daymoves transitioning into Nightmoves—named for that Bob Seger song you liked ironically when you were in your early twenties only realize much later that it’s actually just a really fucking good tune—featuring a selection of natural wines from The Four Horsemen’s list as well as cocktails, mocktails, and potentially even negronis on tap.

The Nightmoves portion of the space is still very much in flux, with no official date for when it will be implemented. But Daymoves is set to kick off tomorrow, September 19th at “approximately 8am,” per their website. So if the coffee starts wearing off tomorrow and you feel like you’re losing your edge, take all your friends or maybe just someone great and head on down to Daymoves.

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

The post Daymoves: LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy Is Opening A Cafe In Brooklyn appeared first on Sprudge.


Source: Coffee News

Build-Outs Of Summer: Five & Hoek Coffee In Wheaton, IL

By aaron hoekstra, Amy Tromp, Build-Outs Of Summer, Cafes, Catracha Coffee, Diedrich IR12, Farmers Project, FETCO CBS 2142XTS, Five & Hoek, Hayley Movius, Illinois, Jeffrey Swider-Peltz, La Marzocco Linea Classic, Long Miles Coffee Project, Mahlkonig EK43, Marianella Baez Jost, North America, Places, Robb Davidison, Staff Picks, tyler fivecoat, USA, Wheaton

five and hoek wheaton illinois

Sometimes a build-out isn’t about creating something new, but giving a new look to something already in place. And that goes doubly true for today’s entry, Five & Hoek Coffee in Wheaton, Illinois. After starting in 2013 under the moniker River City Roasters, Five & Hoek had to reinvent themselves due to some legal issues with the previous name. Now six years later, the cafe and roastery is revamping their space with a brand new expansion.

With more room to spread, Five & Hoek will be adding a brunch menu into the mix as well as giving the old space an update with some comfy leather chairs to match its newer sibling. More space, comfy chairs, and brunch? Sign me up for a few hours please at the all-new but not entirely new Five & Hoek Coffee in Wheaton, Illinois.

The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer is presented by Pacific Barista SeriesnotNeutralKeepCup, and Mill City Roasters.

As told to Sprudge by Tyler Fivecoat.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

We’re Five & Hoek. Most locals know us by our old name, River City Roasters. We had to make a name change for legal reasons and after a few months of not agreeing on a name, one of our owners, Erich, thought let’s name it after the other two owners? Tyler Fivecoat (that’s me) and Aaron Hoekstra which led us to “Five & Hoek.” We have been in Wheaton since 2013 and we are led daily by Beth Fivecoat who manages our staff and runs the cafe. Tyler handles the QC and roasting side of the business. Our company believes in building a brand that is focused on community starting with the farmer and ending with our cafe guests. This inspiration came from a trip to Assam, India where we wanted to bring their laid back village lifestyle of conversation over tea and biscuits to the states.

five and hoek wheaton illinois

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

Our new space is an expansion of our current cafe in Wheaton, IL. We are doing this to offer our patrons additional seating including a custom built in birch wood bench with a gorgeous backdrop brick wall original to the building built in 1908, and to introduce a new brunch menu to compliment our coffee program. We are updating our current cafe by redoing the old grimy industrial floors in October exactly how we sanded and refinished the expansion floor. We have replaced all of our metal chairs with new wood and leather chairs, replaced all of our table tops, and gave our current cafe some fresh paint and new countertops. Our space is meant to be a safe place to build community, so our focus in our design and decor is to make it as comfortable as possible to our guests.

What’s your approach to coffee?

Our approach to coffee is to handle it with care the best we possibly can. We do this by having great relationships with the importers we work with, as well as carrying coffee year after year from the same producers. Our approach is to tell a story with our coffee by sharing the stories of the farmers we work with to our community and to carefully roast it in a way that reflects terroir and origin characteristics we’ve come to know and love. We have worked with a farm in Cundinamarca, Colombia directly for two years and have worked with Catracha Coffee in Honduras for four years and Long Miles Coffee Project in Burundi for four years. Our newest relationship coffee is with an amazing project in Costa Rica called Farmers Project through Marianella Baez Jost.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

We have a La Marzocco Linea Classic, a Mahlkönig EK43 for drip and single origin espresso, FETCO CBS 2142XTS for our drip offerings. In the roaster we have a Diedrich IR12 and utilize a La Marzocco GS3 for pop-ups, caterings, and testing new coffees.

five and hoek wheaton illinois

five and hoek wheaton illinois

How is your project considering sustainability?

We approach sustainability mostly by not overcommitting ourselves. Right now we commit to the relationships we have so that we can pay at least 45% above Fair Trade minimum, which allows us to commit year after year to amazing coffee and encourages the farmers to grow incredibly tasting coffee. Our Honduras coffees from Catracha are grown using organic fertilizer that the farmers make themselves, and in Burundi Long Miles has a group called Coffee Scouts, which are primarily students just out of high school to have a job opportunity right away, that fight against the Potato defect. In the cafe we recycle as well as compost, save grain pro bags to share with Catracha, and give away our burlap for those seeking it in our community.

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

Late September 2019

five and hoek wheaton illinois

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Our friend Dave Kral did all of our construction, Tyler handled all the interior design, and we worked with a few amazingly talented artists: Amy Tromp, Robb Davidison, Hayley Movius, and Jeffrey Swider-Peltz.

Thank you!

Oh no, thank you Sprudge 🙂

five and hoek wheaton illinois

Five & Hoek Coffee is located at 114 N Main St., Wheaton. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Five & Hoek Coffee In Wheaton, IL appeared first on Sprudge.


Source: Coffee News

Build-Outs Of Summer: Cartel Coffee Lab In Austin, TX

By Arrive Hotels, austin, Build-Outs Of Summer, Cafes, Cartel Coffee Lab, la marzocco linea pb, mazzer, mercanta, North America, Oatly, paul haworth, San Franciscan, Staff Picks, Texas, USA

cartel coffee lab austin texas

Tempe, Arizona’s Cartel Coffee Lab have been spreading their wings as of late. Owner to multiple cafes statewide—including the very essential cafe in Terminal 4 of the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport—thanks to a partnership with Arrive Hotels, Cartel has expanded beyond their Arizona confines and moved into Palm Springs, California and now, Austin, Texas.

Their newest location, on 6th Street in East Austin, is adding to one of the city’s coffee hotbeds; Cartel is a literal stone’s throw away from Cuvee‘s coffee bar (or at least I could throw a stone that far, YMMV), amongst many other, less-projectile distanced cafes. But even being 1,000 miles from home, Cartel still has the same feel of their Arizona cafes, thanks in no small part to in-house design and fabrication. Cartel’s Austin location is open now, so let’s pop in for a visit, shall we?

The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer is presented by Pacific Barista SeriesnotNeutralKeepCup, and Mill City Roasters.

As told to Sprudge by Paul Haworth.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

We have been sourcing, roasting, and brewing the most exciting coffees we can find since 2008. We are primarily a retailer as opposed to a wholesaler and we have eight locations. Our home base is Tempe, Arizona, where we still roast everything on a 25-pound San Franciscan at the original location.

cartel coffee lab austin texas

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

We landed a great partnership with Arrive Hotels, which has gotten us out of being exclusive to Arizona. First, we opened a location in Palm Springs, CA and now we have this new space in Austin. We will also be opening a third space with them in Phoenix by the end of 2019. All are street facing, independent shops that happen to be sharing walls with the hotels. The feel is urban with lots of steel and neutral colors.

What’s your approach to coffee?

We work almost exclusively with an importer called Mercanta. We travel with them to source directly and love that they have a North American team of only three people. No secrets, just people finding amazing coffees and making sure producers get well above the cost of production for everything. Rotating single farm offerings are our specialty but we did also just launch our very first blend. We are a light roaster. Even our blend is a light roast. It’s how the most interesting coffees with the least defects taste the best, in our opinion.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

We love our La Marzocco Linea PBs and doserless Mazzers. Can’t go wrong with the classics.

How is your project considering sustainability?

We do everything we can in the municipalities we find ourselves serving to recycle materials and save our spent grounds, filters, and tea leaves for compost. We recently landed a distribution partnership with Oatly brand oat milk, which we are super excited about.

cartel coffee lab austin texas

cartel coffee lab austin texas

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

We opened on July 19th.

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

We do most of our design and fabrication work in-house. Actually, the founder, Jason Silberschlag designs and builds a lot of the furniture himself. The customer side of the bar and the oversize wheat paste on the wall were designed and installed by us. Our menu boards and bar top were designed in-house then fabricated by this place called Urban Plough in Phoenix. Those guys rock.

Thank you!

cartel coffee lab austin texas

Cartel Coffee Lab is located at 1813 E 6th, Austin. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Cartel Coffee Lab In Austin, TX appeared first on Sprudge.


Source: Coffee News