A Few Things We Believe

We don’t have a manifesto. But over time, a handful of principles have shaped how we roast, how we brew, and what we recommend. These aren’t rules. They’re just the things we’ve found to be true.

Water is the main ingredient. Coffee is 98% water. If your water tastes like chlorine or nothing at all, that’s going to impact the cup. Third Wave Water is what we use. It’s affordable and it makes a real difference. (We wrote a whole separate post about this because it matters that much.)

Grind fresh, every time. Pre-ground coffee starts oxidizing and losing aromatics soon after grinding. If you’re buying whole bean specialty coffee (which is all we sell), grind it right before you brew. The Baratza Encore is our recommendation for anyone thinking of getting serious without going broke.

Weigh your coffee. Scoops are guesses. A kitchen scale takes the guessing out. Our coffee to water ratios by weight usually land between 1:15 and 1:17, and we occasionally experiment well beyond 1:17 with certain brewing methods. More on that as we add recipes.

Let it cool. Coffee tells you more as it comes down in temperature. The first sip at scalding hot is a different cup than the last sip at room temp. If you’re tasting something new, give yourself time with it. Don’t rush through it.

Let it rest. Fresh off the roaster is not peak flavor. We recommend at least 14 days, and many of our coffees keep improving well past that. We wrote more about why resting matters if you’re curious.

Drink it how you like it. We roast light because that’s what excites us and we think it’s where the most interesting flavors live. But there’s no wrong way to enjoy coffee. If you add milk, add milk. If you want it over ice, pour it over ice. The best cup is the one you look forward to making.