Beyond the Shelf: The Journey of Our Coffee, From Farm to Roastery
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When we think about shopping for goods, it often seems so simple: a box arrives, items are unpacked, and they’re neatly arranged on a shelf. For many businesses, that’s the extent of the effort needed to curate their offerings. But at King’s Gambit Coffee Co., bringing our coffee to you is a journey that starts far from our roastery's doorstep and goes far deeper than just opening boxes.
To begin, sourcing our coffee is anything but simple. It starts with choosing beans that have been recently harvested or are soon to be. This requires careful planning and meticulous attention to detail. We maintain comprehensive spreadsheets packed with data from our distributors, allowing us to keep a close watch on when new microlots become available. We're always ready to catch them early—like that perfect wave you're eager to ride.
But it’s not just about catching the right wave; it’s about making sure it aligns with who we are. We dive deep into researching the farms themselves: How are they processing their beans? Are their practices sustainable? Do they contribute positively to their communities? Are they supporting women producers? Finding a bean that checks all these boxes can take weeks, but it’s worth every moment.
Once we’ve chosen a bean, the real testing begins. We order samples, roast them in small batches, cup the coffee (a process that involves brewing and tasting coffee in a standardized manner to assess quality and flavor, as per Specialty Coffee Association standards), and then re-roast to see what the bean can achieve. Sometimes, a bean might not pass our rigorous testing or meet our grading standards, and we move on. Only the best make it to our shelves.
When the beans finally arrive, the journey continues. We roast them at different levels, experimenting with airflow, time, and temperature. Some beans reveal their secrets easily, while others need a little more love and patience. This part of the process can take weeks—or even months—as we continually cup (taste-test) the coffee at different stages: three days out, seven days out, and again at fourteen days. We need to know exactly how long the beans need to rest, or “off-gas,” to deliver the perfect cup.
And because no two coffee experiences are ever quite the same, we take our testing a step further. We taste our coffees on several different machine styles and with various types of water to see how each roast translates. This comprehensive testing helps us create a unique brewing recipe for each coffee, ensuring you get the most out of every bean, no matter your preferred brewing method or local water profile.
Once we’ve dialed in the ideal roast, it’s time to scale up. We adjust our roaster for a larger batch, let the beans off-gas, weigh, label, and seal each bag with care. And for our microlot coffees, we go even further: creating graphics for our website, building out a product page, and designing unique coffee cards. These cards provide a deeper connection to the farm and producers, offer brewing tips, and highlight the coffee's origin, elevation, and tasting notes.
Every time you purchase one of these special beans, you’re getting more than just coffee—you’re receiving a story, a journey, and a commitment to quality. A lot goes on behind the scenes before a bag makes it to our shelves.
So next time you enjoy a cup of King’s Gambit Coffee, remember: you’re tasting something that was carefully chosen, lovingly roasted, and meticulously prepared just for you.
Come visit us at the source closest to the farm… our roastery or online. Your next adventure is waiting.
To begin, sourcing our coffee is anything but simple. It starts with choosing beans that have been recently harvested or are soon to be. This requires careful planning and meticulous attention to detail. We maintain comprehensive spreadsheets packed with data from our distributors, allowing us to keep a close watch on when new microlots become available. We're always ready to catch them early—like that perfect wave you're eager to ride.
But it’s not just about catching the right wave; it’s about making sure it aligns with who we are. We dive deep into researching the farms themselves: How are they processing their beans? Are their practices sustainable? Do they contribute positively to their communities? Are they supporting women producers? Finding a bean that checks all these boxes can take weeks, but it’s worth every moment.
Once we’ve chosen a bean, the real testing begins. We order samples, roast them in small batches, cup the coffee (a process that involves brewing and tasting coffee in a standardized manner to assess quality and flavor, as per Specialty Coffee Association standards), and then re-roast to see what the bean can achieve. Sometimes, a bean might not pass our rigorous testing or meet our grading standards, and we move on. Only the best make it to our shelves.
When the beans finally arrive, the journey continues. We roast them at different levels, experimenting with airflow, time, and temperature. Some beans reveal their secrets easily, while others need a little more love and patience. This part of the process can take weeks—or even months—as we continually cup (taste-test) the coffee at different stages: three days out, seven days out, and again at fourteen days. We need to know exactly how long the beans need to rest, or “off-gas,” to deliver the perfect cup.
And because no two coffee experiences are ever quite the same, we take our testing a step further. We taste our coffees on several different machine styles and with various types of water to see how each roast translates. This comprehensive testing helps us create a unique brewing recipe for each coffee, ensuring you get the most out of every bean, no matter your preferred brewing method or local water profile.
Once we’ve dialed in the ideal roast, it’s time to scale up. We adjust our roaster for a larger batch, let the beans off-gas, weigh, label, and seal each bag with care. And for our microlot coffees, we go even further: creating graphics for our website, building out a product page, and designing unique coffee cards. These cards provide a deeper connection to the farm and producers, offer brewing tips, and highlight the coffee's origin, elevation, and tasting notes.
Every time you purchase one of these special beans, you’re getting more than just coffee—you’re receiving a story, a journey, and a commitment to quality. A lot goes on behind the scenes before a bag makes it to our shelves.
So next time you enjoy a cup of King’s Gambit Coffee, remember: you’re tasting something that was carefully chosen, lovingly roasted, and meticulously prepared just for you.
Come visit us at the source closest to the farm… our roastery or online. Your next adventure is waiting.