Morning Routines: How Our Team Starts the Day

We talk about coffee all day at the roastery. But first thing in the morning, before the cupping table is set and the roaster is warming up, each of us has a personal ritual. We thought it would be fun to share them.

Marcus, The Founder

I wake up at 5:45 and the first thing I do is fill the kettle. While it heats, I grind 18 grams of whatever single origin we are currently featuring, usually on the lighter end. I brew a V60, one cup, with water at 94 degrees. The pour takes about 3 minutes. I drink it black, standing at the kitchen counter, before anyone else in the house is awake. It is the quietest part of my day and the only part I protect.

Right now I am drinking the Konga washed Ethiopian. The lemon curd note in the first sip is the best thing that happens to me before 6 AM.

Sofia, Head Roaster

I am not a morning person. My routine is designed for minimum effort. I have a Moccamaster drip machine loaded with a paper filter. The night before, I weigh out 42 grams of the house blend and leave it next to the grinder. When the alarm goes off at 6:30, I shuffle to the kitchen, grind the coffee, pour water into the reservoir, and press start. Then I shower. By the time I am dressed, there is a full pot of hot coffee waiting.

I take mine with a splash of oat milk. The house blend has enough chocolate and caramel that the milk complements it without covering anything up. I drink two large mugs before I leave for the roastery. Non-negotiable.

Jake, Green Buyer and Operations

AeroPress, inverted method, every single day. 15 grams of coffee, 200 grams of water at 85 degrees (I know that is low, but I like what it does to acidity), steep for 2 minutes, press into a mug. The whole thing takes 4 minutes including grinding.

I rotate through whatever samples we have on hand. Part of my job is evaluating new lots, so my morning cup is often something we have not purchased yet. Last week it was a natural from Sidamo that tasted like strawberry jam. This week it is a washed Guatemalan with orange and chocolate notes. The AeroPress is my tool for this because it is fast, clean, and I can taste the coffee without any brewing method getting in the way.

Emma, Marketing and Customer Experience

French press. Always. I have a small Bodum that makes exactly two cups. I use 30 grams of the house blend, ground coarse, with water just off the boil. Four minutes. I plunge slowly, pour both cups, and take them to my desk.

The first cup I drink while checking emails. The second cup gets cold because I get distracted by work. I reheat it in the microwave, and yes, I know that is a crime. I do not care. By the time I get to the roastery at 9, I have had my coffee and I am ready to think about everyone else's.

Tyler, Shipping and Fulfilment

Cold brew from the fridge. I make a big batch every Sunday night, 100 grams of the house blend, ground coarse, steeped in 800 millilitres of filtered water for 18 hours. That gives me concentrate for the whole week. Every morning I pour about 100 millilitres of concentrate over ice and top it with 150 millilitres of cold water.

I started drinking cold brew because I do not like hot drinks. Never have. Even in January in Calgary, when it is minus 25 outside, I want my coffee cold. The team thinks I am unhinged. I think they are the ones standing around waiting for kettles to boil when the answer is already in the fridge.

What We Agree On

The method does not matter. The beans matter. The freshness matters. The water quality matters. How you put it all together is personal. There is no wrong way to drink good coffee, just wrong coffee.