OUR STORY
So much has happened since we planted roots in the coastal landscape of Cambria, California in 2007. Our exceptional espresso and single-origin offerings have garnered acclaim from the extensive coffee community.
Though our reason for being remains the same, we've evolved and expanded. Every roasted coffee bears the weight of our namesake, promising a truly satisfying experience. Originating as a passion project catering to our local community, today, we explore every nuance of the coffee bean. From the brightness of complex light roasts to the allure of caramelized, smoky dark roasts, our journey spans the entire spectrum.
Founder Tom Walsh, together with Sales Lead Tom Richardson and Lead Roaster Melanie, continues our rich roasting legacy within the SLAKE Coffee brand.
What does tomorrow look like? Slake Coffee will continue to grow to help more people find their ideal roast level by developing specific roast profiles for every coffee based on the inherent qualities of the bean.
OUR PROCESS
Education
We continuously develop our roasting knowledge through courses offered by the SCA, Roasters Guild and other entities and by staying up with current trends and issues in the global coffee community with trade articles and publications. We further develop our evaluation skills through daily cuppings of our own coffees as well as prospective new offerings and other roasters efforts. By these efforts we prepare ourselves to create great coffee.
Green Bean Selection
Sourcing excellent green beans is one of our great joys. We work with a number of experienced importers who know of our preferences for each country of origin. We roast samples routinely and cup and re-cup in an effort to find the right roast profile that best showcases the aspects of each coffee.
Roast Profiling
Before a coffee is ready to be released, we have roasted it numerous times to develop an optimum roast profile. Each roast profile is developed for that specific bean or blend for the purpose of exploring the changes to body, mouth feel, flavor, acidity, sweetness, and aftertaste. Only after many profiles do we decide on a given plan for that bean.
Cupping
During the Roast Profiling phase we cup each profile meticulously. We document our experience with each profile by taking note of a variety of olfactory sensations, assigning a numerical assessment to each parameter, and identifying our personal preferences as well. Only after we have a consensus of opinion do we release a coffee for production roasting.
Release and Adjust
Once a coffee is in production we monitor its development and re-assess on a weekly basis. We use customer input and our cupping protocols to make small adjustments as necessary. All of these steps are a part of a process to assure an excellent cup of coffee