When we opened in 2019, one of the first decisions we made was where to buy our coffee. We tasted a lot of samples from a lot of roasters. We ended up choosing Hearthstone Roasters, who are based about twelve miles from the cafe. Here's why, and what it means in practice.
What Hearthstone Roasters actually do ¶
Hearthstone is a small roastery run by two people, Callum and Jess, who have been roasting together since 2015. They source green beans directly from farms and cooperatives, mostly in Ethiopia, Colombia, and Brazil. They roast in small batches on a 15kg drum roaster. They're not the cheapest option we looked at, but the coffee is consistently good and they're honest about where it comes from.
The practical benefits of buying locally ¶
Buying from a roaster twelve miles away means we get fresh coffee. Roasted coffee is at its best between about five days and four weeks after roasting. When we order from Hearthstone, the beans arrive within two days of roasting. We go through enough coffee that we're ordering every week, so we're always working with fresh stock. That freshness makes a real difference to the espresso, particularly to the crema and the sweetness in the finish.
The relationship matters too ¶
We can call Callum and ask questions. We can visit the roastery and taste new lots before we commit to them. When we wanted to try a different Ethiopian bean for the cold brew last summer, Callum sent us three samples to try side by side. That kind of relationship isn't possible with a large national supplier. It means the coffee in your cup has a real, traceable story behind it.
What this means for you ¶
It means the espresso blend changes slightly a few times a year as the seasonal harvests come in. It means the filter coffee changes every week because we're always trying new lots. It means if you ask us where the coffee is from, we can tell you the farm, the country, the process, and the roast date. We think that's worth something.
If you're curious about the current espresso blend or the filter origin, ask whoever's behind the bar. We always know, and we're always happy to talk about it.