May 2017's Roaster of the Month: Social Coffee
For the month of May, Secret Sip Coffee Club decided it was time for 2017’s second single origin to be released. We could not be more thrilled to present a truly incredible roaster located in Burnaby, BC – Social Coffee Roasters. As the name indicates, the team at Social really stuck out in our search to highlight the embodiment of a true passion for the artisan craft, love for community and sustainability, and critical focus on ethically sourced, organic and fair trade beans.
The owner and head roasters met 7 years ago. At the time, the owner was operating a small bakery café that he was roasting the coffee for on the “down low”. As the bakery grew, it became more difficult to satisfy the rampant demand for the special roasts. At this juncture, “the ways of the bean” was passed onto the current head roaster. Social has come a long way from their 1 kg Toper roaster six years ago. Despite the team's tremendous growth including going through three roasters, expansion of the team and the acquisition of a swanky new production space, the dynamic founders are still great friends roasting great coffee.
Like the name implies, social and environmental stewardship are very important to the team. These beliefs influence all of their decisions, from the green coffee they buy to the relationships they create. Social Coffee believes that sincere, ethical business practices can create a community that is greater than the sum of its parts. All of their green coffee certified organic, as a baseline, however, the team stresses the importance of awareness towards the intricacies surrounding certification, including consideration of what the farmers and importers have undertaken to improve their local and global communities.
The team’s orientation towards sustainability and the minimization of their impact has really set the bar quite high. An example of this came through one of our interviews with the team. They indicated that Social’s newest roaster was shipped in a massive wooden crate that was ripped apart, repurposed/ reconstructed into the cafe’s espresso bar. Furthermore, all of Social’s excess coffee gets picked up by “Food Stash”, a local foundation that distributes “waste” food to local homeless shelters, youth centres, and soup kitchens.
The team at Secret Sip Coffee Club selected, what we believe, is a succulent single origin from Guatemala. We loved the versatility of this roast, pouring well as both an espresso and other forms such as a pour over. The tasting notes describe a lovely, yet not overbearing, citrus taste with a prominent toasted nut and chocolate center. This unique roast includes caturra, bourbon, typica, and catuai varietals. One of the most interesting aspects is that these organic and fair trade beans come from cooperative Nahuala, a member of Cafe Feminino (http://www.coffeecan.org/). The aforementioned Cafe aims to empower women, build social and support networks, and generate income for families and communities through the sale of coffee.
Secret Sip Coffee Club is ecstatic to have partnered with Social Coffee Roasters to bring you this month's secret roast, and what we believe to be, some of Canada’s best coffee. To learn more about Social Coffee Roasters, check out their website below: