About the roastery
Common Ground, since 2017.
Two roasters, one Loring Smart Roaster, a 14-pound batch size, and a green coffee program that’s stayed under 18 origins for the last six years. We started in a converted warehouse off Pine Street with one wholesale account and a plan to make breakfast coffee that didn’t apologize for being breakfast coffee.
What we won’t do
The grocery list stays short.
We don’t roast dark to hide defects. We don’t blend lots we couldn’t sell as singles. We don’t run more than four origins on the bar at once because the staff can’t speak credibly about more than that. And we don’t expand the menu past espresso, batch brew, pour over, and a daily decaf.
The benchmark for every lot we buy is whether one of the roasters would order it on the bar themselves. Cup scores at or above 86, fully washed by default, naturals and honeys only when the lots are clean enough to put on the bar.
Production
Tuesday is roast day. Everything else is built around it.
Madeline and Jonas split the schedule three days each on the Loring S15. Fourteen pounds a batch, charged at 200°C, dropped between 10:50 and 11:30 depending on the lot. Every roast is cupped the next morning and again at day five before any of it leaves the building.
Sourcing
How the green coffee gets here.
Three importers we’ve worked with since 2018, plus one direct relationship with a producer in Risaralda we visit every January. Cup scores at or above 86 on every lot. Fully washed processing for the everyday menu.
- ImportersRoyal Coffee, Cafe Imports, Ally Coffee — relationships running 6+ years
- DirectFinca La Esperanza, Risaralda — on-site cuppings every January
- Cup score floor86+ on every lot. We’ve walked away from 91s that didn’t fit the bar.
- Process defaultFully washed. Naturals + honeys only on limited release.
- Inventory window6 to 10 weeks per lot before rotation
The team
Six people. Everyone cups Friday at ten.
Two roasters, one shift lead, and four bar staff. The roasters split the schedule three days each. Every staff member cups every Friday at 10am, and that’s a job requirement, not a perk. New hires shadow on bar for two weeks before they pull a shot for a paying customer.
Madeline H. & Jonas R.
Production Tuesday + Thursday. Roasted lots cup the next morning and again at day five before they hit the bar.
Loring S15 · 14 lb batches
Andre L.
Bar service Mon-Fri opens. Owns dial-in for espresso every morning. Runs Friday cuppings for the team and the public.
SCA Q-grader, 2021
Two-week shadow before a paid shot.
Every bar hire shadows the lead for two weeks before pulling a shot for a paying customer. No exceptions on the timeline.
Average tenure 2.6 yr