Please email Melissa and Megan at coffee@44northcoffee.com with an introduction and resume, and desired role. We hope to hear from you!
___________________________________________________________
Position -- Production Team Member
[start date end of March 2023, year-round, looking to hire immediately]
This is a position of strength in multitudes of areas - communication with the coffee roasters, production manager, and fellow members on the production team - daily / weekly organization of order flow with special importance pointed towards the ability to execute and pack with accuracy on a deadline - willingness to shuttle coffee to Deer Isle cafe and post office - attention to detail and quality as well as passion for the cause
Duties include:
Physical demands:
Benefits:
__________________________________________________________
Position -- Barista
[two start dates: end of March 2023 and May 2023, both year-round and seasonal, looking to hire immediately]
This is a position of strength in multitudes of areas - communication with your customers, fellow cafe team, and production team - preparation of delicious beverages with a pleasant customer service each and every time - assessment and communication / replenishment of cafe needs on a daily basis - attention to detail and quality as well as passion for the cause.
Duties include:
Physical demands:
Benefits:
I had the pleasure of attending the Coffee Roasters Guild Retreat in Delevan, WI the last weekend in August. What a whirlwind of an experience! After a 2 year hiatus, coffee aficionados, professionals, and like-minded coffee nerds congregated on the beautifully rural Delavan Lake. I have never attended a conference in the coffee industry before and let me tell you, coffee professionals are some of the coolest, fringe, artistic, introverted, unique individuals I have ever met. I have this theory that people who find themselves working in the specialty coffee industry, and loving it, are uniquely similar in that we are mostly creative, artistic, introverted types, who value quality over quantity.
I had the pleasure of meeting coffee people from all over the country, working in the many arenas of the coffee industry - from green bean importers, coffee producers, to wholesalers, large green coffee warehouse storage directors, coffee shop owners, so many roasters, production managers and staff, and many baristas. We all met, drank way too much coffee together, roasted coffee, had meals and bonfires together, and were able to talk shop about this really cool industry we all work in. Coffee industry folks are some of the most passionate people I have ever met. It was also really cool to talk with fellow roasters working on the same equipment we are and troubleshoot, share roasting profiles, and tricks of the trade, because when you talk about the charge in temperature, development time and the exothermic reaction of the bean taking on heat, we often get a glazed look - "so long as the coffee tastes good" - it's us coffee nerds who love to geek out on the nuances of how to make that cup of coffee taste so good. A lot of it starts with really great, quality grown beans and a lot of it has to do with the care and nuance in how those beans are handled and roasted. It was really cool to connect with people who also care deeply about producing a great cup of coffee from producer/farmer to barista/consumer.
As part of the conference there was a roasting tent where I got to play around roasting on different roasters, which was so much fun to try new equipment. It was also validating to me about how much I personally care and how much as a whole we care here at 44 North Coffee. Everything we do is manual - roasting, stamping and writing bags, filling bags, etc. we are real people who really care. While so much of the coffee industry is starting to emphasize automation for consistency and efficiency, we aim for consistency as well, but with people doing their best everyday to provide for the best coffee and cup posible.
Another unique experience of the conference was as a woman. The coffee industry is a predominantly male-dominated industry, so the fact that 44 North Coffee is women-owned is uncommon. And having a head roaster who is a woman, is even more uncommon. There was a meet-up at the conference of all the women working in the industry in attendance. 48 women came together, shared our stories, experiences, and passions of working in this amazingly cool industry. We talked about how to facilitate women leaders from farmers to roasters and business owners, and every place in between, this meet-up was the continuation of the many connections under the #shetheroaster started by Baylee Engberg. We are adding a new voice, a new perspective and taking up space in the specialty coffee world. The meetup facilitated connection as women and also expanded on the conversation of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ people working in the specialty coffee industry as well. We want to create a space where all are welcome and supported, a network for those of us who historically have not been in this industry. We all took a photo together and exchanged contact and socials so we can support each other from afar.
Lastly, I want to thank Megan and Melissa for sending me to the CRG Retreat to learn and grow, but also to validate what I deeply care about doing here at 44, which is roasting really great coffee and also having a platform to talk about how much I have truly fallen in love with these teeny magical beans.
See my journey on our Highlights on Instagram @44northcoffee.
Happy Sipping!
Alix Sarain
Head Roaster & Roastery Production Manager
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Have you ever noticed that our retail coffee bags are not the "standard" vacuum sealed foil pouch "keep fresh" coffee bags you see on most shelves? Well that is intentional!
As we all know the 44N ethos is focused on being eco-friendly, sustainable, fair trade, organic, low carbon footprint, etc, hence the pasta coffee stirrers, organic, fair trade beans, biodegradable cups, composting our spent grounds, etc. For those who don't know, the primary difference between compostable and biodegradable is that compostable products require a specific setting (over 140ºF) in order to break down, whereas biodegradable products break down naturally.
So a bit more about our brown paper retail coffee bags:
You deserve to taste beans at the height of their flavor (3-16 days after roasting). If you don't drink coffee daily consider buying a 1/2# at a time instead of full pound. Grinding your beans minutes before brewing will also always yield a better cup.
Happy Sipping :)
As part of Cooperative Coffee roaster-members, we have the privilege of also sitting on committees at the Coop, helping facilitate the many nuances and ongoing conversations about the ever changing specialty coffee industry we are so honored to be a part of. Melissa is on the Impact Committee, Megan is on the Leadership Team as well as on the main Board, and Alix our lead roaster and wholesale production manager, sits on the Quality and Sourcing Committee.
The Sourcing and Quality Committee has an ongoing conversation about the quality of the beans we are sourcing from our farmer-producers around the world. As well as talking about price and market fluctuations due to climate change, producer set-backs, shipping delays, civil unrest in producing regions, damage to the beans during harvest or transport, etc., the board is comprised of Coop staff, other roaster-members, as well as some farmer-producers. This Committee is invaluable in its ability to stay on top of the sourcing and quality of the green beans we are growing, harvesting, importing, roasting and selling. As our green bean buyer, Alix has found great value and knowledge in being part of the Sourcing and Quality Committee with other Coop members.
While we have monthly virtual meetings to stay in touch and also talk about the most pertinent issues on hand for the month, in late April, Alix had the pleasure of taking part in a Sourcing and Quality Virtual Cupping with other Coop farmer-producers, roasters, Coop staff, and people who are committed to the Coop mission (read more about that here and why we are proud Coop roaster-members).
For 2 days Alix virtually met with over 30 people committed to expanding our love and knowledge of specialty coffee. As well as expanding our palate and facilitating a conversation around tasting and enjoying the coffees our farmer-producers work so hard to provide us with.
Prior to the 2 day event, roasters were asked to submit a production roast, meaning a roast that we perform everyday and use in everyday production and service. The Coop chose an origin that most of us had in rotation - COMSA in Honduras and Fondo Paez in Colombia. We submitted our roasted beans along with several of the other 23 roaster-members across the USA and Canada. We blind cupped them as a group and then we anazlyzed them and shared feedback.
We were asked to submit our Honduras production roast, which as some of you may know, is one our darkest roasts. We have been working hard to make Honduras a more exciting dark cup of coffee. What has long been the back-up player, providing smoky notes to the beloved Royal Tar blend, is starting to establish it's own stake in our year-round line-up. We have several wholesale accounts that exclusively get our Honduras beans. Alix has worked really hard to fine tune this roast, so that it provides a creamy, well-balanced, smoky and sweet dark cup. Alix actually suggested that we started offering Honduras as single origins coffee only a couple years ago, even though it has been an origin in Royal Tar since the beginning of 44 North.
We were nervous to submit this coffee as our sample for the virtual cupping because it is so dark. Typically when you are cupping coffees they are light roasts to really enhance and highlight the nuance of the bean and origin. Also we were nervous because we knew our experienced Cooperative audience and fellow coffee aficionado professionals have a seasoned knack for tasting high quality light roasted coffee.
At 44 North, we roast a full spectrum of roasts from light to medium to dark, because we know our customers have preferences and there is no judgment in your preference, hence why we offer the spectrum. While many of us here at 44 love light roasts, we can appreciate and understand the love and importance of dark roasts as well. And this is where Honduras, Peru and Sumatra, come in, for our dark roast lovers.
When Alix received the box of cupping samples for the event she immediately noticed the dark and oily beans that were Honduras sample 4. She was concerned because all the other samples were noticibly lighter in color and had no oil. She was pretty sure she knew which sample was ours and it didn't look like the others.
We cupped the 5 Honduras samples, all from the same farmer (who unfortunately couldn't participate in the event. Alix would have loved to have heard their thoughts on how we roasted their beans), as a group and then talked about them, gave praise, critique and feedback, and then revealed which roaster produced the sample. The first two samples the group liked; light roasts, with notes of brown sugar and vanilla, some citrus and molasses, both scored well on the standardized Specialty Coffee Association cupping metric. Sample 3 was darker than samples 1 and 2, and had cereal notes, and unfortunately also had a noticeable defect that several of us pointed out and were not pleased with (Alix feared with was our sample and started to panic even more). Sample 4 was by far the darkest coffee of both days, which made Alix question really if she knew which sample was ours. Sample 4 had balanced tasting notes of chocolate and fruit, a tapered acidity, with a creamy, full-bodied sweetness. And the group liked it even though it was by far the darkest coffee we sampled! The farmer-producers in Latin America immediately commented how much this coffee reminded them of the coffee they know and love and drink at home, with a lot of milk and sugar. Everyone in the group really enjoyed and were grateful to have a dark roast option among all the many light roasts, rarely do we get to cup a dark roast. The reason for this, is that a light roast is preferred for sampling, ie cupping, to truly highlight the nuance of flavors of the origin and beans, as well as highlight any possible defects too. Rarely on an official cupping table will you find a dark roast, in fact the standard SCA cupping metric, which we all use to judge coffee, isn't set up to grade dark roasted coffee. But they asked for a production roast. It was considered very clean and a highly enjoyed dark roast by the group. Lastly, sample 5, we all identified as not the same coffee as samples 1-4. It was bright and very fruity, noticeably a natural or honey processed coffee. We were all confused why this coffee was being cupped along COMSA Honduras coffees when it clearly was not the same bean, although the group favorite on the table for that cupping
Can you guess which sample was 44 North's Honduras? It was sample 4!! They loved it! The group raved about it! The farmers loved this coffee and said how it reminded them of what they drink in their homes. Sure, it is not the super nuanced light roast version of this origin that sample 1 and 2 highlighted so beautifully, but there is a familiarity and love for a dark roast. It is that cup of coffee when we think of coffee; creamy, dark, smoky, pleasing mouthfeel, it stands up well to lots of cream and sugar and is best enjoyed first thing in the morning while still in your pjs. This Honduras, our dark roasted, Royal Tar back-up, is this dark roast cup a lot of us know, love and crave. And these coffee experts from around the world loved our roast of this coffee! They completely know, understand, and value the market for dark roasted specialty coffee, especially when it tastes this good. Alix was complimented by all and specifically by a much more experienced roaster, who said that when he was trained he was told anyone can under-roast, ie light roast, a coffee, it takes a really talented roaster to be able to roast such a well developed, balanced, and delicious dark roast. Alix feels really proud of how much she has worked on getting the Honduras to where it is now, and to have that validated by such talented people in the specialty coffee world really was encouraging.
As suspected sample number 5 of the Honduras samples was a Honey Processed Honduras from COMSA, which we carry annually. We know and love this coffee. And the Coop staff thought it would be fun to throw a little trick at us to see if we could catch it. We did! It is the same producers in Honduras, just processed differently. Lastly, we cupped the Fondo Paez Colombia roasts, which were all incredibly delicious, but lighter than we roast these beans here at 44 North, and tasting these made Alix excited for when her personal seasonal medium roast favorite will be available in a couple months.
We also had the privilege of presentations by two farmer-producers and a fellow roaster out of Wisconsin. They talked about the ever changing dynamics in the coffee industry, climate change, inconsistent weather, encouraging youth and women into the industry, rising prices and fluctuations in the market, as well as sustainability, meeting market demands and the ever changing freight, shipping logistics and costs that peaked during the pandemic. While none of us has the exact right answer or solution to any of these challenges that the coffee industry faces, it is nice to work and communicate alongside fellow specialty coffee professionals dedicated to figuring it out, continuing to try, regularly communicating and sharing, and bettering this industry so that we can continue to produce, roast, and serve incredible coffee from these incredibly hard working farmer-producers around the world.
]]>Please email us a resume and 2 references to:
coffee@44northcoffee.com
____________________________________________
44 North Coffee Position -- Production and Retail Manager
This is a position of strength in multitudes of areas - communication with the coffee roaster and management of your production team - weekly organization of order flow with special importance pointed towards the ability to execute and pack with accuracy on a deadline - inventory tracking and reordering so we are ahead of zero stock situations - attention to detail and quality as well as passion for the cause.
Duties include:
Physical demands:
Benefits:
____________________________________________________
44 North Coffee Position -- Barista Position
This is a position of strength in multitudes of areas - communication with your customers, cafe team, and production team - assessment and communication of cafe needs on a daily basis - preparation of delicious beverages with a pleasant customer service encounter each and every time - staff training and constructive feedback - attention to detail and quality as well as passion for the cause.
Duties include:
Physical demands:
Benefits:
]]>
Why hasn’t the Deer Isle cafe opened back up yet?!
We know this phone system is frustrating. We know it takes patience, multiple phone calls. We know we often have a loud roaster going and have to ask you to repeat yourself. All we can say is thank you for your support and patience.
The re-opening of this cafe building is no longer related to the pandemic.
Truth be told, the day we moved our coffee roaster out of the Seamark building and into the building at 7 Main Street (Deer Isle) we knew production would be tight, even in this new home. That was 4 years ago now and we had managed to make it all work as crammed and packed as we were, but then, the pandemic came. Folks who once commuted to group office spaces, schools, you name it, were setting up makeshift desks in nooks of their homes and learning how to conduct insane amounts of video chats. Then, as we understand it, frequently jumping up for another cup of 44 North Coffee. [thank you!]
We have been somewhat hesitant to share our growth in the online sales arena because so many other hospitality and food production businesses have suffered. Our cafe sales fell, but because of the incredible outpouring of support and internet orders we have survived and even thrived.
We are now looking to a new and exciting project for 44 North. On April 10, 2020, we purchased a property and building that is now being constructed to house a new coffee roasting facility. This building is going to allow us the proper workspace where our bodies can move safely, where we can grow slowly, and allow us a production space outside of the public cafe.
So, to answer the question that started this blog post, when will the Deer Isle cafe open back up to the public? As soon as our roastery is completed -- we are hoping for late summer. When ready, we will hoist our beloved Diedrich IR12 roaster for the third time, do a bit of re-design, and then open the Deer Isle cafe doors once again. We can already tell this will be a beyond joyful day.
With Gratitude,
Melissa, Megan, and Team 44
Here are some construction pictures. The new roastery is on its way!
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Here at 44 HQ we have been maintaining a pretty busy work week with all of the amazing web orders. Your kind notes, we are so grateful to receive them! The tips and gestures to our staff are so appreciated. While we have primarily been chatting to most people via the shop phone, it's wonderful to hear your voice and learn of what coffees you've been brewing and which brew methods you are having fun with.
We have gone through weeks of trying to shape what this summer will look like for 44 North and Deer Isle as an island and we wanted to share the schedule for our Deer Isle and Stonington cafes (of course, subject to change).
44 North Coffee - Stonington
Opening June 15th with social distancing and mask requirements. Hours will be 6:30 am - 5 pm, Monday - Saturday, Sunday 8 am - 2 pm. We allow (4) people in the cafe to sit and work at a time. All socially distanced. Mask is not enforced when sipping coffee or eating pastry. But is requested to be worn when ordering and exiting the cafe space. Apologies, but no public restroom this year. Below is pastry / baker schedule:
MONDAY - Milkweed & Monarch
TUESDAY - Milkweed & Monarch
WEDNESDAY - Tinder Hearth
THURSDAY - Milkweed & Monarch
FRIDAY - Milkweed & Monarch
SATURDAY - Tinder Hearth
SUNDAY - Milkweed & Monarch
44 North Coffee - Deer Isle
Open year-round with PHONE IN / CURBSIDE PICK UP ONLY. Because this space is so so tiny, we have decided on a curbside pick up and contactless method of payment via phone. We roast 3 days per week in summer - TUES / WED / THURS. Coffee beans and cups and pastry available all (6) days we are open. Below is pastry / baker schedule:
MONDAY - Milkweed & Monarch
TUESDAY - Milkweed & Monarch
WEDNESDAY - Tinder Hearth
THURSDAY - Milkweed & Monarch
FRIDAY - Milkweed & Monarch
SATURDAY - Tinder Hearth
SUNDAY - CLOSED
]]>Enjoy!
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~ holiday hours ~
12/24 [christmas eve] / closed
12/25 [christmas day] / closed
12/26 [day after christmas] / closed
01/01 [new year's day] / closed
We wish everyone a great holiday with great coffee!
Team 44 North
]]>Inside this cherry are multiple layers of skin including a parchment, mucilage, and outer layer (which takes on pigmentation and indicates when to harvest). Click here for an illustrated cross-section diagram.
Because the mucilage has naturally occurring sugars and alcohol, a natural fermentation will occur in the small environment. What this yields for taste is often a dense heavy body, moderate acidity, with fruit "bomb" wildness and rustic flavors. Due to the rustic aspect of these coffees, we often do not recommend matching with dairy products.
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The Stonington cafe is now closed for the season and we will be closing Deer Isle from Monday October 14 - Sunday October 20. We will re-open on Monday October 21st in Deer Isle at 7:30 am.
Thank you all for your amazing support. Each season is a wonderful adventure, full of the most amazing 44 coffee fans. As we enter our 10th year of business on December 3, 2019 we feel the most sincere gratitude.
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Abby Barrows of Long Cove Sea Farm is back again for a series of 7 oyster evenings known as "Bubbles & Brine" at 44 North cafe in Stonington.
Please join us the following dates (all Friday's):
June: 21
July: 5, 19
August: 2, 16, 30
September: 13
5 pm onward! Please join us for shucked oysters on the half shell with lovely mignonettes and sauces. Small plates, fine wine and beer selections. A perfect spot for meeting a friend after work or drink before dinner.
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Cafe / Roastery Hours in Deer Isle:
Monday - Tues / 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday / 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Thurs - Friday / 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Saturday / 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sunday / CLOSED
[Deer Isle cafe -- offers wide variety of fresh roasted beans, quick cup to go, seating for 4]
Address: 7 Main Street / Deer Isle, ME / 04627
Phone: 207.348.5208
_________________________________________________________
Cafe Hours in Stonington:
Monday - Tues / 6:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday - Fri / 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Saturday / 6:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday / 8:00 a.m - 2:00 p.m.
[Stonington cafe -- offers retail beans, coffee and tea to drink here or take-a-way, wifi, seating for 15]
Address: 70 Main Street / Stonington, ME / 04627
Phone: 207.348.3043
And with that, the Love Blend is back!
Happy season of good spirit, returning light, and warm heart!
Love, Team 44 North Coffee
This past December I had the joy to travel to Ethiopia and visit the farms and farmers of Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (SCFCU). The trip covered 10 days and 450 miles, starting in the capital, Addis Ababa and heading south, across the Rift valley to coffee country. I met up and traveled with the head of sustainability and the regional buyer for Cooperative Coffees as well as roasters and other green coffee buyers from Europe and New Zealand.
The Sidama Union has over 80,000 members, making it the 2nd largest producer of coffee from that region of Ethiopia. The majority of this coffee is organic and fair trade. Even though the union has many members almost all of their farms are on a hector of land or less. The coffee produced in this region is known for exquisite bright and citrus notes and creamy clear body. Grown on the sides of mountains and tops of hills this coffee is being put at more and more of a risk because of rising temperatures and abnormal weather patterns caused by climate change.
(coffee farmer and his family on their shade grown coffee plot)
In an effort to counteract the effects of climate change farmers are looking for new ways to increase the quality and notorious in their soil to better sustain and strengthen their trees to be more resistant. One key tool in rebuilding and strengthening the soil is the use of compost. The aim is to add back in the nitrogen the soil might be lacking or entirely depleted of.
(meeting with with coop members and government officials to discuss compost possibility for SCFCU)
The Sidama Union has decided to use their Fair Trade premium to build a field innovation and farmer training site. We met with SCFCU staff, board of directors, coop leaders as well as local government officials to better learn what their goals, concerns and hopes for the new site look like. The site will be a place to serve the coop members and to demonstrate the beneficial effects of compost in hopes that they will take what they learn and implement it on their own farms and in their own communities. For me it was eye opening to see how innovative and engaged everyone involved was in finding organic ways to enhance the soil, resist the effects of climate change, and grow better coffee.
(future coffee farmers at the site for the compost training site)
On the following days we visited washing and drying stations where farmers from the surrounding region would drop off red ripe coffee cherries by the sack to be de-pulped, washed and dried, and be sorted by hand for quality. We also visited sites where our natural unwashed coffee is processed. This coffee is not de-pulped (like our washed coffee), but instead, allowed to partially dry in its own skin. This process gives the coffee a unique fruity flavor. We have really enjoyed this coffee as summer seasonal offering and look forward to having it back in a few months.
(sorting washed and natural coffee for defects)
Our last stop was to visit the Fero Coop. This cooperative is where most of our coffee is grown. With 5,027 members, of which 888 are woman owned farms, Fero is the largest and most productive member of SCFCU. We were able to not only see the harvested coffee from this season drying on raised beds but also the nursery were seedlings were being started before being distributed to member’s farms.
(coffee drying on raised beds at Fero Cooperative)
(the nursery of young coffee plants)
Meeting and learning from the members of SCFCU and seeing the origin of coffee as well as the future efforts to continue growing high quality organic and Fair Trade Ethiopian coffee was an incredible and inspiring experience. Traveling to Ethiopia was an experience that made me more grateful than ever to work with the people and in the world of coffee.
(planting trees at the future compost site with Grace, a member of SCFCU)
]]>Recipe 1: Hot Cáscara Toddy
Ingredients:
- 18 grams cáscara tea
- 1 tablespoon of orange marmalade. We recommend Nervous Nellies Sunshine Road marmalade
- wedge of lemon (optional)
- 1.5 oz of regular or spiced rum
Steep 18 grams (3 tbsp) of cascara in 10 oz (just off the boil) water for 4 mins. Before pouring, add to a mug: dollop of orange marmalade, 1.5 oz (single shot) of rum. Stir & taste. Add squeeze of lemon for extra lift.
Recipe 2: Iced 'Black Pepper and Spice' Cold Brew Cáscara Cocktail
- 1/2 pound cascara tea
- 15-20 black peppercorns (some crushed)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp dried hibiscus leaves
- 10-15 cloves
- 1 tbsp dried orange peel (optional)
- cheesecloth or large filter for straining
- 1.5 oz spiced rum
In a large glass jar, add 1/2 pound cascara tea & 7 cups cold filtered water. Shave a small amount off cinnamon stick, then add entire stick to brew. Mix in above remaining ingredients, agitating gently. Allow to sit overnight for 10-12 hours. Strain. Mix 2/3 cascara cold brew to 1/3 spiced rum. Pour over ice.
Recipe 3: The 'Winter Warmer' Coffee Cocktail (as borrowed from Little Red Roaster in the UK)
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz of Brandy, Cognac, or Southern Comfort
- 100 grams brown sugar
- 50 grams cascara
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 cloves
- 1 orange
- vanilla extract
- water
Brew 50 grams of cascara tea with 18 oz water for approximately 4 mins in a french press or teapot. Strain.
Add 100 grams brown sugar, 3.5 oz water, 5 cloves, stick of cinnamon, and splash of vanilla extract to a saucepan. Gently heat until fully dissolved. Remove from heat just before the boil. Add the cascara and a couple of slices of orange peel to the syrup and set aside to cool slightly for a few mins. Finally, add a generous splash of Brandy (or Congnac or Southern Comfort) to mixture.
]]>
CLOSED: Thanksgiving Day
open normal hours Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving
CLOSED: Christmas Eve, Dec 24
CLOSED: Christmas Day, Dec 25
open normal hours Wedneday Dec 26 - Dec 31
CLOSED: New Year's Day, Jan 1 2019
WISHING A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY TO ALL!
FROM YOUR FRIENDS IN COFFEE,
TEAM 44 NORTH / Megan, Melissa, Kasi, Kim, & Asia
]]>When we first started 44 North Coffee eight years ago our goal was to build a business that aligned with our ethics, values, and spirit. We looked for a coffee importer that was certified fair trade and organic. What we found in Cooperative Coffees was much more.
Earlier this month Melissa and Megan traveled to Durango, CO -- the home of Desert Sun Coffee Roasters and this year’s host for the Cooperative Coffees annual meeting or AGM. As a premise, 44 North has purchased the vast majority, some 95%, of our green / unroasted coffee from Cooperative Coffee since we opened doors for business in 2010. We have spent the last year working on the application to join the Cooperative as full members and this was our first meeting as provisional members.
A bit of history
Cooperative Coffee was founded in the late 1990’s when Bill Harris, inspired by time spent in Guatemala, worked to import the first container shipment of green coffee from that same country. His vision grew with the help of 7 other value driven coffee roasters to import and find a market for the initial 40,000 pounds of coffee that needed a home. Fast forward to today where the organization is now made up of 23 roasters from all corners of the United States and Canada.
What sets this type of green purchasing structure apart
What sets Cooperative Coffee apart from other green importers is the structure of the organization. As a cooperative, the members build long term relationships among themselves and with grower producer partners through fair and equitable trading practices. Many of the roasters and farmers have worked together more than 15 years. This long term commitment is unusual in the global coffee commodity market.
The Cooperative works on a personal level with growers and their communities to build sustainable systems and processes to grow and export high quality, organic and fair trade coffee. Cooperative Coffee’s core values are:
The idea of transparency and human connection with a big heart resonates with us greatly as we do business in a rural Maine community where shared values also lie in the intimacy of community. And yet, while we are removed from the more urban experience of coffee service, it is greatly important to have access to the other members in the cooperative who have years of coffee experience, trade information, and offer support.
The depth of fair trade
Many don’t know this, but specialty coffee is traded daily on the NY “C” commodities exchange. Back in August of this year, the international price for coffee (C-Price) dropped below $1 per pound, to the lowest price since 2006. This is a problem because according to a report published by Caravela Coffee, production costs are in the range of $1.05 to $1.40 per pound, meaning coffee prices are below the cost of production. Coffee farmers are losing money.
Cooperative Coffees was born on the premise of fair trade. In addition to the base level price per pound established by Fair Trade International, the Coop pays an additional .20 cents per pound that goes into a fund to help growers with investment projects. These projects are determined by the grower and farmer cooperatives on the ground to fund infrastructure, social, or educational projects.
Understanding that farming is full of environmental uncertainty and risk and that we as a collective group of well planned companies can absorb more cost on the buying / roasting / brewing side of the coffee chain, Cooperative Coffee has taken fair trade a step deeper and established a new floor price on all contracted coffee -- US $2.20/lb.
In establishing a new floor price – at US$2.20/lb on all our fair trade and organic coffees, Coop Coffees’ producer partners know that regardless of what happens in the NY “C” market, at least they can calculate well into the future the minimum income they can expect from our contracts. Of course, in addition to the minimum-price guarantee, our partners are also free and encouraged to negotiate the quality and context premiums — in keeping with the local market dynamics of the moment – they deem necessary to compete for the best coffees their farmer members can produce. [Source: Cooperative Coffee Blog]
How are we going to address climate change?
Rising temperatures and erratic weather cause massive loss of production capacity in coffee. Simply put, soils are begging for more carbon. And this needs to happen now. As roasters with a voice, we can elect to add another 0.5 cents onto our contracted price as a “voluntary carbon tax.” From 2014-2017 this fund resulted in $650,000 going towards producers the help them learn about “la roya” or leaf rust -- a fungus that was devastating coffee crops in Latin America. The project helped farmers find ways to counteract the effects and then facilitate education and communication between farmers in different regions and even different countries on successful practices.
During our time in Colorado we were able to learn more about many of these important and impactful projects as well as meet current roaster members of the Coop. We knew going into the application process that our core values aligned with the organizations, however the outpouring of transparent information, business encouragement, and personal camaraderie was overwhelming. We learned more than we hoped and left feeling a great sense of gratitude and excitement of what is to come for 44 and our new cooperative members. We are excited and energized to share what we are learning about sourcing and roasting ethical coffee.
]]>Thank you for an incredible season, one of the best!
]]>Cafe / Roastery Hours in Deer Isle:
Monday - Tues / 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday / 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Thurs - Friday / 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Saturday / 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sunday / CLOSED
[offers wide variety of fresh roasted beans, quick cup to go, seating for 4]
NEW Address: 7 Main Street / Deer Isle, ME / 04627
Phone: 207.348.5208
Cafe Hours in Stonington:
Monday - Tues / 6:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday - Fri / 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Saturday / 6:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday / 8:00 a.m - 2:00 p.m.
[offers retail beans, coffee and tea to drink here or take-a-way, wifi, seating for 15]
Address: 70 Main Street / Stonington, ME / 04627
Phone: 207.348.3043
]]>We had an fantastic first winter in our new roastery & cafe headquarters at 7 Main Street in Deer Isle Village. Aside from some frozen pipes and the occasional power outage, we love our new home which has made fresh roasted cups of coffee and beans even more accessible. With the increased foot traffic we have expanded our operating hours in Deer Isle, now opening at 7:30 am. It feel great to be there year-round for our regular locals and all the folks who will soon return to Deer Isle. Thank you all for keeping us busy!
Our Stonington cafe is planned to open on Memorial Day, Monday May 28th. This summer we are booking in more regular beer and wine evenings with local oysters from Long Cove Sea Farm. Did you know we have a super sweet apartment for rent above the coffee shop? Bookings are filling up, but pricing is affordable and the convenience of being above coffee aroma and in the heart of downtown Stonington couldn't be better. Please contact the Island Agency for more info.
In other news, we have launched a new website with the beautiful photos of Wylde Photography. Our goal in the re-design was to share a bit more of the energy, natural beauty, and inspiration that Deer Isle provides us with through scrolling photographs and more direct links to our social media which is updated regularly. For a glimpse of the new website, please click here.
/// La Morena - Guatemala /// We are honored and excited to work with Genuine Origin to bring this fantastic coffee with a great story to you. This unique coffee has been grown, harvested, processed, exported, imported, and finally roasted ENTIRELY BY WOMEN. We have under 50# left, so order quickly! (we even did a custom silk screen bag that features "Rosie the Riveter")
Yes! FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $44 until April 21st. Use the promo code: SPRING at the very end of checkout. What a perfect time to re-stock your bean jars or gift coffee to your favorite coffee friend.
We get this question all the time, HOW SHOULD I STORE MY COFFEE? Please keep in mind when you have a few pounds of beans, it is best to STORE immediately in an airtight container (oxygen = #1 enemy of coffee) and in a cool dark pantry, not in the freezer or refrigerator. Coffee is quick to pick up other surrounding odors and this is why airtight containers are key.
It is always fun to see our little corner of the globe in the news and we were especially surprised and honored to be recognized by both Food & Wine and Architectural Digest magazine as best coffee & cafe design in the state of Maine. We love what we do and feel even more excited when others notice too!
]]>When the opportunity arrived to travel with a delegation to our producer partner in Chiapas, Mexico, Maya Vinic, it was perfect timing. Just as the coffee trees were turing ripe with red cherries the winter cold snap was setting in hard and fast in New England. Traveling with me would be Kasi Billings who has worked for us more than 1 1/2 years as barista and trainer. This was her first time out of country so we expedited her passport and it landed a week later.
Our air tickets took us to Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the capital of Chiapas. Then by car we traveled 1 hour up into the highlands to a town called San Cristobal, altitude of 7,000 feet. Upon entering San Cristobal you could feel the old colonial buildings and streets. The bright pastels painted all over town structures was an immediate delight.
There is so much to say about this journey but Kasi and I felt it could be best discussed through a series of questions we both answered. We hope you enjoy. [pictures at the end]
This coffee delegation to Chiapas, Mexico was your first time out of the country. What stands out the most in your travels?
Kasi: Not only did I get to learn about coffee on this trip, I learned about the kindness that was shared. Every single person I met was so unbelievably nice and welcoming which was such a good change of pace given the hostile environment between America and Mexico. The generosity and gratitude I witnessed will forever hold a place in my heart.
Why is it important for coffee shop owners and employees to travel to the origin of where their coffee is produced?
Kasi: Traveling to origin was a very important thing for me as an employee, as I am sure it was equally important to Melissa. I have learned a plethora of knowledge on green coffee, the roast process and the brewing methods in the last few years but had yet to experience the agronomy side of coffee and to also see / taste a coffee cherry. The most important part of this experience was getting to meet the farmers. The farmers are really who help make this product such a great commodity. I witnessed so much passion and commitment from making sure the coffee was grown the most organic way they could possibly do it to expelling the whole growing process to complete strangers.
Melissa: When I review our accouting reports of costs of goods sold, it is beyond clear that our raw product — green coffee — is single handedly the largest expense in our company. From the beginning, it has been extremely important to us where this money goes in both an ethical and environmental impact sense. Traveling to origin provided both proof and reassurance that our money is going to supporting coffee families and communities who are being empowered to make choices that suit the whole person, the whole community, not just the immediate need for cash. The whole person in Maya Vinic Co-op is a group of indigenous farmers who have worked their plots of land for many generations. The land is healthy and capable of growing other cash crops in addition to coffee. The whole person is healthier without having to use pesticides to support continued coffee growth. The whole person is empowered in finding solutions to agricultural challenges, such as leaf rust or El Roya, that call on local knowledge and materials instead of imported products and treatments. In our travels to Chiapas we were able to witness all of this. By listening to the coffee board of Maya Vinic, farmers and “technicos,” we learned of stories that dealt with current farm politics and challenges, solutions to these situations, and future anticipation of hardships. Our interest reassured the coffee farmers that the relationship was a collective partnership and not just a one-way transaction.
Do you feel differently about Maya Vinic coffee now that you have met some of the individuals who are involved in the co-op?
Kasi: I hadn’t done much research on Maya Vinic prior to this trip but I can say, I never expected to see just how much effort goes into this product we all get to roast and brew daily. Meeting the owners and others who are involved with the cooperative was such a cool experience. Each person had their own connection to why growing coffee was important and each person did a fantastic job explaining that.
Melissa: Yes! I have utmost respect for the labor involved in picking coffee in such mountainous terrain. The logistical challenges of picking, pulping, and patio drying coffee beans (done by individual families first) then transporting them to the co-op’s centralized processing mill seemed intense on both a physical plane and also political sphere. I learned a great deal surrounding Chiapas politics. Zapatista communities are in constant threat of larger Mexican government knocking on their door. At first to offer community services — schools, health centers, community spaces — but later assuming access to land for resource extraction such as oil, natural materials, etc.The resistance is very much alive and it is visible daily as we saw on a mid-week road block that made us travel 4 hours out of the way back to San Cristobal.
How would you describe the life of a coffee farmer in rural Mexico to a 44 North customer?
Kasi: It is not a glamorous job by any means. The amount of sweat and tears I saw being put into the work these farmers are doing was incredible. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the product our shop gets to work with everyday. There is a much longer line of process besides what you see here in the shop. For these farmers, it is the best way to supply for their families.
Melissa: I am thinking in terms of energy output to answer this question. Coffee farming in rural mountainous conditions is extremely time consuming with logistics up and down the mountain, monitoring of seasonal differences in harvest from year to year, and crop health security. The amount of physical labor that goes into planting seeds in the coffee nursery, creating the correct balance of nutrient rich compost, planting trees, picking coffee cherries once the trees mature, addressing bacterial infections, and doing the same thing all over again once the trees retire, must be constant in a farmer's thought process.
And all while working in coffee, there are families to raise and provide for, educate, and local politics that one cannot escape. As an outsider I view it as a somewhat exhausting life that cannot yield that much income, but I also witnessed beautiful moments of families and communities in total union, strong communication around moving parts, and pride.
What struggles became visible to you surrounding coffee farming in indigenous communities that you were previously unaware of?
Kasi: Again, I hadn’t done much research before I left but as soon as I got there, I realized how many political problems these farmers were having with the para-military and “government.” One important piece of this that I feel I should point out is a school called Cideci. This school has been helping young men and women in Mexico who live in the surrounding indigenous communities attend a school for free. The only repayment asked is to take what they learn back to their communities. This is a good example because this school has received plenty of threats from the government and the government did follow through with that at one point. The school needs electricity to run and the government knew that so to show they weren’t bluffing, they cut their power. Cideci retaliated and got the largest generator possible to run the entire campus. This school has over 20 workshops and has on campus housing or students can attend daily or go home at night. This school is a great example of the resistance happening in Mexico. There is much more going on than is publicized.
Melissa: The struggle to exist independently and the resistance to larger government support (due to a belief among some indigenous people that the government has a negative agenda) was a new concept for me to understand. One of the largest examples can be found in the acceptance of NAFTA -- North American Free Trade Agreement -- on January 1, 1994 under the Clinton administration. This agreement removed tariffs and barriers to trade between USA / Mexico / and Canada. While trade between nations increased drastically, the impact on small scale Mexican farmers was hugely significant, making it impossible for them to compete with larger agribusinesses. Overnight, American corn -- the staple of the Mexican diet -- was cheaper to import and feed the country than sourcing from within. And as we all know, with mega agribusiness comes less crop varietals = less flavor and more GMO's. Poverty was extremely evident in many of the communities we visited and I cannot help but think that from 1994 onward it has only gotten worse.
Last but not least, what was your favorite part of the trip?
Kasi: My favorite part of this trip was the culture and color Mexico has. I have never seen so much color or beautiful artwork in my entire life. I learned so much for it being my first international trip and I am so thankful I got to travel with Melissa and be better informed on the green side of coffee. This trip will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Melissa: So many highlights but my biggest highlight was traveling with our employee, Kasi. She accepted the idea of travel immediately, saw to expediting her passport, and approached the journey in a beautiful way. Towards the end, she also supported me in one of the more wicked bouts of food sickness and that meant a great deal.
Other highlights included the people we encountered and the colors of San Cristobal! Our driver / in-country guide, Julio, was simply the best. He spoke in poetic form and you could sense all the emotion and depth of his experience growing up in Chiapas. He was a true asset for our coffee delegation, not to mention the fellow coffee people we traveled with from the USA -- Becky from Cooperative Coffee [Georgia], Craig and Laura from Conscious Coffees [Colorado], Katie from River Rock Cafe [Minnesota], Bobbi from Kickapoo Coffee [Wisconsin], Dan from Amavida Coffee [Florida], Nick from OTG, Simon and Trisja, and Chandler.
[Cathedral of San Cristobal de las Casas]
[Pastel painted streets of San Cristobal de las Casas]
[Mel and Kasi at the centralized coffee processing mill for Maya Vinic]
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[Kasi - "toastador" is the Spanish word for roaster!]
[Various stages of coffee ripening]
[Just a wee walk through the coffee lands...although not certified, this coffee is definitely shade grown!]
[Kasi preparing to plant her first coffee tree at the Maya Vinic nursery]
[A technico explaining the importance of tree health before it is placed into the ground]
[The coffee that we purchase, "resting" before being sorted and placed into burlap]
[Our group! roasters and cafe owners across the USA who have come to see Maya Vinic]
[Soccer / futbol! the universal language of "peace"]
[Church with coffee drying in the community of Acteal, Chiapas. This small community is known for the devastating massacre of 45 people in 1997 by a neighboring para-military group. You can learn more here.]
[Mel and Kasi outside the music workshop and library at CIDECI -- a school and residence for indigenous peoples free of charge with offerings of more than 20+ workshops including everything from electricity to ceramics to baking. This school operates outside of any government support, including refusing to be on San Cristobal power grid and instead on their own self funded generator.]
[Plant wall at CIDECI]
[The streets of San Cristobal, full of color and VW's!]
]]>HAPPY HOLIDAYS / HAPPY SOLSTICE!
Below are holiday hours:
CLOSED CHRISTMAS EVE - Sun 12.24.17
CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY - Mon 12.25.17
_____________________________________
CLOSED NEW YEAR'S DAY - Mon 1.01.18
re-opening for 2018 coffee service on Tuesday 1.02.18
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday full of family and friends. Thank you all for an incredible year of support. Love, 44 North Coffee Crew
]]>We opened for coffee business on June 16th. Our year-round business hours are:
Monday - Tues // 7:30 am - 4 pm
Wednesday // 7:30 am - 2 pm (closed early for coffee evaluation and staff meeting)
Thurs - Fri // 7:30 am - 4 pm
Saturday // 8 am - 2 pm
Sunday // CLOSED
Below are some photos of the new space taken by the very talented Jenny Nelson of Wylde Photography.
]]>Monday May 29 - June 3
6:30 am - 2:00 pm
June 4th (Sunday)
8 am - 2:00 pm
June 5th onward
6:30 am - 5 pm
Then, in mid June we will be open late on Wed / Thurs / Fri, until 8:30 pm, for beer and wine evenings.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to the big roastery move, we will be CLOSED IN DEER ISLE from Monday June 5th - Monday June 11th. Thank you for your understanding. Coffee by the cup and bag will be available in Stonington.
]]>Josh writes: "Here's my entry for the photo contest. All the photos were taken in a small Thai village near the border with Myanmar in Kanchanaburi Province. The person wearing the shirt is a teacher who is also a farmer. The first two shots are taken on her land. The third shows her returning, with two students who helped her, to the village over a recently repaired bridge (it used to have a lot of planks missing). I like to think that the first photo shows that even though she was very happy with the shirt, she still gets cranky without the coffee :) The second shows the amazing effects of coffee, even when you're not drinking it. (True village story: one day I saw some reddish berries and asked a student what they were. She looked at me in stunned amazement, "You don't know? But teacher, you drink it every day!" And that's when I learned what coffee really looks like...and just how ignorant I was. Ha!)
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We drove out of the small mountain town before daylight. There were no street lights in Chajul, Guatemala and as we worked our way up switch backs over the pass the only evidence from the town below was the slow rising columns of smoke from morning stoves. The community is around 2,000 residents primarily of indigenous descent, mainly subsistence farmers, coffee and honey farmers. The coffee cooperative we came to visit is CHAJUL. This co-op is 1,500 members strong and reaches far beyond this small town to the surrounding jungles and mountains into the most remote parts of northwest Guatemala. This region was victim to a war that ravaged the land in scorched earth destruction and a genocide that left half the population slaughtered during the second half of the 20th century. These horrific crimes were carried out by US backed government units and gorilla counter forces and perpetrated under the guise of regional Cold War politics. In result, they tragically devastated the indigenous populations that were caught in the middle. We drove 4 hours to some of the more remote regions and farms in the cooperative to meet these survivors, farmers, and innovators as they begin this years harvest under the new threat of Roya.
(CHAJUL farmer Balthazar in his hill side coffee plot, surrounded by organic biodiversity assessing the first harvest of the new year)
"Roya" has ravaged Latin American coffees over the last 5 years. A fungus that normally affects only low altitude coffee plants, Roya is spreading up the mountains because of the effects of a warming climate. In the last 5 years the production of coffee has been cut from 44 containers (at its peek) to a staggering 11 containers in 2014. The reciprocal effects on farmers, families and communities has been devastating. Desperation parallels the Chajul cooperative to reach out to other cooperatives that had also been effected by the fungus in Honduras and Peru. Through an exchange on information and a new organic tool the cooperative hopes to exceed their estimate for 15 containers this year.
(Roya effects on the leaves and on the entire plant after leaves have fallen)
The new tool in preventing and protecting the coffee plants against this leaf curl is Effective Microorganism or EMs. These can be thought of a probiotic for the soil and plant. Combined with molasses (fuel), water (transferred) and experimental amounts of minerals (magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc) these EMs are being applied to the soil and plants multiple times during the growth cycle to bust its ability to resist Roya. Batches of EMs are being mixed at central location, fermented for 40 days and then distributed and diluted to remote farmers.
(CHAJUL technicians Matthieu & Fransisco working with EMs to prevent Roya)
(Living EMs and the EM steeped tea used to treat coffee plants against Roya)
The success rate has been impressive and organizations such as The Coffee Trust and groups funded by Cooperative Coffee Fair Trade premium are working to spread educations and access to EMs for all farmers effected.
(meeting with the farmers of Manos Campesinas to discuss the new harvest and the effects of Roya)
The excitement around effects and potentials for EMs was inspiring. From a land and people that have faced so many changes and threats to their livelihood, it's amazing that they remain persistent to grow high quality organic coffee. The feeling of connection to the bigger world of coffee bonding our roastery and community of consumers to these farmers in remote jungle mountains of Guatemala was profoundly gratifying and humbling. As we left the shaded mountains of coffee and drove back over the rutted and washed out roads I was consumed by the immense gratuity to be part of interconnected world of coffee.
(healthy Roya resistant crop after a successful EM treatment)
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