Idle reflections: At our one-year mark, here’s what we’ve learned

I guess this officially launches our Idle blog!

I have a couple of goals for this platform. My hope for this blog is to share some tips and pointers that will help enhance your morning cup of coffee at home, share the story of the coffees that we buy and the people we buy it from, and lastly, share some general Idle Roasting updates.

For starters, we just hit our one-year mark of roasting coffee! Idle officially launched back in November of 2020, so I’m technically a couple months late. But it’s still worth celebrating. I figured a brief reflection would be fitting for the occasion.

Here are some things I learned along the way in year one:

1. Coffee people are awesome.

This sentiment rings undeniably true. 99% of the people I’ve encountered in this industry are extremely patient, helpful, and kind. I know that sounds a bit cliche, but when you’re a new roaster starting out and have no idea what you’re doing, you desperately need help along the way. New businesses are kind of at the mercy of the more experienced people they work with. Many, if not all of us, have had the run-in with the plumber, car salesman, or (insert expert in their craft here), who takes full advantage of your inexperience in the field, therefore they try and get all they can out of you. It’s a vulnerable place to be.

I haven’t found that in coffee; relationship is priority, which feels very old school, small-towny. Importers will connect you to farmers, coffee shop owners will share their secrets, and other roasters will collaborate to help you get the flavors you want out of your coffees. It may sound counterproductive, as competition is a necessary part of business, but the coffee industry and the people within it take a completely different approach. I’m so grateful for that.

2. Roasting is fun.

There’s something therapeutic about the roasting process. A day in the life looks like walking into a cold room in the morning, firing up the roaster, feeling the heat, hearing the quiet turning of the drum. The whole room starts to warm up as you start roasting and smell of roasted coffee fills the room. With every roast, you’re tweaking, tasting, roasting yet again – all with the goal of hoping to improve upon the previous. 

That all may sound a bit romanticized – and some days it can be monotonous – but most days roasting is an outlet to create, to progress, and to enjoy. Out of everything that I’ve done in the coffee industry over the years, roasting has been the most challenging and the most enjoyable. 

3. Every coffee drinker is different.

Before getting into specialty coffee, coffee was always a little one dimensional to me. Coffee tasted like, well, coffee. Some tasted darker and others lighter, but they all tasted like coffee and, to be honest, I really liked it. But when I was exposed to specialty coffee, I started to discover how diverse it could be. Much like wine or whiskey, I got excited about the different subtle flavors and aromas that different coffees provided. 

As I started roasting and sharing about coffee, I found out that not everyone cares, and that’s ok. Coffee serves different purposes for different people and that’s the beauty of it. Some people just need it to get through the day, some really enjoy that classic coffee flavor, some enjoy it with flavored cream or blended with whipped cream on top, and some people get drawn into it the way I did. 

Regardless, coffee serves a purpose for a lot of people – arguably more than any other beverage – and to me that makes it exciting. I believe that good coffee is worth it, but I’m also not naive to the fact that “good” is subjective. So, my hope is that we can provide “good” coffee that fits everyone’s individual preferences. That’s a win in my book. 

4. The industry is ever-changing.

Over the past year, one of the pivotal elements that I’ve come to understand is this: you’re nothing if you’re not adaptable. Our team saw it at our cafe, Post Commons, and it's been no different when it came to roasting Idle coffee. As it is with any small business, we’re always trying base decisions on what makes sense in the present as well as do our best to plan for the future. My hope is that Idle Roasting Co. can continue to grow and adapt. I’d like to think we’ve gained a little experience under our belt that will carry us into year two and beyond, wherever that may take us. But for now, we’ve got some really exciting plans for the coming year – so stay tuned.

Thanks for reading and idling with us,

David