Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
Issue link: http://freshcup.epubxp.com/i/59523
CAFÉ CROSSROADS BY DAN LEIF Extracto Coffeehouse and Roastery Portland Chris Brady, co-owner BARISTA CIRCE WARD AND CHRIS BRADY hen Extracto first opened in 2006, the business featured coffee from hometown trendsetter Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Within 18 months, however, Chris Brady and his wife, Celeste, started roast- ing, both to cut costs and to create their own representa- tion of great beans. The roaster-retailer model has since Why did you start roasting so soon after opening? This 1951 Probat roaster came up for sale, and I said, "I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I'm going to do it." I knew I wanted to roast at some point, and I started a lot sooner than I thought I would. But it's been great. For me, it's about getting the cleanest, clearest cup, so it's never bitter and always very smooth. Some people roast a lot lighter than me, and some people roast a lot darker, and there are people that do really well at both. It's like music. There are other people's bands that I love, but I also was in a band and was writing music that made me super happy. I'm roasting the coffee I want to drink every day. What's the best way to then get customers to appreciate the effort you're putting in? I tell them to close their eyes and say, "Is it good or is it bad?" It's like going to a restaurant and getting a steak. I'm not so interested in knowing where that cow is from or how they prepared it. I just want it to be amazing. That's how I want it in here. Everyone that comes in, whether it be a mom with three kids who's exhausted or the barista champion or whoever, I want the taste to be great from one person to the next person to the next person. Beyond that, it's coffee. I really dig it, but it's not like I'm doing brain surgery. You opened your second shop in early 2010, and at that location the only drip option is pour-over. How has that worked out? At first, people were a little like, "Whoa, what is this?" But now there are people who go there exclusively. We feature a lot of different coffees, and people want to know what all the differences are and taste them. And it really sells continued on page 26 24 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com become the norm among local coffee players looking to push the boundaries of quality. Here, Brady, who also played bass in the 1990s Northwest rock band Pond, reflects on how the Portland scene has developed, what he tries to achieve with his roasts and why you'll rarely see him on Facebook.