St. Johns Coffee Roasters can be found in downtown St. Johns, tucked away in a one car garage that reads "Just knock" on it's roll up door. So...we knocked. We weren't expecting a response but seconds later, up rolled the garage door. We were greeted by an enthusiastic man.
It was like the scene from The Wizard of Oz. But instead of a wizard behind a cloth to grant our most essential wishes, it was Mount, a coffee roasting genius to caffeinate our minds and warm our hands and bodies with a nice hot cup of Joe. Mount and his wife, Julie, so graciously took us in and allowed us to sample coffees that had been roasted just days prior. While Mount roasted coffee for the coming week, Julie and I chatted about photography. Turns out, Mount and Julie owned a photography studio for a number of years before becoming passionate about coffee.
Not only are they passionate about the roasting process, they care deeply about the origin of their beans and the people who cultivate them. Much of their bean stock comes from a small village in El Salvador. As a side note to their organic and fair trade coffee ethics, St. Johns Coffee imports and sells handmade, beaded jewelry made by El Salvadorian women trying to build up their economy after civil war and natural disaster.
There was so much happening in this small space that the morning quickly got away from us. We left with a pound of the Bolivian Peaberry, a bean we did not sample while we were there. Can't wait to have a cup this afternoon!
Here's to another uniquely invigorating morning in our little neighborhood of St. Johns!
St. Johns Coffee is open to the public on Saturdays from 10am to 5pm. Their beans can be purchased at several locations around Portland.
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