Coffee roasted over a campfire? Like a real fire in a fire pit? Yes. Exactly that. We get asked all the time about Campfire Coffee and how we got started on this method so we felt it be best we get your questions answered!

1. Campfire roasted coffee sounds so cool! Why do it like that?

Campfire roasted coffee IS cool and in all honesty, campfire style is the OG of coffee roasting and we want to honor that. When you think about it, industrial roasters that we all drink coffee from today is a fairly new concept in the grand scheme of coffee things (how else did people roast coffee 100+ years ago?). But why we Campfire roast is pretty simple. We really like to camp and we really like good coffee and through enough camping trips we found that roasting micro batches this way gave us some of the tastiest coffee we’d ever had and we’re not ones to hide the goodies. We share. =D

2. Is it hard?

Hell yea it’s hard lol. So let’s be honest, coffee roasting isn’t rocket science no matter how “artisanal” and “crafty” and “scientific” we roasters want to make it seem (talk to a roaster about roasting and you can bet it’ll sound more like they’re describing a science project than a food item). When it comes to campfire roasting though, it’s pretty easy to burn up an entire batch before you know it if you’re not paying attention to how the wood and air interacts with the drum and the beans.

3. So what’s the difference between campfire roasting and traditional roaster roasting?

The long and short of it? Flavor and presentation.

Think about it this way. You’re at a party and the host has beef brisket that’s been baking in an oven for a couple hours. You’ve had it before and you know it’s gonna be good and then a guest brings in a BBQ beef brisket that’s been in a smoker for 16 hours giving off a beautiful aroma. They’re both beef brisket, they both will taste good, but which brisket do you think people are going to jump at? The smoked one of course. It doesn’t mean the oven baked brisket isn’t a great tasting piece of meat it just isn’t the smoked one. Campfire roasted coffee looks different and tastes different then coffee that comes out of a traditional roaster. It doesn’t mean that it’s better or worse, it’s just different. Just like you can have both of those hypothetical beef briskets, you can have traditional and campfire roasted coffee! It’s all good.

Now on a deeper level, the approach with a traditional roaster is all about controlling everything.

Campfire roasting is just the opposite. It’s more about working with the elements than controlling them. (so zen, right?).

So what ends up in your bag isn’t necessarily a “light roast” or a “medium roast” or a “Dark roast”. If we had to put our roasts into terms like that it’d be medium/dark across the board but because what you actually get is the entire spectrum of roasts which we think, makes a more complete depiction of the flavor profile of the coffee you’re drinking.

4. So I’ve never had Campfire Coffee, what do I need to know about your beans?

Here’s a very simple breakdown by each one we offer:

Classic Coffee lineup

a) Summer Camp: Our best selling coffee, it’s a single origin from Mexico that has a rich chocolatey flavor and depending on the batch can be a little bold up front or bold on the back end. Summer Camp is what we like to call a good “sturdy” coffee. It’s not as trippy as some coffees can be but it is really satisfying and invigorating any time of day and any brew method.

b) Starry night: African coffees are incredible and this Ethiopian falls right in line. It’s got a fascinating complexity of being bright, juicy and rich but really light and clean on the finish. The flavor is almost a mystery because it can morph on you from having an earthy flavor to a floral flavor. This coffee is fun and if you pay attention to it, it’ll wow you every single time. It’s really good in a French Press or Pour over but we really dig this as espresso too. It can roll like that.

c) Mountain top: This is a blend of African and latin American beans that is as good as they come. It’s everything you want in an espresso blend – strong and a little in your face but also mellow enough to
drink straight up. We prefer it in espresso but truly, do what ya want with this and you won’t be disappointed.

Blends, Features & Specials

A) Midnight Hike: Now this is the one you pull out when you want to impress your friends. This is the coffee that when you sip it, you look at the cup and nod like somehow the cup did something special to the drink. Naw, that’s just how good this coffee is. Honduran single origin from a veteran owned farm - French Press or percolator all day on this bad boy. Or if you’re brave, espresso over ice with a hit of some monkfruit sweetener. It’s bold even as a lighter roast, but somehow juicy, fruity like apples and berries, drinks like a tea and extra chocolatey on the back and oh lord!!! It’s hands down one of the most if not the most interesting coffee we’ve tasted around here and it’s one that we hope we can keep around for a while because it is just that good.

B) Lakeside Livin’ (currently not in stock): This was a fan favorite. It’s a single origin Rwandan bourbon bean that does really well with the campfire roast style. It comes out velvety, smokey and balanced. It has a creamy texture and a hint of cocoa and vanilla on the back end. It’s super good in a French press or drip and holds up really well as espresso.

C) Snowcap: White coffee done right. It’s a little more flavorful than your typical white coffee and it’s got a rich peanut butter and toffee finish. Super light and clean with extra caffeine. If you’re really walking on the wildside, pull some shots over ice with a hit of honey. Otherwise, pour over all day.

D) In The Trees: This is a truly magical and special blend. It lives up to the name because the moment you take a sip you get a little piney aroma and feel like you could be tucked away amongst some old growth cedars. Despite it’s complexities being a Rwandan and Ethiopian blend, it’s a straight forward shot of invigoration. Chocolatey, earthy, smokey and in a weird way, bright and citrusy. We could’ve easily called this the Lumberjack’s roast because it feels like you should just have a red & black flannel with suspenders on ALL THE TIME.

E) Fireside Vibes: This is a decaf that’s grown up. If you don’t want the caffeine, this is a coffee you can drink in the afternoon or evening and feel like you still had a coffee. Swiss water process makes it extra smooth and clean but the flavors of this single origin Colombian really shine with the campfire roast. Mix it with some Heritage distilling Brown Sugar Bourbon over ice. You’ll thank me.

It was a (necessary) gut punch for all of us when our state Governor closed down parks for outdoor fun. That’s kind of our thing, if ya couldn’t tell.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t do ANYTHING outdoorsy and fun. Got a smartphone? Well our friend Peter Hodum from Oikonos has a really cool and free way to enjoy your neighborhood and maybe even just your back yard especially if you’ve got bored kids sitting around itching for some outdoor fun. Keep reading to find out.

During this unprecedented time when many of us are spending considerably more time at home than we ever have, we are reconnecting with our yards, immediate neighborhoods and local open spaces. That connection to place can be grounding and settling, especially when there is so much uncertainty in our lives. And the more that we know about the species that share our spaces with us, the more that we feel a sense of place. When we take the time to slow down, look carefully and observe with patience, we realize that even urban areas are rich with biological diversity.

One group of animals that is present all around us are birds. They move through our yards, nest in our shrubs and trees, visit our bird feeders, and migrate through our open spaces, adding color, wonder and inspiration to our lives. Although the prospect of learning to identify the birds around us might feel intimidating, we can all deepen our appreciation of our winged neighbors. We can simply take time to sit, observe and enjoy their movement and their grace in flight. We can also begin to learn how to recognize general types of birds. And if we are really keen, we can learn to identify individual species. There really is something for everyone!

For those interested in beginning to explore the birds in our local area, there are a number of wonderful resources available, one of which is the Merlin app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology(https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/). It is a free application that uses a series of simple, non-technical questions to guide the observer towards likely species. It also allows the observer to upload a photo of the bird and then provides an identification. It is a remarkable tool that allows children through seniors to begin to learn what species of birds share our local areas with us.

Although we cannot gather together at Campfire Coffee to share stories about birds at present, we can begin to create our own special experiences and stories and deepen our appreciation of these magical winged beings. And soon enough, we will be able to join together to share a coffee or tea and stories of our deepening appreciation of the natural world just outside our windows.

Want more ideas like this? Drop us a line!

So What is Campfire Roasted Coffee Anyway? Here’s the definitive guide to your FAQs.

Washington state parks reopening

1 easy, fun outdoor activity you can do (even better if you have kids!) during lockdowns