On the wall at Camp Coffee is a floor to ceiling photograph of a tree. I noticed it right away the first time I visited. The tree spoke to me in a way only trees can. I asked about it while drinking my coffee, and the barista told me a story. It was a real place, one that was special to him, and this photo was likely one of the last ever taken of that particular tree. It was a good story, and it turned out the barista was Jason Simpson, owner of the cafe.
Jason is the first owner of a cafe—that is not also a roastery—I’ve done a full interview with, and it allowed me to travel some different paths in this interview. We cover a lot of ground including details on how he ended up committing to a single roastery, Bird Rock Coffee, for beans, managing polarizing community issues, and how the cafe’s values extend beyond the walls. Camp Coffee is likely a place that would have been a regular stop on my weekday bike rides had we not been sideswiped by the Thanos of viruses this past year.
During the show, Jason and I also talk a bit about how he would advise someone getting into coffee to go about it. He cautioned that even though we’ve developed a language to coffee, we don’t all understand the nuances the same way. That’s a thought that could apply to a lot of things in our life, and I’ve been marinating on it for a month since this show was recorded. I’ll let you decide if you agree after listening, but for now just know it is one more reminder that coffee isn’t only about coffee.
The Camp Coffee vibe, and their willingness to engage with the community is also beautifully documented by photographer (and musician) Will LeFevre. His black and white stills of life happening—inside and out—of the Camp Coffee walls are a living journal of downtown Oceanside, California. The collage below is a zoomed out view of the @WeAreCampCoffee Facebook timeline.
Most of these images were taken by Will, and you should take some time to scroll through. They tell the story of a cafe’s place in the heart of a community. They show the connection between friends, family, neighbors and coffee. Sometimes they show the disconnects too, but that is all part of living in the city.
COFFEE VOCAB
Percolator: a coffeepot in which boiling water rising through a tube is repeatedly deflected downward through a perforated basket containing ground coffee beans to extract their essence. (Merriam-Webster)
Basically, hot water gets pushed up through the tube in the middle, and then pours over the coffee grounds dripping back into the water below. As the water heats the process repeats until boiling, and you’ve got coffee ready to drink.
Batch Brew: Machine-assisted pour-over coffee, often in larger quantities than a single pour over cup. Unlike a human barista the variables that make a pour over unique are controlled in a batch brew including temperature, how the water is dispersed over the grinds, and exact ratios of coffee to water. Batch brewing machines are popular in cafes for their consistency, and the ability to make more coffee with less labor.
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INDUSTRY LEGACY PARTNERS
It won’t help you this week, but Mostra Coffee has a Monday Happy Hour. Between 2PM-5PM you’ll save 15% OFF your entire purchase! #MostraMondays
Quick coffee shelf check. At Roast! WC HQ we’re drinking Marea Sir MixALot, Zumbar Hummingbird, Leap Decaf (Columbia) and Zumbar’s Hummingbird Mix. What’s on your shelf? Let me know if something has really struck your fancy.
Need some coffee? Check out these great companies for delivery, pick-up and finally, even some on-site coffee enjoyment.
Zumbar Coffee & Tea • First Light Coffee Whiskey • Leap Coffee • Steady State Roasting • CAFÉ LaTERRE • Mostra Coffee • Cape Horn Coffee Importers • Marea Coffee • Coffee Cycle •
IN CLOSING
Don’t forget to listen to the recent interview with Luis Sanchez, the founder and head roaster of the Bay Park nano-roastery Acento Coffee Roasters. His journey is one of passion and hard work and world travel.
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Roast! - Jason Simpson, Camp Coffee