INTERVIEW: DANNY IVERSON, IVERSON COFFEE ROASTERS
Danny is the perfect guest to have on after last weeks episode with Cheryl from the Renegade Roaster Design Group. His experience with roasting machines, his growth from the popcorn-style roaster in the dorm to a semi-pro roasting machine then to a professional level one, and finally to his dream roaster, the San Franciscan 6, really exemplifies the connection between roaster and machine that she and I spoke about.
What I was reminded of talking to Danny is that both roasters and coffee drinkers are continually evolving. He started small in a dorm room with a small roaster. Now he roasts on his dream machine, and has a thriving business.
I started with a cup of black coffee from a great cafe in Chicago. Shout out to Star Lounge. I couldn’t appreciate it at the time, but over the thousands of cups of black coffee from gas stations, diners, cafe’s and roasters alike, I’ve evolved too. I’m equally comfortable tasting with intention, seeking out flavors and characteristics, as I am making up a cup of hot cowboy coffee at camp. They both have a place in my life.
During the show Danny spoke, albeit abstractly, about how his coffee roasting comes at a cost. Specifically, the cost of time. Time he doesn’t want to be away from his kids and wife. He also has a full time job, and keeping up this high-level side hustle cuts into the free time he might use for something else.
We all make choices like that. When we are passionate about something we somehow create opportunities to pursue it. Where we get caught up is when that teeter-totter between your passion and the other responsibilities starts bobbing up and down more dramatically.
Thankfully, none of us has to go it alone. This week I had Civilian Coffee Consultant Lora to help give me a second opinion on Iverson Coffee Roasters. There is always someone wanting to share in our coffee journey regardless of the step. Danny echoed our coffee expert Chris O’Brien in his advice that the best coffee is the coffee you like. I’d expand on that, and say the best coffee is one you like, and is shared with a friend. That, and ask questions; be they of a roaster, coffee beginner, appreciator, expert, or aficionado.
As famous poet and priest John Donne said:
No man is an island,
Entire of itself;
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
MORE LINKS FROM THE SHOW
Civilian Coffee Consultant Lora is a talented local artist. Check her out on Instagram!
Scott Rao’s Books. He’s a coffee roaster consultant.
Behmor 1600 - this coffee roaster looks like a toaster oven. It’s hard to imagine roasting 60+ pounds of coffee in it over the course of a weekend.
Ambex YM-2 - This looks like what a roasting machine looks like in my imagination, but shinier.
Matthew McConaughy on the Brian Buffini Show.
INDUSTRY LEGACY PARTNERS
Mostra Coffee was featured in Gear Patrol’s Top 25 Roasters in America list this week. Check out the full list.
CAFÉ LaTERRE is hiring experienced baristas. Stop by the shop in Solana Beach, or hit them up at info@cafelaterre.com
Camp Coffee is now rocking vegan cinnamon rolls on the weekends, and have a new menu out for May.
The Roast! podcast is supported by some local coffee industry (or industry adjacent) partners. These companies not only support Roast! efforts to share more coffee content they are the foundation I lean on when I need some coffee expertise.
Zumbar Coffee & Tea • First Light Coffee Whiskey • Leap Coffee • Steady State Roasting • CAFÉ LaTERRE • Mostra Coffee • Cape Horn Coffee Importers • Marea Coffee • Coffee Cycle • Camp Coffee
IN CLOSING
Need to get caught up? Don’t forget to listen to the last Coffee Smarter episode from Friday where Chris and I dig into the details of Kopi Luwak!
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Roast! - Danny Iverson, Iverson Coffee Roasters