From blue-can Folgers to full-bodied fruit flavors, the way we drink coffee has advanced dramatically, with the early 2000s bringing rise to what is now known as “third wave coffee.” The idea is to consider coffee beans an artisanal ingredient and process them in ways that highlight flavors of each unique batch of beans. Although this was initially popularized by roasters in larger cities, craft coffee is now percolating into towns on the Western Slope.

Initially, Charlie Gundlach, founder and owner of Color Coffee in Eagle feared he had taken a little bit of a risk by choosing a small town to open up his roastery and coffee shop. However, he says, “I realized we had the opportunity to be the first progressive, urban coffee in the Vail Valley.” It was worth the leap, with 2021 bringing Color’s fifth year of business.

After taking over the family restaurant and brewing a few bad cups of coffee on the resident espresso machine, Charlie Chacos, owner and founder of Bonfire Coffee in Glenwood Springs found his way into roasting. “I started with an eye for mistakes,” Chacos laughs. Now, people can enjoy Bonfire Coffee by the cup at local cafes and at home thanks to its presence on the shelves of many Colorado stores, including select Whole Foods stores.

The initial venture of Eric Palumbo, owner and founder of Cimarron Roasters based in Montrose, was the purchase of Cimarron Books and Coffee in Ridgway. “I thought, ‘Well, I love coffee and I can read,’” he jokes. Palumbo’s transition from the Ridgway shop to Cimarron’s current location in Sampler Square was a result of one of the most critical factors in craft coffee: roasting.

In fact, roasting is so important that, initially, Palumbo endured the brutal highs and lows of Colorado weather for a well-crafted cuppa, roasting in a small commercial roaster in a toolshed. “It was great for two, maybe three, months of the year,” Palumbo laughs. “The rest of the time, I was either trying to get as far away from the roaster as possible because it was so hot, or hug it without burning myself, because it was so cold.”

Third wave coffee, as Gundlach puts it, is all about “appreciating the coffee for the beauty that it is.” Color elevates this by roasting the beans “light, but not too light. We really believe in light and bright coffees that show off the origin flavors,” Gundlach says.

“Roasting can mask the true flavors of a coffee,” adds Chacos. “It should show off those flavors, not overpower them.” Bonfire’s Rigo Hernandez (AKA “Mr. Coffee”) agrees. “The way you roast a coffee should highlight its flavor,” Hernanzez says. “The cooking method should expand those flavors.”

Gundlach also sees a conscious roasting process as a means of respect and consideration. “It highlights the hard work of these coffee-producing countries and the labor that happens on the agricultural side of a cup of coffee,” he explains.

As a result, Gundlach often visits farms in Latin America, cultivating relationships with farmers and maximizing the amount of money that makes it back to the farmer.

Chacos also places a high importance on sourcing beans. “90% of our coffees are organic, and all of them come from small farms,” he explains. “It makes better coffee and is healthier for the communities that grow the beans.”

The importance of procuring beans was something that Palumbo discovered early on in his roasting endeavors. “I started roasting in my home roaster and found that what I was roasting was pretty good because I was buying really good, green coffee,” he says.

Coffee tasting, which shares many aspects with wine tasting, is often an art of practice. With all of these components to consider, can just anyone enjoy a cup of craft coffee?

Gundlach points out that, although the complexities and variants of each cup of well-roasted coffee are “there and important,” one shouldn’t be scared away by this. “Talking about it is way less important than just enjoying the coffee,” he says. “It should be fun!”

Palumbo shares a similar perspective. “When I first started in coffee, there was an air of exclusivity, and I adopted that,” he says. “Rather than be frustrated, I came to realize that there’s room for everybody. It’s all about style and what you prefer. We want to make people feel comfortable with craft coffee, not drive them away from it.”

Although he’s savored cups of coffee at 32 and even $55 a cup, Hernandez is still a fiend for caffeine. “The first three cups of the day don’t count,” he assures.

Originally published in the Winter 2021-22 issue of Spoke+Blossom.

The Roast With The Most