Category: Beverage (page 3 of 3)

August 1, 2016

Still Innovating

Originally published in the August 2016 issue of (614) Magazine

When Ryan Lang and Brady Konya founded Middle West Spirits, the artisan distillery industry was scarce and the sky was the limit.

It still is, but now that sky is a lot closer than it used to be.

Unable to secure suitable space elsewhere, and committed to the neighborhood that supported them from novelty to name brand, Middle West Spirits grew up — with an innovative renovation that turned the Short North warehouse they’ve called home into a five-story cathedral of polished copper and stainless steel.

Amid the chaos of construction, I sat down with Lang and Konya to discuss their journey, their future, and the creative curiosity and “maker” philosophy that inspire the company culture.

How is Middle West Spirits more than just a distillery?

Ryan: “It’s more than just a steel box, which is what a lot of distillers are or become. When you walk through on a tour, it’s more than that. It’s a brand experience. I’ll bet you I’ve been in a hundred facilities — and without fail, most of them are rudimentary at best. Middle West Spirits is a brand company first.”

Brady: “I can’t imagine building the front end of our distilling operation in any neighborhood other than the Short North. We’ve always wanted to have an urban distillery, to be part of the heart of the city. From convention goers to travel writers covering the drink scene, there has been a lot of support from the city to include us in the narrative of Columbus.”

Was expansion an operational necessity, a marketing opportunity, or a bit of both?

Brady: “When we talk about capacity, we’ve really gone down two paths with our business model. One is our house of brands: OYO and any other spirit brands we may produce in the future, or other categories outside of vodka and whiskey. But then there’s this whole partner production side of the business.”

Ryan: “We decided to control our destiny by controlling our own costs. We don’t want to be beholden to anyone for product or pricing. We’re a craft-for-craft contract distiller, and there’s legitimacy for what we do. There is credibility in that, when people trust us to make their product for them. But at the end of the day, that becomes an engine to run our own brand. It creates a halo effect around the entire company.”

How much intuition and insight goes into an undertaking like this?

Ryan: “I don’t think we anticipated how quickly our business would grow. We were among only 50 or 60 so craft distilleries in the United States. And then there was a shortage in dark spirits from the larger suppliers, which opened the door for craft distilleries. You see that a lot in our world; they start with the clear spirits — the vodkas and gins. That allows for immediate cash flow. But they put as much as they can back into dark spirits, but often it’s still not enough.”

Brady: “We needed to grow up a little when it came to engaging with the city’s influencers and private sector development people. Every conversation we got a little better, a little braver, a little more thoughtful. It became clear to us after the course of about a year and a half that if we waited any longer it would hurt our business. A distillery of this scale is an engineering project with a building around it. You can’t just move it to another building.”

Could Middle West Spirits have continued to survive at its previous scale?

Brady: “One element that cemented our decision to go big was the regulatory nature of our business at the time. The markups here were very high and the assumption of liquor revenue by JobsOhio was really focused on what they considered mid-size companies, and there seemed to be a resistance to partner with the distilling community because we were an unknown quantity. We were a revenue center and a cost — but because of our size at the time, we were irrelevant. We were a rounding error.”

Ryan: “You have two real paths you can go down as a distillery. It’s not like the brewing industry where you buy a fermenter, and another fermenter, and another fermenter. Because when you make a gallon of beer in production, that equates to 90 percent finished beer. In our world, you end up with eight percent. Distilleries have a model where if you want to do anything of substantial volume, you either have to partner with someone who has the infrastructure, or make the decision to build your own.”

How tight did your previous space get before your knew you needed to expand?

Ryan: “We already had the opportunity to take over the back space in 2011. We did a little bit of a build-out and moved our equipment over, but in three months we filled the space. We actually had to create walkways to get to the office and the bathroom. It got to the point where it was starting to compromise production. If we wanted to make vodka, or wanted to make whiskey, we had to move so much. We knew there was no way for us to take our products nationally.”

Brady: “There were moments when we would bring 30 guests in for a tasting and we’d have to spend the whole day forking all of the materials out onto the curb in the parking lot so there was enough room for people to sit down. There was one time in 2013 when it was snowing and 20 degrees outside, and we had to move most of our production materials to have enough room to walk a tour through. We were probably spending 20 percent of our time just moving things around. It was awful.”

How quickly has the craft distillery industry grown nationwide?

Brady: “Two or three years ago, there were hundreds of small brands, and a few large brands who were sourcing the industrial suppliers for all of their dark spirits, and some clear spirits. In one year alone, from 2014 to 2015, the number of new craft distilleries exceeded all previous years combined.”

Ryan: “We were the second craft distillery in the state to be licensed. There was another in Cincinnati. Now there are more than 40 in Ohio. When we first started, we went to what is considered an alumni reunion for our world, the American Distilling Institute. We’d basically get together to see our friends there, just 50 of us sitting around talking. There are now thousands who go to the ADI every year, and we rarely see someone we know.”

What is the long-term market potential for craft distilleries?

Ryan: “The distilling industry is still in its infancy. But there is a fever pitch of growth. When it comes to craft beer, you can turn a product in 20 days. The craft distilling industry has a huge headwind now because the craft brewing industry is up to 17 percent of the market, and 20 percent of revenue. The craft brewers are competing with the macro brewers.”

Brady: “We’re less than one and a half percent of the market right now. Craft beer, depending on whom you ask, is between 15 and 17 percent. As long as consumers are willing to buy local products that are higher quality, there is huge upside for craft distilleries to capture a big part of that clear spirits market. Even if it’s only five percent, that’s still five times more than what they have right now.”

How unique was the financing of such a large-scale project in an emerging industry?

Brady: “As a result of consolidating our distilling and storage operations in the city, we also received incentives. Columbus fought hard for us to stay here. The mayor’s office helped us through the process. JobsOhio, who had initially shown great resistance to work with our industry, offered us a grant for equipment. All of those things came together to help us hire more people and invest in more product categories.”

Ryan: “This expansion really put the emphasis on how to manage a midcap distillery, and what is actually needed to fuel the operation. Distilling is very capital intensive, with a need for patient capital — as we have to age our product for years. We needed to change our philosophy to make sure the cash well was something we could control better. General sales alone are not enough to really make huge dents in distribution chains.”

What kinds of unforeseen obstacles have you overcome during the expansion?

Ryan: “It’s been a little challenging. The build is behind schedule — eight months. We’ve reengineered the plant at least a dozen times as the scope of the project has expanded. The building itself has changed significantly. The original estimates we had for the steel needed increased four times. That’s the big lesson for me in all of this, that we should have trusted our guts a little more.”

Brady: “In many ways, we’re right back where we were in 2010. We’re like a stage-one startup all over again. We are still in the middle of the storm and we have the bumps and bruises to prove it. Seven or eight years ago, I don’t think we would have envisioned where we are today as the exact outcome — but it’s not that far off from where we wanted to take it. It was never about just being a great local brand. It was always about putting Ohio on the map.” ▩

July 1, 2016

The Night is Young

Originally published in the 2016 FAMILY issue of (614) Magazine

I won’t pretend being a work-from-home dad isn’t daunting. I’ve been there, and what you gain in flexibility and time with your kids is often the envy of 9-to-5 fathers who may get home in time for dinner, soccer practice, or dance class—but rarely much more.

Dads who mostly work nights and weekends may miss a PTO meeting or orchestra concert, but the practical aspects of modern parenting remain culturally biased toward mornings and afternoons—and moms, in particular. But it can’t all be storytimes and jungle gyms. Too many tea parties are enough to drive a dad to drink.

That’s the Day Dad Dilemma, but Night Dads have fewer options still. When the park gets dark and the school day looms large the following morning, are there any adventures for fathers and their children to make Day Dads envious for a change?

As it turns out, there are — and Columbus is full of them.

Here’s an enviable itinerary for dads (or moms) hand-picked to help reconnect and create memories as the day grows long and the night is still young.

South Drive-In | 3050 S High St. | southdrive-in.com
Nothing says nostalgia like a drive-in theater, and the South is the last one in town.
Located between downtown and the south side of 270 is a time machine of epic proportions. Two giant screens set back from the road noted only by a modest marquee. The evening double feature is the best deal in Columbus. Adult prices are about the same as the multiplex, but kids’ admission is just a buck—plus you can bring your own snacks. Lawn chairs and a blanket are great, but lounging behind your windshield still works just fine. Get there early for the perfect spot and stay late for the second show.
Best Bets: It’s easy to fall into the dad-time trap of “just you and me, kid.” And maybe that’s fine for the first film out. But sometimes, being a dad is best experienced as a spectator sport. Next time, bring a few of your kid’s friends along, buy a big bucket of popcorn, sit back and marvel at how connected kids can be when they are all watching the same thing as a shared experience, instead of being individually glued to their iPads. Not all screen time is inherently bad.

Ten Pin Alley | 5499 Constitution Blvd., Hilliard | tenpinalley.com
If your idea of summer fun is indoors and air-conditioned, go knock down some pins.
Ten Pin Alley may be outside the outer-belt in Hilliard, south of Cemetery Road, but the updated lanes and legit food and drink offerings make it a destination worth the drive. Bowling alleys easily get a bad rap for the dingy décor and smoke-stained ceiling of another age. Not here—it’s all kid-friendly and kid-approved. The recently renovated lanes also complement the robust, rotating bar menu and craft beer selection. You might just have to return another time with your grown-up friends.
Best Bets: If you go often, the Summer Bowling Pass is the way to go. For $100, you get an hour of lane time every day for up to six people (including shoe rental), through October 30. As if that wasn’t already a deal, a portion of the proceeds got to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio. This is another opportunity to bring your kid’s friends along and revel in the shared social awkwardness of adolescence.

Tinker | 3933 Trueman Blvd., Hilliard | tinkercolumbus.com
For those unfamiliar with the “maker” movement, Tinker is your crash course.
Tinker offers children immersive access to emerging technologies like robotics, coding, and 3D printing. Just inside 270 off Fishinger Road, their class schedules cover toddlers to teens, as well as an occasional Makers’ Night Out where you get to take what you create. Birthday parties, or even hosting your own “maker mentor” event for your kids and their friends, offer options to build fairytale terrariums, design dollhouses, construct marshmallow shooters, or make superhero costumes.
Best Bets: If your kid is already obsessed with Minecraft, take the next step and go for a coding workshop. The sleek simplicity of the Raspberry Pi platform and its hardware are a low-cost entry into custom computing—even for elementary ages. Reluctant to buy your kids their own computer? How about letting them build one instead (for less than $50 in parts) so they can create their own games?

Comic Town | 1249 Morse Rd. | worldofcomictown.com
Be the hero and introduce your kid to a universe of imagination and adventure.
Comic shops all need to find a niche to survive, and Comic Town has found several. Sure, you’ll find the standard fare of new releases and long boxes of back issues, but the comics market has become a collectors market as well. Action figures for kids and pricier cast statues coveted by adults intermingle with graphic novels and role-playing paraphernalia. Evening hours also host trading card games, like Magic: The Gathering, nearly every night.
Best Bets: Every dad loves a bargain, and the dollar boxes at Comic Town are treasure chests waiting to be discovered. These aren’t just bent-and-ding covers or unpopular overstock. Flip through the stacks to find well-known titles from Marvel and DC to obscure and independent releases. Some aren’t even that old, and include codes inside for digital copies you can download. You can even buy the following issue through the app to see what happens next. Added bonus for paper comics, they never need charging.

Vertical Adventures | 6513 Kingsmill Ct. | verticaladventuresohio.com
Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise: we all know that DAD + DANGER FUN.
Their new facility just north of The Continent is bright and inviting for climbers of all ages and abilities. Though safe and supervised by capable staff, it’s not without the sensation of danger kids crave. Hands-on dads who want to try it on for size first should consider the Ropes 101 class. You’ll learn the basics and how to “belay” (hold and handle the safety rope) for your child. Plus, the class includes a two-week pass to try everything in the gym and scout out the best courses and climbing walls for your kids.
Best Bets: The Summer Climber’s Club runs Monday and Wednesday evenings for two hours of small group climbing, knot-tying, and practical problem solving that work the mind and body. Bring their friends or make some new ones. Need a little more support? Vertical Adventures also offers a Climber’s Club for kids with autism on Tuesday nights to build confidence and social skills while learning rope techniques and bouldering basics. Both classes are just $15.

Glass Axis | 610 West Town St. |glassaxis.org
Working on your cool dad cred? How about teaching your kid how fun it is to play with fire?
What started in the late 1980s as a “traveling hot shop” founded by a handful of OSU students and graduates has grown to become a Franklinton fixture for the art of blown, fused, cast, and stained glass. With more than 12,000 square feet of studio and gallery space, the class calendar covers nearly every night of the week and experience level. The organization has its roots in GCAC’s Artists-in-Schools program and the love for teaching still glows like molten glass.
Best Bets: You wouldn’t expect their “First Experience” classes to be so comprehensive and varied, but they are both. With projects and prices ranging from glass beads and blown ornaments to paperweights and neon, there’s the perfect project for you and your kid. Dads are often maligned for lame gift giving, so maybe make that first foray a present for someone special, like a teacher or grandparent?

Natalie’s Coal-Fired Pizza | 5601 N High St., Worthington nataliescoalfiredpizza.com
Who says you can’t take your kid to the bar for a live show?
Well, not exactly “the bar.” Yes, Natalie’s does have a credible collection of craft beers and cocktails. But your kid is always welcome for eats and a show, so long as they sit at a table instead of by the taps. Though perhaps not a school night outing, their musical lineup is as eclectic as the toppings on their pizzas. The clean-burning, coal-fired oven creates a crisp crust and bubbly cheese, paired with impressive local and regional acts in an intimate, purpose-built performance space in Worthington.
Best Bets: Digital downloads just can’t compete with the palpable hum of live music. Acts range from blues to bluegrass, simple to soulful. Many shows start at 8 p.m., but if you get there before 7 p.m. you can grab the best table and still sneak in for the happy hour food specials. Highly recommended is the “seasonal pie,” offering the chef’s daily selection of fresh ingredients and locally sourced toppings. Come early, stay late, and let their pizza and performances surprise you.

Spoonful Records | 116 E Long St. | spoonfulrecords.blogspot.com
Go old school and teach your kid what music was like before there were iPods.
This downtown, down-low location is an unpretentious destination for established and aspiring fans of analog audio. Spoonful Records finds just the right mix of collections and conditions to keep the experience approachable and affordable. Reissues and rarities round out the bins of classic and contemporary releases. There’s also a rich range of reasonably priced turntables, which they assemble on-site, that are perfect for your newly pressed audiophile.
Best Bets: Record Store Day can be crushing in any small shop, so try a weeknight when there’s more time to meander, sift through the stacks, and play some free pinball. Don’t judge an album by its cover, either. The best looking album cover could conceal a well-worn LP, and the rough covers sometimes reveal pristine vinyl that’s rarely been played. Take anything you find for a spin before you buy. ▩

July 1, 2016

Appetite for Adventure

Originally published in the 2016 FAMILY issue of (614) Magazine

Kids are hardwired to try new things. From the day they are born until apprehension and self-doubt browbeat them into social submission, they are really open to anything. They’re growing up in a world that is always on and always connected. Their friends and interests are far more diverse than ours were because they aren’t limited to a few square blocks and whatever adventure they can find before the sun goes down.

As parents, we often fail to feed that willingness to try new things, especially when it comes to new foods. And most restaurants don’t make it any easier on us. Sadly, there is nothing savvy or sophisticated about the average kids menu. Next time, just skip it entirely and try these tips to satisfy your child’s appetite for adventure.

Small Plates and Daily Specials

Da Levee | 765 n High St.
Small plates are the right size and right price to blow off uninspiring kids menus elsewhere. This perennial favorite creole hole in the wall is famous for them. Their rotating lineup and lunch hours at both locations offer endless possibilities. The black bean and corn Maque Choux, Cheesy Craw Etouffee, or hearty Gumbo, each served with a slab of slightly spicy “Magic Bread,” are just $5. Add a side of Andouille sausage, “Kickin’ Chikin” or extra rice for just a little more, or go with a “half-and-half” plate at only $8 for your eager eater.

Tora | 1330 N Hamilton Rd.
Suburban sushi joints may not be an obvious option for kid-friendly fare, but they should be. Tora’s deep and descriptive menu (with helpful English translations) make their Tuesday specials a great half-price pick for your half-pints. Start simple with a Tora California roll of snow crab, cucumber and avocado, then work up to a more daring Black Spider roll, featuring fried soft shell crab, spicy mayo, and black sesame seeds. Even their eel sauce goes down easy. Weekday specials often include Tako Yaki, or batter-fried balls of chopped octopus.

Dine Family Style

Erawan Thai | 3589 Refugee Rd.
Skip the PB&J and try the Chicken Satay, skewered and served with both peanut and cucumber sauces for kids who like to dip their dinner. Erawan excels as an authentic family style dining destination. The menu is impressive, exhaustive, and the portions are huge. Order a mix of appetizers and entrees and enough plates to go around. The Pad Thai is a sweet and spicy serving of fried egg, sprouts, and scallions with wide rice noodles. Pick your meat and enjoy the heat, or cool it down with the Num Tok, or grilled beef salad served over rice.

SuperChefs | 199 E Broad St.
Every kid loves breakfast anytime, and SuperChef’s ups the hero factor with giant-sized, comic book inspired décor to match their oversized menu. There are ample options for over-the-top pancake confections, but don’t let sweet triumph over savory without a fight. Try “The Hulk,” two green waffle sandwiches with eggs, American cheese, sausage, candied bacon, and maple syrup. Or try his evil alternative “The Juggernaut,” two red waffle sandwiches with fried chicken, eggs over medium, and Pepper Jack instead. Both are big enough to share.

Kid Favorites with Adult Attitude

Bono Pizza | 1412 Presidential Dr.
For those who don’t know Bono, they used to operate out of the short end of a Grandview carryout, baking their pizzas in the parking lot. They now occupy a townhouse-turned-restaurant a few blocks away, but offer the same quirky combinations as always. Don’t let the dimly lit diner vibe dissuade you. Stay safe with the San Rolando of pepperoni, crumbled sausage, and mozzarella, or be bold with the Waikiki “Jamie Style,” their regular Hawaiian pie of imported ham and pineapple, plus cinnamon, sliced almonds, and shredded coconut.

El Pollo Perucho | 727 Georgesville Rd.
Forget the chicken nuggets and tired fries. Go for the Pollo a la Brasa, marinated in garlic, cumin, and paprika, then spit-roasted over charcoal until the skin is as crispy as the meat is succulent. Peruvian chicken is ordered by the quarter, half, or you can buy the whole bird. Upgrade your fries to Yuca Fritas, or deep-fried cassava, for something decidedly different. Kick Kool-Aid to the curb and wash it all down with a tall, cold Chicha Morada, a sweet treat made from purple corn and pineapple juice, seasoned with cinnamon and cloves.

Eat with your Hands

Addis Restaurant | 3750 Cleveland Ave.
Channel your own inner child and eat with your hands. Injera is about as kid-friendly as food gets. The spongy buckwheat crepes serve as both a staple and a utensil. “Addis” actually means “new” in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia—so let the owners know if you’re new too, and they’ll prepare you a platter with a bit of everything. The Mahbarawi, stewed lean beef with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic, or the Doro Tibs, simmered cuts of chicken, might require less lobbying than the legumes, beets, and unique vegetable dishes.

Banana Leaf | 816 Bethel Rd.
Dare to go dumpling at Banana Leaf. Sneak in some green things with Pakoda, dumplings made from a South Indian mix of chickpea flour and fresh veggies, or some Kachori, spicy green pea hush puppies. Samosas sell themselves. What kid doesn’t love little fried triangles stuffed with mashed potatoes? Keep it simple and order something from the Chaats menu, street foods that are sweet, spicy, tangy, and crispy. Once your little one graduates to a fork, consider the Grand Buffet. If your kid really digs it, they even offer cooking classes for grownups. ▩

April 1, 2016

The Ties that Grind

Originally published in the April 2016 issue of (614) Magazine

Can something as simple as a cup of coffee really save the life of a child?

Sisters Victoria Calderon Nunes and Virginia Nunes Gutierrez think so, and they’re ready to put their passions to the test this month with the opening of Bottoms Up Coffee Co-op in Franklinton.

“Bottoms Up Coffee Co-op’s mission is to use coffee and coworking as a means to social change by reducing infant mortality and increasing workforce development,” explained Calderon Nunes, whose career combination of marketing and community outreach are an ideal fit for the ambitious endeavor.

Coworking, for those new to the parlance, is a shared home base for freelancers and microbusinesses too small to need a dedicated office, but too big to get by operating off of the kitchen table any longer. They’re hives of collective energy where the creative class mingles, finding complementary expertise and opportunities to collaborate. Prices and amenities vary, but the principle is the same. If Apple were founded today, odds are it would have happened in a coworking community instead of a dingy garage.

But bottomless coffee and a place to plug in your laptop are also a means to an end. Columbus’s near west side isn’t called “The Bottoms” simply because the low-lying land was once ravaged by floodwaters a century ago. It’s an area of recent revitalization, as well as multigenerational poverty that a fresh coat of paint can’t easily cover up.

“We come from humble backgrounds. We don’t just know poverty—we know third-world poverty,” Nunes Gutierrez confessed. Her experience as a community health worker offers a first-hand perspective on social factors that contribute to systemic poverty. “We want to create tangible change, and Franklinton is a neighborhood that desperately needs it.”

The sisters came to Ohio by way of Philadelphia. Victoria worked remotely for a local marketing agency while living in Cleveland. Virginia started a niche tourism operation in the Canary Islands. But family ties eventually pulled both back to Columbus. Their family owns El Arepazo, the quaint Venezuelan grill tucked away on Pearl Alley and Gay Street, with locations now in German Village and a wine and tapas concept in Gahanna.

Bringing something both familiar and unexpected to Columbus may be in their DNA. But coupled with an accidental blend of hospitality and marketing experience, there is also a contagious optimism that small changes can make a significant impact.

Franklinton has among the highest rates of infant mortality in Central Ohio, and the sisters have aligned their mission with the City of Columbus’ nonprofit, CelebrateOne, of reducing those rates by 40 percent countywide in the next five years.

“Simple opportunities to connect people in need, like résumé review or mentoring opportunities, are also part of our workforce development purpose,” Calderon Nunes noted.

Memberships that fund the co-op’s causes come in several levels. In addition to the traditional desk and data options for entrepreneurs and socially minded startups, Bottoms Up offers a monthly coffee subscription for patrons who stop in often for a cup and want to make the next level of commitment. There is also a “Franklinton Legacy” membership for those who would like to make a more substantial recurring contribution. All memberships include access to networking events and community engagement opportunities.

“We built it for ourselves, but we also wanted to create a safe space to talk about solutions,” noted Nunes Gutierrez. The two also own a small marketing company specifically focused on serving nonprofits and social enterprises. Like many café consultants, having a place to meet clients was always a bit of a struggle.

Even the building itself is a metaphor for this spirit of renewal. It was built as a post office following the flood of 1913 that wiped out homes throughout the neighborhood. (Cowork tenants will notice salvaged brass post office boxes, a hat tip to the building’s former self.) Beneath the ornate tin tile ceiling and skylights, are the brick walls and heavy beams of a fortress. Even the floors have been repaired with reclaimed lumber from Franklinton. It will take more than a hard rain to topple this red brick behemoth.

“We’d already decided on the name of the business, both as a reference to the act of drinking coffee and the community reinvestment,” Calderon Nunes explained. “But when we found a photo of the two homes that used to be on this spot literally ‘bottoms up,’ we knew it was perfect.”

The exterior wall of Bottoms Up features a mural inspired by that image and a visible reminder that better days are ahead for Franklinton.

“We did a lot of the work ourselves, tearing out sheet rock with sledgehammers. But when we were refinishing the floors, people from the community all came to help—friends, local residents, fire fighters from across the street, members of St. John’s Episcopal Church,” Nunes Gutierrez said. “Now they have a connection to the building, too. We’re not even open and it’s already a community coffeehouse.” ▩

Bottoms Up is located at 1069 W Broad St. For more, visit bottomsupcoffee.com

December 15, 2014

From CowTown to CoffeeTown

Originally published in the Winter 2014 issue of Stock & Barrel

Americans are an odd lot with fierce loyalties.

We’ve long been picky about our pizza — even hostile over hot dogs. But less than a generation ago, coffee became cultish. Back when Pike Place in Seattle was still more famous for throwing fish than grinding espresso, Columbus was starting its own evolution from cowtown to coffeetown. In 1988, Tom Griesemer opened Stauf’s Coffee Roasters on a sleepy little street in Grandview, and the once-maligned beverage of beatniks became the currency of a new Columbus culture.

“Before Stauf’s, there was no coffee scene,” said Andy Dehus, who runs Columbus Food Adventures along with his wife Bethia Woolf. “Now Columbus is recognized for its full range of credible, quality coffee.” The couple’s business offers behind-the-scenes group tours of Central Ohio’s intriguing eats and obscure cuisine. Known for their taco-truck trips and ethnic eatery excursions, Columbus Food Adventures also hosts a traveling coffee tour.

These expeditions cater to local aficionados and out-of-towners looking to start their own roasting businesses, who consider Columbus a destination and an inspiration. The tour includes an intro to espresso at Café Brioso downtown, a roasting and “cupping” session at Stauf’s wholesale operation in Hilliard, and lessons on improving home-brewing at Luck Bros’ in Grandview.

“The collaborative relationship between competitors is unique to Columbus,” Dehus said. “There isn’t the pettiness you might expect.”

The annual North Market Coffee Roast and regular “barista jams” keep the community connected through positive competition, according to John Justice, director of operations at Café Brioso. The High Street hot spot was started in 2001 by Jeff Davis, formerly the head roaster for Stauf’s.

“There are so many styles and expressions in local coffee, we actually encourage our employees to go to each other’s shops,” Justice said.

“We’re in an urban setting, so we have to operate at the tempo of our customers,” he continued, emphasizing how the neighborhood dynamic plays a significant role in the overall experience. “We’ve rounded off the rough edges to remain focused on providing the highest-quality coffee while still raising expectations. We’re in one of the only industries where we see our customers every day.”

The close proximity and varied specialties of downtown coffee roasters inspired the Columbus Coffee Trail, a self-guided, eight-stop itinerary promoted by Experience Columbus.

“The Columbus Coffee Trail was eight months in the making and helps people follow the evolution of coffee,” said Joe Capatosto, director of customer experience at Mission Coffee Co., which brings the national coffee scene closer to Columbus through a rotating repertoire of roasters from Chicago, Portland, Nashville, and other burgeoning coffee locals.

“People also love our cold-brew growlers, which we dispense on tap,” added Capatosto. “Cold-brewing has less acidity and showcases the chocolate properties of the coffee.” Along with the seasonal shift to steamed milk, espresso drinks, Mission Coffee Co. also introduced a cascara cider.

“It’s a tea made from dried coffee cherries steeped with local spices,” he explained. “Typically the fruit of the coffee that remains is discarded. The cider turns a waste product into something more sustainable.”

Innovative repurposing and environmental responsibility also converge at Backroom Coffee Roasters, which operates adjacent to the Trek Bicycle location on Lane Avenue. Launched in 2010, the micro-roaster grew out of founder Chris Bishop’s shared passion for cycling and coffee—and an available “backroom” at the bike shop.

“I’d been roasting coffee at home for years, in part because I lived north of the city,” Bishop said. “At the time, once you passed Polaris, there just weren’t many coffee shops or any roasters. People outside of Columbus bought their coffee at the grocery store.”

Unlike most local roasters, Backroom Coffee doesn’t have its own retail coffee shop presence, instead opting to distribute to businesses and local specialty markets like Weiland’s, Lucky’s, Clintonville Community Market, and Earth Fare.

“If you’re within a seven-mile radius of us, we even deliver coffee by bike,” Bishop said, also explaining how imported Danish cargo bicycles became part of the company’s purpose and logo. “We built our brand around it.”

The company’s commitment extends beyond just their novel delivery. As a member of “1 Percent for the Planet,” Backroom Coffee Roasters donates 1 percent of their “top-line” revenue to local sustainability projects and programs, like Simply Living.

The “farm-to-cup” philosophy is also evident at Impero Coffee Roasters, founded in 2009 by Matt and Lucinda Sontag—first as a wholesale roaster, but now with a Short North retail location as well.

“We focus on direct relationships with farms. Our roaster has worked in the same fields side by side with our farmers,” explained Joe Shaw, Impero’s operations manager. “We only roast in 10-pound batches, for greater control. We’re small-scale by design.”

The mix of patrons who work and live in the neighborhood keeps them connected to the community, Shaw said. “Unlike in larger cities, we’re still a very approachable shop. Our customers ask for recommendations, and offer suggestions. That’s how we grow; that’s how every coffee roaster grows.” ▩

November 1, 2014

Triple Espresso

Originally published in the November 2014 issue of (614) Magazine

The “newest” coffee roaster in Columbus opened more than 25 years ago.

Last month, Stauf’s opened two new locations – a sudden and surprising expansion from the local roastery, which started in Grandview in 1988.

Stauf’s merged with Cup O’ Joe in 2000, with Stauf’s growing predominantly into a wholesale roaster and Cup O’ Joe driving the retail presence. Mark Swanson, president of Stauf’s, said the reason for the Stauf’s expansion now is the opportunity to roast in the shops.

“If you think about all of the great folks at the North Market and the exceptional quality of the shops and restaurants in German Village, roasting on-site was critical to make sure we had the freshest possible coffee and the best experience,” Swanson said.

Small-batch coffee roasting is no small feat. Tom Griesemer, the company’s founder and the first coffee roaster in Columbus, would know.

“The quality of the beans and talent of the person roasting them are crucial, but so is the roaster itself,” Griesemer said. “It took us months to secure our two new roasters.”

The roasters are built in Germany, and Stauf’s scored the last two roasters of the type available in the country. Probat, a company that’s been making coffee roasters since 1868, only builds so many a year. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

“We were lucky to get the last two, or the expansion could have been postponed another year. Just like roasting, timing is everything,” Griesemer said.

Though greeted by the familiar Stauf’s logo, regulars from the Grandview coffee shop will find the look and feel of the new locations unexpected. Guests are greeted by slate gray millwork and natural wood tones punctuated by pops of red at both locations. The earthy aroma of beans and brewing leaves just enough room for the hint of scones and sweet rolls from the kitchen in German Village.

Stauf’s retains local relationships for sourcing ingredients and edibles from many area entrepreneurs and start-up shops, but there is a renewed emphasis on baking in-house as well – for both Stauf’s and Cup O’ Joe.

“Each store will be responsive in their offerings, with Grandview and German Village baking for their own needs, and the rest of the stores,” Swanson said. “Blueberry muffins are always our number one seller at every location, but two, three and four are quite different. We see the same in coffee sales; our goal is to focus on each community.”

With three Stauf’s locations and three Cup O’ Joes (Clintonville, Lennox, and Downtown) serving faithful foot traffic and commuter connoisseurs, it’s easy to forget the original Grandview store was once the only place in Columbus where coffee didn’t come out of a can. According to Griesemer, Columbus didn’t have any good coffee when he first moved to the area, with only two coffee shops, both serving coffee shipped out of New York.

“There was no selection to speak of and what was there already tasted old,” said Griesemer.

As a transplant from University of California, Davis, Griesemer was well-versed in the growing California coffee culture, ultimately turning around one of those local shops by introducing fresh-roasted coffee to the Columbus market. But when his offer to buy the business he helped build was rejected, he decided to put his experience in the restaurant industry to work for himself. Stauf’s Coffee Roasters opened two months later, with a lot of long hours and late nights.

“Tom started in a sleepy little strip mall in Grandview in just 800 square feet,” Swanson said.

“I used to say I worked the ‘B-shift,’” Griesemer said. “I had to be there when we opened and be there when we closed. We even built the furniture ourselves at night in OSU’s theater department.”

Griesemer’s lean operational insights and initiatives paid off. Stauf’s was profitable in just two month’s time, and the original location has since expanded its space more than four-fold. That same commitment to customers and community still shines decades later.

“Being a smaller company allows us to be more flexible. Each store can have similarities and differences,” Swanson explained. “Grandview grew organically, so we’re not going to drop a ‘widget’ into another location and expect it to be the same.”

“No matter how great our coffee is, our guests are partners in the experience,” Swanson said. “Everyone who works for Stauf’s – we were all customers first.” ▩

Read more about the evolution of the Columbus coffee culture in the third volume of Stock & Barrel, (614) Magazine’s new quarterly food and drink publication, out mid-December.