Thoughts of sipping coffee from Bellingham Coffee Roasters are what get me up and going on those Saturday mornings that I’m not off hiking or biking. Since 2006, owners Fernando and Emma Torres have been treating Saturday Farmers market goers to their organic, fair trade coffee. I discovered their delicious brews about three years ago, and now I’m hooked on their nitro coffee.
I had to put my coffee craving on hold on this particular Saturday, as the employees don’t have time for an interview during Saturday Market mornings. Arriving in the afternoon, I was greeted with big smiles from Ian and Carly, coffee roaster and barista respectively, both still enthusiastic to be serving coffee despite a long, busy morning.
As I mentioned, I’m addicted to their cold brew on a nitrogen tap, and now had been waiting to have mine for most of the day. I love tasting the richness of the foam in the head that forms on the coffee, which is reminiscent of a full-bodied dark beer. I patiently watched Carly fill my coffee cup from the tap, while she explained the process that makes this unique coffee.
The creaminess and the frothy texture of the drink comes from infusing cold-brewed coffee with nitrogen before being pushed through the tap. Bellingham Coffee Roasters uses a blend of beans that are specifically ground for the nitro cold brew. The combination of the nitrogen and coffee blend results in the intensely flavored, rich dark brew with a frothy head.
Finally taking the highly-anticipated coffee into my hands, I had to force myself to not drink it all at once.
Nitro cold-brew is just one of the many options on their menu. They serve single origin drip coffees, or you can opt to get a freshly brewed cup hot from the French press. The barista poured a sample of their traditional cold brew over ice with some cream, and I savored the small cup as long as possible.
As closing time neared, owners Emma and Fernando arrived. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, they came to the United States in 2000. When asked how they got into the coffee business, they attributed their start to their son, Julian Torres.
Julian saw the opportunity to be one of the first in Bellingham to focus solely on high-quality coffee, and dedicated himself to the development of BCR. He ignited a passion for coffee in his parents, and while he has since changed careers, his parents have taken over and now run the company.
Now when asked about their passion for coffee, both Emma and Fernando’s eyes light up.
Fernando disclosed that his personal favorite is the Ethiopian Harrar as it “has a pleasant aftertaste and you don’t need to add anything to it.” It also reminds him of his grandmother—she used to prepare a similar tasting brew.
Emma had a harder time choosing a favorite—she lists the HomeBrew Blend, made of beans from Central and South American and described as having “light sweetness in the front with dominant chocolate notes,” as well as Mexico, Guatemala, “and of course Colombia.”
With a clear commitment to quality coffee, I had to ask the Torres’ what made their coffee so special.
Emma explained that it begins with the sourcing. They get their beans, still green, from small farmers, co-ops and other specialty sellers and choose only the highest grade beans.
“That’s only the beginning,” she continued explaining, “roasting is by far the most critical part, where we get to develop each coffee’s profile to do justice to its farmers, its region and its country of origin.” Some beans are then ground to the proper texture depending on the intended use, or kept whole for the customer to grind at home.
Then the beans are packaged in the artfully done bags with lively, colorful new designs by local artist Keaton Vanderwerff. Finally, they are are sold or expertly prepared by a talented barista.
On a smaller scale, the Torres’ enjoy their coffee at home using a French press or a Chemex, which is a glass apparatus used to make pour-over coffee. They also emphasize that a quality grinder is a must to make a proper brew.
As Ian started closing down, he described the Torres’ commitment not only to quality, but also to the international community and their employees. In addition to supporting causes such as Soccer Without Borders and Feeding Soles, they have made an effort to reduce waste by including Ian’s mother in the business—she takes the burlap bags the beans come in and sews them into material to make the quality tote bags that decorate their farmer’s market stand.
Ian also described a time where the Torres’ gave him a microphone stand for his birthday after only having employed him for a couple months. He showed that the commitment goes both ways, though—he takes classes regularly to hone his coffee roasting skills. We finished up chatting, and he continued wrapping up after a busy day on the job.
In addition to the Saturday market, you can find Bellingham Bay Coffee Roasters brews around town and beyond. Their most recent partnership was made with Whole Foods, which sells their beans by the bag. You can also order a brew from their beans from Liberty Bar in Sedro-Woolley, Ristretto Coffee Lounge and Wine Bar or Hollywood Coffee in Mt. Vernon, or online from their website.
With high quality, fair trade coffee and talented baristas, BCR is a great place to start your day at the market. As long as they keep pouring the nitro-cold brew, I won’t be changing my caffeine routine anytime soon. I’ll see you in line for a cup of liquid gold next Saturday.
