The Bean Journal

Nick & Ryan Drink Coffee: Round-Up

We have our regular coffee chat with Nick Schmitt of Roastar.

Nick Schmitt is the Specialty Coffee Ambassador at Roastar, Inc. We regularly catch up for a cup of coffee, so we decided to start recording our chats. Check back each month as we catch up on what’s new.

Our most recent episodes have been off the Zoom and in real life. We try not to take things too seriously but with at least a list of two things, we should share aloud. Above and below are our recent episodes, which were first released on the R!WC YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the channel to get our episodes with all the speed of a caffeinated jack rabbit. The June episode is dropping shortly!

COFFEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I’ll have a cappuccino…without milk.”

• Overheard at a nameless cafe by a nameless dude misappropriating so many different cultures with his outfit I couldn’t begin to explain it.
This was not at one of the cafes referenced in this post!

WHERE WE’VE BEEN

Photo on the left of an espresso in front of a computer.

Earlier in the week, we stopped at Cafè des Chutes in Bend, OR. The space drips character and is part of an off-the-beaten-path collection of artist studios, ceramics makers, and leather workers.

The coffee was good. The CDC serves local roasters like Still Vibrato (which we visited last week). The breakfast sandwich was as good as I’ve ever had in a cafe, but my espresso—while solid—needed a bit of dialing in. Based on the line of people funneling into the cafe and out onto the European-style courtyard, the place has a vibe that tractor-beams in those of us who prize experience paired with taste.

A 4-part collage of a coffee shop. From left: Front entrance. A gold rope guards the door inset into a beige brick wall partially obstructed by a tall green tree and vines. A seafoam green metal patio table and chair set is placed in front of the tree. 2nd from left: A close-up of French pastries on a 3-tier display. 2nd from right: Coffees and espresso on a table top. Right: The dining room features white tables lined up in front of a white wall with windows. Fresh-cut purple flowers are in simple glass vases. The floor is black and white checkerboard and overhead string lights have been hung evoking a European patio. — Cafè des Chutes in Bend, OR is a real vibe. Thumb up.

See where we are (and where we’ve been) by following us on: Bluesky • Instagram • Facebook • Youtube.

Or don’t. If you’re not a social media person—more power to you! We’re out camping without cell service, and it is quite lovely.

BRANDS WE USE & HAVE PARTNERED WITH*

Please use these links. You’ll be getting a great gear or coffee, AND supporting the creation of this coffee content. The links below enable us to generate some affiliate revenue. As always, we don’t partner with brands we don’t use, coffee we don’t drink, or strongly recommend.

SHOP YEAH, NO...YEAH COFFEE

CHECK OUT THE SIMPLY GOOD BREWER

COLLAB & PRESENTED BY!

Coffee People is presented by our friends at Roastar. Check out their Design Lab to quickly develop a new design for your brand of coffee. Not a coffee brand? Design an event-branded package for your wedding or birthday. The possibilities are endless. Oh! And snack packages and stickers, too!

If you’re looking for a eco-friendlier option, check out the recycled bag options. I designed a series of recyclable gusseted bags for our upcoming collabs with The Pinery, Coffee Cycle Roasting, and Marea Coffee. They’ve been sturdy, and the colors really pop. Stay tuned for updates on the collaborations, and a dedicated collab page on our homepage.