Living the java life
Print- •
-
Share
- Share this item
-
Grab the link
Copy and paste the link:
- Blog about it
- Close
- •
-
Post a Comment
- •
Favorite- •
-
Print
- •
-
Share
- Share this item
-
Grab the link
Copy and paste the link:
- Blog about it
- Close
- •
-
Post a Comment
- •
- Favorite
- •
Victoria Coffee Roasters
3104 N Vine St, Unit A
Victoria, TX 77901
Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-1p.m.
Friday - Deliveries
Phone Office: 361-578-9155
Phone Cell: 361-652-4708
What's Roasting?
Victoria Coffee Roasters offers about 12 different roasts from all parts ...
- SHOW ALL »
Victoria Coffee Roasters
3104 N Vine St, Unit A
Victoria, TX 77901
Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-1p.m.
Friday - Deliveries
Phone Office: 361-578-9155
Phone Cell: 361-652-4708
What's Roasting?
Victoria Coffee Roasters offers about 12 different roasts from all parts of the world. Here are a few:
El Salvador El Jabali
Kenya AA Gichi
Ethiopia Harrar
Costa Rica Santa Laura
Panama Baru
John Valdivia roasted his first coffee beans using a popcorn air popper.
Now, in a small workshop on Vine Street two years after opening Victoria Coffee Roasters, he's roasting more than 200 pounds of coffee a week.
"You have to have a passion for it," he said, standing in a blue apron carefully watching a Salvadorian roast. "It's not a glamorous business by any means," he said.
Victoria Coffee Roasters opened in October 2007 and headquarters is a tidy space that resembles a coffee shop. Warm yellow walls complement the polished sheen of the roasting equipment. A nutty, spicy aroma permeates every crevice of the place.
Gourmet coffee in Victoria, Valdivia will tell you, is a narrow market but one he hopes to see grow to develop tastes and provide options for local coffee connoisseur.
"The more roasters, the more coffee shops that are out there, the better," he said. "If we get a couple more Long Leafs, a couple more Starbucks spread around, the better."
With prices starting about $10 a pound, Valdivia's coffees aren't the typical grocery store blend. His gourmet beans are mostly from Central America and Africa and roasted on a daily basis, something customers believe make it worth it.
"I love his products," said Richard Bothe, a Victoria customer. "I'm a fresh-coffee addict, from San Antonio originally, and to find somebody in Victoria or close by who has fresh roasted coffee is a real distinct pleasure."
Valdivia watches the beans turn a chocolaty brown and listens for a distinct popping sound when they release their flavors.
"It's a mixture of science and art," he said. "You have to understand the chemical changes that occur in the bean. The art part of it is understanding how to manage those changes depending upon what you want in the bean."
Burlap sacks containing 150 pounds of coffee beans are piled in the corner. White plastic buckets protect the roasted product.
With the slow economy, coffee drinkers have been cutting back he said. Still, Valdivia hopes to eventually open a coffee shop and continue growing.
"The next part of the business plan is to push the Internet side and being proactive," he said.
And he has no regrets.
"It's been a good choice," he said. "It's been perfect."
