Our one and only roast is called Retrospresso (besides our popular decaf, Lessospresso). It’s the product of years of exploration by our founder, Pete. He wanted a cup of coffee that tasted like the stuff he used to drink—a bold, balanced dark roast—but he couldn’t find what he was after in stores or at Starbucks. So he took matters into his own hands, and started buying and roasting his own green beans. When he finally found the flavour he was looking for—in a blend of beans from Mexico, Ethiopia and Brazil—he called it Retrospresso. To Pete, it’s the perfect cup of coffee: bold and complex, with notes of milk chocolate, caramel, macadamia nuts and cherry. So for now, that’s all we do—consistently delicious coffee, cup after cup after cup.
Our one and only roast is called Retrospresso (besides our popular decaf, Lessospresso). It’s the product of years of exploration by our founder, Pete. He wanted a cup of coffee that tasted like the stuff he used to drink—a bold, balanced dark roast—but he couldn’t find what he was after in stores or at Starbucks. So he took matters into his own hands, and started buying and roasting his own green beans. When he finally found the flavour he was looking for—in a blend of beans from Mexico, Ethiopia and Brazil—he called it Retrospresso. To Pete, it’s the perfect cup of coffee: bold and complex, with notes of milk chocolate, caramel, macadamia nuts and cherry. So for now, that’s all we do—consistently delicious coffee, cup after cup after cup.
An all-round better roast
Why do we air roast? Lots of reasons. It’s faster. Some say air roasting—or fluid bed roasting, as it’s also known—offers a purer taste: less acidic and less bitter than drum-roasted coffee. There’s little direct contact between the beans and the heat source, which means there’s no burnt chaff odors affecting the flavour of the beans. The way we see it, it means a more consistent, better-tasting roast. And it’s better for the planet too: Air roasting has a lower carbon footprint than traditional drum roasting.
Coffee A La Cart
The coolest coffee carts this side of Rome, our barista bikes bring the perfect cup of coffee to parks and promenades around Vancouver. Have your Retrospresso how you like it—the bikes are equipped with everything needed to make the perfect latte, flat white, or whatever you fancy. And if you don’t feel like chasing us down, you can usually find one bike parked near our roastery at Beaumont Studios.
Big flavour, small footprint.
Sure, we’re a little old-school. But our commitment to sustainability is decidedly modern. We’re determined to do right by our planet, as well as the people who grow the beans that become Retrospresso. So we ensure our beans are ethically sourced. We use a more environmentally-friendly roasting process. Our bikes are electric, and our bags are fully compostable (just remove the tin tie!). And we’re working towards becoming zero waste.
Pete’s Brew Lab
Peter is a bit of a mad scientist when it comes to coffee, and our roastery is his lab. Since we roast our coffee in small batches, our roastery itself is little—but it’s all the space we need to air roast something special. If you’d like to drop by to grab a bag of beans or to talk coffee with Pete, just ring the bell.