http://roosroast.com en-us Mon, 8 Feb 2010 23:19:01 -0700 http://roosroast.com/rss.xml roosart@gmail.com (John Roos) puke7@firteen.com (puke7) Free Speach, Fair Trade, Organic We are focused and centralizing in the new Rooswood curb side coffee space.
No, e're not on vacation we're on location.

Counting off each month, minute by minute, hour by hour, bean by bean.
Tossing back the best espresso shot you ever seen.

Taste in your face this is the place where we source and roast the shots foremost.
Shot by shot all day long here You are here and the coffee strong.

Keep your milk at home we don't ruin our coffee with foam.

We stand alone with such creamy origins so
stop all the forging and exploring
this is the place the RoosRoast work space
]]> Mon, 1 Feb 2010 18:40:20 -0700 http://roosroast.com/archives/253/Ann_Arbor__poetry_coffee_ology_here_comes_one_from_the_blast_master_/ 3:30 AM. It's a cold windy night and I can't sleep. Here's the low-down on the new RoosRoast Coffee Works.


It's a very busy January as we set up the new space. It's basically 2 rooms. One is an office-spacey lobby, with two more small office-spacey roomicals (cross a room and a cubical and you basically end up with what a manager gets in a car dealership) off to the side. This is the home of retail. In the back is room number two, a large high-ceilinged studio with a garage door opening out onto the parking lot. This is the home of the roaster. And hey, this is Ann Arbor, so take note: if you come to visit us, the parking is free back there.

The place screams corporate abundance of the late 1980's in Michigan, and we know we're a long way from that now! (I don't know exactly when the building was built but that's what I hear when I listen closely. If you drive south down S. Industrial you'll see what was once corporate pride is now empty buildings.)

We're styling the place out by recycling and reusing (Habitat for Humanity ReStore on Aprill Drive off Jackson Road and the ReUse Center just down the road from us) with very little impact, lots of good smells, great vibes, and amazing coffee. RoosRoast has had several homes but at this one, we can finally do it all under one roof.

I have been painting and organizing the space with the help of artist Joanna Farnum and our January intern Becky Wurwarg from Oberlin College, while Brian handles the roasting, graphics and logistics (and editing your post, John. -brian).

People, it's coming together!

Retail in the front. Roaster in the back. Ann Arbor loves its retail and it loves its coffee and that's what we're here to provide.

The RoosRoast Coffee Works address is 1155 Rosewood, Suite B (running between South Industrial and Packard, with speed bumps on the Packard end for the people who like to cut through). We're on the South Industrial end, right in the heart of the thrift store zone. Our immediate neighbors, Pride Ride and Harve's Electronics are very cool. We already knocked out Pride Ride's power, unintentionally. But we drank coffee together, and that was an unusual, but effective ice-breaker, once we got the power back on. TGI Direct in the building next door is filled with wonderful people. They helped us out when our latest shipment of green beans arrived.

I'm discovering that all around here are great local businesses worth supporting. ShanaLogic runs her web based art gallery out of a building near us, near Woman in the Shoe consignment shop, and Fringes Hair Salon. Affordable Computers is right across the street, and thanks to them this computer is working right now!

Here on Industrial you have the PTO Thrift Shop, ReUse Center, Big Sky Recording, Alro Metals Plus and True Tech Auto Repair. Morgan and York is just over on Packard, with Fraser's Pub and Big Ten Burrito.


Last, but not least, we have the La Marzocco G5 from what was the Mercury Coffee Bar in Detroit.

A fine roaster, and a fine espresso machine within mere feet of one another. With these two on-hand?

Let the crema begin. ]]> Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:58:01 -0700 http://roosroast.com/archives/252/Ann_Arbor_Coffee:_A_Catalyst_for_Entrepeneurship__/ Welcome to the New Year and our own brick and mortar location on Rosewood street here in Ann Arbor. The address is 1155 Rosewood Suite B 48104

Jose of San Rafael fame decided to close his doors and head back to Guatemala so we bought the Diedrich IR-12 (just as it roast it's 1000th batch of fine coffee.) Now that were no longer sharing the roaster it's time to get down to business.

Brian and I are cleaning, painting and setting up a small retail area where you can re-fill your bags check out our other merch.

It's terribly exciting for me so I have to watch my coffee consumption. Power tools and major caffeine can be productive but also harmful.

Trust me were doing our best in converting the place in to a roos-venture rather then the drab industrial setting it seems to be.

We have more sinks then any man ever seen. And they're all hooked up with plans for several more. There is even 2 toilets one hooked and one un-hooked as a back up in case some thing happens to the primary one.
Thanks for reading the blog o matic and stay tuned for some pictures which I will post tomorrow.

Here's to all you Hard Core Fans who support us in this freaking COLD weather at the Farmer Market every Saturday Thank You! See you soon.

Johnny Roos
]]> Wed, 6 Jan 2010 15:40:50 -0700 http://roosroast.com/archives/251/RoosRoast_on_Rosewood_/ Some storm seems to be brewing because the wind chimes outside are moving to the sound of night. Check the weather channel

After a day of roasting and making final deliveries (Sparrow Market and the Ypsi Food Coop) it's time for 4 days off.

For me it's more work to take time off because I love working on the Roos and the Roast.

Even more so now that I've bought the beloved Diedrich IR-12 roaster from Jose and San Rafael Coffee Company is closed.

Jose is going back to Guatemala and the family coffee farm and I'm going to crank the old school hip hop (Del the funky Homosapin) and clean up and paint the place. All the elements are there it just needs some Lobster Butter Love!

We'll be the only roaster at 1155 Rosewood suite B and soon the sign outside will read: RoosRoast Coffee Works.

Stay tuned for the installation of the La Marzocco G-5 and killer grinders from the Mercury Coffee Bar.

I want to thank everyone for making RoosRoast their coffee choice, and the coffee to share as a gift in 2009 and I'll keep up the killer coffee in 2010!

Remaining you Faithful roaster of fine coffee

-John Roos

]]> Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:44:26 -0700 http://roosroast.com/archives/250/RoosRoast_on_Rosewood_(Please_note_Web-store_orders_will_be_roast_and_shipped_on_12/30/09)/ Another thank you post! Roos Roast is you go to gift for giving the Ann Arbor vibe. Here are some of the blocks I've carved which we use to print every single bage of Roos Roast coffee. Photos by: Mark Bialek
I'm here right now roasting Rich French Neighbor , Lobster Butter Love , Mexican Chiapas in the Blue Bicycle Bag, and Cowboy Blend and they're selling off the shelves of the great stores who carry Roos Roast.
Thank you too for all the web sales.

Please note: We will be closed from 12/25/09 till 12/29/09 returning to roast and send out orders on the 30th. This coming Wednesday December 23 will be the last Wednesday farmers market of 2009 and our last framers market of 2009 so get on down and share the love. The Lobster Butter Love.

Kath and I will be posting hotel, bar and cafe reviews from Montreal.
All internet orders from Christmas Day till the 29th will be filled and sent out on the 30th of December.

Be prepared for more awesome coffee tastings in 2010 and have a great new year!]]> Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:32:00 -0700 http://roosroast.com/archives/248/The_power_of_Free_Speech_Coffee/ The holiday orders are coming in, and I looked out the window tonight and saw the first fluffy Michigan snowflakes floating down. Wow! Transition time baby.

Roos Roast, Ann Arbor's freshest coffee, has been at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market every Market Day so far in 2009. We celebrated a whole season of local food!
photo by Mark Bialek

The whole time we remained true to our mission, which is to be there for COFFEE with all of You. And it was a performance every time. Now it's December and though the ground is freezing over, we're still showing up every Wednesday and Saturday with the hot brew.
Many thanks to my lovely wife for putting up with me at all hours all wired on coffee, Brian T. Barch (rhymes with March), Meghan Cleary, Michelle Medley, T.R. and the crew at Tracklements Smokery, all of our fellow vendors and shops who carry Roos Roast, especially Sparrow Market, Cafe Verde everyone at eve and grange kitchen and bar, Chelsea Gallery, , Cafe Japon, A bar A Ranch , Produce Station and All the out standing others We really love what we do, and we couldn't do it with out all of you!
Many thanks to all our fans who are too numerous to mention!]]> Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:30:02 -0700 http://roosroast.com/archives/246/Thank_you_for__the_orders_Ann_Arbor_and_afar!_Roos_Roast_is_very_grateful__/ This whole website is an easy shopping guide for giving the gift of Roos Roast. BUY



We roast and ship out coffee everyday in December but if you want your Roos Roast order to make it under the tree in time for the 25th your online order has to be in by Sunday December 20th, 2009. You can still order after that but I'm just saying...




The bags pile up on the drying table and are ready for the beans



This is the bicycle block I carved last summer. After making a reverse of the image I draw the design on the block and begin carving. One slip and the design is altered.




Inking the print is another art of the process.


]]> Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:23:09 -0700 http://roosroast.com/archives/245/Our_coffee_is_Ann_Arbor%27s_freshest_and_the_locals_love_our__unique_hand_printed_packaging,__it_makes_the_perfect_gift_/ Pillar's has added a brick and mortar store serving up her famous tamales and many other traditional foods. We blended a special Roos Roast Central American Blend for them and they're brewing and selling pounds and half pounds of this blend and Lobster Butter Love on their retail shelves.

Also available are Maite's amazing chocolates and Tasty Bakery's gluten free baked goods.

Pillar's new location across from Convenience Auto and next to Hello Faz Pizza on West Liberty and a great place to pick up Tamales for a snack or to feed the whole family.

Congratulation on your opening and thank you for brewing and supporting Roos Roast.


It's time to "main line" check out my latest post on the well traveled roads of annarbor.com

Have a great Thanksgiving from Roos Roast and see you at the market on Wednesday!

]]> Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:53:25 -0700 http://roosroast.com/archives/244/West_Side_connection_for_Roos_Roast__bags_and_Brew:_Pillar%27s_Tamales__/
When the masterminds who create all those wacky kitchen gadgets met the hipster coffee fanatics they discovered a goldmine. From The Clover to the vacuum pot, to thousand dollar espresso machines, the coffee gadget industry is the ultimate culinary geek out for people who don’t like to cook.

Every year there’s a hip, shiny, new, robo-thing designed to make your coffee faster, stronger, meaner, greener and better tasting. And what’s a better conversation topic than the complicated and expensive machine no one has ever heard of that you just bought. I don't care if it's fully automatic or you have to grind, dose, tamp and time the shot there is going to be mystery. And don’t forget you can never exhaust conversation possibilities once the grinding, storing, tasting, and tamping has taken place.

Consider this as the ultimate hobby. Screw model airplanes and your freaky hallucinogenic glue! With all the steeping, steaming, dripping, brewing, grinding, cupping, tasting, slurping and sloshing, coffee provides way more fun activity and there is no right or wrong left or right. You might like your coffee burned to a crisp, or light and lemony, or you might want instant?

The art of excellent espresso takes years to master but unlike those stupid little ships in bottles, learning how to make it the right way actually has a purpose. You can entertain friends and show off how badass you are with your new skills.

You can collect cool coffee merchandise and read cool fan fiction (like this blog). You can stalk your favorite roaster and collect every blend.
A special thanks to Mattie Baldoni for her research on this piece and for all the orders and hope to hear from you soon.
]]> Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:43:37 -0700 http://roosroast.com/archives/243/Gadget_Evangelical_Intorducing_Coffee_Power_Tools!_/ Roasting and selling bags of coffee online reminds me of Roos Roast 3 years ago when I'd keep a box of coffee bags at my sales desk at Dunning Subaru. (I'd sell 10-20 bags in 2 days of showing up at the Dealership.)

Thank you to our friends who participated in our 2 day 2 dollar Avalon Housing Donation sale. We sold 15 bags of coffee online in 48 hours, which is going to be a $30 donation to Avalon Housing!

Since we didn't raise as much as I'd projected I'm going to match the $30 so together we can donate $60 to Avalon Housing!

Don't forget about Mavis Staples at the Michigan Theater on Nov 10th.

Get ready for the next big push. I have this amazing chocolate from Ecuador, and am friends with the makers of the chocolate. The makers get the chocolate straight from the farm, and process it themselves. It's an exciting process! Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the details of the big Roos Roast Chocolate give away, and share the word with your friends. ]]> Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:07:49 -0700 http://roosroast.com/archives/242/Sales_Results_and_Next_Big_Special/