A Taste Of The High Country – Jul 2022

We are all familiar with craft beer and spirit and what it implies – uniqueness, small batches and high qualities. That is because crafted products are an expression of their makers who are passionate about what they do. Unsurprisingly, the same applies to Nez Hewitt, Bragg Creek’s celebrated craft Master Coffee Roaster.

Nez’s story started about 12 years ago. The big, bold, somewhat burnt flavours of the more popular coffee beans were not uplifting her mornings. They were too intense, uni-dimensional. Overdone. Not a brew one would want to wake up to, she thought. And so started her accidental journey in becoming a Master Coffee Roaster.

Literally taking the matter into her own hands, Nez started to roast her own beans. Soon the word went out, and friends and family started to line up for their morning coffee beans. Her interests peaked when she learned about bean varietals, ways to grow them, regional differences and terroir. Add to it the subtle nuances of roasting techniques, and it became evident that roasting coffee was far more complex than it appears. Just like that, what started as a morning wish turned into a full-fledged career change in 2010. Nez studied with master Stephen Diedrich in Sand Point, Idaho and came back with her own Diedrich roaster, complete with the design of her own business logo on it – ROAST COFFEE & TEA CO

Today she sells a limited selection of small batches of Arabica beans roasted primarily in the lighter to medium light styles and a couple of darker roasts to satisfy all palates. She imports her beans directly from farmers in mountainous areas of South America, including Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia and Ethiopia, Africa. The beans are all grown organically, sustainably and in fair trade manners. Serependitly, some of the farmers happen to be all women.

ROAST COFFEE AND TEA offers seven roasts made with different varietals of the arabica beans such as Castillo, Caturra, Typica, Bourbon, Catuai, Local Heirloom and more. Like grape varietals, they all have distinct characteristics, including preferred climate, soil and topography, requiring either a short or prolonged growing season, producing different yields and taste profiles.

Interestingly, coffee made from various bean varietals are described just like wine. For example, a coffee made with “Caturra” beans will be balanced, sweet and citrusy with aromas of maple and honey notes.” While a cup made with Xiamara beans will reveal “citrus, floral and black tea” aromatics and flavours. In contrast, others will boast “sweet fruit, cocoa and soft nuttiness with a clean, bright finish.” If you are unsure which coffee to order, visit Nez’s website. She provides detailed and alluring descriptions of each of her coffees, giving you a taste of what is to come.

Nez is selective about where she sources her beans but also where she sells them. She enjoys the niche market she has developed, and her goal is to carefully plan each step in the growth of her business. You can buy her beans at the local Bragg Creek grocery store, the Italian Centre Shop (at 9919 Fairmont Drive SE) and the seasonal Bragg Creek farmers’ market. You can also order online and have the coffee delivered if you live in Calgary. At $20 per pound, Nez’s coffee offers you quality, refinement, healthy products and most importantly – pleasurable mornings.

ROAST COFFEE & TEA CO
roastcoffeeandtea.ca