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by Kim Restall |
November 19, 2009
When David Evans first opened The Stick in the
Mud Coffee House at 7 a.m. on 07/07/07 –- all for good luck
--
he had a plan to be roasting his own beans within five years. Only two
short years later, that plan is being realized. The Stick will soon be
the first coffee shop in Sooke to own and operate its own roaster.
 Part of The Stick’s five-year plan is to gain as much control over the
beans as possible. “If we have control over the selection, roasting and
serving of the bean, then we’re doing everything we can to make it as
good as we can,” Evans explains. The Stick currently decides which
farmers and regions they do their fair-trade business with, but the
roaster will aid in the remainder of the process and afford Evans the
quality control he strives for.
Evans feels strongly that Sooke need a roaster. “The freshness of a
coffee bean peaks after a week, making it difficult to import fresh
beans,“ Evans explains. “There are many smaller communities that already
have roasters, and a micro roastery will give credibility to Sooke in
the coffee world. Plus, it will smell great!”
David Evans has chosen a fuel efficient machine, the Diedrich IR3, a
small three-kilo roaster that can produce 10 lb of beans in an hour.
This is a proven piece of equipment (design dating back to the 1960s),
that comes from a reputable company in Idaho. Diedrich offers “great
training” to accompany the new roaster, which Evans says “will allow us
to sample roast and profile roast in small batches”. They will also be
able to produce (in one day) ample beans for a week’s worth of business.
“It’s the first significant change to the shop in two years,” Evans
excitedly explains. “We haven’t changed how coffee is prepared; this is
the first change to the coffee, the first improvement.” While Evans
can’t deny his anticipation, he has confidence that the addition of the
new roaster will be a welcome change to the shop.
 For Evans, a self-proclaimed 'coffee geek', it’s all about the beans.
“Different beans are in different profiles and they take different
temperatures and times to roast,” says Evans. “Some need fast to slow
and some need a gentle rounded roast.” The addition of the new roaster
will allow his barista team to experiment in order to “get the best out
of the beans”.
For Evans, 'the best' is what defines The Stick. “We opened with the
intention of serving the best coffee possible,” Evans explains with
obvious pride. “Our loyal customers have been spoiled with good coffee.”
The new roaster will only heighten the pleasure experienced by patrons
when they enjoy a cup of coffee at the 6711 Eustace Road establishment.
“Customers will notice the difference in flavours immediately,” Evans
assures.
According to Evans, the development of modern coffee has gone through
three ‘waves’ starting after World War II. In those times coffee was
consumed as quick pick-me-up. Due to the post-war economy, production
was quick and cheap. Consumption was also quick, in the form of instant
coffee, not offering time for the enjoyment of the coffee itself. In the
early 1970s the second wave began when companies like Starbucks made
coffee fashionable in the United States (Starbucks came to Canada in
1987). Coffee companies began replacing the lower grade Robusta beans
with specialty grade Arabica. People began to appreciate the nuances of
a coffee bean’s different roasts and origins. We are now in the third
wave of the development of coffee, says Evans, where a deeper
appreciation for the uniqueness of different coffees has evolved. Coffee
is no longer only consumed by a wide range of people for a quick lift,
but often now it is something to be savoured and enjoyed. There exists a
community of coffee connoisseurs and enthusiasts, of which many in Sooke
are a part.
Evans’ third wave has dictated how his shop operates. “Some people don’t
like waves because they roll out, but in business you can ride the crest
of a wave for a long time,” muses Evans as he savours his espresso and
describes coffee as “a chance to send my mouth on vacation”.
 Evans is hopeful that the roaster will attract more customers, thereby
increasing The Stick’s profit and extending their reputation. Evans
speculates that the $10,000 roaster will also save The Stick money in
the long run. Due to the difficulty of handling the roasting process and
the number of people involved in packaging and shipping coffee beans,
there is a mark-up evident on the price of coffee beans. By roasting
their own beans The Stick will be able to cut out the middleman and keep
more of the profit in their shop.
The new roaster is likely to arrive by year-end, after clearing customs.
There will be a celebration event at the shop in the new year. A major
part of the celebration will be the official naming of the new roaster.
Currently The Stick is holding a “Name the Roastery” contest -- the
winner will be rewarded with beans!
Evans feels indebted to his customers and states that “it’s my
responsibility to let my customers name the roastery”. A good pick for
the winning name will likely not deviate from The Stick in the Mud name
too much, as the shop has worked hard to build the reputation of that
name. Everyone is encouraged to submit their ideas as the arrival of the
new roaster approaches. MM
~ with photos, notes and edits by Mary P. Brooke
Kim Restall is a coffee novice with aspirations of becoming a coffee
enthusiast.
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