Ode to Beta Blend

This unsung coffee is always available on our webshop.

Blending In

Some of our blends are happy accidents, the end result of our roasters' virtuosic experiments in flavor. But some—like the chocolatey, mildly-fruited Beta Blend—are created with a desired flavor profile in mind, adding "wish fulfillment" to our roasters' demanding job, which in itself is already a combination of chef, scientist, and coffee expert. 

For this reason, we're proud to offer a series of blends alongside our luminous single origins, some of which, like Beta Blend, can only be found in our webshop.

The Beautiful Beta Blend

The refined and floral Beta Blend was born four years ago as a collaboration between our Sourcing and Digital teams, who saw the potential in the leftover single origin  beans that didn't have a home. Over the years, Beta Blend has evolved into a delicate counterpoint to our heftier blends, like the best-selling Bella Donovan and the soulfully substantial Giant Steps. 

"It's fun to have that collaboration between separate teams," says Director of Quality Control Ben Brewer. "Beta Blend has a gentle, mild quality to it. It's also the blend that is most influenced by roast, as opposed to its coffees of origin." This is why our Roasting team's technique is so important: "Roasting is where we will hit a flavor target every single time," says Ben.

Our Blend Strategy

From the beginning, we always intended for Beta Blend to be as approachable as it is delicious. With its soft, citric profile, you can find this similar mildness in New York-local blend, Dandy espresso, and in our Opascaope espresso, one that's characterized by balance, caramelized sugars, and minimal nuance. 

We would remind you, of course, that just because a coffee is simple doesn't mean it's basic. Just as acidity level is one means of determining a single origin coffee's quality, we take into consideration our blends' consistency over time in assessing its value. 

"For what we're doing, the percentages of blend coffees have to be consistent; for example, Beta Blend is always 50% Mexico and 50% washed Ethiopian," says Ben. "Variation is prized less than dependability."  

Because that's one major reason why we enjoy our blends so much. Beyond deliciousness, the beauty of the blend is in the way it shows up with our most beloved profiles, no matter the season or location. Sometimes, you're just in the mood for a familiar favorite.