Rochester Brewing and Roasting, in collaboration with the Kansas City Whiskey Society, has started aging our first batch of Kansas City coffee in a bourbon barrel. We have worked with KCWS in the past on some of our charity barrel-aged beers, so this new project made perfect sense. KCWS recently selected and purchased an entire barrel of Four Roses bourbon, and they provided us with the barrel to use for coffee bean aging.
Which Kansas City Coffee to Use?
The next step is selecting which coffee to age in the barrel. Rochester’s head roaster, Philip Enloe, hosted a group of KCWS members for a blind cupping of four different bean options, both single origin and blends. KCWS also had some of the bourbon from the barrel on hand to compare alongside each of the coffee options. Not surprisingly, they chose our signature Kansas City coffee Rochester Original, a blend of washed Guatemala and pulped natural Brazil coffee beans.
The first 35-pound batch of blended beans is currently aging in the Four Roses barrel. It’s sitting next to the roaster at our Crossroads location if you want to take a peek. Philip will periodically test the beans to determine the optimal aging time, at which point he will roast and package this special collaboration. Be on the lookout for another announcement when the Kansas City coffee is available for purchase!
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Rochester Brewing and Roasting is Kansas City’s first craft beer brewery and coffee roastery under one roof. We’ve created welcoming spaces to gather for the best of both worlds – a Kansas City brewery and Kansas City coffee shop – all in one place. Our head coffee roaster sources the best quality coffee beans, roasting each batch meticulously to bring out the coffee’s unique character. Our head brewer blends the art and science behind brewing beer to create a rotating slate of beer styles, focusing on tradition with an eye on innovation. You can find local KC coffee beans for sale here, and our current beer tap list online.
We would love to see you in person to pour you a cold one or whip up one of our popular specialty coffees. We also have a rotating menu of delicious sandwiches, breakfast burritos and fresh-made-in-house pastries and donuts. Stop by our spacious Kansas City brewery and coffee shop, located in the city’s vibrant Crossroads Art District. Or check out our charming Parkville coffee shop and brewery, located inside two vintage train cars. We also host public and private events at the Crossroads location ~ details on our spacious Kansas City event space can be found on our website. Both locations are open day and night, so come early for the coffee, stay late for the beer!