Behind The Scenes of Spiritus Coffee

Locally-roasted coffee removes three to five steps in the journey of the supply chain to the consumer. It brings tremendous benefits when it comes to taste and freshness but impacts other things like our carbon footprint. We love telling everyone how awesome Spiritus Coffee is and why we think it's so special. But just like Nick and Jason learned how the whole process works, we know that most people don't know how their coffee gets from farmer to French Press. So, we sat down with Nick to get the low-down.

Q: There's a lot of different kinds of coffees, countries, climates -- how do you decide what beans to buy?

I know what I like to drink and it guides me to the origins I want to purchase and roast. I usually look for coffees that are already here on shore in the States, so there’s less waiting. I source from Royal Coffee, Theta Ridge, Cafe Imports, and others to see what is available. Next, we look at factors like variety, altitude, and processing method -- they give a better idea of what the coffee is capable of. Learning about the farmers and how many farms are contributing can shed some light on whether we can expect quality over quantity. At that point, we make a decision and buy a 60 kg bag. (For those of us living on that ancient Standard system, that's 132 pounds!!)

Q: Do you ever buy directly from the farmer?

Recently, we bought a canyon-washed coffee directly from the farmer and his family. By having a direct trade relationship with a farmer, we are able to provide them 35% more profit than if they have to go through a middleman. This was an awesome experience to meet the family and know that we are contributing to their village and their farmers and improving their quality of life in a major way.

Q: How do the beans get from their start point to Lombard, IL?

Once they reach the United States, we personally drive to pick up our coffee from warehouses in Madison, Wisconsin, and South Bend, Indiana. (A road trip literally fueled by coffee!)

Q: You've lugged that bag back to the roastery -- what happens next?

When we get it home, we get a small batch on a sample roaster. We roast it minimally so that we can find all of the new notes and flavors hidden in the coffee.

Q: How much do you roast at a time?

We roast 2.2 pounds of green coffee per batch.

Q: How does the roasting process work? What do you use?

We roast on a North Coffee Roaster. Our roaster has manual controls for gas, air, drum speed, and charge temperature (charge is when we drop the coffee into the roaster.) We also have control of the rate of rise of the temperature each minute throughout the roast, and the temperature when we drop the coffee into the cooling tray. The roaster has Roastpath software, so we can precisely dial in our roasts and replicate it when we get it right.

Q: What makes a light roast? A medium? Dark?

The terms relate to the color of the roasted coffee, but it’s more than that. There are many factors that contribute to a level of roast, but one basic factor is the length of development time after first crack -- it confirms your roast level and is more accurate than the color alone.

Q: What's "first crack?"

Roasting coffee is a sensory experience involving sight, sound, and smell. You can see the color of the beans changing from green to yellow to brown. Smell its grassy organic aroma transitioning to one of freshly baked bread. And you can hear the sound of built-up CO2 and steam being released from the beans as they expand - it is this release of energy that produces an audible "first crack." This signals the initial phase of a "light roast."

Q: After the roasting is done, what happens? Do they have to sit awhile?

It’s subjective how long a coffee needs to rest and de-gas prior to brewing. Depending on the bean, we roast to order, and sometimes roast a week of coffee in advance. Our coffee gets bagged to order, to ensure maximum freshness.

Q: When/how do they get bagged up?

We weigh out the coffee and bag all of our coffee ourselves!

As you can see -- Nick and Jason are hands-on and completely involved in every single step of coffee roasting, from purchasing to bagging up a blend to get it right to you. Oh, did we mention that if you live in Lombard, Glen Ellyn, or Villa Park, we'll make a personalized delivery -- for free? Okay, just making sure.

Single-Origin – What Does it Mean?

“Single-origin”: The coffee comes from one source. One country? One region? One specific farm? Yes.

In general, single-origin refers to a coffee that can be traced to a single source. Sometimes, that means a single region of a country, but as often as we can, Spiritus strives to know what farmer/collective it comes from, too. It’s very important that we know where our coffee comes from; we only want ethically sourced coffee that brings success to those growing and harvesting it.

So, what’s the big deal?

Let’s take a look at wine as an example: grapes grown in wineries around the world all have different flavor profiles and characteristics. Even the same varietal – Chardonnay, for example – is going to taste different in Napa than it does in France. The environment, the elevation, and the efforts of each producer all bring different subtleties that we are excited to explore.

We hope to be able to educate you on all of these different aspects. It’s imperative that coffee tastes great, but it’s always nice to know exactly why it tastes that way. Some people really want in-depth knowledge about their coffee, their meat, their wine. Others just want a great sip or taste. It doesn’t really matter to us – if you want to get more info, we’re happy to provide it. If you just want to enjoy, we can help you find a roast that fits your style.

Does Single-Origin really matter?

Single-origin is not just a coffee buzzword. Although it was brought to the forefront of things when local coffee shops started focusing on brewing coffee with pour-overs and other alternative brews, the concept is much more than a fad. Knowing specifics about the source – climate, land, people, processing, etc. – helps to understand what kind of coffee to expect. How we roast it, and how you will enjoy it.

Because we value relationships with farmers and collectives, we strive to get seasonal, fresh beans. It does mean that we may only have some roasts for a short time, but it also means that we’ll be roasting new varietals regularly. Don’t fret – coffees that come from one region often have similar characteristics – it’s likely if you enjoy one, you’ll likely appreciate another from the same place.

What’s the process here at Spiritus Coffee?

Spiritus Coffee has several avenues to procure beans. Sometimes, we work with Royal Coffee to facilitate getting beans from the farmer to our roasting house. They work with “over 30 countries of origin, an extensive network of producing partners, and have decades of experience in the roasting community.”
When we can, we like to engage with direct-trade with the farmer/collective ourselves. It allows us to see the process of grow, all the way to roast, every step of the way. It means that we can get and give first-hand information from the farmer/farm themselves. All of our partners take great pride in the quality of their coffee, and we take great pride in roasting it so you can enjoy a delicious cup.

Sip in the moment.

“Yes, yes, we know. Mindfulness, meditation, meaningful activity. But what are you really talking about?” Oh, dear reader, we feel you. While studies have shown that meditation and practices of mindfulness help with anxiety and stress, it feels like we are always given very vague suggestions with no concrete way to understand them or what a ritual is. Fear not. We have been where you are, and we want to share some tips and tricks that you can use to enjoy the present moment.

Tips to Create a Ritual

A person, eyes closed, sitting on a cushion in lotus pose, becoming one with the universe. This is definitely meditation. But there are many ways to quiet a mind, and they don’t all look the same. It’s not to say that more traditional forms of meditation aren’t useful – they’ve worked for countless people for thousands of years. But, let’s be honest – the idea of sitting quietly in a very specific position trying to empty the mind sounds like complete agony to many people. And who wants to do something agonizing when we only have so many minutes in a day?

We believe there are many ways to engage with the present moment. As cliché as it seems, a walk really does help. As long as we aren’t scrolling Facebook as we stride, walking really does give us an opportunity to take in our surroundings, to observe things we hadn’t before. We are always amazed by the things we simply look up. Literally – looking at tops of buildings and trees and the ever-changing sky. Try it out sometime – if you’re taking a walk or sitting in your backyard or hanging out at a park – look up. You might be surprised at all of the things you see.

“I don’t have time to take a walk.” Okay, we won’t argue with you. But, we’d like to make another suggestion. All those chores and things on the to-do list? Use them as a way to let your mind wander. Dishes? Vacuuming? Cutting grass? Laundry? In the garden? Be present. Turn off the podcast, the music, the Netflix show in the background. What steps do you need to take? How does the experience feel? What do you love about it? What do you not love so much?

We have found that we often find ourselves in the middle of a never-ending monologue while getting things accomplished. It’s fine! You don’t have to attain a blank slate – meditation is about noticing the things we’re thinking about all day, every day. Recognizing the patterns that we run through; wearing paths into our brains without even knowing where we’re going. Have you ever “come to” after a few minutes of driving and realize you don’t remember actually paying attention to how you got to where you are (eek!)? Our thoughts often function in the same way. We walk and talk and move about the world, but sometimes, we’re so lost in our own headspace, that we don’t even notice how we get from point A to point B.

There are countless ways to bring attention to the present moment. We have found a combination of the strategies above to work the best for our ritual — especially carving out time to create and enjoy the process of brewing coffee. The beginning of the practice is a moving meditation – getting the coffee out, grinding the beans (if that’s your preference), measuring out the right amount, waiting as the coffee brews, selecting your favorite mug or glass. Then, sitting and truly enjoying the moment ... taking in the smell, reading a book, writing in a journal, or just being present while you enjoy your coffee.

This is how we have turned a daily routine into a daily Ritual, and we invite you to do the same.

Follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

We're just making sure you know that we're having a contest! At Spiritus, we always want to bring you delicious, fresh, single-origin coffee. But we are equally invested in incorporating coffee into a higher purpose. And we want you to join us.

We talk about using coffee to enhance and assist us in mindfulness as Ritual. The process of making and enjoying an everyday beverage into an opportunity to “sip in the moment.” But like all spiritual matters, everyone has their own practice(s) even within a shared practice. Our experience shows that we can always learn from others, and we want you to teach us, too.

We want to see your rituals. Your favorite brewing device. The place where you sit and leisurely enjoy a cup. Your latest music discovery, with a fresh cup of coffee nearby. Enter the contest by posting photos and/or videos to Instagram, and make sure to tag @spirituscoffeeco when you post. The top two photos or videos with the most votes will win a prize — a V60 dripper and a bag of Colombian Gesha.

We’ll keep the contest going until July 31st, 2022. So there’s plenty of time to submit photos and tell your friends! We want to give everyone a chance to take home a really nice starter pack to introduce you to Spiritus, and form a Ritual of your own.

Coffee undergoes hundreds of remarkable transformations on its journey from growing regions around the world to its final destination in your cup. There are reactions and transformations at every stage: harvesting, processing, roasting, and brewing. Even as a hot cup of coffee cools, changes are still taking place that influence taste. How some of these changes occur still remains a mystery. The biggest transformation occurs during the roasting process, where over 800 different compounds are released. Yes, over 800!

What Happens When Roasting Coffee?

As coffee begins to roast, gases build up inside the beans. When the roast is complete and the beans begin to cool and rest, pent-up carbon dioxide continues to escape from the beans. This is why you see a little valve on one side of our coffee bags. The valve allows CO2 and other gases to escape. If coffee is ground and brewed too soon after roast, the escaping gas can cause an uneven extraction and a less desirable cup of java.

It can take anywhere from two days to two weeks for freshly roasted coffee to fully de-gas. A general guide is that the darker the roast, the faster the de-gas process. The lighter the roast, the longer it needs to rest before brewing for optimal taste. A coffee like our Spiritus Ethiopian Natural will have the best flavor when brewed about 5-7 days after the roast date indicated on your bag. Our Colombian and House Blends a bit sooner, around 3-5 days.

While coffee needs a few days to reach its maximum potential, air is the enemy of fresh coffee. The roasted beans are full of oils, compounds, and acids, and when exposed to air, the oxidation process begins, which degrades the oils and compounds that contribute to flavor. This oxidation process is why old coffee has a stale, flat, bitter, lifeless taste — and why all Spiritus coffee is shipped in a stay-fresh, heat-sealed bag with a one-way valve to let the gas out without letting the air in.

How Does That Compare?

In comparison, when you buy a bag of coffee or a tin from a large, chain grocery store, 80% of the time that coffee was roasted 6+ months ago… so, all of the gas has long since escaped, along with all of the flavor.

Learn More About Coffee

We’ve loved everything we’ve had the opportunity to learn about the world of coffee, and there is so much more to know. Check out our Facebook and Instagram to follow us on our Spiritus Coffee journey!

Co-founders Jason Holman and Nick Bianco came together in May of 2020, to bring a new kind of coffee experience into the world. Like so many other companies, they’re interested in putting forth a great product — single-origin, ethically-sourced, locally-roasted coffee. But, they also realized that making and drinking coffee could also lend itself to creating a personal experience beyond the actual drink. One that turned an everyday routine into an intentional ritual. Let’s hear the story directly from one of the co-founders, Nick Bianco (seated on the left).

Co-founders Jason Holman and Nick Bianco came together in May of 2020 to bring a new kind of coffee experience into the world.
Like so many other companies, they’re interested in putting forth a great product — single-origin, ethically-sourced, locally-roasted coffee. But, they also realized that making and drinking coffee could also lend itself to creating a personal experience beyond the actual drink. One that turned an everyday routine into an intentional ritual. Let’s hear the story directly from one of the co-founders, Nick Bianco (seated on the left).

Q: What does your personal journey with coffee look like? When did you start drinking coffee? Did you have someone that initially introduced you? Do you have a progression story (e.g., Folger's to Starbucks to Intelligensia to ... Spiritus)?

A: Jason and I (Nick Bianco) ran in the same circles of recovery folks, as we both had a past history with drugs and alcohol, and now both surround ourselves with other guys who’ve needed help stopping and couldn’t do it on their own.

The idea to go into business together happened out on my deck while drinking coffee and always bringing up the idea of someday wanting to have a cafe or coffee shop. I think I just brought it up until Jason finally caught the same bug.

I have been in healthcare/IT sales for 12 years now. I grew up vowing that I would never be in sales, but then ended up loving it and doing well at it once I realized sales can be a service. I also worked as a photographer — I think there’s some commonality in photography that can be applied to coffee. My favorites are the similarities of ISO, shutter speed, and aperture in photography being so much like airflow, heat energy, and temperature/time in coffee roasting. I was more on the technical side of my photography art, and I feel it makes me a really good fit for the technicality of a coffee roaster.

Q: Did you know anything about roasting when you started? If not, what was your process for learning?

A: It started with learning about better ways to brew a great cup of coffee. From there, it grew to roasting coffee. I bought a small, used Fresh Roast popcorn popper-style roaster, and started roasting small 120 gram batches in my kitchen.

I always stop in at the local coffee shop in town when I travel for work. I’ve loved meeting with roasters and cafe owners to talk to them about what they do. I falsely got the idea that there’s a large margin of error, and that it shouldn’t be too difficult to be a roaster. After upgrading to a commercial coffee roaster and going through my first full bag (132 pounds) of coffee, I realized there is a ton of nuance to getting the flavor profiles I’m looking for — my YouTube education was good, but a lot more was learned with trial and error.

Q: Your focus on letting coffee be part of a journey of mindfulness/spirituality is very cool. What led you to that concept?

A: During 2020, and the shelter-in-place, my Covid hobby was mindfulness. I finally had enough time available to seriously attempt a meditation practice; it made that uncertain time much easier. Learning how thoughts and feelings arise in consciousness along with breath, sounds, and sensations in our body, I thought about my coffee brewing and tasting with Jason, and looking for all of those flavors like blueberry, chocolate, and some coffees claim Jolly Ranchers and PBJ! To me, it tasted, well, like a cup of coffee.

Combining coffee and mindfulness makes you look a little deeper into what you’re tasting. They bring you into the moment to watch for those tasting notes to arrive in consciousness just like the other senses we move awareness to in meditation. That, combined with the fact we all need a little more quiet time, became a concept and idea that started to grow.

Q: When did you decide you would donate profits to organizations dedicated to mental health/addiction recovery?

A: The idea of donation turned our expensive coffee hobby into an idea for a business. I don’t think we would have the passion to go this far only thinking about it from a traditional business sense. There had to be more, and as we decided on the details of how we wanted to operate, we realized how good it could be, and what we might be able to give back.

Proper sourcing can give back to the farmer’s families and communities; helping the non-profits we care most about (mental health and addiction recovery) because of our personal histories; and bringing a brand message of spirituality (whatever that looks like to you), mindfulness, and meditation to help remind us to pause and take a breath in our stressful lives.

Q: What are some of your coffee rituals?

A: When I can, I love enjoying a coffee ritual. When I am home on a weekend, I love a pour-over coffee. The grinding, weighing, slow pour, the bloom, all of it is a very present-moment practice. I set aside the radio and playlists — I love to listen to a record. As a photographer, I love how shooting film slows you down, and makes you more conscious of how you’re using that limited shot. It is in the same spirit that I love to slow down with a pour-over coffee.

Q: Currently, what is your favorite Spiritus coffee?

A: I am still a big fan of all of them. I do a lot of market research, and still buy as much other coffee as I do our own. Of all the coffees that we’ve roasted, I really love the Colombian/Ethiopian blend we are selling as our Spiritus House Blend. It is a super drinkable coffee, has both the chocolate and roasted nuts notes of the Colombian, and as the coffee cools and changes, the blueberry and juiciness of the Ethiopian.

Q: Do you have a favorite method of brewing?

A: Espresso is my go-to, and I am a big fan of the Chemex.

Q: If there was one thing you want people to take away from this interview, what would it be?

A: Though it has been commodified, the original use of coffee was to help Sufi monks stay up later into the night to reach divine consciousness; it was an aid to transcend the material world. Think about how coffee brewed in your favorite method and enjoyed from your favorite cup, can add to your life as more than a pick-me-up. Hopefully, that Spirit of Coffee will be there for you, too.

Co-founders of Spiritus Coffee Jason Holman and Nick Bianco came together in May of 2020, to bring a new kind of coffee experience into the world. Like so many other companies, they’re interested in putting forth a great product — single-origin, ethically-sourced, locally-roasted coffee. But, they also realized that making and drinking coffee could also lend itself to creating a personal experience beyond the actual drink. One that turned an everyday routine into an intentional ritual. Let’s hear the story directly from one of the co-founders, Jason Holman (seated on the right).

Q: What does your personal journey with coffee look like? When did you start drinking coffee? Did you have someone that initially introduced you? Do you have a progression story (e.g., Folger’s to Starbucks to Intelligensia to … Spiritus Coffee)?

A: I started drinking coffee in 7th grade, I think. We’d hang out in a local restaurant and smoke cigarettes and drink coffee before school. Some of the teachers did the same thing – that café was like a safety zone — they never got us in trouble for it. It all started to change for me the more attention I paid to brewing methods. I learned that brewing has a huge impact on taste. I had a cup of a freshly-roasted Intelligentsia Ethiopian coffee brewed in a V60 that blew my mind. It was like wine; I never knew coffee could taste that way. I’ve been a coffee flavor chaser ever since.

Q: How did you meet and decide to start a business together?

A: Nick and I met in recovery circles years ago. He’s been sober about 15 years, and I met him about 8 or 9 years ago. We became friends right away, and we were both very committed to recovery and to helping others. He was a guy who was excited about life, and was always willing to take the time to help someone who was struggling. Spirituality and helping others is what recovery is all about, and Nick and I spent hours and hours hanging out, drinking coffee, talking about meditation, spirituality, and the guys that we were trying to help.

I’ve always worked in sales; a couple of cigar companies, then another coffee company, and now a rice producer located in Southern Illinois. The idea for Spiritus Coffee Company started on Nick’s back porch probably a year and half ago. Every time we got together, eventually the conversation would turn to starting a coffee company. It’s always been a dream. We were never able to shake it; it’s like the idea had a life of its own and things just started happening. We try to plan, but the whole endeavor really has had a natural, go with the flow feel to it.

Q: Did you know anything about roasting when you started? If not, what was your process for learning?

A: I didn’t. Nick had just purchased a small Fresh Roast machine and loved it. I ordered a small, hand-held, and roasted some on the stove. I’ve always been pretty obsessed with the coffee brewing process, and trying to dial in the perfect cup, while Nick got heavy into the roasting process and trying to dial in the perfect roast. We make a good team.

Q: Your focus on letting coffee be part of a journey of mindfulness/spirituality is very cool. What led you to that concept?

A: Well, I think a big part of it came from the influence of recovery principles that we both employ. We’ve both been practicing meditation for a while now, and before coffee, it’s what talked about much of the time. As we got further obsessed with coffee, we began incorporating it into our meditative practice. When we began discovering the world of taste, it developed even more, and we found we could be really present while brewing and having a cup. Brewing coffee and really tasting the nuance and subtle notes in it demand attention; it pulls you into the present and what you’re doing right here, right now. Like a lot of this, it just seemed to happen organically.

Q: When did you decide you would donate profits to organizations dedicated to mental health/addiction recovery?

A: That was something we both desired to do from the start. We wanted our company to have a positive local impact. We really hope that we’re able to help some people. We’ve both certainly struggled ourselves and received a lot of help; we just want to try to give back what was given us.

Q: What are some of your coffee rituals?

A: I’m a pre-dawn and late night guy. I love my time in the morning before the sun comes up when the world (and my house) is quiet. First thing in the morning, I open the container I store my beans in. I use a manual grinder, and can really smell the fragrance of the coffee. I measure, heat water, set up my V60, and carefully brew my first cup. I bring it into my office, and sip in a chair in the peace and quiet, noticing the aroma and flavors. Midway through the cup, I usually read for a short time and then meditate. When I leave my office afterwards, I’m awake, connected and fresh … at least for 20 minutes until my three-year-old wakes up.

Q: Currently, what is your favorite Spiritus coffee?

A: Definitely our Indonesian Sulawesi — which will be available as a very limited-time offering soon!

Q: Do you have a favorite method of brewing?

A: Definitely V60.

Q: If there was one thing you want people to take away from this interview, what would it be?

A: We can get so consumed with “doing” and can completely disregard “being.” When we take the time to disconnect with the chaos, and connect with something greater, it changes us. Over time, it can change us on a very deep level … we can bring that change into everything we do, and every interaction we have. It can literally transform the world we live in. Coffee can be magical, it can be a sacrament and a ritual; it can wake us up on a whole different level. The ancient Sufi monks knew it a long, long time ago. There really is a Spirit of Coffee that’s worth tapping into.

Hello, and welcome to Spiritus Coffee! We are excited to reveal our first set of single-origin, locally roasted coffee beans. What makes Spiritus Coffee different from some of the other coffees you’ve tried? Grab a cup and let’s get into it.

We believe coffee is much more than just a beverage or an aid to further alertness and productivity. We know that it can foster connections between people and join us together in the moment.

The Purpose of Spiritus Coffee

At Spiritus Coffee Company, our purpose is to transform your daily coffee from routine to Ritual. Every bean infused with spirit; every sip set with intention; every moment a moment to savor. From seed to cup, every detail matters. That’s why we made thoughtful choices to obtain single-origin and ethically coffee sourced from farmers in finest growing regions of the world. We create small batch specialty coffee blends that are hand roasted locally in Lombard, IL. And 20% of all profits support organizations dedicated to addiction and mental health. When given time, attention, and community, a cup of coffee can deepen our connection to the present moment and our connection to each other. So however you choose to brew and whatever be on your mind, we hope you can slow down, breathe deeply, and sip in the moment completely.

Roast

Spiritus Coffee is committed to finding the highest quality coffee, and work with farmers and coffee farming communities whose ethics value quality over quantity. We work to source unique and rare speciality micro-lots that will be especially appreciated by those with a well-developed palate. We roast our coffee locally, and we manually roast each batch with intention and consciousness, bringing our best to your preferred brewing method and favorite mug.

Ritual

So often, we brew and consume coffee in a rush — a quick fix before running out to start our day. Grabbing a cup in a drive-through, sipping as we drive to work or school. Using it as a caffeine delivery device — a means to an end.

What if … brewing and enjoying a cup of coffee was a leisurely affair? Many recent studies have shown that practicing mindfulness/meditation improves mental health and general attitude. We think that the world of coffee and the world of mindfulness can easily be combined to create a moment of quiet reflection while enjoying a great cup of coffee.

Rally

We have personal experience with the idea that we all succeed when we help one another. “A rising tide lifts all boats,” as it were. To that end, we will be donating 20% of our profits to organizations whose missions are to help and guide people with addiction and/or mental illness. We hope to support organizations who are directly working with those in need, and help everyone to see the benefits of a good quiet time and a great cup of coffee. Our first partners will be the 516 Light Foundation and NAMI DuPage.

We can’t wait for you to buy and enjoy some high-quality coffee, while staying in the present moment and supporting some great organizations doing excellent work. Welcome to Spiritus Coffee Company!