We Have a New Roaster!

We're excited to have installed another roaster to increase our capacity, ease scheduled maintenance and provide more time for experimental roasting. We're still working out the kinks, but when we're up and running we'll be able to put a lot more time into research and development. We use process control software to control the roasting profile, so once we come up with a great coffee we can roast it that same way again and again, reliably and repeatably. The real art is in defining the profile that's just right for every coffee.

Over the coming months we'll be tweaking and experimenting with the profiles of all our coffees to make them even better!

New Coffees

We have just received a new Certified Bird Friendly® coffee from Nicaragua. We're still playing with the roasting before releasing it, but based on our work so far we can expect it to be smooth, rich and chocolaty!

A new certified Bird Friendly Colombian is also coming online. Preliminary results indicate a malty, floral and nutty coffee in the making.

Like us on Facebook to be notified when the coffees are released.

Café by the Lake

Changes are happening at our Café by the Lake! We installed a patio this summer that was featured on a "CityTV Everywhere" spot. We also completed the first planting of our CHIRP! garden. This garden will provide shelter, food and water to migratory songbirds, pollinators, and other wildlife... Oh, and its beautiful!

Next year we will add more shrubs for shelter and a water feature. We will also be using the compost from our new onsite composter to keep the garden healthy... Cradle to cradle.

Meanwhile, Waterfront Toronto broke ground on phase 2 of the Mimico Linear Park! Opening next summer, this will connect our cafe to downtown Toronto and beyond on via the waterfront trail. We can't wait!

Join us in Celebrating Rainforest Alliance Week

Rainforest Alliance Week, September 19 through 23, is an awareness raising campaign to let consumers know how they can support healthy farms and forestlands. Throughout the week the Rainforest Alliance will be encouraging individuals and businesses to participate by taking even one small step toward a more sustainable lifestyle.

During this week, online customers who purchase 2 pounds or more of Rainforest Alliance certified coffee will receive a Birds and Beans travel cup! Its microwave and dishwasher safe, is made in North America from recyclable plastic that is BPA and Phthalate free. Oh, and its super handsome.

Cafe customers, we're celebrating in-house with a special combo of a piece of Rainforest Alliance certified chocolate with a Rainforest Alliance certified coffee. Or purchase a half pound of Rainforest Alliance certified and a large coffee, and we'll serve the coffee in our travel cup for you to keep!

For the Toronto community, lets preview Rainforest Alliance week at the CCFEW bird walk September 17th. Many of the birds we see will be on their way back to their wintering grounds in the rainforest of Central and South America where certified shade coffee farms are often their last refuge.

Upcoming Bird Walks

The next walk will be Saturday, September 17th from 9:00 - 11:00 am, Colonel Samuel Smith Park. See the CCFEW Bird Walks page for details. Sponsored by Birds and Beans.