Irving Farm: Our Partner in Coffee
Bags of whole beans for sale at the Kingston cafe
In September we decided to change the coffee that we serve in our cafes to Irving Farm Coffee Roasters. Coffee is an important ritual and part of the day for many of our customers (and for many of us!), so we did not make this change without careful consideration.
Irving Farm's location in Millerton (a short drive from our main bakery) first grabbed out interest, but ultimately we switched because of the shared values between businesses. Both Irving Farm and Bread Alone are committed to creating a product that is sustainable for the earth, good for you, accessible to all -- and just delicious.
GREAT COFFEE STARTS WITH RELATIONSHIPS
Just as we source the highest quality ingredients that we can find, Irving Farm works hard to develop partnerships with their farmers across the globe, and to source a carefully cultivated bean. They maintain close relationships with farmers and their families, sourcing their beans from Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Ethiopia. Each harvest produces new subtleties of flavor that influence the blends season to season.
The Gotham blend served black with our classic Egg & Cheese
These partnerships allow Irving Farm to educate their consumers about the entire coffee process, from bean to cup. And Irving Farm is deeply committed to educating their customers: They recently opened a dedicated coffee education center in Manhattan.
The center serves multiple purposes: to introduce the everyday coffee drinker to the artisanal coffee brewing process, to hold classes and workshops for baristas, and to develop relationships with wholesale customers through trainings. Earlier this year, we sent our own crew of baristas to train. They left with an enhanced understanding of the brewing and cupping process to better serve our customers at the cafes.
OUR FAVORITE BREWS
We serve four of Irving Farm’s blends at our cafes: 71 Irving, Gotham, Farm Brew Decaf, and Blackstrap Espresso.
The 71 Irving is designed to be an all day drinking coffee. It’s mellow enough to be enjoyed black but also bold to stand up to milk and sugar; it satisfies every type of coffee drinker.
The Gotham blend is all about the roasting process. As a darker roast, the bourbony and charred wood notes come out in the caramelization from the roast.
The Farm Brew Decaf is a sweet and herbal organic roast that can be enjoyed throughout the day.
Finally, the Blackstrap Espresso is a big sweet flavor with hints of chocolate, complemented well by milk.
The Blackstrap Espresso in a latte paired with our Fruit & Nut Danish
BORN AND BRED IN NEW YORK
Irving Farm opened their first cafe in New York City in 1996, before the idea of the coffee shop as community space came into fashion. The owners David and Steve were looking for a place where neighbors could gather, and saw an opportunity to build relationships through their coffee. They began roasting out of a barn in upstate New York and have since expanded to their new roasting facility in Millerton. Building on their foundation of bringing people together, they hope that their new roastery allows customers the opportunity to be a part of the coffee roasting process.
GOOD COFFEE (AND BREAD AND TREATS) FOR ALL
Irving Farm ultimately aims to produce coffee that tastes like coffee, while enriching the drinking experience with the subtle flavors of the farms. This creates a coffee that is accessible, intentionally blended, and of course delicious. We think that these qualities are the perfect complement to the bread and treats that we work so hard to create for you.
When you have that next cup of coffee we hope you’ll take an extra moment to reflect on and appreciate the great Irving Farm story.