Charleston Living Magazine Nov-Dec 2023

effe. It’s unusual for such a large roaster like this to dip their toes in
the specialty coffee scene, but small batches yield a more flavorful cup.
On average, Abby Reynolds, lead roaster, roasts 15,000 pounds of
beans per day in small batches, relying on her five senses and attention
to detail. As soon as beans leave the semi-truck, she roasts a few small
samples to test the quality. Beans filter through feed containers into
colossal roasting machines.
Reynolds manipulates the energy, heat and air within these complex
roasters to alter the coffee profiles and flavors. Once roasted, beans
are blended immediately and then packaged for optimal freshness.
Each grocery store that sells coffee opts for packages of blended or
whole-bean coffee depending on their customers’ preferences.
Reynolds’ favorite blend is Espresso Medium, also known as the
Loggerhead Sea Turtle blend—Colombian, Mexican and Guatemalan
coffees are blended together in a sweet medium roast. It’s incredible as
a cold brew, espresso, or in a French press.
While Charleston Coffee Roasters has tossed around the idea of
opening a brick-and-mortar, they are currently focused on wholesale
and online sales. Follow along on Instagram at @charleston_coffee
Second State Coffee
Across four locations in Harleston Village, Mount Pleasant and West
Ashley, Second State Coffee is on a mission to make conversations
around coffee approachable for coffee connoisseurs and newcomers.
Lifelong friends Jayme Scott and Ross Jett left their corporate careers
in California and Capitol Hill to open the Beaufain Street location,
formerly Black Tap Coffee, in February 2012. Visiting new cafes around
D.C. was the highlight of Scott’s day and Jett drew inspiration from
innovative shops around San Francisco and L.A.
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A decorative roaster of
the past on display at
Big Kick Coffee.
“We always fantasized about what we liked and what we'd do differently
if we opened our own coffee shop,” Jett said.
Two years in, the duo realized Charleston lacked a specialty-grade
coffee roaster. They opened a roasting facility on James Island, creating
6-10 different blends that they stock in their shops. Second State is
meticulous with its roasting process, sourcing only specialty grade coffee—roasting
beans from coffee crops harvested at the optimal interval
of freshness. Specialty-grade coffee equates to a farm-to-table approach
in a restaurant setting.
In recent years, coffee processing techniques progressed beyond two
basic methods.
“Farmers can get very specific with what strains of yeast they inoculate
their fermentation tanks with, whether or not they introduce
symbiotic fruits to that tank to sway the final flavor and then how long
everything marries together,” states Jett.
After purchasing coffee directly from a farmer, Second State enters
a process to find the right “roast curve” for each coffee. In some scenarios,
roasters nail the roast curve on the first try, but it usually takes a few
attempts to discover what ideal temperature and flavor works for each
coffee.
In 2017, they launched a second location and took over Collective
Coffee Co. in Mount Pleasant. Two locations ushered a rebranding of
growth, transformation and consistency, pivoting the name to Second
State Coffee. Their owl logo exemplifies wakefulness, foresight and wisdom.
While there are several locations, each shop does its own thing and
has a unique atmosphere.
In addition to four shops, Second State Coffee sells beans online
and wholesale to 40 customers, providing coffee beans to local eateries
like Daps Breakfast & Imbibe and Indaco. Shop menus change
routinely, offering coffee beans from different regions across the globe
hinging on what’s in season.
Second State’s most popular blend is the Heavyweight, favored
by 90% of their wholesale accounts. The Heavyweight blend features
sweet chocolate notes and can hold its own or pair with cream and sugar.
However, Jett favors washed Ethiopian coffees and recommends the
new Worka Nenke from Gedeb, Ethiopia. Their cold brew is renowned
among students, working professionals and tourists alike.
While running four shops and a roaster is a lot, Second State’s
founders operate on a community-focused growth mindset, always open
to new opportunities. Jett loves coffee because it’s a relationship business.
“You can't buy or sell coffee without getting to know people on
a personal level,” he said. “In an age where personal interaction is less
inherent to many professional interactions, I feel privileged to still get to
conduct myself in this fashion. I truly get to be part of my community.”
Follow along on Instagram at @secondstatecoffee
Big Kick Coffee
Fraser Young first entered the world of coffee in the 90s selling chocolate-covered
coffee beans. Shortly after moving to Charleston in 2010,
Young opened Big Kick Coffee in a Charleston City Market booth
prior to the 476 Meeting Street location he set up shop in July 2023.
Big Kick Coffee’s fire-roasting techniques and quality sourcing
set it apart from local competition. The James Island roasting facility
and downtown shop produce over 30 fire-roasted blends from ten coffee
bean origins including Honduras, Brazil, India, and Guatemala.
Young grew up in Canada and first enjoyed fire-roasted coffee in
the 70s.
“We used to laugh and joke at the U.S. border every time we
crossed. ‘Oh, this will be the last good coffee we enjoy,’” Young recalls.
In the early 2000s, he said, good coffee wasn’t prevalent in America.
Beans at Big Kick Coffee are small batch fire-roasted in 100-yearold,
25-pound perforated drum roasters—former peanut roasters—
PHOTO JENNY PETERSON