BBCR.ca — Restaurant in Gatineau

It takes a lot to change an espresso nerd's habits. But I have to say: “they got me!”

I found out about Brown Bag Coffee Roasters (BBCR.ca) by accidentally smelling the unmistakable coffee roasting smoke on a day I was running on the bike path nearby their their covert, easy-to-miss studio on Pink Road. My nose guided me and, goodness me (!), no regrets whatsoever. This place is a true gem.

Overall experience: Unfortunately, a 5-star rating is not enough to rank this place. I fell in love with their exquisite takeaway beverages, and it didn't take long before I was converted to exclusively buying my oh-so-sacred espresso coffee beans from them — perfectly roasted, every time. Supporting a local business has never felt, and tasted, this good.

Service: All the staff is genuinely friendly, helpful and while there is generally no queue at the roastery, you'll be the only person that exists in the world when engaging with any of the staff member. You'll almost always run into Chris (one of the owners): he is usually hiding in the far right corner roasting beans, but please do take the time to say hello to him. He will take all the time necessary to provide you with very personal custom-tailored advice based on your level of knowledge, whether you are just getting started in your elevated coffee-making journey or if you have years of experience in composing serious, near-barista-level brews. He will share the most useful insights to “up your game” in a friendly way and you'll immediately be making big leaps forwards. Every interaction with him feels like a complimentary one-on-one mini-masterclass, really.

Coffee beans: My personal favourite is their signature triple-origin espresso blend, which is, in my opinion, one the of the best I have had the pleasure to brew in over 20 years of daily espresso making. Big claim, but I tried a lot of beans from 3rd wave roasters thinking I had reached perfection. BBCR is a whole new game. I will at some point dive in their lighter roasted collection and give my pour-over kit a little love.

Price: There are commodities in life for which you probably excel at buying at the lowest price per weight. Table salt, white sugar, basmati rice... floor wax. BBCR coffees are NO commodity. They are a superior brand product and your purchase is an investment in a top of the range tasting experience. Accordingly, don't set your expectations for bargain $12-pound bags for artisan-level coffee. Your reward for paying a little more is this: an absurdly astonishing cup of coffee. The value of this experience well exceeds the price paid, in my opinion.

Final notes: My review only accounts for an already vastly unanimous 5-star rating for this premium coffee roasting maestros. I cannot wait to see how far this brand will go in the future and I am happy that I'll be following their successes along the way as a properly delighted customer. Cheers and all the best,...

I recently placed an online order with Brown Bag Coffee Roasters, and I must say, it has been an exceptional experience from start to finish! The coffee delivery was impressively fast, and I couldn't be happier with the special they offered for the New Year. I decided to go all-in and ordered 10 lbs of their coffee beans, and it has turned out to be an absolute delight.

The depth and richness of the coffee notes are truly remarkable. Every cup feels like a journey into a world of flavour, and my wife and I have been thoroughly enjoying the experience. Note: We have been brewing their coffee using pour over method. Water to bean ratio is 1:14. So far it has been a great cup of coffee.

What sets Brown Bag Coffee Roasters apart is not only the exceptional coffee but also the passion and love that clearly goes into their craft. The pleasure we've derived from their coffee has already made us loyal customers, and we can't wait to place another order. We've been raving about our fantastic coffee experience here in Alberta, and we've made it a point to recommend Brown Bag Coffee Roasters to all...

Shann and Josiah performed a maintenance on my home espresso machine over the past few days. The level of customer service and passion for all things coffee that these guys show is unparalleled. From a detailed breakdown of the work done, the reasoning behind the work, the advice on general use and daily care, to the precision and thorough communication during the time that my machine was at the shop, these guys nailed every interaction. Without question, I'll be going back to Brown Bag for all my future needs. A further shout out to the front-of-house staff who are always friendly and helpful, and clearly love talking coffee.

My wife and I also frequently buy their Guatemala blend, and we absolutely love it. I've had some of the other blends and they're good, but something about the Guatemala really speaks to us.

I consider Aylmer lucky to have such a cool spot. They've won me as a...