RoosRoast Liberty — Restaurant in Ann Arbor

I've had their drip coffee, as well as their whole bean coffee on drip from other places that grind and prepare it on their own (under the initial guidance of RoosRoast staff). I've not been impressed with those purchases yet, pouring the cup out more often than finishing them. They have so far have been typically quite over-extracted - face-contortingly bitter, especially as the coffee cools. Sometimes I've tasted pleasant notes beneath under-extracted brews of their Lobster Butter blend, but I've not tasted it brewed well yet.

However, I recently went in to see if I could brew it better myself. I'm writing this over a cup of one of their single-origin coffees, a honey process (unspecified past that) from I think Nicaragua. My extraction on it is a touch off but I can tell that this definitely has potential to really taste great given the right water and extraction. I did notice that their bags aren't very well-sealed and the roast date was a while in the past, which limits your ability to hold it for a week or two to your preference directly after roasting.

I can't speak to the potential of their blends - perhaps I'll give one of them a try once I'm through this bag. However, I can at the very least vouch that at least this bag of beans seems to be quality enough and the roast is fine. This is also specific to their Liberty location, I've not tried their drip coffee nor roasted beans directly from their roasting location so cannot attest to its quality.

EDIT: Still going through the same bag that I started this review with. It reads: "Nicaragua regalo De Dios", Mozonte, Nueva Segovia region, Pacamara varietal. I've dialed this in and indeed it has some nice sweet notes with very little bitterness. It's a bit heavy and oily in its mouthfeel, but not acrid or sharp. I think that if comparing local roastaries I'm going to prefer Hyperion in Ypsilanti (my go-to); I'd say that these beans are a bit overdone for my tastes, but it's serviceable. Another update will be forthcoming when I'm done with this bag and try brewing their lobster...

RoosRoast is probably my favorite coffee shop in Ann Arbor, and maybe in Michigan!

After having lived in the Bay Area for years, I'd been looking for a coffee shop that matched the quality, vibe and overall atmosphere of some of my favorites out west without luck. However, after trying RoosRoast and spending an afternoon there, I'd say it's just about as close as you can get in Michigan!

There are a good amount of Coffee options, and most people will find something they like here. They definitely have a solid amount of creative offerings, so try a few to see what you like best! On my most recent visit, I had their RoosRoast Cold Brew, and loved it. The quality of the coffee really shines through. RoosRoast also offers food options, which is definitely helpful if you're looking for a bite to eat while getting work done.

In addition to the food/drink offerings, I'd say one of the biggest draws of RoosRoast is the atmosphere and environment inside. All the decor along the walls shows you what kind of an establishment it is, and most of the signs/ posters will probably give you a chuckle. You can definitely tell people are getting things done inside the cafe, on my most recent visit, there were people reading, studying, and doing graphic design. In addition to the working spaces, you can certainly still socialize with your friends, it's a chill...

Watered down coffee combined with a claustrophobic atmosphere and music so loud conversation is guaranteed to be the last thing you can achieve; The hype was not there.

I’ve heard many people whisper of this cafe, and many of the things that people have to say are complimentary. Unfortunately, my experience was less than enjoyable. To begin, the place is cramped. There are plenty of sitting spots, but all of them are basically touching each other. Once we received our drinks, one sip in and my latte could be described perfectly as water with a hint of oat-milk and “coffee?” If I wanted tea, I would’ve asked.

Normally, I am not a stickler for interior design, and even I can enjoy a more eclectic sense of style, but everything about this cafe was a miss. I assume that it’s supposed to have a garage sale feel, but the unappealing mustard colored walls and even more tasteless sense of decorations made it seem haphazard and hard to look at.

The music was absurdly loud. I could barely speak to my friend let alone order my drink to begin with. The most redeeming quality of this over hyped coffee stain was the employees. They were very pleasant to interact with, and treated everyone kindly and with respect.

I wouldn’t recommend this space to people in a rush let alone someone who wanted to sit and...