Maas Coffee Roasters — Restaurant in Fort Walton Beach

Bottom Line: Worth Trying.

Sad to see a routine ending. I’m not a coffee person, but Maas challenged that notion. They’ve served my daily fix for about 16 months, and I’ve tried nearly every flavor they offer. As far as bean water goes, it’s worth a taste. I suggest getting the classic cup of the day, then sweetening and adding creamer to your liking.

//Highlighted Flavors// • Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door • Death by Chocolate • The Common Jazz (try at least once)

//Rating Criteria// • 5: Outliers • 4: Above Average • 3: Average • 2: Slightly Below Average • 1: Avoid

//Ratings// • Product: 4 • Customer Service: 3 • Setting: 2

• Total Rating (divided by 3 factors): 3

//Breakdown// • Product: As mentioned, the coffee was good enough to make me rethink coffee as something to enjoy rather than just a caffeine fix. The product excels in simplicity and doesn’t need heaps of sugar to taste good. While a 5-star rating could be argued, the product offers consistency over a trademarked experience. I wasn’t blown away, but I now know what good bean water should be at a minimum.

• Customer Service: Given that a coffee shop deals with patrons at their worst (e.g., in the morning), it’s not feasible to please everyone. They consistently meet the needs of both new and recurring customers. I only had one unusual interaction, but that’s expected with new hires who are still learning. A 5-star rating could be argued here as well, but having interacted with five known employees, three were all-stars. For me to rate any higher would be too biased.

• Setting: While charming, the location leaves some things to be desired. It has the hallmarks of a great local business but struggles with demand outpacing space. This isn’t entirely negative, as it reflects its popularity in the local zeitgeist. However, competing daily for basic services began to wear thin. This is not the employees' fault but rather the result of aged models in a modern environment. They do their best with what they have. As always, a business can’t make everyone happy, but they do a decent job. The rating here might seem a little harsh, but I want to remain rational and accurate. Several factors, some controllable and some not, have to be considered such as; accessibility, peak time scheduling, area workflow, and in-store amenities. Note that I’m not making official recommendations; I’m only expressing opinions gained from comparing with other like-businesses.

//Shout-Outs// • J: A riot. Fond of their grumpy persona, well-earned with age. Loved the humor and anti-Starbucks rhetoric.

• M: Cool as a cucumber and keeps things running smoothly.

• N: Very bright and pleasant. If the coffee doesn’t wake you up, their presence will.

• K: Fun, energetic, and quick to ensure you’re satisfied...

I think I just had the worst Matcha ever 😔

I really wanted to give this place a better review but there were a couple things I just couldn’t overlook. I’ve been getting coffee and tea from here for the last few days and it’s really hit or miss. The Chai is authentic but very spicy and needs more of a balance to the paste.

My biggest issues are:

Training and/or ingredients ratios-I’m not sure which is the issue but there’s a gap in making the drink vs actually understanding the science behind mixing things together at the right time. For example, with the latte I created (brown sugar/cinnamon and toffee jut syrup) she knew to add the brown sugar and cinnamon in with the pulled shot to mix it together better (this was the best drink I had from here). For most of my other drinks the ratios were never quite right and the drink ended up being too bitter or too spicy

The additional $1 charge for alternative milk 🙄 I think I’ll just avoid places that upcharge on alt milk altogether going forward cause I think it’s overkill at this point. Oat milk, when purchased in bulk, shouldn’t be more than 2x regular milk. Then charge the appropriate amount-it’s really frustrating to have to pay at least $6-$7 for a drink no matter what I get

Please train your staff to pay attention to what customers order. My orders are never complicated and on two separate occasions I’ve requested a 16oz and the young lady made a 12oz -the first time she just added more oat milk which I let pass. The second time it completely screwed up the ratio of the ingredients to the drink leaving it very bitter and unpleasant to drink.

Luckily there are other options from me to choose from in the area so I’ll be exploring those. Hopefully they take this as feedback and make some adjustments. The inside of the place looks cool and always smells good. But I’m not paying for aesthetic or smells -just good...

This place is like none other! The coffee is roasted weekly and the smell of it is second only to the taste of their coffee. They not only have a full coffee menu in a range of preparation options but they also sell it by the pound! We LOVE our morning MAAS! It’s a small, cozy place that’s always clean and generally has a few friendly folks sitting among the vast array of well maintained plants on the welcoming patio. Don’t forget to grab a pastry while you’re there and enjoy a few minutes taking it all in! The Baristas are true masters of their craft, always ready to answer any questions you may have with a smile and ready to let their talents shine as they whip up your magic in a cup. Did I mention their prices are unbelievable? (They are!) Oh! And they have coffee bean burlap bags, hand crafted mugs, local art (some is even for sale!) Go check this gem out first chance you get! You won’t regret it!! Don’t forget to bring the kids and the dog because there’s a park and MAAS is pet friendly!!...