Great Minds Coffee Roasters — Restaurant in Waterbury

I was lucky enough to have a coffee tasting yesterday with the great minds behind Great Minds Coffee Roasters. Not only were the three coffees brewed to perfection and absolutely DELICIOUS, but I learned a number of things I didn't know about coffee (and I'm already kind of a coffee nerd). The Peru Catamarca was particularly interesting and I'd never had a Peruvian coffee before!

I was hoping to find a local roaster to supply coffee to our new restaurant in Watertown, so I was psyched to see there was a spot literally five minutes down the road from us. I was blown away, though, by how much these two humans care about coffee - from how the growers are treated to what specific notes they can eke out of the beans by using some data and charts that were, frankly, way above my head!

Their space in the Pin Factory was charming and SPOTLESSLY clean, and I got to watch beans get roasted in real time. If you want coffee that is fresh (aka roasted within a few days of purchasing) and treated with reverence and care - you HAVE to check them out.

-Lauren (dba The Local...

This hidden gem is a local roaster producing coffee with aroma so delicious that when you pass by the bag, you want to brew some immediately. It is a family affair, run by husband and wife. This is NOT a café. They don't serve coffee (other than occasional samples). There are no tables to sit down and socialize. What they do is roast and sell excellent coffee from all over the world. They also sell fine implements for brewing and storing coffee. The roastery is open to the public only on Sunday mornings and Thursday afternoons. To find it you must drive around to the rear of a huge old needle factory in Watertown. Follow the signs into the roaster. You will find the hosts ready and willing to discuss good coffee and make recommendations of great coffee at reasonable prices. Coffee roasted by artisans is not inexpensive as you can see in the supermarket. This coffee is so much better and fresher. Try something from an origin you haven't had before. For instance, the Huehuetenango from Guatemala is quite pleasing. Take the coffee home...

Boyfriend is absolutely obsessed with their coffee, and for a good reason. I personally don't drink coffee but my boyfriend loves all the options and sustainability from this company. I grabbed his Christmas gift from here and he was so excited for his new coffee air canister and holiday blend. They are always so kind and welcoming. Definitely don't sleep on this place. You might just have some of the best coffee...