Photographing (and drinking) great coffee at Goshen Coffee Co.

I am sort of a coffee connoisseur.

I used to live in Park City, Utah, where I was the head barista at Bad Ass Coffee Company, which roasted and served 100% pure Kona Coffee. I calibrated the espresso machine and grinders twice a week and meticulously prepared every drink for awaiting skiers. After moving back to Saint Louis, I got a job at a boutique coffee shop where we roasted everything in a beautiful chrome and brass machine in house.

Admittedly, I drink quite a bit of terrible coffee, but I am always excited when I find really good beans or a great coffee shop.   

So, naturally, working with Goshen Coffee Company has been awesome. We kicked things off with social media with Bean vs. Bean Challenge, and are currently in the midst of defining the brand and designing new bags and a website.

Last week, Taylor and I had the opportunity to visit the roasting facility in Edwardsville with owner Jay Beard to photograph Goshen’s unique process.

They roast small batches of organic coffee in a custom, hand-built machine that tumbles the beans on a cushion of heated air instead of violently bouncing them around in a steel drum. The moisture content, air temperature, bean temperature and air pressure are all zealously monitored to ensure a consistent roast. 

When we arrived for the photo shoot Monday morning, they were just sealing Atomicdust’s weekly five pound bag of Bona Fide Blend, but the shelves were mostly empty. When I asked about the sparse shelves, Jay replied, “We don’t roast it until someone orders it. These shelves will be full at five o’clock and empty again when the FedEx truck shows up.” Impressive.

After milling around for a bit, Jay asked us if we’d like a cup of coffee. Uh, yeah. He grabbed a handful of beans from the cooling tray of the roaster, carefully weighed them and tossed them in the burr grinder. Each cup of coffee was brewed individually using a pour-over coffee filter. Jay poured in half the water to allow the grounds to “bloom,” then asked Taylor and I to smell it as he illustrated the blooming process with his fingers. After a few moments, he poured in the rest of the water and handed us the cups. Neither of us even considered asking for sugar and cream. 

While it may sound like I’m singing the praises of one of our new clients, I can honestly say that Goshen Coffee produces excellent beans. They are a brand that we are honored and excited to be working with.  When I get to the office and pour myself a cup of Goshen Coffee in the morning, the enthusiasm is partially fueled by my addiction to caffeine, but mostly attributed to the superior cup of coffee. 

Check out Goshen Coffee Company on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.  

James Dixson, Principal / CMO at Atomicdust, has experience in all aspects of marketing, with core knowledge in interactive marketing, the world wide web and all things Apple.