weight: 400;” data-mce-fragment=”1″ data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”>Last week, we had the pleasure of inviting Washburn Rural High School’s Business Department students to our roasting facility for a behind-the-scenes look into specialty coffee. This visit was part of our long-standing partnership with WRHS, beginning over a decade ago when they reached out to establish weight: 400;” data-mce-fragment=”1″ data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”>Common Groundsweight: 400;” data-mce-fragment=”1″ data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”>—a student-operated coffee shop dedicated to providing high-quality beverages and excellent customer service to the school community.
weight: 400;” data-mce-fragment=”1″ data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”>It’s always an exciting occasion when we have visitors, especially when it’s students who can better understand how the journey from bean to cup unfolds. Upon arrival at the warehouse, Brent Piepergerdes, our Chief Operating Officer, greeted these business students. Before the tour began, Brent briefly discussed the weight: 400;” data-mce-fragment=”1″ data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”>history of PT’s coffeeweight: 400;” data-mce-fragment=”1″ data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”>—from where we’ve been and our aspirations for the future. Then, it was off to the production floor to tour where the magic happens!
weight: 400;”>Production was in full swing, so students got a chance to see orders being fulfilled throughout the tour—from coffees being freshly roasted to bags of coffee being filled and sealed by hand.
weight: 400;”>
coffee beans, surrounded by WRHS business students.”/>
weight: 400;”>As the students roamed the roasting facility, they learned about the intricate process of sourcing agricultural products from thousands of miles away and converting them into the beverage we all know and love. Brent also discussed the importance of ourcoffee“>weight: 400;”> Direct Trade programweight: 400;”> and touched on visiting our various Direct Trade partners at origin each year. For example, our green coffee-buying team visited both weight: 400;”>Costa Rica and El Salvadorweight: 400;”> in 2024!
weight: 400;”>
coffee‘s roasting machines. “/>
weight: 400;”>An essential tool in any coffee roasting facility? Our roasting machines, of course! Brent explained how our three roasters—weight: 400;”>a Diedrich IR-24, Diedrich IR-5, and German Gothotweight: 400;”>—are weight: 400;”>used daily.
weight: 400;”>
coffee roasting process to WRHS business students.”/>
weight: 400;”>Finally, it was time for a more hands-on experience. The students were divided into two groups to ensure everyone had a chance to engage fully with the roasting process. Mike Mazulo, our Head Roaster, led his group through a demo roast. Fun fact: only one of these students had ever seen coffee roasting!
weight: 400;”>
coffee beans.”/>
weight: 400;”>As many of these students are baristas, Mike began the roast by showing them green beans or coffee prior to it being roasted. A few students can be seen examining the green beans here.
weight: 400;”>
coffee roasting sampler for a WRHS business student to smell. “/>
weight: 400;”>Then, it was on to sampling the coffee beans, aka smelling the coffee throughout different stages of the roast process.
weight: 400;”>
coffee roaster as Mike Mazulo explains first crack.”/>
weight: 400;”>Students huddled around the roaster to hear for themselves the first crack, a stage in the coffee roasting process when moisture in green coffee beans turns into steam and escapes, creating a cracking noise. The students were surprised that this sounded similar to popcorn beginning to pop!
weight: 400;”>At last, the roasting process was complete, and the freshly roasted coffee was released into the cooling tray. Students even got the opportunity to feel the coffee beans as they cooled, which was clearly a highlight of the day!
weight: 400;”>
coffee beans. “/> 
coffee beans. ” data-mce-fragment=”1″ style=”float: none;” data-mce-src=”https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1009/7448/files/IMG_7122_480x480.jpg?v=1732231903″/>
weight: 400;”>Meanwhile, the other group of students was in our training room with Brent and Lara Prahm, our Production Manager. This group quickly started learning all about coffee at origin and how different varietals and processing methods help contribute to the unique flavor expectations of the coffee they know and love.
weight: 400;”>
coffee beans processed in various ways.” data-mce-fragment=”1″ style=”float: none;” data-mce-src=”https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1009/7448/files/IMG_6836_480x480.jpg?v=1732232168″/>
weight: 400;”>To effectively demonstrate the differences between various processing methods, the group tasted three light roast Ethiopian coffees, each prepared using a particular processing method.
weight: 400;”>
coffee into branded PT’s coffee cups.”/>
weight: 400;”>The first coffee was weight: 400;”>Ayele Tulu Buno Zura Washedweight: 400;”>, a washed process that offered a silky, bright cup with notes of butterscotch, green tea, and lemon zest.
weight: 400;”>Next, they experienced weight: 400;”>Buncho Washing Station Honeyweight: 400;”>, a recent weight: 400;”>Roaster’s Choice selectionweight: 400;”> that provided a velvety cup with hints of peach, lemon balm, and walnut.
weight: 400;”>Finally, the group tasted weight: 400;”>Shibru Dube Chechele Naturalweight: 400;”>, a syrupy coffee with notes of berry compote, pineapple, and cocoa nib.
After a brief discussion on each, we asked the students which coffee they preferred and if they could guess the processes found within our Flying Monkey espresso—a coffee they’re all familiar with. The students quickly caught on, recognizing that our signature espresso is a blend of all three of these processes!
weight: 400;”>As the visit wrapped up, students left with a new appreciation for the whole coffee process and some fun merch to remember their time at the Roasting Co. by—including a weight: 400;”>Flying Monkey Espressoweight: 400;”> poster, some coffee-sticker-sheet”>weight: 400;”>stickersweight: 400;”>, a weight: 400;”>Flying Monkey enamel weight: 400;”>piweight: 400;”>n, and one of ourweight: 400;”> single-serve pour over pouchesweight: 400;”>!
