A Partnership Years in the Making
We're proud to present the first official collab in the new Sirius Coffee Collaboration Series! The Sirius Coffee Collaboration Series is a series of coffees developed and roasted in partnership with our friends, peers, and co-conspirators who are creating excellent things, too.
For the first collaboration, we've partnered with our local friends at Rooted Studios and Refined Studios This blend has been a long time in the works, really ever since Austin (Rooted & Refined owner) was a barista at The Coffee Hound in downtown Bloomington, where Sirius Coffee was roasted for years. This is how it came to be, in the words of Austin:
"It's 2014. A younger Austin Arreola rolls out of bed - years before Refined Studios. It’s 5:30am, the suns still hiding, the birds are singing, and it’s time to open the cafe to serve the neighborhood..
I lived just up the street at the time, so I would stroll down the sidewalk and open the downtown Bloomington Coffee Hound cafe most mornings. There’s something special about being in a quiet coffee shop in the early morning, before anyone else is up and moving. My focus in those early hours was on the small, precise things that keep the show running smoothly; dialing in your espresso bar, prepping the drip coffee maker, writing labels, counting the drawer... That quiet time in the morning was truly the calm before the storm of busy downtown days. But I never really did mind that storm, in fact I fell in love with it.
The years of being a barista taught me so much, and I owe a lot to that hustle (so, seriously - tip your barista. They're working hard back there!) I learned how important a morning ritual is, and how coffee makes it better. I learned about process - so much in life is about the process. Staying detailed and having an established process creates magnificent results. I learned creative new ways to test my imagination through coffee. But most importantly I learned about people. People and relationships. The people that walk through the door every morning are the heartbeat of coffee.
After my time at as a barista, I opened a barbershop right next door in downtown Bloomington, Refined Barber. Refined has since blossomed into a two man barber shop (and other projects) and is now Refined Studios, located on Grove street in downtown Bloomington. Rooted Studios, An indoor plant nursery that my partner Kristi and I are growing together, now resides in the original barbershop location. For me, that shop downtown is where the seed of entrepreneurship and love of community was planted, rooted, and is continuing to grow.
Having our own blend with Sirius is an actual dream come true. It brings us so much joy and gratitude for this opportunity and partnership.The blend is an equal mix of ethically sourced beans from Ethiopia and Guatemala - my favorite origins to serve when I was a barista. This partnership with such a special coffee shop reminds me that all things are possible with a little faith, hard work, community, and vision. Because you can’t stop the vision. - Austin (@refinedbarber)"
Click here to get a bag of the Rooted / Refined blend. Only available for a limited time.
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