Hey there, adventurers! Dave here, the guy who roasts all that amazing Lone Bear coffee, chiming in from Les Cheneaux Coffee Roasters. The Lone Bear folks recently cornered me for a "candid conversation," which mostly involved them plying me with my own roasted beans and asking about my personal coffee consumption habits. And let me tell you, when you live, breathe, and smell coffee all day, your personal preferences get a little... scattered. So, what’s my preferred brewing style? Well, buckle up, because my answer is a definitive, "Yes, all of the above, depending on my mood, the weather, and whether I remembered to sleep last night."
I totally go in "spurts," which I think is just code for "I’m an indecisive coffee addict." Some days, I crave that glorious, gritty, heavy mouthfeel that only a French Press can deliver. It’s like drinking a comforting, weighted blanket of coffee, perfect for when the Michigan chill hits or I just need a serious, unqualified hug from my mug. This feeling is perfectly captured by our rich French Press-ready dark roast. Other times, when I actually manage to carve out five minutes of calm—a rare event around here—I'll reach for the Chemex. That beautiful glass hourglass is my favorite brewing technique, especially when I’m showcasing a delicate, lighter roast. The Chemex strips away all the sediment, leaving you with a clean, almost tea-like clarity that lets the complex notes of the bean shine through. It's truly a moment of peace, like finding a perfectly still lake in the woods.
But let’s be real. Between juggling Lone Bear’s orders and keeping the SF-25 roaster from staging a coup, my go-to brewing method is less "peaceful ritual" and more "emergency intervention." My everyday savior? A Basecamp quad-shot espresso. Yes, four shots. Straight. It’s the caffeine equivalent of being slapped awake by a grumpy beaver. That compact, intense blast of flavor and energy is what keeps me sharp enough to profile the next batch of beans and make sure your coffee is flawless. If you see me wandering around the roastery with a wild look in my eye and moving at triple speed, you know the quad-shot has kicked in. So, whether it's a slow pour for flavor clarity or a four-shot blast for survival, the best brewing method is always the one that’s currently in my hand.
Tired of gritty, lukewarm camp coffee? Learn how to achieve a café-quality brew anywhere with our ultimate guide to outdoor coffee gear. We dive deep into the pros and cons of four top brewing methods—the AeroPress, French Press, Pour-Over, and Cowboy Coffee—comparing taste, portability, and cleanup. Plus, we highlight the essential grinders and kettles that make all the difference, ensuring your next sunrise cup is your best one yet.
So, what’s my preferred brewing style? Well, my answer is a definitive, "Yes, all of the above, depending on my mood, the weather, and whether I remembered to sleep last night." I totally go in "spurts," ranging from the comforting, gritty hug of a French Press to the clean, peaceful ritual of a Chemex with a lighter roast. But when the roastery chaos hits and I need to move faster than a black bear chasing a picnic basket, my go-to is a survival-level quad-shot espresso. It’s the caffeine equivalent of being slapped awake by a grumpy beaver, and it’s what keeps your coffee tasting perfect.
Our engine of adventure, the SF-25 by San Franciscan Roaster Company, is the meticulous machine that brings the flavor to life for Lone Bear Coffee. We chose this American-made beast, built from robust Schedule 40 steel, because its high conductivity and responsive heat controls allow us to achieve extremely precise roast profiles—a critical factor in specialty roasting. While the machine can handle up to 25 pounds, we stick to 10-pound and 20-pound batches. This smaller size gives us the necessary agility to fine-tune the roast, ensuring every single bean develops maximum flavor and guaranteeing ultimate freshness for your roast-to-order adventure fuel.
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