Put Us On ‘Speed Dial’: We Started Roasting Our Own Signature Blend
In August of 2022, we officially became a coffee roasting company, which means we now roast and serve our own coffee! The blend that changed it all? Speed Dial. Let’s talk about the ins and outs of why we made our first signature blend, and where you’ll see it when you grab Blank Street.
Why roast our own coffee?
Creating Speed Dial is a testament to our mission: making quality coffee affordable enough for every day. Here’s what roasting our own coffee does:
Adds craftsmanship
Making Speed Dial allowed us to explore a new level of artistry to the absolute delight of our expert Coffee Team. For the first time, every detail of our coffee flavor profile was up to us.
Builds relationships
By roasting ourselves, we’re developing relationships with coffee farms we work with and want to support (all of which are rather small, allowing for more intimate partnership).
Encourages affordability
This part is super straightforward–roasting ourselves helps us keep our prices down, hard stop.
Keeps it simple
Speed Dial specifically makes the in-shop brewing process easy. It’s created to be immediately compatible with all different brewing methods to be your go-to, every day (did the name give it away?).
What makes Speed Dial different?
Think of Speed Dial as the social butterfly of coffee blends–it’s widely compatible and was made to be loved by many. Speed Dial is great for espresso. It’s classic for drip. It makes delicious cold brew. The versatility of the blend aligns specifically with our use of the Eversys–the high–tech, beloved coffee machine we use in our shops. Since it goes with everything, Speed Dial runs the gamut of espresso-based drinks with ease and compliments the Eversys, known for its near-perfect consistency.
Okay, so what does Speed Dial taste like?
Let’s start with the basics: a blend’s flavor profile is derived from a mixture of its origins and the way it’s processed. Speed Dial is sourced from two locations: 50% from Brazil and 50% from Nicaragua. Each country processes coffee beans differently, with Brazil known for natural processing (where the coffee bean is removed by putting the fruit out in the sun and drying it) and Nicaragua known for washed processing (where it’s removed via water washing).
These sources and methods give Speed dial a balanced, universal flavor profile. Grace from our Coffee Team explained it best. “Speed Dial is chocolate-forward and nutty, with notes of berry. The chocolate comes from the Brazilian coffee, which typically has a super provocative, fudgey, nutty, flavor. And since natural processing brings out sweetness, chocolate rises to the top. The Nicaraguan coffee gives it hints of strawberry and raspberry–its washed processing method brings out a true flavor clarity.”
“This sweet and fruity combination is really approachable to coffee drinkers, and goes well with everything. Speed Dial is delicious with all types of milk, cold or steamed. It’s great black. It’s something we feel really confident about customers falling in love with.”
What do I order to get Speed Dial?
Whether you knew it or not, if you’ve been drinking Blank Street hot brew or espresso since this summer, you’ve been getting Speed Dial! We’re really proud of the blend and the love you’ve given it so far, and will be rolling it out to the rest of our product offering over time. Next time you’re at the shop, know you’re sipping Speed Dial and tell us what you think of it! Our Coffee team is dreaming up the next thing and loves your insight.
