Background
S&W Craft Roasting is a roastery out of Indiana started by Nick and Charlie. The duo used to get together on weekends to shop for new beans and try each other’s roasts from the previous week. This ritual lasted as a small operation for both of them until it wasn’t. Demand far surpassed their setups, and it was time for a commercial upgrade and the creation of their roastery.
Key ideas and methods that set this roastery apart is the decision to modernize a classic roastery machine that has enabled S&W Roastery to provide consistent control and monitoring—producing identical batches of freshly roasted coffee. An in-depth testing process for new and existing batches ensures that nothing leaves the roastery that doesn’t meet standards.
When they first started, they have always aimed at filter brewing as their preferred coffee-making method but have slowly succumbed to the world of espresso. I am happy to try some of their roasts as espresso!
The Review
Keeping in mind that S&W Roasting primarily focuses on filter brewing, I will review the bean that tasted best as espresso for me. I mention this because many individuals prefer lighter roasts for filter brewing, and some like medium to darker roasts for espresso, like me. Read more about flavor profiles here, but know that everyone has different taste buds.
Espresso and Beans
I am not knowledgeable about varieties of coffee beans, but one thing I could not help noticing was the size of these. Compared to some of the other roasts I received, these were less than half the size! This espresso blend looks like a medium roast. Smells lovely and has bark/chocolate aromas. It took me two tries to get dialed in, which is always wonderful when trying newer beans. My general pull here was around 19.5g in and 40g out.
Price: $16.40/lb
Score: 8.9/10
Final Thoughts and Verdict
I would recommend this roast and S&W Roasting to anyone who loves fresh espresso beans. Some roasts were better than others for espresso, but many were great once dialed in. For the price point, quality, and support of a smaller roastery, S&W is a wonderful choice! I am looking forward to the future here as more beans could come available with espresso in mind. Check them out here.