As a sect of its own in the world of beans, “Scandinavian-style” coffee is about as elusive in the Northwest as Big Foot. Typically a technique of simply roasting the beans to a lighter degree to identify the natural flavors in each green coffee pre-roast, this ethnic grouping of coffee can be seen popping up around the Northwest with guaranteed sightings at Portland’s Heart Coffee Roasters, both in at their eastside (2211 E. Burnside St.) and westside (537 SW 12th Ave.) locations. The roasting style of Heart makes sense—owner Willie Yli-Luoma is a Finnish professional snowboarder whose roasting style has been described as “obsessive” to bring the utmost professional and uncompromising quality to his beans in Portland.
The press has been obsessed with Heart as well, with mentions and listings from GQ to The New York Times, and now you can add Sip NW to the list as well. The Stereo Blend from Heart is what’s on the docket for the seasonal roast right now, meant for espresso and pulled with perfection at one of the two cafes (although they ship freshly in-house roasted beans every Tuesday and Friday). A half and half blend of Ethiopian and Guatemalan beans, the nose is a bouquet of baked fruit like pear and red apple, backed by spices of cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg with bitter cocoa and an inherent acidity to balance and give strength. Try in a latte at the shop with the exclusive option of non-dairy hazelnut milk from Portland local Pixie Retreat.
Follow on Facebook: Heart Roasters
Track on Twitter: @heartroasters
