Flavio Takes Me to Coffee School

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I am on a mission to meet with Flavio Lichtenthal, the Roaster and Co-owner of No. Six Depot Cafe and Roastery. It is far from my first visit to the cafe and so I attempt to put myself into the mindframe that might allow me to see the space again, for the first time. When I turn left in downtown West Stockbridge, my destination is clear. No. Six Depot stands out on the passthrough that is Depot street. A small railway cart stands on a run of tracks that leads nowhere and yet, they need no function. It is a well-considered detail that adds weight and age to the meticulously designed space. The black sign is understated, and clear-as-day white lettering promise me that walking into this cafe will be a well-considered, thoughtful and (possibly) cultural experience. And so I walk in.

Another customer is being helped at the counter, buying me a moment to check out my surroundings. When it is my turn, I tell the woman at the counter that I am here, early for my meeting with Flavio and that I will seat myself to take in the space while I wait. She lets me know that Flavio tipped her off to my expected arrival and offers me an iced latte made with their Street Legal espresso roast. I park my butt on a blue chair and catch a glimpse of a gorgeous rough-sawn beam. Off to the side of the room, I spot an acoustic guitar on a stand. It was there the last time I came by. Perhaps it belongs to Flavio. I was told that he is a musician.

I’m not quite nervous but I’m still not comfortable and I can only assume it is because I am about to get into a discussion about coffee, a subject that I most assuredly have at most, a disconnected relationship with. I drink coffee but I’m not a real coffee drinker. Most mornings, I go through the ritual of grinding the beans, filling the water and listening for the coffee maker to stop gurgling. I pour a cup and keep it black, not because I want to taste the subtle nuances of a perfect roast but rather to avoid bumping up against my woeful tolerance for lactose. Some mornings I might simply forget to brew the coffee because it just doesn’t matter that much to me. Today, I am in a coffee shop at 3PM, putting on my best coffee-loving face as I prepare for a brief conversation.

Brief conversation—HA!

I spend two-and-a-half hours with Flavio and have to pry myself away for his sake. I do my best to read the questions that I had so thoughtfully prepared but I’m unable to stick to the task. And I’m perfectly fine with just going for this ride. Listening to Flavio, it is easy to get swallowed up in the passion he brings to every detail about his business and hobby and the pleasure of a perfectly roasted bean. In an attempt to get to know the man feeding the roaster, I ask Flavio about being a musician. As if rehearsed, he finds a way to make a metaphor connecting the keys on a piano to the spectrum of bright to deep roasts. It is apparent that coffee is not just a business to Flavio, it is part of his being.

And my education begins. I learn how a roasting recipe is more than just mixing one type of bean with another, rather, it can involve the precise timing of roasting at specific temperatures and adjusting temperatures to preserve the flavorful oil content within the bean. Flavio helps me understand that growing regions play a huge part in choosing the right bean. Beans come from different regions across the globe but only along the equatorial belt between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn and beans from each region can be uniquely identified in their appearance and flavor. Elevation and rainfall are indicative of the type of roast he can expect to achieve, but that doesn’t prevent him from lying awake thinking of how he will adjust his recipes and experimentation in the next roast.

Flavio obviously understands the technical aspects of performing his job as a roaster but he also emphasizes how he values his supply-chain. While he does business with importers who bring the beans to the states, Flavio makes sure that he only sources with partners who offer fair pay and traceability needs to be consistent throughout the process. He is in constant communication with the growers to give feedback and praise for the beans he receives and has developed many a relationship, directly with the farmers. He tells me that this is important for his business, for himself as a person and for the farmers. This connection helps Flavio be the best roaster that he can be, because he knows that the highest standards are applied from soil to cup. Flavio has taken me to coffee school and I end up feeling like I owe the coffee roasting world for how I have taken their artistry for granted.

Recently, Berkshire Co-op Market has partnered with No. Six Depot and is now featuring five roasts in the cafe. In addition, the Co-op uses No. Six Depot’s Notes from the Underground beans for espresso drinks. Flavio has spent hours with the cafe staff giving lessons on making better espresso drinks, applying the right grind and preparing in-house cold brew.

With his guidance, the Co-op has upgraded all coffee equipment used in the cafe, including the grinder, brewer, espresso grinder and espresso machine. The team at Berkshire Co-op is grateful for his support and we hope you will appreciate the care in your next cup.

And my education begins. I learn how a roasting recipe is more than just mixing one type of bean with another, rather, it can involve the precise timing of roasting at specific temperatures and adjusting temperatures to preserve the flavorful oil content within the bean. Flavio helps me understand that growing regions play a huge part in choosing the right bean. Beans come from different regions across the globe but only along the equatorial belt between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn and beans from each region can be uniquely identified in their appearance and flavor. Elevation and rainfall are indicative of the type of roast he can expect to achieve, but that doesn’t prevent him from lying awake thinking of how he will adjust his recipes and experimentation in the next roast.

Flavio obviously understands the technical aspects of performing his job as a roaster but he also emphasizes how he values his supply-chain. While he does business with importers who bring the beans to the states, Flavio makes sure that he only sources with partners who offer fair pay and traceability needs to be consistent throughout the process. He is in constant communication with the growers to give feedback and praise for the beans he receives and has developed many a relationship, directly with the farmers. He tells me that this is important for his business, for himself as a person and for the farmers. This connection helps Flavio be the best roaster that he can be, because he knows that the highest standards are applied from soil to cup. Flavio has taken me to coffee school and I end up feeling like I owe the coffee roasting world for how I have taken their artistry for granted.

Recently, Berkshire Co-op Market has partnered with No. Six Depot and is now featuring five roasts in the cafe. In addition, the Co-op uses No. Six Depot’s Notes from the Underground beans for espresso drinks. Flavio has spent hours with the cafe staff giving lessons on making better espresso drinks, applying the right grind and preparing in-house cold brew. With his guidance, the Co-op has upgraded all coffee equipment used in the cafe, including the grinder, brewer, espresso grinder and espresso machine. The team at Berkshire Co-op is grateful for his support and we hope you will appreciate the care in your next cup.