Village Roasters

I came upon Village Roasters on my quest to visit Paulie’s Chop Shop. Being neighboring local businesses open at the same time during my trip, I couldn’t avoid going in to see what was going on under the bright sign indicating that the folks inside were actively roasting coffee. I’ve just started to get back into drinking coffee, you see, and Green Bay has no shortage of local options. Village Roasters had evaded my notice since I moved into the region. In fairness, I had no idea the little shopping mall that it resides in even existed. 

I pushed my way in with a bag full of local meats from their neighbor, and I was greeted by the delicious smell of fresh roasting coffee. The walls are laden with their various flavors and roasts, but also maple syrup and chocolates produced locally. I did not expect the sight in front of me. Granted, I didn’t even know this place existed. A tiny storefront like this with the roasting going on right there behind a pane of glass while I browse the coffee roasts felt welcoming. It smelled incredible. 

Naturally, I gravitated to the wall of coffees to make at least one selection before I left. I couldn’t just wander past a local business that I’d never seen or heard of before when I was in the ‘review visit’ mentality. The flavored coffees that one can come to expect from a midwestern roaster such as a Highlander Grogg featured on that shelf, but I also found things like a tiramisu coffee, a rarity that caught my eye as a gift for friends in the future. I chose neither for myself, however.

Cinnamon forward coffee drinks have always been my favorite. The cinnamon sticky bun roast caught my eye, and so that’s the sampler bag I bought for myself to try at home before dedicating to any of the larger bags that Village Roasters features. All roasts are displayed in their whole bean form, but when you check out, the clerk at the desk will pass the beans through the grinder behind the counter for you if you aren’t likely to grind your own beans at home. This was perfect for me. I love coffee, but I’m no pro-coffee maker at home.

I understand that once the bean is ground, the flavors will degrade with time. Still, that’s an extra piece of equipment that I don’t consider myself serious enough about coffee to keep in my house. If I start buying my coffee from the Village Roasters, however, then that coffee is being ground in front of my eyes. I’m not getting coffee that was ground six months ago.That is one of the benefits to buying your coffee directly from people that you can see with your own eyes. They offer multiple grinds as well to go with the style of brewing that you’re going to do at home. That’s not something you see every day. 

The Cinnamon Sticky Bun flavor happens to be their number one selling roast, and it was that roast that I brought home. It brewed smoothly and cleanly. A spoonful of sugar and my preferred vanilla creamer later, I was happily sipping from one of the best cups of coffee I’ve had in months. I’m not sure that I ever cared to know where the coffee that I brought home came from before being roasted, but the Village Roasters used a Brazilian bean for this particular roast. Perhaps as a result of this project, I’ll find out that I have a favorite origin bean.

Village Roasters is the first stop in our Coffee Run project, and so I may be a little biased at the start toward this coffee. The two ounce sampler that I brought home cost three dollars, and I was able to get three cups of coffee out of the bag. The sample size offering in the store is a great way for new visitors to explore their offerings. These sample sizes, however, are not available on their website if you want to order their coffee for delivery. You’ll have to go in to visit. I think that’s more than fair. 

The flavor of the Cinnamon Sticky Bun coffee is strong enough to overcome the added flavor in my vanilla creamer and stand strong. I get the feeling that the custom grind that the shop did for my preferred brewing method made a difference to the bitterness that came out from the coffee to the point that there hardly seemed to be any betterness at all. Stop one on our Coffee Run, and I’m already convinced that I need to stop getting my coffee at the grocery store. 

Compared to some other local coffees that you can find in the grocery store, the price is also a bonus. A 16 oz bag will cost me $16.00 USD. That’s a larger size than most grocery store varieties of coffee come in, and by the price per ounce, it may even be cheaper than your favorite grocery store coffee already. 

I hate to assign a number to a local business, but in order to rank Village Roasters against future visits in our Coffee Run project, I give them a 4 out of 5 with distinction in pricing. 

To browse their coffees yourself, visit their website at thevillageroasters.com, or take a detour on your next trip to the Mall to visit them face to face yourself. Their physical location opens each day at 9 am, closing during the week at 6 pm. If you’re planning a weekend visit, you better be quick. They’re closed on Sundays with their Saturday hours ending at 1 pm.

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