Roasters Hale Coffee: Tête-à-tête with Ramzi
We are very excited to start the ‘Roaster of the month’ series with Hale Coffee.
Hale Coffee is a Toronto based specialty coffee micro roaster. They source the highest quality coffee beans from around the world.
Their team travels to specialty coffee farms in countries around the equator belt such as Nicaragua, Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia etc. to bring back the best of green coffee beans for roasting in Toronto.
They are big on transparency when it comes to coffee. That means when you brew Hale’s coffee you know who has harvested that coffee. You will find all the details about each coffee they offer. We are extremely proud that Hale was one of the first roasters available on What the Cup.
Check out our tête-à-tête with Ramzi from Hale coffee to know how he started his specialty coffee journey, his favorite brewing method, advice and recommendations.
How did you start your specialty coffee journey?
I started my coffee addiction as a student studying late at night and my go-to just like many students was Tim Hortons. I never really paid attention to the drink itself as much as the caffeine hit it provided.
I got really into the specialty coffee as soon as I started paying attention to the cup I was consuming. About 10 years ago, I started asking questions and doing some research and specialty coffee. I started embracing the coffee scene by visiting roasters and cafes all over Toronto and talking with Baristas and owners about the origins of coffee. I found myself embedded in that culture and wanted to pursue it further.
When we started Hale, we started with the intention of introducing Specialty coffee to the average coffee drinker. Making specialty coffee accessible and approachable for everyone to access.
From which region did you first source your coffee?
All over the world!
Can you share a little about the experience when you first visited a coffee farm?
My first origin visit was in Nicaragua! Visited 11 farms in a week!
It was honestly eye opening and awe inspiring. The quality of specialty coffee starts at the farm, not at the roastery or the cafes.
I learned so much from talking to farmers to understand the processes involved early in the supply chain. Those decisions and processes have a huge impact on the qualities and characteristics of the coffee you drink everyday.
Which is your favorite method to brew your cup of joe?
Espresso! I like to start with 19 grams of ground coffee and get 34 grams of espresso in 30 seconds
Your favorite snack/dish to pair with coffee?
Eggs.
Any proud Hale moment that you would like to share with the coffee lovers.
Surviving COVID!
For all the coffee enthusiasts, which one will be the most adventurous Hale coffee?
Congo Kiluku… coming soon!
Any Hale coffee recommendations to begin specialty coffee journey?
We noticed many people start with Brazil Sao Carlos since it’s the most “crowd pleaser” coffee.
What will be your advice for someone starting their specialty coffee journey?
Start with the coffee you like, forget the branding and packaging and all the tasting notes you read. Try all the coffees you want, focus on the taste and experience and move from there 🙂
