Jameson Brown Coffee: Nothing Like You-Know-Who

Is coffee brewing an art or a science? According to Jameson Brown Coffee Roasters, it’s a little of both.  David Ross and Ryan Hamlin have started their company with the express purpose of showing us just how good coffee can be.

So what goes into the perfect cup? Jameson Brown begins with the best beans from such familiar places as Columbia, Kenya, Mexico and Guatemala and the more exotic Ethiopia and Tanzania.  Each is described on their website, www.jamesonbrown.com, like a fine wine.

This comparison is not accidental.  The care these coffee roasters put into their product would do a vintner proud. According to Ross, he prefers a dark roast while his partner prefers medium so they try to accommodate both tastes. Each batch of coffee is roasted individually with adjustments for temperature and humidity.  The beans are cooled by blown air, and then allowed to breathe for 1-3 days.

Ross and Hamlin believe coffee beans are at their absolute best on the third day after roasting.  They roast every Monday and Thursday, and try to ship every order at its peak of flavor.  That means your order will go out in 2-4 days and sometimes even sooner.

So how much does a precious pound of this treasure cost? Not as much as you might think.  You can stop by their retail location for a steaming cup or have the beans delivered. Each pound is $10 – $14 plus shipping and can be ordered on the website.

So what does a humble cup of “Joe” have to do with all this? Well, it must be apparent that Jameson Brown is a labor of love.  And that love for great coffee was born in the kitchens of the owners’ childhood. Both David and Ryan have large extended families in the Pasadena area and fond memories of the coffee that was brewed to be shared with family and friends.

According to David Ross, “Ever since we were young, our families just kind of had a passion for making good coffee at the house. Independent of one another; we weren’t close friends then.  Ryan has memories of his Dad making coffee and . . . really caring about it.”

As time passed, the two men, who share strong local roots, became good friends.  Ross continues, “Ryan started roasting coffee at home, as a hobby. . . Within a couple of months, he was really starting to get some good results . . . he called me and said, ‘We’ve got to get together and have dinner, and you’ve got to watch this.'”

So Ross went, watched, enjoyed the results, one thing led to another, and Jameson Brown Coffee Roasters was born.

Here are some hints from Jameson Brown for getting the most out of your next cup of coffee. Always buy the best coffee beans. Use filtered water. Grind only what you need.  Experiment with different preparation methods.  Most importantly, share the results with the important people in your life.

Jameson Brown retail store is located at the corner of Allen and Locust, between the Gold Line’s Allen Station and the Rose Parade route on Colorado Boulevard. Call 626-395-7585 or see www.jamesonbrown.com.  Hours: Mon-Fri:  7:00am t2:00 pm, Sat: 8:00am to 2:00pm.