Much like T.S. Eliot, I feel, “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons,” which is why I have hunted for a coffee shop that feels like a cozy living room in my city. No doubt St. Pete’s favorite living room is Black Crow Coffee Company.
Multicolored lights are strung loosely and add a soft glow. Local art and sundry furniture feel natural and unassuming. A man in a fedora plays the piano, filling the room with melody punctuated by the hissing and popping of an espresso maker. Sipping a hot cup of dark roasted Colombian coffee, notes of cherry, lemon and cocoa fill me to the brim.
A personal connection is roasted into every bean at Black Crow Coffee. Owners Deana Hawk and Greg Bauman have a history with brewing a tasty cup of coffee. Bauman has owned Indian Shores Coffee for ten years, and opened Black Crow in 2015 with Hawk.
“Black Crow Coffee is community, plain and simple,” Bauman explained. Living in St. Pete for three decades now, this city is their home. Bauman attributed his love for their home to its creative energy, thriving arts and individuality.
From Serving Coffee to Roasting Coffee
With the success of both their coffee shops, and after much experimenting, in November of 2016 Bauman and Hawk’s passion spilled over into commercially roasting their own beans right here in downtown St. Pete, in the Grand Central District. With the guidance of Metropolis Roasters out of Chicago, they learned what Bauman called, “The satisfying and creative process of turning green beans into that perfect espresso or cup of coffee.”
Truly a combination of art and science, roasting gives Black Crow the ability to author their own story. They partner with transparent, informed suppliers providing beans from Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica and Tanzania. Each small batch is inspected before going into a large, spinning drum with 32 burners. Bauman controls the time, temperature and air flow, making careful notes every 15 seconds for the duration of the roast, which lasts 12 to 14 minutes. Twenty-four hours later the roast is tested to determine the flavors of that origin of bean. Repetition yields that perfect cup.
Black Crow Coffee Roasting is a family endeavor. Once Bauman completes the roast, Hawk and their children bag the product. They are roasting and bagging 500-600 pounds of coffee beans each week to supply their two coffee shops, as well as commercial accounts with Stillwaters Tavern, Ichicoro, Southern Bay Bakery, The Bikery, Iberian Rooster and Bella Brava.
As Black Crow has grown one small batch at a time, their connection to the community has grown deeper, much like the complex flavors of their roasts. The Black Crow Roasting location also serves as a unique recording studio space. Bauman said that at any time a highly caffeinated local musician can be pouring their heart out in song in the same space where the beans are roasted.
Helping Hands in the Community
The owners believe that a helping hand is even better when it is holding a warm cup of coffee. The company philosophy is to “not only to serve great coffee, but to greatly serve our community.” They most recently collaborated with Creative Clay, an organization that seeks to make the arts accessible to residents with disabilities. Black Crow roasted and private-labeled a special release just for the nonprofit, which received 100 percent of the proceeds.
Additionally, they financially support the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA), which empowers women to achieve meaningful lives, strengthen communities and achieve a sustainable coffee industry.
Black Crow’s generosity even stretches beyond the Bay area. With the turmoil after the storms late last year in the Caribbean, the coffee industry in Puerto Rico had all but been wiped out. Black Crow got involved by donating coffee beans so local cafes could continue to serve their customers. It was a small-but-mighty gesture to provide some taste of normalcy to the residents there in a difficult time.
Coffee has the unique power to offer a sense of comfort, and Black Crow Coffee knows this full well. Honoring the journey coffee takes from seed to cup, and creating a warm community space around their delicious drinks and treats, the owners are inviting you into their living room. They consider it the highest praise from their customers when they simply say that they feel at home at Black Crow.
Stop by for a taste of home, and a cup of delicious, locally roasted coffee today. The Black Crow Coffee Roasting Event Space and Recording Studio is located at 2157 1st Ave. S. Visit https://www.facebook.com/Black-Crow-Coffee-Roasting-537584283117492/.
Black Crow Coffee Company is located in Old Northeast at 722 2nd St. N. Visit https://www.facebook.com/blackcrowcoffeeco/.
[…] Black Crow Coffee Co. has been a presence in St. Pete since their cafe opened in September of 2015. They started out in a physical shop, and have made community involvement a priority since opening. […]