Discovery Coffee Inc.

"Sam Jones will be in shortly," John announced, pointing out his red-haired barista/co-owner depicted on the hand-painted mural. Grapevine founders were delighted at hearing this, because neither owner is often on the premises. They are usually dealing with business off-site, leaving the shop in the capable hands of John's sons Logan and Aaron.

Discovery Coffee opened four months ago. It's an inviting shop, decorated in warm colours, comfortable furnishings and outside seating for three.

Its old-fashioned signs convey a feeling of nostalgia, as does the stately, late-1800's restored wooden floor.

The large coffee roasting machine set in one corner with several sacks of beans, is pressed into service every afternoon.

Customers can also buy pastries and treats sourced from favoured local bakeries, freshly-made sandwiches, and fresh whole coffee beans by the pound to take home and brew.

"Sam," John confided, "is probably one of the top coffee experts in North America today," and"delights in giving bio-chemical lectures" on the brew, its origins, and preparation from seed to cup to everyone interested in coffee—whether drinkers or fellow coffee baristas.

Since coffee industry insiders rarely share information and trade secrets, the two owners recognized a need for education within the industry. Sam and John felt that the industry could only improve worldwide if communication were opened, so they began to offer free seminars and coffee-tastings by appointment and impromptu tastings when the shop wasn't busy. They also provide classes to Sprott-Shaw students wishing to become coffee baristas.

Discovery Coffee "wants to know everything about the beans they buy, their source, their pickers, and how and what workers are paid." As a result, they sell only genuine "fair trade" and "organic" coffee, and can answer any questions you may have.

Despite being addicted to our coffee, most of us know little or nothing about the coffee trade itself. Sam showed us a wonderful photo of 65 Ethiopian women kneeling on the floor around a pile of coffee beans two feet high and forty feet long. While singing and chanting, these women sort each bean by hand. When the pile is gone they sound a rapid high-pitched trilling of happiness before a new pile of coffee beans is brought in... and they begin all over again.

John filled us in on the history behind his partnership with Sam. Beth and John worked out of an office on Government Street and patronized a nearby coffee shack that Sam eventually purchased. When this shack was moved to the Times-Colonist site, they followed "because of Sam's exceptional coffee and his extraordinary relationship with customers". John got serious about coffee-making over a 10-year period. The two men joked about some day becoming business partners. Two years ago, the joke became a reality with a handshake. Then they travelled to Seattle's Coffee Fest. The following year they attended Idaho's Roasting School at the Diedtrich Company... and that's where eventually sourced their coffee.

Discovery Coffee is an active community-minded participant in several charities, most recently joining in the fundraising efforts of the "Jazz It Up for the Cure Program", with a goal of raising $30,000 this year.

Tomorrow, as you take that first sip of your morning wake-up brew, consider... the seeding, growing, nurturing, harvesting, hand sorting, custom roasting, packaging and finally, the overseas shipping to Canada... for your perfect cup of joe!

Drop in at Discovery Coffee to meet the welcoming staff, enjoy a terrific cup of java—and learn everything you ever wanted to know about coffee!

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