FoJo Beans’ Partner and Head Roaster Dan Joseph celebrated a first-place victory in two categories at the Specialty Coffee Association Roasters Guild Retreat. Joseph’s team earned first place in the overall competition after placing at the top of the Light Roast category.
“We stuck together as a team and honed our batches bit by bit,” Joseph said. “Every batch was better than the one before. This year’s challenge was a ‘blending’ competition, which is FoJo Beans’ area of expertise.”
The equipment used to roast the team’s way to victory was a Diedrich Infrared Roaster, similar to the roaster Joseph roasts on at the cafe and roastery in Hamilton. Attracting more than 200 roasters and coffee professionals from around the world, the Specialty Coffee Association event featured four days of competition and coffee networking.
“I attend these events regularly to shake up my roasting style,” Joseph said. “I learn new tips and techniques, which I incorporate into my roasting in order to bring forward more natural sweetness and flavor in the coffee.”
FoJo Beans started in 2012 by Dan Joseph and Dan Foust with stringent guidelines for their green coffee bean purchasing, roasted end-product and business practices. FoJo Beans received the 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year Award from The Chenango County Chamber of Commerce before the duo opened a premier cafe and roastery in the heart of Hamilton in 2019. FoJo Beans serves coffee and espresso drinks and teas that blend perfectly with their gourmet food and baked goods from the on-site kitchen.
For more information, visit fojobeans.com or the café located at 10 Utica St., Hamilton.