Blue Bottle Coffee is one of the largest third-wave coffee retailers in the world. Founded at the start of the 2000’s by W. James Freeman, Blue Bottle originally began as a coffee delivery service, with its headquarters in Oakland, California.
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Locations in the US and Asia
The headquarters have remained in place, but the business methods have transformed into operating out of stores. These first opened across San Francisco, California, but eventually spread across the United States, and with the purchase of the majority of stock by Nestle in 2017, has since spread even further, to areas such as Japan and South Korea.
The practices used when Blue Bottle was only a delivery service have not changed, with the coffee being brewed in small batches, and provided to customers no longer than forty-eight hours after roasting, though typically earlier.
Sustainably Sourced Coffee
As a third-wave business, the coffee has always been sustainably sourced directly from the farmers. This method helps benefit the farmers and the quality of their products and ways of life, and with a company the size that Blue Bottle is today, the impact is widespread and tremendous, as they regularly pull in and raise hundreds of millions of dollars.
The History of Blue Bottle
The history of what Blue Bottle is dates back to the 1600’s. It is a tale of espionage and war, and it is available to be read to a fuller extent on their website. Put somewhat briefly, Franz George Kolshitsky helped to overthrow the Turkish Empire’s hold on Vienna by means of infiltration.
When Vienna was freed, they left behind a wealth of coffee. Through his expertise gained by living among the enemy for years, Kolshitsky took this otherwise foreign substance and capitalized on it by opening the first coffee shop of its kind in that section of Europe.
This was also known as Blue Bottle, and today’s modern version acts as an homage to the former. If you walk into one of Blue Bottle’s more than fifty stores, you will be engulfed in a sleek, modern environment of light and dark woods, white walls, and characteristically, touches of blue decor.
The Blends of Coffee are Constantly Changing
The menu can be found on a hanging wooden board, and what it touts consists of macchiatos, cappuccinos, lattes, mochas, drip and iced coffee, tea, and espresso.
The espresso and straight coffee varieties come in a large and constantly changing selection of blends and roasts, sourced from all around the world, and customers can choose which their coffee is made from.
Their Staple Roast is Hayes Valley
Blue Bottle puts science into every roast, finding its particular flavor point, and are working with new coffees on a weekly basis. A staple roast, however, is the Hayes Valley, which is a constantly served espresso.
Another constantly served item can be found at retailers across the globe, as Blue Bottle manufactures iced coffee and cold brew in cartons for mass production.
Blue Bottle Coffee is a chain store these days, but the art and science involved has not diminished, and in fact, most stores hold classes to teach these methods to any willing participants.
To take them up on these classes, or to try some of their widely popular product, you can find Blue Bottle Coffee across the world, with the original location being found at 480 9th St, Oakland, California.
