Blackstone is a love note to BGL, my lovely mother in law. Blackstone was her childhood nickname, and this blend comes from the coffee she drinks every single day. It is familiar, comforting, and yummy. That felt like the right foundation for the first pod I ever made. Her cup reminded me that coffee should feel approachable and bring people together.
I have been thinking a lot about what it means to make coffee that fits real life. Most of us do not have perfect mornings. We do not always have the time or the tools for a pour over. And honestly, I am learning that I am someone who finds more joy in watching a pour over being made in a cafe than in doing it at home.
At a cafe, I get to watch the ritual, the precision, the slow bar moments, and chat with my friend or whoever is behind bar. That is the version of coffee I enjoy the most. At home, my pour overs are quick and messy. I am not thinking about drawdown times or pour patterns. I am barely functional before coffee. Some days I want a brewed pot. Some days my partner reaches for our pod machine. Both feel like real life.
These pods are also an ode to the aunties, grandmas, and elders who made coffee a daily ritual long before specialty coffee had the language for it. They brewed for the people around them and made it communal. They shaped the way so many of us understand comfort. Blackstone is my way of honoring that kind of coffee.
The blend brings together two coffees with strong roots. The Colombian portion comes from family farms in Pitalito, Huila and offers a smooth, chocolate forward base. The Indian peaberry comes from shade grown farms in Karnataka and brings a sweet, savory lift. Together, they create a medium roast that is bold enough for milk and sugar but balanced enough to drink on its own. It is comfort in pod form.
When I first entered specialty coffee, I noticed how much judgment there was around how people drank their coffee, especially if they added milk and sugar. The focus was always on precision, technique, and the pursuit of clarity. I appreciate those things. They matter. But I also believe the industry needs more room for how people actually drink coffee at home.
We should be roasting coffees that taste good in the context of someone’s real morning, not only in the hands of a trained barista. Ten years ago, I barely knew what a pod was. Convenience and sweetness were dismissed. It never sat right with me. I understand the value of precision, but I also believe in being inclusive. Real people drink coffee in all kinds of ways, and the work of a roaster should reflect that reality.
Blackstone was my way of closing that gap between how people drink coffee and how the industry talks about it. Creating it felt like stepping fully into a belief I have carried for years. Coffee should meet people where they are. This pod is the bridge I wish existed when I started.
If you want to try Blackstone, you can find it here:
Blackstone Coffee Pods
If you want to read about how we roast and why our coffees taste the way they do, here is our approach:
Our Roasting Style
