Roaster Highlight: Big Step Coffee w/ Founder Kyle Hayslip

I'd love to say that I went through this long, detailed process in coming up with this name but honestly at the time it was meant to be a temporary placeholder when I was doing early brand work. It was a constant phrase our son was saying at that time (he no longer says it btw) and so it seemed natural to just call my coffee project that. It had a fun ring to it and as time went on I found joy in the name and thought it was unique in a way.

Working out of the collective has been fantastic. Without it, Big Step likely wouldn't have happened. Our move back to San Diego wasn't guaranteed and I was actually planning to operate out of the Buckman Coffee Factory in Portland. There was a lot of uncertainty. Once I learned about the collective I knew I had a path forward to execute on my original vision of Big Step Coffee. Obviously getting to meet other people roasting out of there is a big benefit. I also get a ton of great experience working on different roasting equipment, from the San Franciscans to the Lorings. I have what I need to develop the roast profile I am looking for at the right scale.

Establishing a network of outstanding sourcing partners is incredibly important. They can support you in not only finding the right coffee but they can help with long range planning to manage volatility in the market. When selecting a partner, I take a holistic view and I prioritize importers that have a strong and deep focus on particular regions or countries; especially those that have long-standing producer relationships and goals of improving the livelihoods and profitability with those they work with.

To answer the second question first, my sourcing definitely revolves around my projected subscriptions. When I first launched I was rotating coffees each month but that proved to be difficult to sustain. Each coffee launch takes time, from labeling to profile development, at a minimum you need a month or so from receiving the green coffee to feeling confident it's ready to go. Last year I changed my model to rotate less frequently, so now I will rotate every 2-3 months. I enjoy this more because it allows me to really hone in on a particular coffee. As a roaster you develop a relationship with each coffee, seeing how it behaves under certain conditions, becoming an expert on it. I can't achieve that level of familiarity when I only have a few weeks to roast a coffee and move on to the next release. The critical goal is establishing consistent (and growing) demand. The truth is, building a large sub base out the gate in coffee is very difficult. In my opinion, it's all about the relationships with your customers. In the coming months you'll see me do some pop-ups at various locations that can showcase my latest coffee. Building connections within the community is my main focus as I look for continued growth.

I primarily make my roast profile decisions using Third Wave Water in distilled water or the RO water at the cupping lab in the roasting collective. Since I ship coffee all over the US it's easier for me to use something like Third Wave as a baseline. Water plays an important role for sure, and if you're serious about getting the most out of your coffee you should probably find a right solution or recipe that elevates your coffee.

The San Diego coffee scene has vastly improved over recent years and there's quite a few roasters/cafes that are doing some fantastic work. I am a sucker for "hole-in-the-wall" places, offering solid coffee without the flashiness. A couple go-to spots for me are Origin Coffee Roasters (near Palomar Airport), Zumbar Coffee in Sorrento Valley, and Heartwork Coffee in Hillcrest.

My current favorite is the washed Pink Bourbon from Eulises Guzman. I've been roasting it since January on the newly installed Loring at the CRC. It's got a great balance of flavor and subtle sweetness. I'll be sad when I run out of it.