Roaster Highlight: Visitor Coffee Roasters w/ Seth & Will

Visitor Coffee Roasters is named for a philosophy as much as a brand — Seth and Will see themselves as visitors on Earth, and that mindset shapes everything from their sourcing to their packaging. Started in a small Imperial Beach kitchen in 2020, they've grown into a National City warehouse operation with a quietly expanding footprint across San Diego's south bay. We sat down with both of them to talk Tartine, Tony Gwynn, and why fine-tuning your grind might matter more than your water source.

You mention that your time as baristas at Tartine in Coronado was very influential to your obsession with specialty coffee, specifically the Cafe Moto beans that were used. What stood out about the Cafe Moto roasts and how did their beans influence your subsequent roasting?

Drinking Cafe Moto all day was really our first extended experience with great coffee. We drank both espresso and drip while at work — and eventually cold brew once we started serving it — and it was better than most of the coffee we used to casually drink.

VCR beans are sold primarily online and through a coffee subscription format. Do you have any plans in the near future to wholesale or open up a coffee shop of your own?

True, most of our sales started online but we've been slowly growing our presence in some local spots around town. We sell our bags at Boney's in Coronado under their 92118 label. We sell retail bags, bulk beans, and our coffee is served at the deli in the newly opened SunCoast Co-op in Imperial Beach. You can also find our coffee being served at Dame Mas Cafeina in Chula Vista and Millport in Imperial Beach, as well as a Tijuana Estuary Blend benefiting their conservation efforts — available at their Imperial Beach visitor center and gift shop. Eventually we'd love to open our own little cafe.

Your name and brand message talk about being "Visitors" on Earth and having minimal environmental impact — how does that philosophy influence your sourcing decisions, roasting methods, or packaging?

We source most of our coffee through InterAmerican Coffee and Royal Coffee Importers. Almost all of the beans we offer are organic, but our company technically isn't certified organic yet, which is why we're not able to add that to our labels just yet. We used to use an all-electric roaster until we needed to increase our output, so we currently use a gas-powered SF-6. Our 12oz bags are made from a recyclable material — big thanks to Roastar.

What's the push-and-pull like between keeping things small and local in San Diego versus trying to grow beyond the city? Have there ever been any tough decisions regarding this idea?

Right now, we really want to focus on keeping things local. For one, it's cheaper. And for two, it helps cut down on shipping, packaging, and everything else that goes into expanding beyond our city limits. Of course, we still love being able to ship out our coffee to our supporters and friends all over the country.

Can you fill us in on the evolution of roasting equipment and roasting spaces over the years? What advice do you have for someone wanting to dip their toes into home roasting?

We moved up from a smaller electric roaster to a gas-powered San Franciscan Roaster, and we'll probably need to scale up again soon. We started out in a small kitchen in Imperial Beach back in 2020, realized we were outgrowing it pretty quickly, and moved into a warehouse in National City in 2023 — and we've been here ever since.

San Diego tap water is pretty hard. How much does that factor into your roasting decisions, considering most locals probably brew at home? And do you think having "ideal" coffee water is essential to getting the best out of a given bean?

Water doesn't really factor into roasting — there isn't any water involved in the process. Unfortunately, we can't really control what water people use at home, so that's not something we worry about too much. Having a quality water source definitely makes a difference when you're brewing. For us, it really comes down to the combination of grind and brew process when assessing each roast. Fine-tuning the grind level can be make or break for different beans, especially with drip or pourover. There are lots of ways to mess around with the process and find what works best for you.

Can you highlight your current favorite roast and what makes it special?

Seth: My current favorite would have to be our Rwanda Dukunde Kawa, which we roast on the lighter side. It's extremely berry-forward with a juicy punch to it. Very fun stuff. Will: My favorite is our longstanding single origin offering, the Ethiopia Sidama Shantawene. We roast it on the lighter side and the notes of berries and cream are fantastic.

Off topic: Which Padres players do you have the fondest memories of watching while growing up in San Diego?

Will: I'd say Tony Gwynn, but that'd be a disservice to my dog named Fernando. I've never been more entertained by an athlete in San Diego than Fernando Tatis Jr. He is unreal. Seth: I'm going to take the easy out and say Tony Gwynn. He was all-time and just one of the most fun hitters to watch growing up at the Q.

Thanks to Seth and Will for joining us on the subreddit. Find their full coffee lineup at visitorcoffeeroasters.com.