Craft & Mason Roasting Co.

With coffee that comes from farmers who pay special attention to each bean, goes through a labor intensive roasting process, and is constantly adapted in selection based on the season and freshness, Craft & Mason Roasting Co. is the perfect antidote to that boring old cup of joe you’re currently drinking every morning.

Named for its founders, Eric Craft and Jeremy Mason, Craft & Mason Roasting Co. operates out of a small roasting and storage space just outside of Lansing. Though Eric and Jeremy have divergent skill sets, both are decidedly involved in the tasting, selection, and roasting of all Craft & Mason coffee beans.

In order to make each cup of coffee made with Craft & Mason roasted beans, the duo aim to find the spot in the roast which yields the most complex cup. (For those of you, like me, who enjoy a good cup of coffee but are oblivious to what goes into making that cup, complex here refers to an end product with a taste that is a good representation of the flavors characteristic of the bean.) Finding this spot means roasting long enough to maximize the inherent sweetness and balance the flavor of each bean, but not so long that the roast character overtakes the complexity being crafted.

Finding this ambiguous spot is completely dependent on the bean, and is an imprecise science, one of the most enticing facets of roasting for Eric and Jeremy. The duo have shared a passion for coffee throughout the span of their long friendship, eventually developing this fascination from home roasting to following craft roasters, both around the country and in Michigan, to founding Craft & Mason Roasting Co.

Though neither had professional experience in specialty coffee prior to starting Craft & Mason, they are excited to become a part of the Michigan craft roasting community. Jeremy says, “We hope to partner with places excited about the possibilities that exist with coffee and team up to bring some exciting coffees to our city!”

And, as Jeremy notes, Michigan’s capital city has a unique existing specialty coffee scene and distinctive preferences. As he puts it, “A good shot of espresso in a well-made cappuccino can be enjoyed by most folks, so I think there is a lot of overlap between the coffee geeks and the everyday drinkers who enjoy a good atmosphere and good service.  There are a few places that have focused more singularly on the coffee they serve, including some stellar local restaurants and I think this stems from an understanding that fresh roasted single origin coffees can be as unique and enjoyable as food made with ingredients from great local farms.”

In an environment focused on serving high-quality beverages in welcoming settings, Craft & Mason currently concentrates on selling their superior roasts to these establishments and direct to consumers online. While their wholesale accounts with local coffee shops and restaurants offers customers the option of purchasing Craft & Mason Roasting Co. products in stores, Eric and Jeremy have also priced shipping very low so that the convenience of ordering online doesn’t come with a hefty price difference.

The only question remaining: which bag will you be buying first?

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