Today we’d like to introduce you to Nic Brown.
Hi Nic, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m currently a Coffee Roaster and Wholesale Manager for Mad Lab Coffee here in Los Angeles.
I was raised as a small-town kid from Grants Pass, Oregon. Home of green trees, beautiful rivers, and Dutch Bros Coffee. Growing up, it was hard not to get sucked into “Dutch Culture”. Besides bowling and the movies, there really wasn’t much going on around town. I remember driving to the local Dump in my buddy’s pickup truck one boring afternoon so that we could grab beat-up tires and roll them down big hills. Seriously, not much to do but drive to a Dutch Stand to hear the vexing high schoolers ask you, “Heeeyyyy whatchu sipping on today?!” as they’re blasting Drake’s current bangers as loud as they’re legally allowed to.
Around my 15th birthday, I became obsessed with a new coffee shop that had opened up in town. Their roaster was located in the corner of the cafe, and I found myself spending way too many hours chatting away with the operator of this behemoth of a machine. It felt so counter-culture at the time. So “alternative”. My friends would show up to school with their blended white mochas and caramel smoothies, while I had an Ethiopian Pour Over that tasted like palm trees, sunshine, and freedom (or is that the description of the scent on my old spice deodorant?)
Truthfully, I’m a coffee sicko myself, but it’s not because of the nuances in flavor of each individual bean; rather, it’s the power of togetherness that a coffee shop provides for its neighbors. There aren’t many public spaces where those involved can find themselves lost in conversations for hours. Coffee, since its origins, has always provided community. Memories in these spaces have become a collective of moments that I have never found myself regretting, and I’ve wanted to share this experience with everyone. I think that’s why I’ve been in the industry for so long, and why I don’t see myself ever leaving.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been many obstacles within my own personal journey, but those challenges have never been the defining factor beneath my character. I’ve always felt that the perseverance gained from fighting through difficult experiences have changed me so deeply. Not only that, but being involved and invested into other’s stories allows one to adventure through life’s obstacles together. I’ve seen passionate coffee owners coming close to losing their shops. I’ve been around baristas who have become burnt out from toxic working environments. I’ve seen the quality of coffee dip while the prices continue to climb. While these may not have been my own struggles, I have walked beside those who were deeply afraid of losing what they fought so valiantly for, and I have seen them march through those dark tunnels triumphantly. Vicariously, these moments have helped mold and mend my own understanding of life and its many difficult trials.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I don’t feel as if I’m a professional in many areas of life…besides coffee. I’ve been in and around this industry since I was a bright-eyed and naive 15-year-old. I’ve developed many skills working as a barista behind bar, but I feel that I am exceptional around the craft of roasting coffee beans. I’m in my second year as a coffee roaster, and the coffees that we’re roasting and consuming are some of the best I’ve ever had. I know I’m biased, but still…
I came into the coffee scene understanding that money was never going to fuel my passion, because let’s be real, there’s not much of it in this industry. I feel in love with the craftsmanship it takes to brew an outstanding and memorable cup. Too often, I found myself grabbing coffee from a pot, throwing little additives to the mix, and chugging it all before it got cold. There was no intentionality behind this morning ritual. There was no thoughtfulness in exploring the expansive flavors found within this bitter-brown liquid. It wasn’t until I started to slow my mornings down that I was able to recognize the beauty, consistency, and calmness in spending conscious moments crafting the drink that fuels most of our mornings.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
If you’re looking to roast coffee, find a roaster whose coffee wows you. There is no such thing as an industry-standard way of roasting. The literature found in this topic will only get you so far. The sciences and practices of coffee roasting shift and change quite regularly. There are many opinions out there that its hard to figure out who is right. That’s why finding a roaster whose coffee you respect is so imperative to learn exactly how you want to roast your own beans.
The coffee community is wide-ranging and very easy to connect with. Social media has been a very rad way of engaging with the community and keeping up with the direction that the industry is going.
Pricing:
- $18 for a 12-oz bag of Coffee
Contact Info:
- Website: madlabcoffee.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/nictheroaster/
