Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Saphire
Hi Christopher , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Chris and I’ve been working in coffee for 17 years now…wow!… and besides a deep love for coffee itself, I also fell in love with meeting people, working with my hands and being on my feet. I worked my way from barista through management and ran many cafes for other companies before starting my own in NYC in 2016. We had the shop until Covid when we had to close. My wife is a native Californian and the west was calling us. So we landed on a beautiful little corner in Santa Monica where I focus on three absolutely killer and essential cold brew coffee blends. Oh, and one tea for the weirdos 🤪
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Oh my goodness, no. All the worst case scenarios came true at once! Hah! Building Little Bean Cold Brew (or Little Bean 2, as we call it) was a desire to not let disaster be the end! I was determined to get us back to life we dreamed of; side by side, playing music and drinking coffee. NYC has nothing on Santa Monica in terms of bureaucracy, so getting started was a struggle. ‘‘Tis the price we pay forging our own path. The struggles include everything from permits to simple responses, but mostly come from the almighty dollar. Or lack thereof…
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work in specialty coffee started with training from Intelligentsia in 2010, with some advanced espresso training with Verve Coffee in Santa Cruz. I was the manager of Gelato Bar on Hillhurst in Los Feliz until 2013 when I moved to NYC. I started in NY as a GM for Blue Dog Cafe and helped to open their midtown location on 51st. I then moved to BIRCH coffee and was with them until 2016 when I started Little Bean Coffee on 110th street, Central Park North.
As a brand, Little Bean Cold Brew strives to bring the magic flavors of cold brewing to all kinds of coffee drinkers. We have three different blends that are crafted to help people “Find Your Color.”
The BLACK – Classic Dark Roast
Traditionally smoky, dry, bakers cocoa
The RED – Signature Vienna Roast
Toasty, malty caramel, smooth, rich chocolate
The BLUE – Single Origin Light Roast
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, juicy blueberry, vanilla finish
Espresso style “Breakfast Brandy”
The BLUE is brewed triple strength and served 8oz with no ice.
These blends are not only designed to hit all coffee palates, but to reflect the traditional, the contemporary and the future of cold brewing.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
My wife and I are artists. Deep down in our souls. We were born to pursue beauty, no matter the medium. It is these pursuits, and the pursuits of others, we truly love. Coffee helps all pursuits. 🖤❤️💙
Pricing:
- BLACK $5 (20oz) $22 (Growler)
- RED $6 (20oz) $28 (Growler)
- BLUE $7 (8oz) $18 (750ml)
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @littlebeancoldbrew
