There's a new coffee in town!

Our Rwanda Rulindo is a rare treat

We’re excited to offer, for the first time ever, a specialty coffee from the east-central African Republic of Rwanda. This particular lot, from a collection of small farms in the country’s northern Rulindo province, impressed us more than any Rwandan we’ve tried in the past, and we couldn’t wait to share it with our customers. When you taste our Full-City roast, expect a delicate balance of syrupy sweetness, tangy fruit notes and refreshingly unique herbaceous aftertaste you won’t find in your average cup. Not only does it taste great, but the better-than-fair-trade price we pay for this coffee helps small, family farmers profit and prosper in a part of the world that’s seen its share of hardship and turmoil.

Our supply of this rare, unique coffee is extremely limited. For more information or to get your hands on a bag, visit our shop page or give us a call at (651) 645-1729.  

Say it ain't so!

Our beloved Noah Henscheid, an integral part of True Stone's growth over the last few years, is moving on.

On July 20th, 2011, I cold-called a local coffee-roasting company named True Stone.

Fresh out of college with a degree in design and a passion for coffee, I asked the owners, Bruce and Charlene Olson, for a job. “Sorry,” they replied. They were just a small coffee roaster with no openings. “However, Tim, our delivery driver, is looking for someone to sample coffees on the weekends. You should talk to Tim.”I started that August brewing up coffee and handing out samples at the Minneapolis Farmers Market on the weekends. After a few months, Bruce offered me a full time position at the company to do design, marketing and customer service. From that point on, it’s been quite the caffeinated ride.

In the last two years, I helped redesign the look and feel of True Stone. From coffee bag labels and logos, to building the new website, to posting the latest news on Facebook and Twitter. All the while, I had the privilege of learning everything I possibly could about the realm of coffee.

Lots of fantastic things have happened in my time here. Our staff size has grown by fifty-percent. We’ve gone high-tech with our coffee roasting logistics. We’ve added a quality control program dedicated to making sure our coffees keep improving. And I’ve got to say, the future of coffee looks incredibly bright.

Now, after two and a half years, the time has come for us to part ways.

Starting in March, I’ll be transitioning to a new job with Cooks of Crocus Hill in St Paul. The departure is bittersweet. I’m excited to see where this new direction takes me, but I’ll greatly miss all the coffee geeks at True Stone. It’s been wonderful to watch this fresh, local and independent St. Paul coffee roaster grow and develop into the company it is today.

With all of that being said, stay in touch! I’m still right here in St. Paul, ready and waiting to geek out about coffee. Shoot me an e-mail at noahhenscheid@gmail.com or find me on Twitter at @noahhenscheid. I’ve enjoyed meeting and working with all of you. It has been a true honor.

Sincerely,
Noah Henscheid

We'll miss you, Noah!

Barista Throwdown

Show off your latte skills at Dogwood Coffee this Tuesday

A crowd of coffee lovers look on while baristas prepare espresso, steam milk and pour intricate latte art. Tonight they’ll see anything from hearts and tulips to rosettes, or even designs incorporating all three.

The competition is quick and dirty. In each round, two baristas get one chance to pour the perfect drink. Winners advance to the next round; losers go home (or avail themselves of free beer for the rest of the evening).

At the end of the night, one barista is crowned champion. She or he will walk away with a cash prize (paid by competition entrance fees) and the honor of being recognized as the Best Latte Artist the Twin Cities.

To attend the throwdown, stop by Dogwood Coffee Bar at 3001 Hennepin Ave South in Uptown, Minneapolis on Tuesday, March 4. Doors open at 7 PM, and competitors should arrive between 7 and 7:30 to register. The event is free to attend, but participants must pay $5.00 to compete.

Interested in competing, but aren’t sure if your latte art skills are up to par? You can register for True Stone’s Latte Art training session and prepare for the next throwdown. Our free class is open to any individual who has taken the Barista Training class at True Stone or any professional barista currently working in the industry. Check out our website for more information.

Feedback

Have a suggestion? We want to hear it. 

At True Stone, we're always about improving. That's why we want to hear from you! Send us an e-mail. Tell us we're doing right, and what we could do better.

Stay tuned

Keep your eyes peeled for the latest news.

We have some great things planned. We're going to make sure you hear the latest happenings from True Stone as soon as we know about them. (But we promise we won't flood your inbox.) Thanks for being a part of True Stone! We couldn't do it without you.

Until next time,
The geeks at True Stone