Sock Saunders is a dark roast blend created from high-quality beans that can withstand extended roasting without deteriorating. The blend exhibits pungent aromatics and semi-sweet baker's chocolate accents characteristic of dark roasts, with mahogany brown beans rather than black. The roaster intentionally avoided using low-grown Central or South American origins that are commonly found in poor-quality dark roasts, instead selecting beans with good density and character.
Speckled Ax was founded in 2007 in Portland, Maine, originally under the name Matt's Wood Roasted Organic Coffee. The roastery's defining feature is its fuel: all coffee is roasted on a vintage 20 kilogram Petroncini from the 1970s fired with locally sourced, kiln dried Maine hardwoods including red oak, maple, and ash. It is one of a handful of wood fired coffee roasters in the United States. The approach produces a roast character distinct from conventional gas fired methods, adding a subtle depth that has earned Speckled Ax a Good Food Award. They offer both certified organic blends and high quality conventional single origins, all ethically sourced.
