For many folks, knowledge of the city of Baltimore begins and ends with The Wire or Serial or with some pretty big lies from a very small man. But anyone who has actually stepped foot in the city knows that these reference points—both true and not—only paint a very small sliver of an otherwise vibrant city. We’ve covered a few different Baltimore coffee shops in the past, from Ceremony to Dovecote, and the scene is as thriving and diverse as the city it represents.
And we couldn’t be happier to be heading back to Charm City for our next entry into the Build-Outs of Summer: Aveley Farms Coffee Roasters. Aveley is looking to find their place in the local scene and is planning to do so by bringing a West Coast vibe to their local ethos. With some aesthetic ideas imported over from San Diego, Aveley is staying as local as possible, even including the importers they opt to work with. For the rest of the story, we check in with Corey Voelkel, the driving force behind Aveley Farms Coffee Roasters in Baltimore, Maryland.
The 2019 Build-Outs of Summer is presented by Pacific Barista Series, notNeutral, KeepCup, and Mill City Roasters. Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 46)
As told to Sprudge by Corey Voelkel.
For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?
Aveley Farms was started after experiencing real coffee while living in San Diego. After a few years of home roasting and education, I decided to quit my job, drive cross country, and start Aveley Farms. Aveley Farms was started with the goal of pushing the Coffee Culture forward in Baltimore and educate the end consumer. We source as much coffee from Baltimore based importers as possible, including Keffa Coffee, The Coffee Quest US, and more.
Can you tell us a bit about the new space?
Our space was designed as a West Coast Style Roastery & Cafe in an old Baltimore warehouse with plenty of charm.
We have 13′ ceilings with 8′ panel glass warehouse windows, 100-year-old tattered hardwood floors, tiled wall from floor to ceiling behind our bar, and exposed storage. Our green coffee and cupping table double as a bar and wall to our roasting operations and 12-kilo Diedrich!
Oh and did I mention we are on the second floor in an old warehouse building in the Harbor East Community. Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 46)
What’s your approach to coffee?
My background in coffee started and was influenced by Bird Rock Coffee Roasters. I believe that it’s our job as Roasters to build a sustainable supply chain and educate the end consumer. We roast all of our coffees to Origin and source as direct to farmer as possible.
Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?
’99 12 kilo Diedrich from Amavida Coffee! Matte Black Espresso Bar including La Marzocco Linea PB, Mazzer grinders, Curtis drip, and FETCO tower.
How is your project considering sustainability?
We source as much of our coffee from Baltimore-based importers in an attempt to grow the Baltimore Coffee Scene.
We started an education program, including free public cuppings every other Friday, free home brew classes, and our “Common Grounds” series in partnerships with Diamondback Brewery, Keffa Coffee, and more.
We are working with our importers to make a difference at farm level through our jute bag sales with 100% going directly to farm level. (Currently working with Keffa Coffee on a project in El Salvador with nutrition programs).
What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?
We opened May 18th, 2019!!
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?
Two good friends, Zach and Sean (Architect and Engineer) helped get through the city permitting process! Everything was designed by me :)
Thank you!
Thank you!!
The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.
