Granted, a small wine shop is probably not the first place you’d think to look for small-batch specialty roasted coffee beans. Neither is a barber shop. But Square Wine Company, 5 N. Pinckney St., and Ritual Barbers, 11. S Fairchild St., are currently Madison’s two sources for the beans of Yes Coffee Roasters of Monroe, Wis.
The duo of Daniel Finkelstein and Tony Ciske started Yes about a year ago. They concentrate on obtaining very high-grade coffees from very small farms, roast one or two coffees at a time, and change their varieties about once a month, says Finkelstein. The beans go to market within two days of the roast date.
This month’s current offering, Finca El Valle from the Waykan region of Guatamala, is light and lively, with mild acidity. Nut and cherry tones are understated. Grind your beans and do a simple pour-over at home for a morning cup that’s flavorful but not too in-your-face.
Finkelstein says that Yes has been holding coffee “pop-ups” with their mobile equipment and espresso machine, but he and Ciske are working on opening a Madison cafe to open this fall, next to Merchant on South Pinckney Street.
