DAPPER & WISE
At Dapper & Wise Roasters we want to reflect all the care that goes into the process of growing, choosing, roasting, and preparing coffee…we want our customers to be approached with a sense of thankfulness.
We are thankful that this can be our career. We are thankful we were able to help farmers with the means to have a fruitful life. We are thankful to be able to share this journey of the coffee bean with our customers, seasoned with a spirit of constant learning.
~words by Evan Aldrete
Dapper & Wise is a beautiful coffee shop and roasting house located in the Portland, Oregon area. The co owners Evan Aldrete and Tyler Geel also own Insomnia Coffee and are up to great things, just having opened their latest store on SE Division Street.
My first visit to their Tasting Room for the shoot for this article was lovely. I was impressed at the kindness of their staff and of course, their passion for coffee.
If you live in the Portland area or anywhere in the Northwest for that matter, you’ll know that the coffee industry is well saturated and the competition is high. From the start of meeting the Dapper & Wise crew last fall, I knew something was different about this company. Their approach to business and the coffee industry as a whole and then on a relational level with their customers is different from what I’ve seen and I hold high regard for their team and vision.
I’m excited to share this interview with you, words by the co owner Evan Aldrete ( in partnership with Tyler Geel) as they really show their passion for coffee and people. It’s thrilling to see their approach to business and the heart they hold behind the company.
Definitely make sure to visit their tasting room and as mentioned, their newest location on SE Division is one to check out! You won’t be disappointed. They also have a brew method class this weekend on June 6th; more information here.
You can find Dapper & Wise on Instagram, Twitter, the web & Facebook
All images taken at the Dapper & Wise Tasting Room location in Beaverton, Oregon.
Share with us the heart behind Dapper & Wise and what you hope to bring through roasting and sharing your coffee with the community.
There are a lot of coffee roasters and purveyors in our area of the world and it is not our goal to be massively caught up in the rat race of being the next best thing. We see that while there is a lot of attention being turned to the beautiful details of preparing coffee there is a gap of understanding and under-appreciating the world about which we are so passionate.
At Dapper & Wise Roasters we want to reflect all the care that goes into the process of growing, choosing, roasting, and preparing coffee. After that, we want our customers to be approached with a sense of thankfulness. We are thankful that this can be our career. We are thankful we were able to help farmers with the means to have a fruitful life. We are thankful to be able to share this journey of the coffee bean with our customers, seasoned with a spirit of constant learning.
WHERE DID YOUR LOVE FOR COFFEE ORIGINATE? IS THERE A STORY BEHIND YOUR FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE PERFECT CUP OF COFFEE?
I remember sitting among my older family members over a board game, drinking a very large mug of coffee. I was 9. A couple of things were quite precarious about this situation. I was way too young to be drinking coffee much less drinking this at night with like 10 packets of sugar and a whole lot of cream! IT WAS DELICIOUS! It has been a big part of my life since then. And no, it didn’t stunt my growth much. My tastes have grown much since then, as I would much rather be sitting over a nice cup of black coffee from the high hills of Kenya.
What aspects of roasting and brewing brings fulfillment in your everyday life?
We have found that every coffee is different and can’t be put into a box. Applying this principle to everyday life: people are not the same! Everyone is different from one another and one can really miss out if that is not realized.
What is different and unique to Dapper & Wise in comparison to the many local coffee shops in the Portland area?
Like mentioned above, we have a heart of filling in the gap from the customer’s standpoint. We pride ourselves on being able to walk people through the process of brewing and expose what seemed like a mysterious world before. We hold classes for the public and coffee professionals to be able to hone in on their skills and knowledge. On a side note, coffee professionals can be very proprietary with what they know about coffee- it’s as if they were to share, they would not be as valuable. We believe the more people “in the know”, the more we can gather around as a community and make a change for the better of all who are involved in the chain of coffee.
Tell us about the sourcing process that goes into finding the right beans to roast in your shop
Due to being a smaller roaster, we haven’t yet been able to build the unique roaster-to-farmer connections. That is our goal as we grow. However, we have been partnering with importers that really live the life and have gone the extra mile with these producers and their product. The longer we dive into this venture, the more we desire to jump deeper in.
What are your top 2 favorite brew methods currently and why?
I love the Kalita Wave dripper. It’s such a clean crisp cup- personalized just for me! I would have to say my second is the French Press because I have four kids at home and nary do I have the awareness to make a pour over happen on those early “sleep deprived” mornings. A dad has to do what he has to do.
Where do you see Dapper & Wise going in the future? Any big dreams you’d like to share with us?
So many dreams! For now we have several I can share. We love to stand in the middle and be a kind and considerate source of knowledge for the seeker. We have been developing our own Coffee School open to the public gear to give a nicely rounded and comprehensive base of knowledge for the coffee professional and enthusiast. In our café in SE, We would like to take the approach of innovation in some of the things that we can do in and with coffee. Stay tuned for more . . .
Any favorite local shops or attractions you’d recommend for someone who’s either living in the area or planning to visit?
In Beaverton/ Tanasbourne/Wilderness, we enjoy the following:
ABV Public House – great burgers!
Channai Masala – for some great Indian food
In SE, goodness how can we choose there are so many! May faves are:
The famed Pok Pok is practically right next door to our shop!
Bollywood Theater– amazing Indian food!
And a few blocks down, at the food carts, there is a little spot called Timbers where Chris will make you a freaking awesome burger called Trouble in Paradise; you ca tell I’m a comfort food kinda guy!
If you could go anywhere in the world and explore one creative “avenue” in that culture, where would it be and why?
I have been to Kenya once in my life, before my true love of coffee can to fruition. Some day I would love to go back and hike the high hills of Kenya and pick back up on my Swahili!
We’d love to hear some of your favorite fellow coffee roasters across the city or country!
This list can be dangerously long but I will tread carefully:
Coava George Howell
