We are Hannah and Sam, the heart and soul of Verso L'alto Coffee Roasters.
It all started with a coffee moment.
The Sisters are midwest transplants living the California dream. Their hobbies reflect an accurate blend of their California vibes and Midwest roots - from gardening, home roasting, making pottery and being outdoors - one thing led to another and the family business dream was born over many coffee moments shared in Hannah's kitchen.
2018
In May of 2018 Sam moved back from a year abroad in New Zealand. We had always been close knit sisters and it was natural to begin weaving our hobbies together. Bread making, gardening, fermenting foods in the kitchen - coffee roasting was a natural progression.
As we delved into the world of micro-roasting fresh beans we came to realize that roasting coffee is truly an art, a craftsmanship centered around knowing the origin and roasting temperatures of each type of bean in order to pull the tasting notes that most compliment each region of coffee bean.
We started giving sample bags of our fresh roasted coffee beans away to friends and family - there was so much interest in the product that the idea of the family business was born.
2020
In August 2020 when the coffee hobby turned into a business venture, they bought a 1.5 kg Mill City Roaster - during the fall of 2020 Sam trained on a 12.5kg San Francisco coffee roaster with Eddie the head roaster at Soul Grind Cafe in Pacifica, CA.
Like any trade coffee roasting is a combination of technical skills and craftsmanship. The concept of doing a trade is rare in our culture and it is important to invest one's time into a hobby. Sam has always loved making things with her hands and being able to express nature in a tangible way. Coffee roasting isn’t just a job, it's about enjoying the end product and sharing it with others - it's one of the many hobbies that Sam has weaved into a lifestyle.