dear friends,

maybe the heavy clouds don't know it's almost summer, but the passionflower in the backyard does, showy and persistent with its soft blossoms. the azaleas know it too, somewhere deep in their roots, and all around, the green plants are pushing up through the dirt with their gentle reminders: renewal, growth, possibility.

tal and i have had our heads down for a little more than a year now, working with quiet diligence to stabilize, mend and reimagine four barrel. the fact that we have the opportunity to do this at all is a gift from the... read more...

Four Barrel Coffee Featured Artist Rachel Sager is anything but subtle.

California Bay Area painter Rachel Sager created the art for the latest septet of Four Barrel bags. We stole a few minutes from her to discuss the boiling point of blood, the self-indulgence of She-Ra, and coffee.

“I am most definitely creating imagery of natural and 'unnatural' occurrences that aim to create dissonance within the viewer, that might trigger a sort of innate reaction, possibly reminiscent of awe and terror.”

That’s a lot to pack into that little square on a coffee bag, isn’t it?

“I spent days in some of... read more...

It's brewed hot, then immediately cooled and coolly captured. In a can. We hinted at our secret system back in 2017.

Now it's here.  

If you live in the Bay Area, maybe you’ve already tasted Four Barrel Cold Coffee from a keg. So we won’t bother with the sales pitch… except to emphasize that this is not cold brew.

So it's not cold brew, but it is cold coffee. And unlike other canned flash brews, these are single-source cans, emphasizing and crediting the co-ops and... read more...

Four Barrel Coffee featured artist Alice J Blaschke doesn't need to see things that don't exist.

Oregon artist Alice Jane Blaschke (née Marshall) illustrated the latest trio of Four Barrel bags. So we wrote to her on her web site… and she wrote back! Here’s what she said about art, nature, goodness, and coffee:

“I am forever practicing how to draw real things in nature as anatomically accurate as possible so the drawings can be an homage to the mind-blowing natural world. There's no need to make anything up.”

What about a giant, truck-sized orange spider that is also a barista, so... read more...

Maybe you’ve noticed there’s a new flag hanging in the café / roastery. A nice history of the flag itself appears... HERE.

We’re flying it to show support and welcome to all our patrons, friends, colleagues, partners, neighbors, and family. However you identify yourself, you are welcome here.
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Speaking of the cafes... Do you know any baristas? We’ll bet you do. As we continue to open up avenues for leadership and collaboration, this is the perfect time to welcome a new colleague or two.

To apply for a job, please email... read more...