Trailhead Coffee Roasters Do Coffee Right

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Monday, December 01, 2014

Üma Kleppinger, GoLocalPDX Contributor

For outdoor lovers the only thing better than stumbling out of bed to savor a steaming mug of small-batch, craft-roasted coffee is stumbling out of a tent to do so. Charlie Wicker knows this better than anyone. In fact, in a region of the country where obsession over the perfect cup of coffee is the norm, he turns that obsession to 11.

How else would you describe a man who rises with the dawn on a camping weekend, digs into his pack and begins to painstakingly roast his own coffee beans right there on the trail, using a hand-cranked popcorn popper?

That obsessiveness, couple with a growing dissatisfaction with his work at a large, faceless corporation and rising coffee prices, prompted Wicker to leave his steady 9-to-5 paycheck in favor of a new adventure; one that blended his love of coffee and sustainability. In 2009 Wicker began roasting small batches on a shared roaster at Cellar Door Coffee in SE Portland, and Trailhead Coffee Roasters was born.

From the outset, Wicker was determined to conduct his business by bike, providing local stores and restaurants on a custom built cargo bike. Weighing XX pounds, fully loaded, Trailhead’s signature coffee bike can be found at many local events and festivals. In fact Wicker has pedaled—and peddled—his coffee to thousands of riders at Cycle Oregon, one of the state’s largest and longest organized tours.

Car-Free Caffeine

“People told me it was crazy to even think about delivering by bike, but I had made a commitment to live car-free and I wanted to carry that through in my business, too,” said Wicker. “It’s important to me to maintain that commitment. My cargo bike is my vehicle. I use it for everything, including hauling the kids around. It takes some planning and adjustment, but it can be done.”

As the business has grown, Wicker has engaged Portland Pedal Power to provide deliveries of Trailhead beans to residential customers. Commercial deliveries are still made by one of the roaster’s cargo bikes.

Coffee with A Conscience

Trailhead Coffee Roaster’s commitment to sustainability goes far beyond its delivery method. The product itself could be described as “coffee with a conscience”. Trailhead’s beans come from organic, and sustainable sources and are purchased at above fair trade prices.

“About half of our coffees come from Cafe Femenino, a cooperative of women-owned coffee growers around the globe,” said Wicker.

Cafe Femenino empowers women growers to gain financial independence throughout coffee growing regions. “A rising tide lifts all boats. As the women in these areas are financially empowered, their families and communities grow stronger.

The Perfect Pairing

In January the roaster moves into a new location with Portland chocolatiers, Ranger Chocolate who produce artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate.

The new tasting room/factory will be located at the foot of the east side of the Burnside Bridge, and brings together artisanal chocolates and coffee for the perfect pairing.

Until doors open on the new digs, you can find Trailhead Coffee Roasting’s beans at New Seasons, Whole Foods, Food Front and many other local grocers.

You can also order online directly from Portland Pedal Power.

For more information, visit trailheadcoffeeroasters.com.

 

Üma Kleppinger is a Portland-based copy writer, author and bike addict. A recovering sesquipedalian who writes about life in the saddle and outdoor adventure, she is also the author of Bike Yoga, a flexibility and recovery program for cyclists. When not writing, she can be found riding and racing her mountain bike throughout the Pacific Northwest.

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