Farm to cup

At Kings Coast Coffee, it’s all about deep flavor and personal touch. The company’s new tasting room offers an opportunity to find your perfect roast.

Sandwiched between a water damage repair office and an upholstery manufacturer is a representation of one of the top trends in the 21st century: craft coffee. In a Shirley warehouse with a new tasting room in front, Kings Coast Coffee Co. is roasting beans for the coffee lover.

Kings Coast opened in 2017 in Wayne Cafariella’s garage, where he and his partners, Peter Seybold, Ben Bowman, Kevin Murray and Cory Michael, set out to make better coffee than the options they often found. The crew started marketing their coffee on Twitch, as a few of the partners were professional gamers and streamed live in front of hoards of viewers. They used the opportunity to offer gamers — who are often looking for an energy boost during hours-long sessions — an alternative to sugary energy drinks. Caffeine, they said, was a natural alternative that could be packaged in a great-tasting coffee.

After offering the product online, the company saw an influx of orders and needed to upgrade. Less than a year ago, the company moved into their Shirley location to allow for more space to ship, store and make the coffee. Cafariella, the head roaster and a former chef, found that putting a personal touch on coffee made it more than just a vehicle for your morning caffeine. He found being a chef that there is a deeper science to why food tastes the way it does, and wanted to explore that process in coffee.

“There’s something more to coffee that I needed to delve into,” he said of his inspiration to open the roastery.

The company has been growing online and until recently sold exclusively through their website. Last month, the company broke into retail by debuting their product in Whole Foods in Commack and Jericho, and is working on obtaining more spots. The response has been positive, and Cafariella has been taken aback by the recognition they’ve received. People, he said, are going to the store just to buy their coffee.

Now, Kings Coast is opening a tasting room in their Shirley headquarters, which will be open to curious coffee drinkers and steady fans that want to try new roasts or buy their coffee in person. Cafariella, originally from Patchogue but now living in Kings Park, said this is a chance for him to get closer with the customers who have supported them over the past two years by buying online.

Kings Coast collects their beans from all over the world and can source them back to the farm in which they grew. All beans are ethically sourced and are certified organic, hailing from Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Kenya and more. Cafariella said he works to track each step in the process from farm to cup, as each step affects the taste of the final product. Most roasts are in a medium range, but a variety of types can be ordered. Kings Coast roasts single-origin beans that all come from one location. Others are a blend, which combine two different kinds of roasts to create a unique flavor, Cafariella said. And the coffee is about as fresh as it can get — orders are roasted when they come in and are sent out as soon as they’re ready.

At the tasting room, people will be able to try coffee before ordering or just come sit and enjoy the board games and a fresh cup of coffee. The room will be open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 45-9 Ramsey Road in Shirley. The barista behind the bar will be making fresh coffee — also available in flights — and espresso. Coffee accessories will also be available. For more information or to order online, visit kingscoastcoffee.com.

Who is Kings Coast?

Partners Wayne Cafariella, who also serves as head roaster, Peter Seybold, Ben Bowman, Kevin Murray and Cory Michael formed the company in 2017.

Why the name?

The partners wanted to pay homage to the “Gold Coast” of Long Island. Cafariella is originally from Patchogue and his father was a clammer in the Great South Bay. “We love the coastal region, we wanted a name that stood out, but also tied into who we are,” he said.

Why the location?

The company picked Shirley and their Ramsey Road headquarters due to its easy access to the Long Island Expressway and William Floyd Parkway. They also want the location to serve as a destination point for people on their way to the East End.