Roasting in DC Since 2009
Coffee As Produce
Qualia was founded in 2009 on the idea that local food can be produced fresher, more flavorful and more satisfying than what you find at the grocery store. We have continued to adhere to that retail philosophy, which enables us to deliver the freshest coffee in the DMV. We are also dedicated to responsible sourcing and serving our community.
What is Qualia?
And how do you pronounce it?
In philosophy of the mind, Qualia are constructs used to explore the indescribable experience of the senses. What does a cup of coffee tastes like and how would you describe that to somebody who has never had that particular coffee (basically what we do every day). Qualia is named after this idea that each cup of coffee is a unique experience.
There are two accepted pronunciations of Qualia (the singular form of which is quale). We use Kwa-Leeaa, but Quail-yaa is also recognized.
How We Roast
In our roasting process, we manipulate time, temperature and rate throughout the heat curve, such that the end result cannot be readily reduced to simple terms such as light, medium and dark. To highlight the natural variety of flavors that different coffee beans can exhibit, we work to push the roasting process into the background.
This is not to suggest that the same coffee roasted by different roasters will taste exactly the same. One way to think of it is that each specialty roaster has their own roast signature, which influences aspects such as acidity, body and balance. But delving beneath those broad strokes, each type of bean, depending on such things as soil, sun, rain, genetics, harvesting and processing for export, will have its own distinct character.
Our roast signature enhances body, while toning down acidity. We find this balance has a satisfying mouthfeel while allowing much of the complexity of each bean to come through in the cup, without being overwhelmed on one end of the spectrum by brightness or, on the other end, by carbonized sugars.
This is not a judgement on other approaches to roasting coffee, simply a matter of personal preference, one that we also believe emphasizes each coffee's natural complexity.
Our approach is also strongly influenced by the fact that we roast exclusively for the retail customer. This enables us to focus entirely on quality without concern for shelf life. If we sold our coffee beans through grocery stores, we would have little control over how long they sat on the shelf. As a result, we would need to adapt our roast style to that reality. Instead, we sell all our beans within three days of roast, before they have hit their peak flavor.