When Rick Carter takes to the streets in his bright red '63 Ford Galaxie 500, he's out for more than a classic cruise. He's delivering sustenance.
As one of Greater Lansing's new breed of micro coffee roasters, Carter ensures customers have the beans they need to fuel their week through local delivery or shipping.
"I have a route I run on Sunday mornings," says Carter who custom roasts coffee from his home after winding down from his full-time job. "But if someone needs coffee, I won't make them wait."
As the owner of
Galaxie Coffee Roasters, Carter understands the love of java. His wife, Rachel, did too and bought him the small roaster for Christmas about seven years ago that started his adventure into roasting single-origin coffee.
Carter started out roasting one pound at a time for his daily brew, then began roasting for friends. Soon, his beans were all the buzz around his hometown of Mason. Energized by caffeine, he invested in a three-kilo shop roaster and began sourcing beans from Sweet Maria's and the Coffee Shrub—two coffee distributors that work directly with small farmers worldwide.
Carter launched Galaxie in September 2013. He has about 50 to 75 core customers for his seasonal varieties that feature beans from small farms in Guatemala, Sumatra, Yemen, Kenya, Colombia and other coffee growing regions. Coffee drinkers can also find a small selection of Galaxie artisan roasts through
Best Sellers Books and Coffee Co. in downtown Mason.
In March, Carter worked with Bestseller's owner Jamie Robinson to host Galaxie's first public coffee cupping at the store. The event, Carter says, is akin to a wine tasting for coffee, and allows customers to sample and appreciate the full flavor of a particular brew.
"So many people just gulp coffee down on their way to work," says Carter. "My objective is to get people to slow down and smell the coffee."
Source: Rick Carter, Owner, Galaxie Coffee Roasters
Writer: Ann Kammerer, Development News Editor
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