This craft café is adding a new market for tastings in Kelowna

Taylor MacInnis admits her palette was not always welcoming to coffee.

“I was an adamant tea drinker,” she told Kelowna10.

But as her husband Aaron started to explore into the world of specialty coffee, Taylor found herself being slowly converted.

As she delved deeper, she found herself captivated by the various flavors and nuances of the bean.

The couple's shared love for quality coffee soon led them to explore the idea of bringing their passion to the market.

Thus, Craft 42 Roasters was born, a café nestled along the Rail Trail in Kelowna that is shaking up the coffee scene with its unique tasting experience.

Craft 42’s tasting room parallels a wine tasting experience. Customers are treated to an in-depth adventure, learning where the bean came from, how it was farmed and cultivated, the flavour notes, roasting style, and how it can be brewed best at home.

“For us, we really wanted to show the potential of coffee,” she explained. “We really want to bring out the flavours in the bean. There are hundreds of flavours you can get out of a bean, depending on how it is farmed and prepared.”

She said the tasting room is also targeted at tourists who want to add to their time in the Okanagan. Taylor believes the coffee tasting experience casts a wide net and offers a unique alternative to alcohol-based tours and tastings.

She hopes people will taste high quality, ethical coffee, and make the switch to higher quality products.

Beyond that, just dropping by the café is an elevated experience.

When ordering or sitting at the bar, customers aren’t looking over a machine or glass, but watching the barista pull the shots.

“They are looking at us and how we are pulling the shot or pouring the coffee,” she said. “They are more involved in the process.”

Sourcing ethically farmed beans, products made in Canada, and having a small carbon footprint is also at the core of their business.

The café's cups are all compostable, and the bags and cutlery are recyclable. The pastries on offer come from local bakers at Karat Chocolate and Big Fat Lion Bakeshop. The couple also encourages people looking to buy bulk beans to bring their own container.

Even the location, along the Rail Trail, plays into this.

“We want to encourage commuting through your bike or walking or rollerblading or on your skateboard. … We wanted fewer cars pulling up and more people coming after a run or a bike ride,” she said. “As much as we can reduce the carbon footprint or plastic … we just want to be part of that. We want our whole business to be an example of that.”

The café, located at 1178 High Road, is open Wednesday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. As the summer season approaches, tasting times will need to be reserved.