Bird Rock Unveils New Bar Inside San Diego Production HQ

All photos courtesy of Bird Rock Coffee Roasters.

San Diego’s Bird Rock Coffee Roasters has opened a public bar inside its 11-month-old production roasting headquarters in the Morena neighborhood. (Map it.)

Bird Rock founder Chuck Patton told Daily Coffee News that the modest bar and retail display are intentionally less flashy than what the company hoped to achieve in its year-old Little Italy retail location. With the production space and distribution warehouse in plain view — including a silver Loring Smart Roaster — the bar is an understated vehicle for Bird Rock’s fresh roasted coffees.

“Instead of focusing on a really fancy build out and beautiful coffee equipment that sometimes does not work that well, we are going for a more utilitarian look and feel for the space,” Patton said. “We believe the focus of a coffee bar should be on the actual coffee, not on a wow-factor of the space.  We want something to be warm and welcoming and that will not be intimidating to the consumer.”

Three barstools belly up to the wood-topped bar, composed of reclaimed eucalyptus that provides a warm touch against the raw and stainless steel materials throughout the semi-industrial space.

Atop the bar is a Curtis Seraphim brewing setup for two daily pourover options, a Curtis ThermoPro for a daily filter brew, and a La Marzocco Linea to support a small espresso drink menu. Like Bird Rock’s other public-facing locations, the space will also be used for public cuppings, at least two per month. Said Patton, “We are most interested in expanding the coffee education for our customers and we want this education to be accessible to anyone who wants it.”