Inside the new Hypergoat Coffee Roasters cafe in Alexandria, Virginia. All images courtesy of Hypergoat Coffee Roasters.
Now welcoming giddy herds of customers into its first brick-and-mortar cafe is Hypergoat Coffee Roasters, which just opened in Alexandria, Virginia.
Natural light streams into the cafe through skylights in the high ceiling, while leafy green plants dangle from the wooden rafters. These add a naturalistic vibe to the modern industrial setting, where tall windows, freestanding panels and brick walls divide seating areas and provide separation from the adjoined co-working space.
Expanding from the Burke Farmers Market in Fairfax County, where Hypergoat has steadily offered cold and hot brews, the cafe features a full espresso program plus flights of 4-ounce Black Eagle Purebrew extractions.
The shop’s Victoria Arduino Gravimetric Black Eagle Maverick espresso machine, fleet of Mahlkönig grinders and a Ground Control Cyclops brewer are all dressed in white.
“The coffee shop is around 600 square feet, but it feels more spacious than that,” Hypergoat Coffee Co-Founder Rodrigo Ramos told Daily Coffee News. “By choosing white for our equipment, we added a crisp, modern touch that complements the building without detracting from its history dating back to 1897. We’re also installing a custom-made wall art piece by renowned Brazilian artist Belca to serve as a focal point and enrich the visual experience.”
Ramos and his wife, Hypergoat Coffee Co-Owner Deborah Joos Tafner de Moraes, both hail from Brazil. That heritage is reflected in the shop’s artwork, music and bites such as the Pão de Queijo (cheese bread) and Brigadeiro chocolate truffles.
Ramos’ two brothers also work in coffee — one for a specialty coffee producer in Brazil, and the other running a small coffee chain in Sydney, Australia.
In Alexandria, Hypergoat roasts coffees from all over the world, while taking particular pride in a coffee bought directly from Brazilian producer Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (FAF). Roasting takes place on a 7-kilo Loring Nighthawk in a dedicated roastery on the owners’ home property.
Ramos, who has a full-time job as a senior manager in I.T., roasts two nights a week for Hypergoat, seeking relationships with importing companies that are committed to quality, sustainable and ethical sourcing practices.
Purchasing mostly through Minneapolis-based Cafe Imports, FAF and Colombia-focused Cosecha Traders, Hypergoat says it prioritizes traceability, fair compensation for farmers and environmental stewardship when comparing options for green coffees. Once coffees are roasted, they make their way to biodegradable packaging, while spent coffee grounds are used for compost.
“It is part of our plan to perform regular sustainability audits, to help us track and implement actions to continuously improve our sustainability impact,” said Ramos. “We have recently joined the Smithsonian Bird Friendly program, and are looking forward to always keeping at least one Bird Friendly coffee as part of our offerings.”
With green pastures ahead, Hypergoat plans to roll out new coffee blends and single-origin coffees, host workshops and tastings, and explore partnerships with other organizations.
“By expanding our online presence and collaborating with like-minded businesses, we aim to make our exceptional coffee accessible to more people,” said Ramos. “Additionally, we’re considering opening additional locations to bring our unique coffee experience to new communities.”
Hypergoat Coffee Roasters is located at 215 N Payne St in Alexandria. Tell DCN’s editors about your new coffee shop or roastery here.
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Howard Bryman
Howard Bryman is the associate editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. He is based in Portland, Oregon.
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