Canadian coffee roasters with a cycling connection

There are a lot of Canadian cyclists who are well caffeinated during, after and before rides. The exchange goes both ways. There are also many Canadian coffee roasters with cycling in their blood. That has lead to some strong bonds between coffee roasters and cycling be it through sponsorship, branding, or just a shared passion for both. Here are six Canadian roasters that roast a good bean and have a strong connection to cycling.

Eleven Speed Coffee – Victoria

Eleven Speed Coffee is a small batch specialty roaster based in Victoria, B.C. Founder Kyle Denny doesn’t play off the coffee-cycling connection lightly. Eleven Speed supplies the caffeine needs of Canadian talent like cyclocross national champion Michael van den Ham, Nigel Ellsay, Erin Attwell and Oliver Evans. It also made and donated it’s Podium blend and a special-edition Last Not Lapped roast for the local cyclocross series Cross on the Rock. Eleven Speed ships across Canada and does some limited custom roasting, so the only thing you can’t get is an upgrade to 12.

Kittel – Montreal

Le Club Espresso in Montreal is a cycling themed cafe that serves up a good brew not to far from the base of Camillien-Houde. On the weekend of the Grand Prix Cyclistes de Quebec et Montreal, many of the WorldTour teams make a stop to have a coffee and learn about the beans Le Club sources. Kittel is a Montreal-based small batch coffee roaster. Michael Matthews is known to be a particular enthusiast for the bean, the winner of the 2018 GPCQM, is a regular indulger in the roast which Le Club send him regularly.

Grupetto – Dundas, Ont.

Grupetto is a cycling-themed cafe and coffee roaster in Dundas, Ont. that has become a popular stop for locals on rides since its founding in 2016. Grupetto currently offers a bag of beans called Krystmas Cross Blend. Part of the proceeds from the roast go to support the Canadian national cyclocross team’s program over in European during Christmas time. Grupetto were also at Canadian cyclocross nationals keeping the crowds and racers warm with their tasty espresso-based drinks. The cafe in Dundas is filled with bike frames and accessories to if your in town make sure to make a stop by.

Barista – Montreal

In 2017, Barista became an official partner of Cycling Canada. If you’ve been to big cycling events in Canada like road nationals and the GPCQM, you may have seen them around serving their coffee to spectators, journalists, VIP and athletes alike.. Based in Montreal, they roast numerous blends for espresso and filtered coffee. There connection to sport goes beyond cycling as they support triathletes, judo athletes and speed skaters. They have a special blend associated with their support for Cycling Canada and have plans to announce two cycling ambassadors who will have their own blends in the near future.

Java Blend Coffee – Halifax

The Adventure Blend of Halifax Coffee roaster Java Blend is a collaboration with Forward Racing’s Andrew L’Esperance. The cross-country mountain bike program races at Canada Cups and World Cups throughout the season. All the proceeds from the Adventure Blend go directly to Forward Racing to facilitate there racing and training program. Java was founded in 1938 and remains a small, locally owned roastery.

Phil & Sebastian – Calgary

The beans that come out of Phil & Sebastian make their way to cafes across Canada. The roast is served in Musette Caffé in Vancouver, a world class cycling and coffee establishment filled with cycling history and memorabilia. The company was founded in 2007 by two engineers and has grown to have five locations in Calgary. Nic Witzke, Phil & Sebastian’s wholesale account manager and has appeared as a guest chef in Canadian Cycling Magazine. He’s managed to incorporate his two passions in his work with the company and rides around Vancouver to check in on his accounts across the city.