My number-one rule when writing about coffee is not to openly declare a favorite. First, because everyone’s coffee preferences are as diverse as they are. Second, choosing a favorite coffee is like choosing a favorite child, frowned upon and ultimately unwise. Third, I need more coffee and can’t formulate a third reason. That being said, while I won’t declare it my favorite, this coffee lives easily in my top five.
This week, I had the pleasure of meeting Ty Freedman and visiting his coffee-roasting operation located inside Thumb Butte Coffee Company in Prescott, Arizona. While Ty’s name may yet be unknown within Arizona coffee circles, it’s clear to see that he will have a massive positive impact for years to come.
After receiving a warm and friendly welcome from Ty, he immediately asked if I wanted to try his light roast coffee as a pour-over. He went to work behind the counter, boiling water and prepping the filter. I was snapping some candid photos when I noticed the tall silver canister on the counter beside us. At first, I assumed it was someone’s water bottle or space-age energy drink, but when Ty picked it up, I realized the can was the container for his whole bean coffee. Excitedly, he explained why he decided on a can and not a traditional bag for his beans. Many retail and printed coffee bags aren’t recyclable due to their aluminum lining and plastic coating used to preserve freshness, and bags are easy to puncture during transit, compromising the beans therein. Each of Freedman’s cans is double-sealed in a tough, recyclable and reusable metal can, preserving the freshness and natural oils of the beans. That, and few things are more satisfying than the little thoop sound when opening the can for the first time and catching the scent of freshly roasted coffee and Prescott mountain air.
Since he began refining the roasting process, Freedman has mainly focused his energy on perfecting his Ethiopian light roast and Honduras high-grown roasts. Recently, Ty acquired beans for a new, extraordinary Mexican Robusta coffee. While most coffee in the States is Arabica, Ty was drawn to the Robusta bean because of its high caffeine content and notable differences.
Once I’d finished marveling at the Artemis-like capsule coffee can, I noticed the consistency of his grind. Unlike the savage, brutalized inconsistency of a blade grinder, each ground granule of his light roast was a gorgeous match to the one beside it, creating the softest, most feathery coffee I have ever witnessed. Generally, I prefer dark roast coffee because the higher caffeine content in light roast usually makes me feel odd. My favorite barista refers to this oddness as “the floops,” or “jeepers.” For example, “that Redbull made me jeepers. It gave me the floops.” I noticed Freedman’s light roast provided a crazy-caffeinated kung-fu kick without any of the odd after effects of other coffees.
Originally hailing from Denver, Colorado, Freedman says he was once a Starbucks barista who had never actually tried coffee. In 2002, he was in Estes Park when he stopped by a bakery called Ed’s Cafe. There he tried his first real cup of coffee, and twelve cups later, a passion for coffee was contracted. While Ty pays his bills as a licensed realtor, he began roasting and selling his coffee in 2024 based on a dream to build a business he could run with his family for years to come. Ty developed and tweaks the coffee roasting development alongside his wife, Kristen, while June and his other children help finish production and package the beans.
His coffee deserves all the hype I can type, but what really wowed me was the game-changing roaster he uses. Rubasse Roasters from Taiwan are the first roasters to use near-infrared (NIR) light as a heat source. This innovative method of roasting beans uses only one kilowatt of electricity and has an Auto Pilot system that uses NIR spectroscopy to scan developed roasting patterns so quality beans are roasted faster than a traditional drum roaster.
Freedman enjoys getting to know every independent coffee shop, owner, and barista he can find. To him, it’s about the coffee community and collaboration. “Coffee shops aren’t in competition with each other,” he says. “Each individual coffee shop has its own culture and way of making drinks.” He dreams of having a community of local independent shop owners that connect, collaborate, and benefit from one another’s success. “When people think of coffee, I want them to think of Prescott.”
Savor and Enjoy your own cup of Freedman’s Finest Coffee , roasted Fresh in Prescott, Arizona
Website: freedmansfinestcoffee.com
Address: 402 E. Sheldon St., Prescott, AZ (Inside Thumb Butte Coffee Company)
Also, distributed at Cove Cafe 1446 W. Gurley St., Prescott, AZ
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