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San Francisco · United States

Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters

Since 2014 · Trish Rothgeb, Nicholas Cho

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Overview

Wrecking Ball was founded by married coffee lifers Trish Rothgeb — credited with coining the term 'third wave' in a 2002 Roasters Guild article — and Nicholas Cho, who had run Murky Coffee in Washington, D.C. (often called the East Coast's first third-wave café) before relocating to San Francisco. Their first cafe opened on Union Street in Cow Hollow in September 2014; Rothgeb is a Q-Grader and former CQI Director of Programs, while Cho went on to become known to a separate audience entirely as 'Your Korean Dad' on TikTok.

Known for

  • Trish Rothgeb coined the term 'third wave coffee'
  • Nicholas Cho founded Murky Coffee in DC in 2002
  • Pineapple-print Cow Hollow flagship in former firehouse
  • Iced cappuccino as a signature drink
  • Berkeley's Shattuck Avenue cafe in former Philz space (2019)

Why it matters

Two people who literally helped define the third wave (the term, the Brewer's Cup rulebook, the Kalita Wave's adoption in the U.S.) opened a small neighborhood cafe with no interest in trends. The result is one of the most influential roasters in the country operating at the scale of a corner shop.

Production

destoning
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head roaster
Trish Rothgeb (roastmaster)
color sorting
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roaster machine
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filter equipment
Kalita Wave
cupping frequency
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roastery location
SOMA, San Francisco (initially roasted at Highwire Coffee in Emeryville)
espresso equipment
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annual volume tonnes
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Café

2271 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94123

Recognitions

  • Trish Rothgeb — coined 'third wave coffee' (2002)
  • Trish Rothgeb — founding member SCAA Roasters Guild Executive Council
  • Nicholas Cho — chair of US Barista Championship
  • Featured in NYT, LA Times, Bon Appétit

Sources

More roasters