Location:Â 3205 Cascade Drive Suite F, Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone:Â (219) 286-6287
Website:Â http://www.daggermountain.com/
Humble Beginnings
It all started in October of 2013 when Dan Evans, 23, Ashton Whitley, 24, and Andy Urschel, 37 sat down and talked about how they could bring coffee roasting to Northwest Indiana in a way that the area had not seen. They each had a passion for roasting coffee and within a few months purchased their first roaster. Fast forward to May of 2015, Dagger Mountain opened their doors for the first time in the warehouse district of Valparaiso, IN. Although their location seems a little odd, they transformed their space into a trendy and relaxing coffee bar with a welcoming atmosphere and passionate staff. Since Dagger Mountain opened their doors, Andy has moved on to new endeavors but remains a part of their humble beginnings.
Coffee With Integrity
From the ground up, every detail of Dagger Mountain’s coffee is perfectly crafted and thought out. Water is the most important ingredient in coffee and Dagger Mountain treats it as so. After three months of hard work and refining, they produced water that was perfect for brewing their coffee. Their water runs through a softener, a reverse osmosis filter, a mineral addition cartridge, and then finally through a carbon filter all just to insure the quality of their final product. Dagger Mountain roasts single origin coffees (rather than blends) and works closely with importers to discover unique products and ensure quality. Their roasting process is precise and highly valued. Once a batch is roasted it immediately goes to their shelves insuring the freshest quality. It doesn’t stop there. Even their brewing process is heavily scrutinized and perfected. Each of their baristas are trained in various gravity filtration methods such as V60 and Chemex. This final step of creating their cup of coffee brings out flavors that you wouldn’t be able to taste otherwise.
Dan Evans picks out beans that did not roast properly to ensure quality.
The Scoop
Dagger Mountain is the poster child for small business coffee in Northwest Indiana. Not only do they carefully articulate each step in the creation of their coffee, but they are also incredible members of their local community. Dagger Mountain has held a fundraising event for Lakeshore Paws, donated to various local charities, and participate in many events in the area such as the Artisan Fair (Journeyman Distillery), Valparaiso Farmers Market, various public cuppings, and many other events. They have recently purchased a coffee roaster (pictured) that allows them to roast 6 times the amount of coffee than their previous machine was able to. They are currently providing over ten area small businesses with their coffee and they are seeking out more businesses to work with. There’s no doubt they are leaving their mark in the community.
Black Coffees (all single origin): Honduras Liquidambar, Kenya R.O.I. Estate, Ethiopia Hambela
Traditional Espresso: Espresso, Cortado, Cappuccino, Latte, Mocha, Miel
Spirit Tea: Wild Assam, Anaiza Ali Shan, Rosella, Saigon, Sunstone Blend