Tracker Pixel for Entry

​Young Blood Coffee Roasters serving more than your average cup of joe

All About Food | April 24th, 2014

By Liz Rahn

For Ian Johnson and the rest of the team at Young Blood Coffee Roasters, making really good coffee means doing it slowly. From roasting their own beans to preparing slow-drip coffee by hand, Young Blood coffee is entirely hand-made and de-automated.

The inspiration for the company came from Johnson’s childhood memories of his parents sharing conversation early on Saturday mornings over a cup of joe. There was nothing fancy about it, but the mug in their hands at 4:30 a.m. facilitated conversation and strengthened their relationship as far back as Johnson can remember.

About a year ago, after Johnson’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, he began to reflect on his life and what really matters in the grand scheme of things.

“I started thinking about how many things in my life, how many firsts, you know first dates or first conversations, how many intellectual conversations, how many hopeful idealistic conversations I’ve had over coffee,” Johnson said.

YBCR is not just about the dark liquid it produces. Rather, it’s focused on the opportunity for conversation, the interaction between the customer and the barista. Johnson explained that at a regular coffee shop, you place your order, stand back and wait, then receive your product and leave. YBCR brews every cup with a Chemex coffeemaker, forcing a slow-drip brew which produces a “very clean, very light cup of coffee.” This enables the Young Blood baristas to take their time making a cup of coffee and engage with their customer.

It’s this personal exchange that Johnson hopes to curate through YBCR. “[The barista is] not a vessel that takes money and gives a product, they’re someone who is exchanging something on an emotional level and that’s cool.”

The name for Johnson’s company comes from the attitude of youth that allows people to take risks. He explained that its moments when you’re confronted with mortality that you really start to realize what matters in your life and how little time you may have to pursue those things.

“I don’t want to lose that component of my youth that got me to take risk to start my own business … Those characteristics of being full of young blood that keeps you from taking no for an answer, that doesn’t allow you to be intimidated by doing something that you want to do,” Johnson said.

Inspired by Johnson’s mother and his family of entrepreneurs, YBCR has grown into a caffeinated conversation starter to truly engage with customers and facilitate those great conversations that happen over a cup of coffee. In order to maintain quality and a strong sense of compassion with each brew, YBCR only does private events currently.

For the future, Johnson is hoping for continued interest and maybe someday a Young Blood coffee bar. However, for now they are focused on maintaining quality and the fun of brewing great coffee.

“It sounds like a really formal thing, but I just don’t treat it as such, and maybe that’s what’s kept it fun … I’m at this really great place where if people like it, great. If they don’t, I really don’t care because I like it.”

YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Young Blood Coffee is available at Unglued (408 Broadway N, Fargo) and at

youngbloodcoffee.com

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comNorth Dakotans will take part in a nationwide civil rights rally on Thursday, July 17. Protests, marches, rallies and acts of service are scheduled in Bismarck, Bottineau, Devils Lake,…

Back-to-school season is on the horizon, but there's still plenty of summer left. Check out our favorite August attractions and events in North Dakota and western Minnesota. And if if you missed them, here are a few excellent May…

July 18-19, 25-26 and August 2-3North Dakota Horse Park, 5180 19th Ave. N., FargoLadies and gentlemen, prepare to place your bets — racing season is upon us! Not just horses will be racing this year; word on the street suggests…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com On July fourth, Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest took place at Coney Island. The winners, Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo, reigned victorious. Chestnut earned his 17th title by…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWhy doesn’t the world require politicians to leave office at 60?Most of the leaders of countries, whether gods, fascists, democrats or socialists, are not doing very well these days. David Van…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Simone Wairickgion@gmail.com The Red River Market returned to downtown Fargo on Saturday, July 12. The event will take place every Saturday except July 19. (That date will be moved to Sunday, July 20, due to the…

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comThe Moorhead Public Library will offer three free, all-ages outdoor concerts featuring regional bands this summer. The series begins on June 12 with the Meat Rabbits, a group that blends…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comPhoto by Sabrina Hornung Wing, North Dakota is a town of 132 located about an hour northwest of Bismarck on Highway 36. There’s a shiny new Cenex on the intersection of the highway and the high…

By Deb Wallworkdwallwork@icloud.comI first met Catherine Mulligan at a party at her house. It was a small gathering, spontaneous, just a few people over for dinner. Directed toward a stack of plates and bowls and a big pot warming…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comPhoto by Yvonne Denault There is something intimate and personal about plays. Even in our age of multimillion dollar Hollywood productions and droves of streaming services, watching actors…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

The drug that keeps re-purposing itselfBy Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com There is a drug that is getting a lot of attention nowadays all over the world. It has various commercial names (Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus), but…

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.com Working in the Bakken oil fields of the Williston Basin is so different from my home in Fargo. I'm not judging, because the people working and living in western North Dakota are very…