Pilot Coffee Roasters

A true fan of cafes Te Aro and Crafted, to see Pilot’s new Tasting Bar was like watching a child growing up and reaching for the stars. The space was designed like a Scandinavian dream, simple, open, bright, high ceilings and modern.
This Tasting Bar shouts experimentation and visitors, merchants alike should come open-​minded to taste various styles and methods. After all, why else would you see those multi-​thousand dollar machinery at the bar alone?
The Menu is simple as it should be and we went for the «Trust The Barista» tasting, the experience felt like a similar setup to a sushi bar or a whiskey bar as one coffee came after another as you finish and we were lucky we went when they were not busy since it’s during most people’s regular office hours.
I’m glad this place opened because there’s still so much to discover and I’m certain the coffee I didn’t like will be balanced with ones that I do. I’m sure the retailers/​merchants that come here have as much fun as we do when they do tastings to determine their shop’s coffee.

This is a very secluded place, right in the heart of Greenwood residential area. The coffee is amazing and changes depending on the coffee roasted for each season.
This is the tasting bar and roaster location, so you can mainly see the packing, roasting, grinding inaction. Love especially how they use cargo bike to make their delivery.
As its only a tasting bar, the hours are a little inconvenient for the working crowd, being opened from 8.30am — 3pm.
The barista is a knowledgeable guy, so if you’re not sure what you want he will definitely be able to give you a good recommendation. One recommendation I’ll give is Lil Bro. It has great note of chocolate, fig, brown sugar!
Well worth a visit if you’re a coffee lover like me. You won’t be disappointed.

As I was informed by my bean-​crushing, brew-​sipping, coffee-​critic SO, pilot won microroastery of the year. So, clearly, we had to visit.
What a cool space!
This location is Pilot Coffee’s tasting bar and roastery (the coffee also appears at their cafes, Te Aro and Crafted) so it’s a pretty huge place with stacks of burlap (?) bags, filled with presumably coffee. There is a glass-​panelled room for coffee-​tasting sessions («cuppings») and a tasting bar with top of the line coffee machines, of which I fail to grasp the majesty (but I was assured they were a big deal). Off to the side, they’ve displayed bags of their beans, bars of chocolate, and coffee paraphernalia available for purchase.
We sat at the bar for the tasting menu: an espresso, a brew (chemex or pourover), and the specialty drink (which happened to be the cold brew when we went). The barista was extremely friendly! It was great casual entertainment to watch her prepare the drinks slowly and meticulously – everything is measured on a scale when both dry and wet, the technique is consistent from customer to customer, and it was fascinating to watch some latte art being poured.
Maybe it’s because I don’t really drink coffee, so I am easily impressed, but this place definitely feels as if it’s above and beyond your regular café in town. It isn’t somewhere you come to squat for wifi while working and absent-​mindedly sipping a cappuccino: the coffee is really the focus of your attentions. With that in mind, I would come by for that experience: coffee front and centre. Don’t really expect to do anything else while sitting at the bar!
PS: Cold brew was quite tasty. But I imagine the beans and drinks are probably switched out regularly, so just consult the menu or ask the barista – don’t listen to people on the internet.

I do «Trust The Barista» ($ 12), especially the one at Pilot Coffee Roasters.
The Opening hour here is a little awkward. If you are working some regular office hour (9 – 5 M-​F), you might never able to come to experience the Tasting Bar unless it is your day off. But I tell you, it is well worth it if you are an avid coffee lover.
Of course you can also just order what you like off the menu. Pour over, Chemex, Espresso, Cold Brew. Talk to the nice barista if you are not sure what to order. But if you have time, I definitely recommend the tasting menu.
3 different roasts with 3 different brewing methods.
BTW, I have always been a Tre Aro and Crafted fans so I really enjoyed my experience here.
Maybe one day I can do some coffee cupping here.
The aroma of roast coffee beans on site is just so intoxicating.

I read about Pilot Coffee Roasters a few weeks ago on Twitter and decided to give them a try. I’ve been very happy with a local coffee roaster in Alberta, but they don’t have a wide selection and giving something new a try is always a good idea.
I had a huge problem with Canada Post shipping the coffee (not only did it take way longer than their «guaranteed time,» but it was marked as delivered last Thursday and then I didn’t get a delivery tag until yesterday night). I finally got my coffee today and gave it a try.
I ordered three bags – two for use via immersion brewing (the Bona Vita) and one for the espresso machine. There is a blend from Ethiopia (Kilenso), a single-​producer from Guatemala (Las Rosas), and one of their espressos (not sure if it’s a blend – called Elevens). I’ve only tried the Kilenso so far, and it is fantastic.
Even more fantastic was the customer service I received from Pilot through it all. They were genuinely concerned that Canada Post was taking so long, and stayed with me throughout the process – even checking in on the shipment to let me know when it was finally available for pickup.
I am only going on first impressions as far as the coffee goes, as I have only had one cup so far, but the service I’ve received is very telling of what one should expect from Pilot. I knew this was a company I wanted to do business with before I even tried their product, which is an indication of a great company.