Conscious Cup opens roasting, training facility

CRYSTAL LAKE - Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters has expanded, opening a 5,700-square-foot coffee roasting, training and tasting lab at 110 W. Woodstock St., Crystal Lake.

The increased productivity is already paying off as Conscious Cup recently signed an agreement to supply its coffees for cafe and lobby service at a locally owned, national brand hotel, the company said.

"We have expanded from one cafe in 2006 to five cafes in McHenry, Lake and Cook counties. Our wholesale and catering businesses have grown, as have online sales, particularly subscription coffee delivery," said Michael Shipley, general manager. "We roast more than 100,000 pounds of coffee a year and growing now."

A Probat 25 coffee roaster, made by Probat Inc. in Lincolnshire, is the centerpiece of the coffee lab and doubles the production capacity of Conscious Cup's current roaster in the Crystal Lake cafe and in use since 2006. The Probat 25 was purchased in late 2021 and warehoused before being moved to the new facility, which has planned space for a second roaster.

"The new Probat offers more fine-tuned controls for duration, heat, airflow and drum speed. We can react quickly as the roasting beans develop to finish at a profiled level for aroma and taste," said Dennis Jackson, principal roaster for Conscious Cup.