Seek Coffee Co. in New Haven offers coffee tastings, subscriptions and cocktails

Seek Coffee Co., a new coffee roaster and shop in New Haven, opened Friday, March 10, at 1018 Maupin Ave. The shop, which aims to educate customers about the nuances of coffee, is a family affair co-owned by spouses Craig and Katie Borcherding and Katie’s brother and sister-in-law, John and Nataliya Aichholz.

After years of home roasting for friends and family, Craig Borcherding wanted to step into a more creative field. With his wife and in-laws also wanting to do something outside of their comfort zone, they began putting business plans together last summer. “I used to work at a craft brewery, and creating something that people enjoy was fantastic,” Borcherding said. “It’s really just a wonderful feeling, and I wanted to get back to something like that where I was producing something.”

The experience at Seek is more educational than a traditional coffee shop. Customers can sign up for cupping classes, which are comparative tastings of up to five different coffees. “You start with coffee grounds in each cup, then you add water to the grounds letting it steam for a few minutes, letting that coffee cool down for a little bit, then continuing to add water to your next four samples,” Craig Borcherding said. Beginning next month, Seek will offer more advanced cupping classes, comparing different coffee grinders, grind sizes and roast levels. Classes are currently limited to 10 attendees. 

Additionally, Seek offers monthly subscription services consisting of one, four or eight bags of coffee each month. “It lets you kind of taste on your own and find what styles you like best and if you want to order it again. It’s been really popular for us,” Borcherding said.

Each single-origin coffee offered at Seek has a unique taste according to its place of origin. The Tanzanian is very mellow and tea-like, whereas the Papua New Guinean has a chocolate-caramelized sugar flavor. The Ethiopian coffee, with an aroma like blueberry pancakes, is one he believes every coffee connoisseur should try at least once. “I always recommend people try the Ethiopian coffee just for the experience,” he said. “We like to say that it’s our favorite coffee to taste, but then the Papua New Guinea is my favorite coffee to drink.”

For customers who aren’t coffee drinkers, Seek also offers alcoholic beverages including beer, wine and cocktails such as St. Germain spritzes, Manhattans and margaritas. They also offer small snacks and desserts like charcuterie plates and a coffee granita. There is talk of adding mixology classes to the Seek experience, but nothing is definitive yet. “We’re going to talk about that as a group,” Borcherding said. “Right now, it’s just coffee, but we’re certainly open to expanding that a little bit if there’s some interest.”

Seek is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Monday.