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Earl Riffel and his wife, Caylyn, began their coffee obsession by brewing in a variety of ways and falling in love with the flavours of specialty coffee. This deep rabbit hole inevitably led to Earl roasting on a 200g sample roaster in their upstairs room at home and organically growing this passion into a small, but thriving coffee business.
“Our goal is to share exceptional specialty coffee with our customers, so they can create memorable experiences and connect with others over a cup of coffee at home” says Earl.
Earl has upgraded to a slightly bigger roaster and has in the last year seen coffee become more than a hobby. An excellent reminder that everybody starts somewhere, whether it be a garage or an upstairs room, that’s where some of the world’s best roasters began. Hats off to you, Earl!
Upper Room Coffee won 'Best New Roastery 2025' Presented by YOCO at the Coffee Magazine Awards last year. We had the pleasure of catching up with Earl and asking him a few questions!
When did the roastery start?
UpperRoom Coffee Roastery officially started in November 2024.
Who are the key people in the business?
The business is run by myself and Caylyn. We are the only two people behind UpperRoom, staying true to what it means to be a micro roastery.
Why did you choose your roastery name?
Our name has a twofold meaning. Firstly, we roast all our coffee on a 1kg roaster in an upstairs room in our home. Secondly, we are a Christian family, and UpperRoom reflects a sense of community, and our desire to bring together the two things we love most—our faith and coffee.
What kinds of coffee do you like to roast and sell?
We offer our Omni-Blend, which is our seasonal signature house blend. It’s designed for coffee lovers who want to experience specialty coffee in a way that’s approachable and not overwhelming. For those starting their coffee journey with us, this is always our recommended entry point before exploring our single-origin range.
Our single-origin selection aims to represent a variety of coffee-producing regions. Each coffee is roasted light to light-medium to highlight complex flavours that stay true to origin, as well as the vision of the producers. We source all our coffees through reputable green bean suppliers, ensuring full traceability back to origin.
Look at this choice! Yum.
What is your coffee community like in your area, and what role does the roastery play?
We primarily connect with our coffee community through our online store, while also making an effort to be present at coffee events. We had the privilege of being part of Roasters Village at the Winelands Coffee Festival ‘26 and looking forward to being at more of these events and pop ups. These spaces allow us to showcase our coffees, serve people, and build meaningful connections.
We also do small-scale wholesale, supplying our local church café, a mobile coffee bar, and a few corporate offices. It’s our way of slowly introducing speciality coffee into spaces that want to elevate their coffee experiences.
Give us some fun anecdotes about learning to roast. Who taught, inspired, or mentored you?
I view coffee roasting as a balance between science and creativity. There are many theories and parameters to follow, but there’s also a creative element that ultimately defines both the roaster and the end product that they produce. When these two elements are in sync, you simply get magic.
Well deserved, the Best New Roastery 2025.
I would consider myself largely self-taught, but I’ve been fortunate to learn from and receive guidance from Shewaan Khan of Yellow Jacket, whose knowledge has been invaluable. In the coffee roasting world, building connections with other roasters is essential—it’s how you grow, refine your craft, and continue learning.
Earl won Best New Roastery in 2025 at the CMA's!
Review: The Omni-Blend
The Omni-Blend is UpperRoom's signature house blend, crafted for coffee lovers who enjoy a beautifully balanced cup. It's roasted to shine through with any brewing method, making it perfect for enjoying anywhere, anytime. Comprised from seasonal selection of coffees—currently Brazil, Burundi, and Colombia—expect comforting notes of sweet caramel and roasted nuts, rounded off with a lively red berry finish.
We tried it as an espresso and with some steamed milk, and it was delicious! With milk we got notes of passionfruit too! Quite delicious.
You can get this coffee in our latest Discover Great Coffee Club Box right here, along with 5 other incredible coffees that we've curated for you!
