Mission

Since the inception of The Spyhouse in 2000, our primary goals have been to ensure quality, sustainability, education, and a commitment to producing the finest coffee and espresso drinks while sourcing from the most artisanal micro-roasters, both locally and nationally. Our daily operations consist of working with local distributors and extensive barista training to produce high-quality drinks that are ultimately served with professionalism to you, the customer.

Our Coffee & Tea

We pride ourselves on sourcing from some of the finest roasters in the country. We source from multiple roasters because it is vital to build relationships that inspire and influence, and to educate oneself to become even more passionate about our product, the coffee. Establishing relationships with roasters throughout the country encourages us to further train our baristas to be attentive to all brewing parameters such as time, temperature, dosage, equipment, and technique—essential in preparing high-quality drinks for your pleasure.

Our Roasters

Verve Coffee Roasters / Santa Cruz, CA
Ritual Coffee Roasters / San Francisco, CA
Coava Coffee Roasters / Portland, OR
Tea Source / St. Paul, MN

Our Brewing Methods

We have done a lot of research, cupping, and calibrating in a variety of origins to select a diverse array of brew methods for you to experience. Each is very different, and some take more time than others, but we encourage everyone to try each method to find what best suits you.

DRIP
precision-brewed for a quick and economical caffeine fix
HARIO V60 POUR-OVER
barista-controlled alternative to drip,
produces a single, fresh cup
CHEMEX FOR 2 
a one-piece drip coffee maker made of heat 
proof, laboratory grade, borosilicate glass

Our Equipment

La Marzocco FB 80 2 Group & 3 Group EE
Mazzer Kony E Grinders
Reg Barber 58.5mm C-Curve Tampers
Compak K10 Conical Doser Grinders
Ditting 1203 Coffee Grinders
Curtis Water Tower
Hario V60/Chemex
Fetco 2042 E Brewers and 1 Gallon Shuttles

Our Food

We Buy Organic & Local!
By working with local distributors, we are better able to ensure the freshness and high quality that we demand in our end-product. These relationships create a congruence of ideas and innovations on how to better instill a philosophy of food ethics and morality while supporting other local businesses to create a network of sustainability and vitality.

Our Distributors

Co-Op Partners (The Wedge) / Twin Cities, MN
The Wedge Co-Op Bakery / Minneapolis, MN
Mojo Monkey Donuts / St. Paul, MN
Espresso Services, Inc. / Minneapolis, MN
Espresso Supply / Seattle, WA
Trio Paper Supply / Minneapolis, MN
Fischer Family Farms / Waseca, MN
Hope Creamery / Hope, MN
Boars Head Meat & Cheeses
Kadejan Free-Range Chicken / Glenwood, MN
The Bad Waitress / Minneapolis, MN

Our Baristas

The baristas are rigorously trained in artisanal coffee so that they may prepare every drink to the required level of excellence. They are taught proper methods such as grinding, dosing, tamping, brewing, temperature, steaming, texture, flavor profiles, origins, and proper storage of all products. With respect to the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America), we instill in our baristas the essential elements and techniques that are necessary in producing high-quality drinks. The baristas are also the most important asset of any coffee shop. Their devotion and hard work serves as the framework for the continued success of our cafes. Their ability to strive for excellence in customer service, espresso and coffee preparation, and taking pride in what they do every day is a testament to how hard Minnesotans work.

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Our Community

It is important for us to support our community by:
buying vintage/antiques for sustainability
encouraging to buy local & independent
supporting local farms
supporting our community by donating to social and neighborhood organizations, schools, churches,
local businesses, and artists.
creating jobs and hiring from immediate neighborhoods
recycling
not taking commission on Artist’s work sold
biking/walking to work
keeping a vigil over the neighborhood (crime)
creating a brick-and-mortar social network
keeping the streets/neighborhoods clean and green

LITTLE THINGS ONE CAN DO TO HELP
SUSTAIN AND PROTECT OUR PLANET:

RECYCLE
–Take the time to Recycle all plastics, glass, cans, paper, and compost if available to you.
–Remember to sort for your local garbage company to help them with the process.
–Use a canvas bag when shopping to reduce use of plastic and paper bags.
–Stop junk mail. Americans receive 400 million tons of junk mail/year.
–Wrapping gifts, use old wrapping material, newspapers, magazines, etc.

TRANSPORTATION
–Buy a bike. Even if you still love your car, there are times when you don’t need to go far, or carry a lot of stuff with you. And it’s fun to look for that vintage bike you used to have as a kid.
–You can also carpool, take the bus, or light-rail.

WATER
–By turning off the water when you brush your teeth, and reducing your shower time by just one minute, you will save roughly 2,000 gallons of water/year.
–Whether cleaning dishes or clothes, make sure you have a full load.
–Avoid using pesticides, herbicides, and all other chemicals.

ENERGY
–Unplug or turn off appliances, stereos, chargers, computers, etc. as much as possible when not in use.
–Conserve energy by putting on a sweater and slippers to reduce energy use and cost by 5-10%.
–Lower hot water heater thermostat, and use cold water instead of hot as much as possible.
–Buy fresh foods versus canned. Canned foods are 10 times more energy intensive to produce.
–Clean filters on AC units, dryers, etc. Turn off all lights when not in use. Plant a Tree.

DONATING AND/OR BUYING SECOND-HAND
–If you can’t use it, someone sure can.
–Not only is it cheaper and more fun to find that treasure, buy from your local antique store, vintage shop, or thrift store to help to sustain our planet and keep local shops going strong.

EXERCISE
–Try and get at least 30 minutes/day of active time. You can do as little as taking stairs instead of elevators, to joining one of the many sports groups we have in the Twin Cities. (hockey, soccer, softball, biking, kick ball, local gym membership)

SPREAD THE WORD
–Pass the knowledge along to others so that we all become more aware and conscious of our decisions.