Behind the Beans
Reflections from a weekday field trip to KLVN Coffee Lab
I recently took a day trip over to KLVN Coffee Lab on Hamilton Ave in Pittsburgh. My goal was to learn more about their café and onsite roastery, the roasting process, wholesale business, and the coffee community in Pittsburgh at large.
KLVN has been a Pittsburgh staple for around 5 years (give or take). With ‘lab’ in the name, one would think their approach is highly experimental; yet when you take you first sip, it is clear that every bean is treated with precision. With an eye for sustainability and appreciation for the qualities their beans possess from the beginning, each roast is intentionally sourced and roasted to its peak form.
It bears saying that KLVN makes a great first impression. From the second you walk in, you’re enveloped in a sensory wonderland. Hanging plants spill out of their baskets, the wooden furniture is warm and inviting, a turntable spins a rich-sounding vinyl, and the aroma of fresh roasted beans fills the air.
Near the espresso bar, their finely curated retail section includes coffee wares, note cards, tea towels, and other merchandise.
The back wall is festooned with standard menu items, and a clipboard nearby is adorned with their seasonal menu. The scent of bright coffee roasts hang in the air as the baristas busy themselves on the espresso machine.
Once you collect your drink at the bar in a handmade ceramic mug, you can select from wooden benches and stools or standing desk areas. The space accommodates solo sippers and groups alike, with various seating arrangements for those purposes.
As you ogle the delicate latte art on your pour and take your first sip, it becomes undeniably apparent that KLVN goes beyond ordinary coffee. Their brews are intentionally sourced, roasted on-site, and made with care every time.
While there is no shame in enjoying a classic black cup of Folger’s preground breakfast blend, there is also something appreciable about the intention put into KLVN coffee lab’s roastery. With hand-designed bags, stamps to mark their roast date, and the overall aesthetic considered, the small details are what round out an already inherently excellent coffee product.
Upon sitting down with David Day, Directer of Wholesale and QC at KLVN, this conversation confirmed there is way more than meets the eye in the coffee world. We discussed bean sourcing and roasting, roasting equipment, sustainability, flavor, and more.
Day is an experienced latte artist [@koffeerow] and trains baristas throughout the greater Pittsburgh region. Moreover, he’s at the helm of Koffee Row, which elevates individuals in the profession, educates followers on industry practices, and generally increases awareness of what makes great coffee.
As we talked through the roasting process, Day walked me through the roastery side of the ground floor, where upwards of 2,000 lbs of beans are roasted daily.
Between their onsite inventory and wholesale partners, KLVN typically keeps two standard blends, one seasonal, and often one or more single origin roasts in their “roast”-tation. This includes beans for wholesale and naturally, those used in their hand-poured creations onsite.
Though I’m a coffee drinking enthusiast, I am definitely a roasting novice. I was surprised to learn that a typical batch roast is no more than 8 to 12 minutes. The time varies depending on the density and water content within the bean. Day referred to this step of the process as one with “stop signs or street lights,” meaning there is a variability in speed and outcome.
At KLVN, beans are roasted until the first “crack,” which is exactly what it sounds like; the point at which the beans’ moisture is expelled through steam and the beans are nearly finished roasting.
Using a gorgeous Probat Inc. roaster from Emmerich, Germany, the KLVN operation is a very manual process. Day asserts that’s the way they like it. Despite aspirations to expand the roasting operation to their upstairs level(s), the hope is to continue with the hands-on components of their process.
The entire experience is naturally immersive and offers a unique vantage point into their corner of the coffee world. As a customer, you have the ability to watch the roasting and bagging in action as you drink your coffee and listen whatever vinyl selection is on, often sourced and curated by KLVN employees themselves.
Though it is undeniable that KLVN loves coffee, they assert that people and the community are what make it. They are champions of local partnership and boosting small business, leading by example.
It is not uncommon to see a food truck posted up outside their brick and mortar or retail goods made by local creatives. Altogether, this symbiosis is to the benefit of coffee-lovers and foodies alike. A visit to KLVN offers not only experiential goodness, but often a sense an inter-borough collaboration and community emblematic of Pittsburgh as a whole. What’s not to love?
As I went to check out, there were freshly packed beans sourced from Ethiopia available near the counter. After all the talk about coffee, they were impossible to resist, and they’ve been a breath a fresh air to my at-home french press rotation. I also scored the lovely bean bag pictured in the backdrop, which will be hung in my home to be admired at all times.
Needless to say, KLVN Coffee Lab goes far beyond experimentation, more or less focusing on perfection. If you’re a visiting Pittsburgh or looking to expand your local coffee horizon, look no further.
Instagram: KLVNcoffeelab & KoffeeRow
