Partner Spotlight: Naysayer Coffee Roasters

By Sarah Richmond

Partner Spotlight: Naysayer Coffee Roasters

Some might say our partnership with Naysayer Coffee Roasters was destined long before we met Chris and Beth Vecera at their roastery earlier this year, located just on the outskirts of the city of Napa.

Perhaps it was the many overlapping values our two businesses share, or the collective love for our community and planet. Or maybe it was the sound of Bon Iver quietly playing in the background. Actually, it was all of those things, plus the extraordinary sweetness lingering in our mouths after we tasted our first sip of organic Honduras Copan, that had us at hello.

For years Chris and Beth dreamed of opening a coffee roastery in the city Chris was raised, one founded on their dedication to taste, education, and sustainability alongside their goal to “make craft coffee common.” They began selling fresh roasted wholesale coffee to restaurants and wineries like Clif Family in early 2019. Shortly thereafter, they became the local favorite coffee purveyor at farmer’s markets and the occasional pop-up shop.

“We’ve always aimed to serve coffee in a simple and approachable way. We consider it a privilege to connect people’s stories from the farm level to the doorsteps of our Napa neighbors,” Chris says.

Beth and Chris have a way of creating a full circle coffee experience through interactive coffee education. They host coffee tasting classes at their production facility for both industry professionals and curious locals eager to understand more about this tropical agricultural shrub. In addition, they maintain a thoughtfully curated menu of high-scoring specialty coffees grown all over the world, carefully roasted to enhance the natural characteristics of each variety.

For many of us who work at Clif Family, our daily coffee ritual is as much a part of our culture as cycling, enjoying a farm to fork meal from our Bruschetteria Food Truck, or spending the day helping clean up the Napa River with our neighbors from Waterway Keepers.

We understand that many things have changed since the beginning of the year, including how we spend time with family and loved ones. Most days, the ritual of brewing good coffee at home can be the one thing that grounds us amidst the unknown. This is why we are excited to announce a very special collaboration with Naysayer and introduce the Clif Family Holiday Blend!

This organic post-roast, the three-bean composition includes washed coffees from Honduras and Mexico and a naturally processed coffee from Ethiopia. Together, they offer a perfect balance of sweetness, acidity, and body. Brew as filter coffee or espresso. Drink it black or with cream and sugar, alongside your favorite dessert or overnight oats. It’s simply the best.

We will be brewing the Clif Family Holiday Blend through the end of the year at our Tasting Room in St. Helena. If you’d like to purchase a bag, please visit our website. Although it may be a while before we can enjoy a cup together, we can join in the quiet ritual of brewing coffee together in spirit.

This fall you will see Naysayer in the soon-to-be remodeled and historic Food City complex at the intersection of Old Sonoma Road and Jefferson Street in Napa. They’ll be partnering with local bakeries to serve fresh pastries and small bites, both gluten-free and gluten-full. If you don’t live locally, you can sign up for a coffee subscription or purchase beans on their website.