If you’re thinking, “I want to make the coffee I drink at home even better!” try brewing coffee with freshly roasted coffee beans.
Coffee brewed with fresh, recently roasted beans has an exceptional aroma and flavor.
You don’t need any special equipment or techniques, and it’s easy to make delicious coffee, so I’ve started buying almost exclusively freshly roasted beans.
I’d like to introduce Coffee Roast TERU Mabi, a specialty coffee bean shop, where I’m a regular customer (hereafter, Coffee Roast TERU).
The information provided was accurate when this article was published in February 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Coffee Roast TERU is a specialty coffee bean shop in Mabi
Coffee Roast TERU was opened in January 2016 by its owner, Suzumoto Sachiko.
The shop was damaged in the July 2018 torrential rains, but reopened at a new location in Mabi in October 2020.
More than 30 varieties of green coffee beans are displayed in the shop. Choose the beans you like, and they’ll roast them on the spot.
If you’re wondering, “Which beans should I choose?” feel free to ask Suzumoto.
Tell her what you like, such as “I’m not keen on acidity” or “I like a full-bodied coffee,” and she’ll help you choose beans to suit you.
I’ve asked Suzumoto for advice and bought beans for things like “something that goes well with milk” and “something refreshing to drink after a meal.”
The shop’s Instagram also features limited-edition coffee beans and more.
They also sold equipment such as coffee grinders and drippers, as well as snacks that go well with coffee.
Custom roasting tailored to your preferences and the characteristics of the beans
The flavor and aroma of coffee beans change significantly depending on the roast level: light roasts bring out acidity and aroma, while dark roasts bring out bitterness and a roasted flavor.
The ideal roast level also varies depending on the type of coffee bean.
Coffee Roast TERU’s appeal lies in its custom roasting, tailored to your preferences and the characteristics of the beans.
As they roast, the green beans, which initially have a pale green color like broad beans, turn a glossy dark brown.
The crackling sound of the beans and the gradually rising roasted aroma are part of what makes visiting a roastery special.
While you wait for the approximately 20-minute roast, you’re offered a complimentary coffee.
For this complimentary coffee, Suzumoto chooses beans she recommends for each customer and brews them for you.
It has a clean taste with no off-flavors, the kind you want to enjoy straight to the last sip—a sign of careful hand-dripping.
I’m sure many customers look forward to this complimentary coffee.
Original blended coffees
Coffee Roast TERU offers three original blends inspired by Mabi—“Gekka,” “Kaguya,” and “Miyabi”—as well as seasonal original blends.
My favorite is “Miyabi.”
It has a pleasant bitterness, so I drink it black with a sweet snack, or add plenty of milk when I want to take a relaxing break.
The seasonal original blends have names that showcase Suzumoto’s creativity, such as “Habataki,” “Ryusei,” and “Suzu no Ne.”
Their unique names tempt me to try every new blend as soon as it comes out.
Apparently, customers also look forward to finding out, “What will the next name be?”
“I can’t give them ordinary names,” Suzumoto says with a laugh.
Coffee Roast TERU is a shop where you can find coffee to suit your taste.
I interviewed owner Suzumoto Sachiko about what inspired her to open the shop and what she hopes to achieve.
Interview with owner Suzumoto Sachiko
I interviewed owner Suzumoto Sachiko about what inspired her to open the shop and what she hopes to achieve.
Turning a love of coffee into a career
What inspired you to open the shop?
Suzumoto (surname only)
After I became ill and had surgery, I wanted to try doing something that would help me take the next step in life.
That’s what led me to start studying something I loved: coffee.
But at first, I had no intention of opening my own shop.
What changed your mind about opening your own shop?
Suzumoto
The person at the shop where I used to buy coffee beans always seemed so energetic and enthusiastic about their work.
One day, I casually said to them, “I’m studying coffee now,” and “I’d love to work with the same kind of energy.”
When I told him, he said, “Then why not do it? I’ll support you!”
At the time, I wasn’t sure I could do it and thought, “Wait, can I really do this!?” But I went with the flow, and eventually opened the shop.
Rather than having a strong passion of “I absolutely have to do this,” I feel that I was blessed with good connections and good timing.
Why did you choose to specialize in coffee beans instead of opening a cafe?
Suzumoto
I enjoy coffee at cafes, too, but I think there’s nothing better than drinking coffee you like, at a time you choose, with someone you like, in the comfort of your own home.
And when the coffee you drink at home tastes good, don’t you feel like your life has become a little richer?
Coffee tastes different depending on the type of beans, the roast, and how you brew it.
It’s fun to deepen your knowledge, such as learning which roast works best for a particular bean or what temperature the water should be when brewing coffee.
But don’t overthink it—what tastes good to you is the right choice, so why not look for your favorite?
I want to make customers happy through coffee
What do you find rewarding, and what has made you happy?
Suzumoto
When customers become regulars.
As I talk with the same customers over and over, I gradually learn what kind of coffee they like and the situations in which they drink it.
I might think, “They said they don’t like acidity, but maybe they’ll like this,” and they end up enjoying my recommendation. Or they might ask to try something different from their usual choice. It’s rewarding to see their coffee horizons expand.
You do seem to talk with customers a lot.
Suzumoto
We talk about coffee, of course, but we often talk about other things, too.
My husband even says, “How do you always have one thing after another to talk about?” (laughs)
Sometimes the shop is busy and it doesn’t look like we’ll have time for a leisurely chat, so a customer will leave saying, “I’ll come back another day.” I think some people may come in looking forward to a chat.
What do you find difficult?
Suzumoto
The difficult part is the physical demands.
On busy days, I sometimes have to stand from morning until evening.
I’m happy to be busy because it means lots of customers have come in.
But I sometimes push myself to give customers 120% so they’ll be even more satisfied, and end up exhausted.
I think consistently providing the same quality of service is also important to customer satisfaction, so I want to make sure I take time to rest when I need to.
From the Writer
Whenever you open the door to Coffee Roast TERU, you’ll find a circle of people chatting.
I, too, was won over by chatting with Suzumoto and became a regular at the shop.
During the interview, I was reminded of Suzumoto’s wish to “make customers happy through coffee, not just by providing delicious coffee beans.”
Her next dream, she says, is “to give my husband a cafe where he can brew coffee.”
I can’t help imagining that it will be “a cafe where people can enjoy delicious coffee in a comfortable space,” and I’m already looking forward to it.
Coffee Roast TERU Mabi Shop Information
| Name | Coffee Roast TERU Mabi Shop |
|---|---|
| Address | 2059-8 Kawabe, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-486-2893 |
| Parking | Available |
| Hours | 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Wednesday, Saturday |
| Payment methods |
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| Website | Coffee Roast TERU Mabi Shop Website |
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