The Magic of Roasting: A Conversation with Juan Elias, Head Roaster
In this conversation with Lisa, our VP of Marketing, Juan opens up about his journey from coffee lover to master roaster, the quiet magic of early mornings at the roastery, and the art of bringing out a coffee’s truest expression.
CONTINUE READINGThe Return of Summer Solstice: Brewed for Brighter Days ☀️
As the days stretch a little longer and the sun lingers a little later, we know summer’s just around the corner — and with it comes the return of our fan-favorite seasonal blend: Summer Solstice. Cool off and enjoy Summer Solstice with our Iced V60 recipe.
CONTINUE READINGWhere Coffee Begins: Earth, Effort, and a Shared Responsibility
In celebration of Earth Month, Lisa Prange, our VP of Marketing, sat down with Sightglass Director of Coffee Joseph Towery to talk about the deep connection between coffee and the planet that grows it. From the soil that nourishes each cherry to the hands that carefully harvest them, Joseph shares how sustainability, quality, and care are woven into every step of the process—and why honoring that connection matters more than ever.
CONTINUE READINGBehind the Beans - Crafting Spring Equinox (Updated for the 2025 Edition)
We were delighted and surprised when we discovered that a 50/50 blend of Colombia and Papua New Guinea, roasted on the lighter side, was an absolute slam dunk. We couldn't be happier! It delivered the floral rejuvenation of spring, showcased by Colombia, while Papua New Guinea contributed the grassy, earthy qualities we were seeking.
CONTINUE READINGDeveloping Our Specialty Beverage Program
Signature Espresso Beverages were recently released at all of our cafes, and we wanted to take a moment to dive deeper into their creation and the unique stories behind them.
CONTINUE READINGSignature Espresso Beverages
Since our beginnings, Sightglass has explored Signature Beverages, but nothing ever felt quite special enough to truly complement our coffee—the flavors often masked rather than enhanced it. Over the past few months, however, we’ve been working hard to create a Signature Beverage program that’s finally worthy of the Sightglass name.
CONTINUE READINGHonoring Patricia King
In the spirit of generosity, throughout the first week of sales, 100% of the proceeds from each 12 oz bag of Winter Solstice will be donated to the nonprofit organization, For the Love of Alex, as a tribute to the memory of Patricia King.
CONTINUE READINGSightglass Cold Coffee—full flavor, remarkably refreshing
Classic Black, Cold Coffee Done Right, Ready When You Are
CONTINUE READINGKenya Karimikiu AA
Among the numerous samples we evaluated this season, this auction-purchased lot stood out as one of our top favorites.
CONTINUE READINGFirst Batch Edition No. 13 - Colombia, Finca Las Florestales, Maximino Gutierrez
Maximino Gutierrez has been producing delicious coffee for Sightglass for over 12 years, but this season he sent us something new and truly remarkable. This Bourbon selection is a refined expression of the coffees we have come to love from Tolima.
CONTINUE READINGOur Seasonal Blend: Summer Solstice
Summer is at our doorstep, which means that it’s time to relax with friends, soak in the sunshine and get the most out of every day. In this spirit, we’re excited to introduce you to our newest seasonal blend, Summer Solstice. Named for the longest day of the year, this blend is sourced and roasted to produce a spectrum of flavors that deliver a lively and refined experience.
CONTINUE READINGFirst Batch Edition No. 12 - India, Ratnagiri Estate, Ashok Patre
Returning to our First Batch program for a second year is another excellent, natural processed offering from Ratnagiri Estate. We partnered with Ashok Patre once more to bring in one of the highest-scoring coffees that we tasted from anywhere in the world last year.
CONTINUE READINGOur Seasonal Blend: Winter Solstice
It’s that time of year again. The leaves are falling, the air is crisp, and all of your warmest blankets are making their way out of the closet. It’s also time for the reemergence of our favorite blend of the year, Winter Solstice.
CONTINUE READINGA Sightglass Exclusive: Colombian Gesha
Maximino Gutierrez and Wilfredo Ule Vargas are not only exceptional coffee producers, they also make up two of our longest-standing partnerships in Colombia. We’ve been fortunate to grow alongside them and are proud to bring you a truly unique offering: Gesha.
CONTINUE READINGWelcome to Sightglass Hollywood
After ten years as an exclusively San Francisco company, we’re opening the doors of our first Los Angeles flagship in Hollywood’s emerging Sycamore Media District.
CONTINUE READINGSightglass Hollywood Menu
Located on the corner of Willoughby and Sycamore, our Hollywood space offers an immersive coffee, café and dining experience. The first roastery & café location outside of San Francisco, we continue our commitment to fostering community with an all-day restaurant, bakery and pastry menu made by our Sightglass team.
CONTINUE READINGSightglass Instant
Delicious Coffee in an Instant While nothing can beat a fresh cup of coffee, we understand that life doesn’t always afford us the luxury of time or tools to prepare that perfect cup in every situation. Whether you’re on...
CONTINUE READINGFirst Batch Edition No. 11 - Yemen, Mocha Hiwari, Al Qafr
The vast majority of coffee grown worldwide can trace its roots back to the highlands of Yemen. From the 1500s-1700s, nearly all of the coffee consumed across the globe was grown there.
CONTINUE READINGNow Sipping on Sightglass Cold!
Until just a few years ago, coffee was hot. The steam, the nice thick mugs, the cozy vibes — when someone asked “You wanna grab a cup of coffee?,” you just knew it was going to be piping. Then coffee went cold....
CONTINUE READINGCoffee Seasonality: Spring Sourcing
Spring. Flowers are blooming and the days are trending longer and warmer. Farmers market stalls are bursting with color and variety. For coffee lovers, spring is as good as it gets with exciting offerings coming in the next few months.
Sightglass Community: Mother's Day
We know Mother’s Day might still look a little different this year so we wanted to round up ways our partners in the community are celebrating, just in case you can’t make it into one of our cafes to see us.
CONTINUE READINGWhat is Espresso?
Espresso is very easy to love. Even if you rarely enjoy espresso on its own, chances are that you’ve tasted and enjoyed a cortado, cappuccino, latte, or mocha at some point. Espresso is a crucial ingredient for baristas because it adds intensity and complexity of flavor, without watering down a beverage. It can be a bit more challenging to perfect than other brew methods, but in the right hands it’s transcendent.
CONTINUE READINGWhich Coffee is Right for You?
We've put together a coffee field guide to single origins, blends and everything in between.
CONTINUE READINGHow To: Grind Adjustment
We've broken down the basics of grinding coffee so you can brew the perfect cup at home.
CONTINUE READINGCup of Excellence Finalist: Finca Alcatraz
We’ve been buying coffee from Wilfredo since our very first trip to Colombia eight years ago.
CONTINUE READINGSlow and Steady
Visiting Finca Salomé is a completely unique experience. For starters, there are kids everywhere. Virgilio and Salomé Reyes have more than 60 grandchildren and great-grandchildren living with them on their farm, and the kids are quick to pile in the...
CONTINUE READINGNew on Bar: Vanilla Paste Latte!
Frankly, we didn’t know if we were the “vanilla latte” types. Vanilla is the world’s most popular flavor, and a lot of its uses are a little, well… basic. But we don’t do basic at Sightglass. So when we decided...
CONTINUE READINGSecret Knowledge: Roller Skating
“They’ve had skating beef for thirty years.” Learning to roller skate isn’t hard; it’s mostly about learning to push with the bottom of your feet and maintaining your balance. The trickier part is finding your place in a group of...
CONTINUE READINGSecret Knowledge: Thriving in a Small Space
Next in our continuing series about the Secret Knowledge held by Sightglass employees is Sam Abbott, a barista at 7th Street and the Ferry Building Farmers Market. Tiny houses, #vanlife — living in small places is hot. Always one step...
CONTINUE READINGSecret Knowledge: Tarot
“I’ve always just been interested in divination.” Divination, soothsaying, clairvoyance–all just different words to describe the universal human need to know what the hell is going to happen next. Juan Elias, coffee roaster extraordinaire, also reads tarot cards, one of...
CONTINUE READINGSecret Knowledge: Tuvan Throat Singing
“First, you start purring like a lion,” says Chris Harris, a Coffee Educator & Account Manager at Sightglass. The art of Tuvan throat singing involves producing multiple tones simultaneously, including a low bass note like that of a big cat. Chris learned...
CONTINUE READINGDo What Comes Natural
If you went over to Mother Nature’s yurt and she served you a cup of coffee, what do you think it would taste like? Probably really jammy and sweet, and a little wild in the very best way. (Her yurt would...
CONTINUE READINGYeah, We Made That
Ok, so that took a little longer than we thought. Back in the heady days of 2014, when we were still young and dangerous, we signed a lease on a former produce market on the corner of Divisadero and Page....
CONTINUE READINGOur New Cow Buddies
A few years ago, we noticed that every cappuccino we tasted at our Ferry Building farmers market location had some quality that felt a little bit magic, something we couldn’t quite identify. So we went home and messed with all the...
CONTINUE READING