Donny Raus of Raus Coffee: Expert Coffee Roaster Now Hosting Barista 101 Virtual Classes

Donny Raus of Raus Coffee has been intimately involved with coffee for most of his life. As coffee roasters go, Donny is at the top of his game in the fair state of Connecticut. He also claims responsibility for inventing a drink that every coffee enthusiast should get involved with, a cold brew based delicacy called the Cold Roman, served at farmers’ markets around CT. This blend of hand crafted fresh brewed espresso, a touch of raw sugar, his own “cuore di caffe” natural flavor infusion, served over ice with a splash of cold foam, might be the ONLY way a person should be asked to wake up in the morning. No…seriously. But Donny’s passion goes far beyond the perfect brew or roast. His mission is to “change the way the world drinks, connects, and interacts over coffee, creating a sense of excitement around their daily cup, while also having it serve as a reminder to reconnect not only with those around us, but with ourselves.”

Donny Raus is a true artisan, fastidious and supremely knowledgeable when it comes to his craft and product. Now, you can benefit from his years of training, research and experience with the launch of his new “virtual espresso training workshops.” Home-users and aspiring amatuer baristas can learn how to make proper espresso from their home machines, pull the perfect shot, and get the right grind, via his new private zoom classes. Umm…Holiday gift idea? I think yes.

So, where exactly did Donny’s love for coffee and everything it represented begin? “When I was a kid, I would sit with my grandma in the morning and watch her make espresso for my father and siblings. It was a time to slow down, share something with my family. Coffee has always had special meaning for me,” says Raus.

Raus’ entry into the world of corporate coffee began at Starbucks where he learned the ins and outs of customer service, ‘that in addition to my mission, I realized that you have the power to impact someone’s day from the interaction you have with them, says Raus. He continues, “My time at Starbuck’s showed me that I loved being behind an espresso machine, and I loved the interactions I had with my customers.”

Raus continued to study coffee, and followed his obsession to Zumbach Roasters in New Canaan where he found that many roasters had a very linear way of roasting, but Raus says “I knew there were a lot more flavors to modulate in the roasting process to create unique profiles.” After a few months in Rome, drinking espresso eight times a day, and not sleeping much, he was hooked. And so it began…

So, what makes Raus Coffee beans unique? It’s all about sourcing and roasting methodology.

"We believe in developing our coffees to strike the balance between a coffee that's nuanced, while also rich, smooth, and full bodied,” says Raus. “While every coffee is different, we take the majority of our beans to what is known as ‘full body,’ because we believe it is there that the perfect balance is struck, a coffee that is full of nuance, while also possessing the smooth richness of a full body. The result, a more satisfying cup of coffee.”

“All of our coffees are roasted on a customized sold drum roaster, equipped with variable speed motors, allowing us to control every aspect of the roast. This means that we're able to fully develop our coffees, bring out and highlighting the tasting notes we want, while also taming acidity,” says Raus. 

How does Donny Raus know so much about coffee beans? Raus is an “espresso sommelier,” (yup…it’s a thing, like in the wine industry), and he is one of roughly 7000 globally certified experts via the Coffee Quality Institute (you heard me right...the world). This certification signifies the ultimate knowledge of coffee with a full sensory certification. Proud card carriers have to be ability to triangulate all aspects of coffee, as well as provide grades and a common language to calibrate and compare coffee. This allows Raus to taste and verbally express what is in a shot of espresso. He can blind taste a shot and actually assess if it’s single origin, a blend, and how long the shot has been pulled. Donny also travels all over the world sourcing beans and studying up on variations in origins. The man knows his stuff.

It is for all of the reasons above that Raus Coffee is just so damn goo. Consumers can enjoy three single origin blends roasted by Raus: Ethiopia Kochere, Laos Koren, and Sumatra Tano Batak. These beans can be purchased on his web site, along with the above mentioned Cold Roman cold brew.

When I asked Donny if he had a favorite, he identified my personal fave, the Ethiopian. “So much of what you taste is at discretion of the roaster, because we roast for different levels to come out. I want coffee that feels like a hug, full bodied, muted acidity, so we bring out fuller flavors (ie tangerine). Most Ethiopian beans have citrus in it, but when you develop the roast, you can deepen the flavor, so the citrus lemon goes to a deep tangerine. The further you go, the roast takes on more of the flavor,” says Raus. The Ethiopian is chocolatey with citrus notes. It’s lovely. The Laos is also full bodied, smooth and has hints of cherry and raisin, with a sweet/savory syrah-like finish. While the Sumatra has a syrupy body with notes of earth and pineapple. I mean…they are all excellent.

Here’s the bottom line. True coffee aficionados will taste and appreciate the difference in good coffee beans, but if you’re making your coffee at home vs buying from your local barista, it’s also important to understand how to pull a shot. This is where Donny’s virtual training classes come in. He trains home consumers via zoom to make espresso, how to create the perfect shot.

“Since the pandemic began, there has been a surge in home machines, but it is relatively complicated to get a great shot. I’m teaching people how to get the best cup of coffee from their machines, and how to make those fancy coffee beverages they buy at their local coffee joint,” say Raus.

Raus Coffee and cold brew can be purchased through his web site, at many local farmers’ markets, as well as local stores including: Palmers Market, Walters Stewarts, and The Pantry.

Donny also has a podcast called “One Life with Donny Raus,” where he discusses the importance of doing the things NOW that will make you happy in the long run.

“COFFEE FOR HUMANITY” is Donny’s mantra and “to me at this point, it’s about making the best product I can and taking the time to stop, to be and enjoy the moment,“ -says Raus.