Richard Fisher owns Iron Town Coffee Lab at 225 South Second Street in Ironton.
He has been roasting his coffee for the past 20 years.
In the 1990s, Fisher tried his hand at opening a gourmet coffee shop. He was a little ahead of his time.
Sadly, after less than a year, he had to close shop and return to the workforce.
Not deterred from his passion, he continued to roast his coffee at home.
Fisher said he went through several roasters and methods of preserving the grounds.
A Café owner Rob Bachelor spoke to Fisher about taking over his lease on the building in downtown Ironton.
The deal included the existing equipment to build his own business.
“That was an offer I couldn’t refuse,” Fisher told Charles Romans from the Daily Independent.
“The first thing to realize is that you can’t roast flavor into a coffee bean,” Fisher said.
“What you do is roast the bean to release the flavors that are there. But if you buy a good bean and roast it properly, then you can get the maximum potential out of the beans themselves.”
Fisher said another key to a truly good cup of coffee is freshness.
“Two weeks is about the peak of roast freshness,” Fisher said.
“You can vacuum seal it and slow it, but you can’t maintain peak freshness. The best way is to roast it, grind it and drink it within two weeks.”
The menu includes sandwiches, soups, and plenty of tasty treats.
Fisher also features live music and open mic events.
With over 1,000 people following his Facebook page, let’s look at some of the reviews.
For more information, you can visit the Iron Town Coffee Lab on Facebook