One week only: UP North Roast’s special fair blend returns
UP North Roast owners Julia, left, and Jake Cass, middle, pose for a photo with their son, Andrew, behind the shop's exclusive U.P. State Fair Blend. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)
Local coffee roastery UP North Roast has roasted their exclusive U.P. State Fair Blend since 2019. (Courtesy photo)
Jake Cass, left, and his father, Gary, at UP North Roast's first appearance at the Upper Peninsula State Fair in 2013 (Courtesy photo)
UP North Roast owners Julia, left, and Jake Cass, middle, pose for a photo with their son, Andrew, behind the shop's exclusive U.P. State Fair Blend. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)
Local coffee roastery UP North Roast has roasted their exclusive U.P. State Fair Blend since 2019. (Courtesy photo)
Jake Cass, left, and his father, Gary, at UP North Roast's first appearance at the Upper Peninsula State Fair in 2013 (Courtesy photo)
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ESCANABA -- A coffee blend available for just one week each year is returning to the Upper Peninsula State Fair, giving fairgoers a chance to take home a taste they won't find elsewhere.
UP North Roast owners Jake and Julia Cass have created the two-bean U.P. State Fair Blend exclusively for purchase during fair week since 2019.
The Escanaba roastery has also maintained a presence at the fair since the early days of the business, setting up each year in the Ruth Butler Building (RBB).
For the Casses, the fair has also been an opportunity to introduce UP North Roast to people from across the Upper Peninsula and beyond.
"One of the nice things about the fair when you’re starting out, especially, is there are so many people coming from so many different areas," Julia said. "We were able to talk about the business, which was so new to so many people."
Preparing enough coffee for the fair is no small task for the Casses, who are the only two roasters at UP North Roast. In the weeks leading up to the fair, the couple roasts and packages the blend as close to the event as possible to keep the coffee fresh.
"The week prior, we're usually roasting and packing, because usually we do roast to order," Jake said. "We want to keep it as close to the bring-it-home date as possible. I don't want it to sit here any longer than it needs to."
The effort has grown substantially since the blend was first introduced. Jake estimates they roasted about 30 pounds of the blend the first year. Now, the business typically prepares about 100 pounds of the exclusive coffee each year.
"People get hyped up about it," Jake said. ” It just proves the point of local companies can deliver, and they can deliver really well. It’s really fun having established that history and business relationships."
UP North Roast has prepared about 230 12-ounce bags of the fair blend for this year's week-long event.
The U.P. State Fair Blend began when the Casses decided they wanted to offer something special during fair week.
"We were kind of noticing that we had provided the same thing for years and years, and we wanted to do something special or add something to just that week," Julia said.
Julia worked up the idea and developed the blend, which differs from UP North Roast's typical three-bean blend. The coffee is a medium roast, featuring citrus notes.
"It's kind of slightly sweet, slightly citrusy and it's very smooth," Jake said. "It's a very clean, easy-going cup of coffee."
While any products that are not sold during fair week may be sold at the roastery after the fair, customers shouldn't count on any being leftover.
"If we have leftovers, we'll bring them to our shop and then people can pick them up, but most of the time, we do sell them right on the weekend," Jake said.
The exclusive blend will be available at UP North Roast's booth near the entrance of the RBB. The booth will operate during RBB hours, from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Monday, 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Fairgoers can also purchase hot coffee and cold brew, along with Red Bull Energy Drink refreshers, Italian sodas and UP North Roast's signature Yooperland bottled lattes.
The roastery will participate in several of the fair's themed days, as well. On Wednesday, designated as “Senior Citizens Day,” seniors can purchase a hot cup of coffee for $1. On "Chewsday Tuesday," customers can receive $1 off any beverage by mentioning the word "Chewsday."
Other UP North Roast products will also be available at various locations on the fairgrounds. Jake's sister, Christy Hansen, owns Yooper Nuts, where the fair blend will be available at the company's trailer outside the RBB.
The Express Coffee mobile cart will serve UP North Roast's Ludington Espresso, and additional coffee will be available at the Dairy Barn.
UP North Roast will continue normal business hours at its main location at 506 Ludington St. during fair week.
For more information about UP North Roast and its fair-week promotions, visit the business's Facebook page.
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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.