Thursdays in the fall are a treasure on BU's campus thanks to the weekly farmer's market that pops up outside the GSU. If there's anything college has taught me, it's to never miss an opportunity for fresh produce and good coffee. Star Market strawberries and City Co. dark roast are pretty much the bane of my existence, so when the farmer's market is on campus, I never miss it.
If you've been to the farmer's market this year, you may have noticed a bicycle-turned-coffee stand out front. The pop-up caught my attention a couple of weeks ago, and when I went to check it out I found Commonwealth Coffee Co. They had a cold brew keg on tap as well as pre-packaged bottles of their classic Beantown Blend and seasonal pumpkin-flavored brew.
Being a sucker for good packaging and pumpkin spice (bear with me), I got a bottle of the fall flavor. I don't know if I've turned into a coffee snob or if it's just all the watered-down Dunkin' Donuts talking, but this cold brew was great.
I asked the man running the stand about the company, and it turned out he was the founder. Olin Nelson founded Commonwealth Coffee Co. a few years ago in his apartment, experimenting with flavors from hops to jalapeño, and the rest is history. Today, the craft cold brew is distributed not just outside the GSU but across the state of Massachusetts. The brewing operation has moved out of Olin's apartment and into Commonwealth Kitchen.
With core values around quality, flavor and ethical sourcing, Commonwealth Coffee Co. has a solid foundation and is growing rapidly. The company offers 100% recyclable kegs for offices and cafés, and there are different brews available every season.
Even though the GSU farmer's market will be wrapping up soon for its 2016 season, Commonwealth Coffee Co. is available all over town. And if you've tried it, this is good news, because you know you'll want to get your hands on it year-round.