Obscure Coffee Roasters Shines a Light on Puerto Rican Coffee in Brooklyn

Obscure Coffee Roasters Owner Norberto Peña at the new cafe. All images courtesy of Obscure Coffee Roasters.

The first brick-and-mortar cafe from three-year-old Obscure Coffee Roasters is open for business in Brooklyn, New York, offering coffees that shine brightly in the cup.

Located at the entrance of the Bushwick Comedy Club on Melrose Street, the darkly colored shop with heavy metal vibes concentrates on coffees from small producers, as well as coffees with creative post-harvest processing techniques, that exhibit distinctive characteristics.

Exceptionally lively coffees from Puerto Rico, when available, are a central focus of the coffee program, which is led by owner Norberto Peña, who grew up on the island. Obscure showcases these as in-house brews, but it does not sell them in bags due to scarcity.

“It would be very tough to supply a cafe in NYC with only Puerto Rican coffee,” Peña told Daily Coffee News. “A lot of the coffee gets consumed on the island, and it’s not even enough to meet the demand there. I’m also more focused on innovative coffee producers from Puerto Rico, which unfortunately are few and far between, have very limited amounts, and their product is costly — although worth it.”

As arabica is generally grown at lower elevations in Puerto Rico, post-harvest processing can become a differentiator between the good and the great, according to Peña.

“Some producers I’ve worked with before have trained in fermentation techniques in other coffee-producing countries and have been improving their coffee through these practices,” said Peña. “It’s important especially to improve the acidity and fruitiness of their coffees.”

Upon taking over the space in the spring, Obscure added green paint to certain walls, more modern and inviting furniture, new curtains and warmer lighting. A friend was commissioned to build a new bar with an airier design and natural wood finish. A door at the back of the shop leads to the 40-seat comedy theater.

“When we first stopped by the space, it had kind of a black box theater look, which works for the comedy club. And even though it matched our metal aesthetic, it was not necessarily conducive to a cozy and comfortable environment,” said Peña. “We would like for people to come over, sit and experience their coffee in a comfy atmosphere.”

Obscure’s signature drinks are inspired by Puerto Rican culture and cuisine. One example is the Coquito Latte, based on the holiday drink involving mixed dairy and coconut milks, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla.

“Normally it contains rum, but we replace that with espresso and it works very well,” said Peña. “This is the kind of drink people on the island make and share with their neighbors and loved ones.”

A not-too-sweet Tamarindo Spritz takes its cue from the piraguas — shaved ice treats — popular on the island.

Beyond Puerto Rico, Obscure’s exclusively Latin America-focused coffee roster includes offerings from Peru, Mexico, Colombia and others. Peña rents time on the Loring S15 Falcon roaster owned by fellow Bushwick company Loveless Coffees for production roasting once or twice per week.

Peña has purchased some coffees directly from farmers in Puerto Rico, while also buying through the Typica online green coffee platform, as well as importers such as Cofinet and Ventola.

“Ventola is owned by a coffee producer who brings in not only coffees from his farm, but also from neighboring farms, and even coffees he has bought at auctions. Similarly, Cofinet was started by coffee producers from Colombia,” said Peña. “We really value this kind of collaboration and transparency and hope we can continue to buy from the same producers year after year.”

Peña said the company is continuing to cultivate relationships with coffee producers and traders while dialing in the new shop’s operations. A website redesign is underway, and Peña said he’s also considering ways to activate the theater space when it’s not in use by the comedy club.

“We would love for this to be a space for community that is open to everyone, no matter how involved you are with coffee or how knowledgeable you are about it,” said Peña. “We strive to have some great unique coffees that are approachable and hope to continue creating a desire to learn about specialty coffee in the area.”