Meet Louis Nicholas Albanese | Coffee Roaster & Healthcare Financial Professional

We had the good fortune of connecting with Louis Nicholas Albanese and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Louis Nicholas, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
In 2020 during the height of the pandemic, I was told that I would temporarily be working from home. I work in healthcare full-time and commuted to work about 1 1/2 each way. I actually looked forward to working from home because it meant I would be able to spend more time with my family and my pets. Throughout that period, I became increasingly restless within the confines of my home and started to seek a new outlet. Since I can remember, I always had a love for coffee. I was introduced to coffee at a young age and have been hooked on it ever since. For me, my new outlet was easy to determine, coffee roasting. I had often thought about trying my hand at roasting my own coffee so for me, this was the perfect storm that would push me in this direction. I started by watching several YouTube videos about coffee roasting theory, different types of coffee, etc. From there, I got my hands on several books regarding coffee and coffee roasting to absorb as much information as I could. I fervently read these books, studied them, and took notes until I felt comfortable enough to make my first coffee roaster purchase. After researching several beginner roasters, I decided to go with the Huky 500T. This venture started out as a hobby and as my passion for coffee continued to grow, I decided to sell my product so that others could enjoy the coffee I personally crafted.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Teaching yourself how to become a coffee roaster can be a very challenging and frustrating task. Most people in this field spend time under a professional roaster learning all the tricks of the trade and using commercial equipment to do so. I learned by reading, studying, and plain old trial and error. When I received my first sample roaster, I made many mistakes roasting before I was really able to dial it in. I am very proud of the product I now sell and have gotten an overwhelming amount of positive feedback and repeat customers. I have been told several times, “You ruined coffee for me”. Meaning that they no longer enjoy big coffee brands and come to me for all of their coffee needs! This to me, is a huge point of pride. Being able to have my product enjoyed and integrated into people’s lives. Journeyman Roasters isn’t just a business anymore. It is a reflection of my journey and teaches me something new every day. Interacting with customers and getting their feedback helps me constantly improve and set higher goals for the business. For most people, coffee is the starting point of the day and being able to see people start their days with Journeyman Roasters coffee gives my work all the more meaning.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a pretty simple guy so in my down time I like to un-wind hiking locally or catching a movie. If my friend was coming for a visit, I would first suggest checking out one of my favorite hiking spots. Glen Onoko Falls in Jim Thorpe, PA. This is followed closely by Ricketts Glen State Park in Benton, PA. I would also suggest a trip to Becky’s Drive in near Walnutport for a fantastic drive-in movie experience! There are so many great places to go out to eat and drink as well. Some of my favorites include Barley Creek (Tannersville, PA), Cooks Corner (Henryville, PA), Pocono Pub (Bartonsville, PA), and the Jubilee (Pocono Pines, PA) just to name a few.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are MANY people I accredit to helping me along my journey in coffee roasting. All of my friends and family were highly supportive and helped me advertise, sell, and promote my business over these past 2 years. My parents (Lou & Jeanine) along my wife Michelle offered me so much support. I really would not have made it this far without them. When I made the very scary leap to purchase my commercial coffee roaster my childhood friend, Tyler Harmon lent me the financial support I needed to get started. He told me he loved me like a brother and wanted me to be able to realize my dream of pursuing a business I truly was passionate about. He is truly family to me. One of my closest friends Bruce Vogt also deserves a shout out for being my guinea pig and trying my coffee (no matter how awful it was) as I learned the nuances of roasting and continue moving closer to becoming a professional coffee roaster. I see this business as a conglomeration of all of the love and support I have gotten from my friends and family. Even if I did not name you personally, please know that I value all of the support I have ever received. I could never have gotten this far on my own!

Website: www.journeymanroasters.net

Instagram: journeymanroasters

Facebook: Journeyman Roasters