Aharon: The Man, the Myth, the Legend… the Dad
Over the years, many curious customers have wandered into our shop only because the name intrigued them. “Came because of the name, stayed because of the coffee” is the mantra of many of our now-regular clients. Intrigued by the unusual name Aharon, they had wandered inside, made a purchase, and then left with a transcendent cup of coffee and/or coffee beans, forever changed.
Who is Aharon?
Aharon is the exact transliteration of the name of Moses’s brother from the bible. The bible, whose original language is Hebrew, writes Moses as “Moshe” and Aaron as “Aharon.”
Simply put, Aharon = Aaron.
Aharon Vaknin grew up in Tel Aviv, Israel, and when he moved to New York in the 90’s, he thought it made sense to write his name in English the way he pronounced it.
Ah-ha-ron.
Why is Aharon Coffee so Unique?
Aharon is also the founder, CEO, visionary and legendary roaster of Aharon Coffee & Roasting Co. in Beverly Hills, CA. He is a certified Q Grader, which means he has the highest certification in coffee handling and inspection above every other coffee professional, worldwide. (PerfectDailyGrind.com describes the Q Grader as having “almost mythical status in the specialty coffee industry.”)
On a personal level, roasting coffee is the result of Aharon's life journey of following his heart and his passion, and this journey has allowed him to dive deeply into all the details that make coffee better for the end user. I wrote a bit more in this blog about his (and my) journey.
But in addition to the exquisite tasting coffee that Aharon roasts – and the proven health benefits of Aharon coffee over other coffees (read more here) – the manner in which the beans at Aharon Coffee are handled once they are roasted is unlike other coffee roasting facilities. Aharon Coffee will never sit around in buckets or open vats – it is sealed immediately after it’s roasted, into bags with a one-way degassing valve. Due to this and other measures, the integrity and flavor of the fresh roasted beans remain intact and the customer can taste and feel the difference, even up to 2 months after the beans have been roasted, assuming they have remained sealed within their original bag.
Above and beyond the handling of the coffee and our extreme attention to detail is the most important element: Aharon Coffee is always roasted with heart. As many know, Aharon Coffee & Roasting Co. is a true community gem - a legit Mom & Pop.
Aharon Vaknin is not only the beloved coffee guru of Aharon Coffee & Roasting Co.; he is also my husband and partner, father and mentor to our 4 kids, and trustworthy confidant and advisor for his countless friends and regulars.
And here comes the plug: Best gift for the Dad in your life for Father’s Day (and every day)?
Coffee roasted with the consciousness of JOY by the world’s most beloved Coffee Dad.