From Literature Professor to Coffee Roaster: Hannah Ulbrich's Story

Hannah Ulbrich, a literature professor turned stay-at-home mom, made a bold move when she re-entered the workforce: instead of returning to teaching, she bought her favorite local coffee roastery, Copper Door Coffee Roasters, in Denver. Though it might appear to be a sudden career change, Ulbrich was no stranger to coffee. "Probably like everyone, I started drinking coffee very young and was a barista through college and grad school," she says. She worked at small local cafés as well as large ones such as Espresso Roma in San Diego before earning her master's in secondary education. After moving to Denver with her family, she became close friends with Copper Door's previous owner and fell in love with the coffee, so learning to roast and purchasing the business felt like a natural progression.

Ulbrich spent several months training under the former owner, roasting on the company's US Roaster Corp three-kilo machine to prepare for the takeover. Building on seven years of wholesale roasting, she grew the wholesale and online business before deciding to open a Copper Door café, which she funded through Kickstarter and launched in early September.

"It was hard to get a business loan for the full amount I needed to build out the café," Ulbrich says. "Being a single owner and not having investors forced me to go to the banks, and they weren't very flexible considering I had been a stay-at-home mom for years and couldn't prove my income during that time. Hence, the Kickstarter." She secured equipment loans for the gear, including a Synesso Hydra espresso machine. The Kickstarter campaign, which asked backers to support her "100% woman-owned" business, was successful. The roaster was moved from her garage, the build-out was completed, and just a few days ago the new Copper Door café opened.

"It's so fun to see that we already have regulars," says Ulbrich, who hired a manager and four part-time baristas when she opened the space. Copper Door's coffee blends tradition with modernity: the espresso blend is darker, while single-origin coffees tend to be roasted lighter. "The business was established eight years ago," Ulbrich says, "and our clients expect a certain flavor profile in the espresso. They tend to use it in milk, and I want to keep the espresso consistently rich and caramelized." She also keeps her café's espresso dark, while the pour-over bar typically highlights lighter-roasted single-origin coffees; Ulbrich enjoys offering samples and education to customers who appreciate a lesson.

The café mirrors Ulbrich's lifestyle. "As a mom, my children are often with me—they know how to turn on the roaster, when it needs to be vented, and the different labels on the coffee bags. I wanted to build a space where people could work but also bring their children and be at ease, so we have a play area built in." Ulbrich sources local, all-natural pastries and syrups, offers local Sanctuary Chai sweetened with honey rather than sugar, and stocks organic juices.

While some older businessmen in Denver can be condescending—"They say, 'Good for you honey, owning your own business!'"—she observes that the younger generation of Denver's coffee scene is laid-back and community-focused, with gender not an issue. Ulbrich notes she is often the only woman invited to community meetings, but for her part, she simply wants to roast great coffee and serve her neighborhood.