Yeah, no … Yeah, a new coffee hits the market
Yeah, no … Yeah, a new coffee hits the market
A Carlsbad coffee enthusiast pairs with a Minneapolis roaster to release a Midwestern-themed blend combining elements of their favorite brews
CARLSBAD — A chance meeting has led a local coffee connoisseur into launching a new blend celebrating his Midwestern roots.
, who lives in Carlsbad and covers coffee through his publication on Substack along with hosting the “Coffee People Podcast,” and Bryant Banker-Scannell, owner and roaster of Relative Coffee, joined forces to release a new coffee blend celebrating their Midwestern origins. Woldt, who is originally from Wisconsin, and Banker-Scannell, who lives in Minneapolis, hit it off upon meeting and built a story around their coffee as a tribute to the affable, down-to-earth and folksy style of the Midwest.The duo calls their blend, “Yeah, no … Yeah,” which in the Midwest is often a substitute for “yes.” The two figured there was no better brand name than “Yeah, no … Yeah” for their collaboration. The coffee is available online.
“We took this approach about what we like about our favorite coffees,” Banker-Scannell said. “I like coffees from Columbia and Ethiopia being complimentary to each other. These coffees are great on their own, but when they come together, they make something better than the sum of their parts. It’s supposed to be something different.”
The blend combines Woldt’s favorite Colombian beans with Banker-Scannell’s preferred washed Ethiopian coffee to produce a juicy, candylike flavor with hints of black cherry, vanilla and cola, Woldt said.
The coffee is a light-medium, washed blend with 70% of the blend being Colombian and 30% Ethiopian, Banker-Scannell said. He said it creates “depth in the cup,” with a good body for a round, sweet taste.
The Ethiopian beans add “the treble” to the blend with hints of chocolate as well.
“I brewed this coffee in a machine, I’ve done pour-overs, I did a French press and with it’s in between roast level, between medium and light, I can brew this coffee for just about anyone,” Woldt added. “I can make it fit into whatever they are looking for. There is a nice wide appeal to it. There is a Midwestern sensibility to people please.”
Banker-Scannell began his career the old fashion way, as a barista in Minneapolis in 2012. The allure of how coffee could be roasted, produced and tasted in ways never done before captured his imagination. From there he became the coffee director at Dogwood Coffee Company and then took on a multi-role position with Mill City Roasters in 2020, which helps coffee shops around the country set up their machines and other parts of those businesses.
Woldt, meanwhile, has spent 20 years in hospitality at a range of businesses and has been covering the world of coffee for years.
Banker-Scannell launched Relative Coffee in 2023 and met Woldt at a coffee trade show. The two hit it off and became fast friends who bonded over their Midwestern connection, Woldt said. The idea of a collaboration didn’t materialize until months later, he said.
“We were repeatedly saying, ‘Yeah, no … Yeah’ incessantly agreeing with each other in that way,” Banker-Scannell said laughing at the origins of their new effort.
Woldt, though, said he always wanted to create his own blend and when he met Banker-Scannell, it all fell into place. Woldt delivered the concept and Banker-Scannell leveraged his roasting skills, while the two also built a story, brand and other elements before going to market.
“I never thought of anyone else,” Woldt recalled. “When were putting together this information, I saw he had been voted best roaster in Minneapolis, I was like, ‘Wait, what?’”
The two had never ventured into a collaboration, Banker-Scannell said, and had to flush out the concept, packaging, color schemes and figure out if they wanted to create a new brand and a “love letter” from the Midwest.
Woldt said his instinct was to go big and wide in the initial stages and then cut back the unwanted elements of the collaboration. However, one of the most important components is the coffee being produced in the Midwest.
He said when he moved to California he kept meeting new people from the Midwest, which provided relief and comfort. Also, Woldt was venturing into new territory for his career, but the connections he made with other transplants resonated and provided a sort of security.
“It has to come from somebody who understands the warmth and comfort of that,” Woldt said of the “Yeah, no … Yeah” saying. “For me, it felt that it went too smooth. I was waiting for something to (happen). We didn’t disagree too much. I’m not a roaster. To me, this is a Relative Coffee thing I can get to be a part of. He was supportive of how this could work for both of us.”
As for the packaging, the bags were donated by Roastar, who sponsors Woldt’s podcast, and helped alleviate some of the cost. Woldt and Banker-Scannell, though, came up with a bold, colorful design with Easter Eggs.
To purchase “Yeah, no … Yeah” coffee, click here or the link in the story. Also, pick up a cup of joe and subscribe to Woldt’s newsletter.
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