Welcome to Thornton Family Coffee Roasters

When it comes to third wave coffee, we trust the man in his third decade of coffee expertise. To that effect, it’s safe to say Thornton Family Coffee Roasters knows coffee. After nearly 35 years of buying and roasting coffee for large volume companies, Paul Thornton set up shop in Beaverton.

Thornton Family Coffee Roasters stays true to its name by truly running as a family enterprise. Paul’s daughter, Rachel Thornton Verhaalen, and his son-in-law, Chris Verhaalen, are partners in the business. Rachel leads sales while Chris is at the helm of roasting from their refurbished 1995 15-kilo Petronchini solid drum roaster. Looking at the red roaster feels like admiring an old classic car—they just don’t make ‘em like they used to. In addition to the main roaster, Thornton’s also has a 1915 sample roaster. When we popped into their roastery, Paul touted its durability and dependability as they test out new single-origin coffees and blends.

Of course, it’s not just about the people and machinery that roast the coffee, but also the beans themselves. Thornton’s dedicates itself to a green and 100% transparent supply chain. You’ll be charmed by the single origin beans—the beans stay the same, but the taste evolves with the season’s changing climate. From Thornton’s blends, the “Dad’s House” blend is great no matter how you brew it or drink it. As for where you drink it, we highly recommend Thornton’s new tasting room. Mere steps away from the roasting plant, the walk-up window is ready to hand off espresso drinks, fresh drip, and pastries.

With BG’s Food Cartel just down the block, you have a perfect afternoon of food and drink at the ready. The high density of food and drink purveyors is part of what brought Thornton’s to downtown Beaverton. The Thornton family is proud to be a part of it.

Read more about Thornton Family Coffee Roasters on their website and from the Daily Coffee News.