Other Animal Coffee Roaster sets up small batch roasting space at 15th and Federal

An independent, small-batch coffee roaster has opened up a work space at 1500 Federal St.

Other Animal Coffee Roaster is run by Daniel Westiner, a veteran coffee guy with experience at some of Philly’s heaviest of hitters in the restaurant scene, including Talula’s Table, Talula’s Garden, and Talula’s Daily.

Westiner started renovating the former shoe store in the end of July. While the Point Breeze location is a roastery/work space and not a cafe, Westiner said that you can find the locally roasted coffee online and that he’s looking at wholesale options for cafes and restaurants, “ideally in South Philly.” A resident of Queen Village, Westiner said he was always looking to open the roastery in South Philly, and that he chose the Point Breeze location over Bella Vista.

As for the method, expect natural-process coffees, a focus on African and South American origins, and lighter roasts meant to highlight each coffee’s natural characteristics, said Westiner. The goal is to produce coffee through “meticulous sourcing and roasting” while still remaining “approachable.”

With the holidays on the horizon, we asked Westiner if he had any tips for picking out the perfect coffee to bring to any upcoming celebrations:

I would say for the holiday season, to pick out a good coffee, I would try to go for a crowd pleaser.  Since it’s a time to spend with other people, I wouldn’t go for an esoteric coffee or look to show off a super limited origin or anything.  I would go with a blend that would please a variety of people and would work whether you drink it black or with cream and sugar.