There's a chemical called lignin. It breaks down in paper over time and releases a smell that's been described as "vanilla with a hint of grass." That's the smell of old books. And no, you can't bottle it, even though someone probably tried and failed miserably.

That same smell hits the brain in a way that wakes something up before the first sip of coffee even touches your lips. Scientists have actual theories about this. Smell triggers memory faster than any other sense, and old books are basically a library of every quiet Saturday morning, every rainy afternoon, and every late night you stayed up reading when you absolutely should have been sleeping.

Books and coffee have been partners in crime for centuries. Think about it. Every great bookshop worth its salt has a coffee corner. Every great coffee shop worth visiting has a dog-eared paperback somewhere in the mix. The two things just belong together like bad decisions and good stories.

There's something about the combination that slows everything down in the best possible way. No notifications. No noise. Just the warm weight of a mug in your hand and words doing their thing on a page. That is honestly one of the last great pleasures that hasn't been ruined by an algorithm.

Which is actually a pretty decent reason to have something worth reading alongside your morning cup.

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Roaster/Cafe Notes:

Rogue Wave Coffee Roasters - ​https://roguewavecoffee.ca/​

Edmonton AB

In their own words: “Our mission is a tireless obsession.

We want to bring you delicious, adventurous, and exciting coffee from around the world and roast it to as exacting a degree as possible.

We also endeavour to bridge the gap that often exists between roasted beans as a product and the cup of coffee that marks the end of a roasted bean's journey. As such, we are continually taking the deep dive into the science and craft of brewing - it is a descent that we will likely never truly find the bottom of and we find this never-ending aspect of our journey both exciting and reassuring, and one we want to share with you. Simply, we cannot imagine coffee without innovation and a quest to be better.”

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Come join the chaos

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