The Lore of Craftsman Cliff Roasters 

Norwich, Connecticut, the birthplace of CCR, is where the rich history of American coffee & chocolate intertwine with local traditions & the enchanting beauty of the Rose of New England. Nestled along the Thames River, this vibrant trading cove, where Native Americans and early settlers converged, became the epicenter of a revolution in hot beverages. Here, Christopher Leffingwell, a visionary entrepreneur who imported and roasted coffee & cacao, became a pioneer in the production of American chocolate & coffee. 

Craftsman Cliff Roasters proudly carries forward this legacy, offering the purest and highest quality coffee, cacao, & handcrafted chocolate. Our commitment to tradition & integrity sets us apart from post-industrial mass producers. 

Become a part of Norwich's narrative. Experience the spell binding magic of our hot chocolate, declared the official beverage of the city. Energize yourself with our extensive range of single-origin & blended Fair Trade & Organic coffees, 

At Craftsman Cliff Roasters, we celebrate the intersection of history & tradition with exceptional coffee and chocolate.

Check out our write up here

 The perfect mug of cacao  

A foreword from our friends at Native Eats

Have you heard of Craftsman Cliff Roasters? Well, take note...his name is Matthew DuTrumble, and Cliff is his well-respected, attention to detail Dad (the craftsman). The logo is a drawing of Cliff himself back in the day!

Matthew has a degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales (RI) and lived for 20 years in San Francisco pursuing his culinary passions. As such, he fell in love with the precise culinary art of brewing coffee. Something most of us do not consider when we sip away...are we drinking coffee just to wake up, or is there something much more beautiful here? He has developed an immense respect for the bean; it's country of origin, the rainforest, and villagers who care for the plants from seed to harvest, the necessity for organic practices and fair trade farming, and a deep compassion for why small farmers are so important.

In moving back to the East Coast, Matthew wanted to bring that craft back to where he started to help create a more connected community..nothing better than a cup of joe to make you feel right at home with your neighbors. Matthew's knowledge, connection to the very scientific specifics of the process, and attention to each delicious detail of chemical change shows he is not just a roaster, he is more a master (a coffee somellier of sorts) in other words he knows this process

Like wine, coffee varies depending on the climate and soil, etc. where they grow. The proper environmental practices are vital to the local wildlife and sustainability of an ecosystem.  Matthew believes that it is important to pay the extra to the farmers who grow responsibly so they can do the right thing, also so they can earn a little more than enough to simply put food on their table. He's just a great guy and his coffee is purchased and roasted with pure love!

Craftsman Cliff's uses NO chemicals from growth & harvest to decaffeination & roasting... yes, the typical coffee decaffeination process uses harmful chemicals to remove caffeine from the bean - you shouldn't put that into your body. Matthew uses the all-natural Swiss Water Method for his decaffeination, a sort of osmosis technique, so you can drink a cup of coffee that you can trust is healthy for you. In case you’re still thinking that coffee is bad for you (from that same literature that said all fat is bad for you), it is quite the opposite. Coffee has thousands of bioactive beneficial phytochemicals that can help protect you from the onset of Chronic disease. Maybe its the chemically treated decaf or the pesticide sprayed commercial coffee that can cause harm, but natural organic coffee is part of the "food is medicine" crowd.  And, what a comforting way to take your medicine.

If the thought of yourself holding a hot (or cold) cup of this delicious (small craft microbrew, organic, single-origin, locally roasted) coffee first thing in the morning isn't enough to get you revved up for a happy day, they also make their own CHOCOLATE! Yes, in full Willy Wonka splendor...wrapped in gold foil, Matthew says "everyone deserves a golden ticket".  Finally, our chance to win!

It appears as though he may be the only roasting business in the US that is micro-crafting coffee AND chocolate. He feels the two go hand-in-hand, and certainly, they are two of the best smells you can have in your workplace! It is the same love for the magic of the coffee bean that brought Matthew to fall for Cacao, the delightful bean that is the natural base in real chocolate. Matthew went straight to the historical heart of chocolate making to learn the process in Oaxaca, Mexico. The cacao beans are also organic and sourced raw. They are roasted on-site at Craftsman Cliff's and the nibs are then removed from the husk and ground "melange" and tempered into a creamy loveliness, and poured into big, perfect bars just for you. Can you just see your day getting brighter when you crack off a square of this chocolate,  while sipping on your coffee? All I will need is a sunny window seat and all is heavenly!

As a side note, this coffee and chocolate can also be found in another favorite farm producer's products from Sweet Grass Creamery. They use Craftsman Cliff's coffee in their Coffee Milk, and their real chocolate in their local, grass-fed chocolate milk...quite likely the best chocolate milk you may ever try!!

We are so proud to have Craftsman Cliff Roasters onboard, they are perfect for Native Eats...they embody the belief in community - that we all hold each other up by supporting one another, they care to do the right thing for nature and humanity, they are super knowledgeable  and passionate about great food and beverages, and bonus...super kind and fun to talk to! If you're ever walking by the shop, poke your head inside for a delightful deep sniff and say hello!