St. Dunstan's Roast
ST. DUNSTAN ROAST
Bold Dark Roast - The Blacksmith Saint
The Story of St. Dunstan (909-988 AD)
St. Dunstan was born near Glastonbury, England, into a noble family with close ties to the royal court. From his youth, he showed extraordinary gifts in learning, music, metalworking, and illumination. He became a monk at Glastonbury Abbey and later served as a counselor to several English kings, though his prophetic witness to righteousness sometimes cost him favor at court.
As a young monk, Dunstan built a small cell attached to the church at Glastonbury, measuring only five feet long and two-and-a-half feet wide. In this cramped space, he kept a forge where he crafted sacred vessels for the altar, bells, and metalwork of exquisite beauty. Legend tells that the devil once appeared to tempt him while he was working at his forge, and Dunstan seized the demon by the nose with red-hot tongs, causing him to flee howling. This is why St. Dunstan is often depicted holding tongs gripping a devil.
Dunstan became Abbot of Glastonbury in 943 AD, where he restored monastic discipline and learning. He was later appointed Bishop of Worcester (957), Bishop of London (959), and finally Archbishop of Canterbury (960), serving in that role for nearly three decades. As Archbishop, he crowned King Edgar and established liturgical reforms that shaped English Christianity for centuries.
🎵 St. Dunstan's Liturgical Legacy: The Kyrie VII
St. Dunstan was not only a skilled metalworker but also an accomplished musician and liturgist. He is credited with either composing or standardizing the Kyrie VII (also known as the "Kyrie ad lib IV" or "Kyrie in Dominicis infra annum"), one of the most beloved chants in the Roman liturgy.
The Kyrie VII is sung during Sundays in Ordinary Time and features a beautifully simple, dignified melody that expresses both supplication and confidence in God's mercy. Its ancient modal structure has a haunting, timeless quality that connects worshippers across centuries.
Kyrie, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
During St. Dunstan's time as Archbishop of Canterbury (960-988 AD), he implemented widespread liturgical reforms, standardizing chants and promoting uniformity in worship across England. His work laid the groundwork for what would become the Sarum Rite (used in England until the Protestant Reformation) and influenced the broader Roman liturgy.
The Kyrie VII remains in use today in traditional Latin Masses and has been adopted by Schola Cantorum groups worldwide, including at Latin Mass parishes that seek to preserve this ancient musical heritage. When you hear the Kyrie VII sung at Mass, you are participating in a form of worship that St. Dunstan helped preserve over a thousand years ago.
Fun Fact: St. Dunstan also composed hymns, invented or improved musical instruments (including the harp), and taught music to future bishops and abbots. His liturgical influence extended far beyond the Kyrie.
Patron Saint of Multiple Crafts
St. Dunstan is the patron saint of:
- Blacksmiths — For his work at the forge
- Goldsmiths and Silversmiths — For his craftsmanship in precious metals
- Armorers — For his metalworking skill
- Locksmiths — For his mastery of metal mechanisms
- Musicians — For his contributions to liturgical music
- Jewelers — For his artistic metalwork
Feast Day: May 19
Why St. Dunstan for Bold Dark Roast?
St. Dunstan represents the dignity of labor and the sanctification of work. He was a scholar who worked with his hands. An archbishop who never forgot his days at the forge. A saint who understood that faithful work — whether hammering iron, composing chants, or crafting sacred vessels — is an act of worship.
This bold dark roast honors the working man and woman — those who labor with their hands, who start their day early, who need strong coffee to fuel honest work. Like St. Dunstan at his forge, this coffee is hearty, strong, unpretentious, and reliable. It doesn't need to be fancy or complex. It just needs to work.
The dark roast profile mirrors the blacksmith's trade: bold, robust, forged in fire, and built to last. This is not coffee for leisurely sipping and contemplating subtle flavor notes. This is coffee for getting things done. This is coffee for the carpenter, the nurse on a double shift, the teacher grading papers at 6 AM, the parent up before dawn. This is coffee for workers.
Just as St. Dunstan's work at the forge produced vessels that would contain the Eucharist, your work — whatever it is — can be offered to God and become an act of worship. "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" (Colossians 3:23).
Coffee Profile
Dark Roast Philosophy
St. Dunstan Roast is a bold dark roast developed for maximum body, minimal acidity, and unwavering strength. This is not a light, nuanced coffee — it's a workhorse. We roast these beans into second crack territory, developing deep chocolate and roasted nut flavors while reducing acidity to nearly nothing.
Bean Selection
We select beans that can handle the intensity of a dark roast without becoming bitter or charred. These beans have naturally low acidity and high body, making them perfect candidates for bold, hearty coffee. Origins typically include Brazilian, Sumatran, and Central American coffees known for their earthy, chocolatey profiles.
Roasting Process
Like a blacksmith working iron, we carefully control the roast to develop flavor without burning. The beans are taken to Full City+ or Vienna roast level — dark enough to be bold, but not so dark that all origin character is lost. The result is coffee with deep, roasted flavors and a heavy, satisfying body.
Tasting Profile
- Primary Notes: Dark chocolate (70-85% cacao), roasted nuts, molasses
- Secondary Notes: Toasted grain, caramel, hint of smoke, earthy undertones
- Finish: Long, bold, clean bitterness (in a good way), lingering cocoa
- Body: Full, heavy, substantial — this coffee has weight
- Acidity: Very low — smooth and easy on the stomach
- Sweetness: Moderate dark sweetness (like dark chocolate, not milk chocolate)
- Complexity: Straightforward and honest — no surprises, just solid coffee
- Overall Character: Bold, robust, hearty, working-class coffee
This is coffee that announces itself. You'll smell it brewing from across the house. It pairs perfectly with a cold morning, a long day ahead, and the dignity of honest labor.
Technical Specifications
| Roast Level | Dark (Full City+ to Vienna) |
| Origin | Blend of Brazilian, Sumatran, and Central American beans selected for low acidity and high body |
| Processing | Natural and Semi-washed processes for maximum body |
| Roasting Philosophy | Developed into second crack for bold flavor while avoiding charring; emphasizes body and chocolate notes |
| Caffeine Content | Standard (dark roasting slightly reduces caffeine, but the difference is negligible) |
| Best Used For | Early morning work, long shifts, manual labor, any time you need reliable strength |
| Available Size | 16oz ($18.99) |
Brewing Recommendations
St. Dunstan Roast is forgiving and works well with most methods, but these bring out its best:
Drip Coffee Maker (Best for Work)
Ratio: 1:15 (slightly stronger)
Grind: Medium
Why: Simple, reliable, makes enough for the whole crew. Perfect for the job site or workshop.
French Press (Maximum Body)
Ratio: 1:14
Water Temp: 200-205°F
Time: 4:30-5:00 steep
Why: Full, heavy body. Maximum strength. The blacksmith's choice.
Percolator (Old School)
Ratio: 1:15
Why: Traditional working-man's coffee. Strong, hot, and ready when you are. Your grandfather's method.
Cold Brew Concentrate
Ratio: 1:4
Time: 18-24 hours
Dilution: 1:1
Why: Smooth, strong, and excellent for summer manual labor. Low acidity, high strength.
Pro Tip: This coffee is excellent black, but it also holds up beautifully with cream and sugar. Its bold flavor won't disappear when you add dairy or sweetener — it's built to handle it.
Perfect Pairings
🍳 Hearty Breakfast
Perfect with:
- Bacon and eggs
- Sausage and biscuits
- Pancakes with syrup
- Hash browns
- Oatmeal
⚒️ On the Job
Ideal for:
- Construction sites
- Workshop breaks
- Farm work
- Early morning shifts
- Long commutes
🍫 Simple Treats
Complements:
- Donuts
- Coffee cake
- Chocolate
- Pound cake
- Cookies
Theological Reflection: The Dignity of Work
In his 1981 encyclical Laborem Exercens ("On Human Work"), Pope St. John Paul II wrote: "Work is a good thing for man—a good thing for his humanity—because through work man not only transforms nature, adapting it to his own needs, but he also achieves fulfillment as a human being and indeed, in a sense, becomes 'more a human being.'"
St. Dunstan understood this deeply. He was an archbishop — the highest ecclesiastical authority in England — yet he never stopped working with his hands. His forge wasn't separate from his episcopacy; it was part of it. He crafted sacred vessels that would hold the Body and Blood of Christ. He composed chants that would lift hearts to God in worship. He advised kings on matters of justice. All of it was work. All of it was prayer.
The Sacramental View of Work:
- Work participates in God's creative activity — We are co-creators with God, transforming the world He made
- Work serves our neighbor — The blacksmith's horseshoe serves the farmer; the farmer's grain serves the baker; the baker's bread serves the family
- Work sanctifies the worker — Through labor offered to God, we grow in virtue and holiness
- Work prepares materials for worship — The chalice, the church building, the vestments — all made by human hands for divine purposes
In our modern world, we often separate "work" from "ministry" or "spirituality." We think of prayer as something we do in church, and work as something we do to pay bills. But St. Dunstan shows us a different way: work itself can be prayer.
St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that art (which includes all skilled work) is "right reason about things to be made" (ST I-II, Q.57, A.3). When we work well — whether we're welding steel, teaching children, writing code, nursing patients, or roasting coffee — we're exercising a virtue. We're bringing order out of chaos, creating something good where there was nothing before.
As you drink this working-man's coffee, remember: your work matters. Whatever you do with your hands, your mind, your strength — if you do it for the Lord, it becomes an offering. The nurse changing bedpans. The electrician running wire. The teacher grading papers. The parent changing diapers at 3 AM. All of it — all of it — can be holy work.
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men."
— Colossians 3:23
A Word from The Catholic Chemist
I roast coffee as an act of work. Not just as a business, not just as a creative outlet, but as work — labor that transforms raw materials into something good, something useful, something that serves my neighbor and glorifies God.
St. Dunstan inspires me because he never saw his forge as separate from his vocation. He was a bishop and a blacksmith. His work with metal informed his work with souls. His liturgical reforms had the same careful precision as his metalwork.
This coffee is named for him because it's honest, working-class coffee. It's not trying to be sophisticated or impressive. It's just trying to do its job: give you strength for the day ahead. That's dignified. That's good. That's enough.
Every batch is roasted with prayers for working men and women — those who labor with their hands, who start early and finish late, who provide for their families through faithful work. I pray that you would know the dignity of your labor, that you would offer your work to God, and that like St. Dunstan, you would find holiness in both prayer and the work of your hands.
May this coffee fuel your faithful work.
Supporting Our Parish
A portion of profits from every bag of St. Dunstan Roast directly supports the Our Lady of the Rosary Parish building fund in Land O' Lakes, Florida. Your purchase helps us build spaces where God is worshipped and His people are served.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam — For the Greater Glory of God
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