Co-Owner Mireya Asturias Jones

You smell it before you see it; that rich toasty smell that greets your nostrils as you approach the corner of Raymond and California. Where is that smell coming from? I've heard that question before. It's coming from Jones Coffee Roasting. That's right —  the City of Pasadena, home to the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl has their own coffee roaster. Who knew?

Run by mother Mireya and son Chuck, Jones not only roasts the Guatemalan-grown coffee from their ranch, Finca Dos Marias (Farm of the two Marias) but also from growers all over the world. Mireya said that it was an uphill battle when trying to sell their

Freshly roasted coffee beans

beans, "it couldn't be good coffee because it wasn't Juan Valdez' coffee." So they decided to do the roasting themselves.

I asked Chuck about the roasting process and he said, "I thought religion was humbling until I started learning about coffee. The more I think I know, the less I realize I do know."

Cappuccino

There is no recipe for roasting coffee beans. Each batch of green beans has different moisture levels and the roasting process has to be adjusted for each batch to maintain the quality of the roast.

Jones makes a light, medium and dark roast. They also combine the light and medium roast to create the Chuck roast, and medium and dark to create the Madison roast — which is the best seller. Madison is JPL's choice of coffee which they have labeled "Rocket Blend."

I tried a cappuccino and found it to be smooth and mellow. It didn't require the addition of sugar. But my drink of choice is an iced latte with a shot of sugar-free vanilla syrup. I usually get these from that other coffee seller, so I was skeptical about whether I'd like their version. I can truthfully say I am a convert. Creamy, mellow with the scent and taste of vanilla, yummy.

So follow your nose to Jones and pick up a bag of freshly roasted coffee beans or your favorite coffee drink. They also offer locally baked pastries to enjoy with your coffee.

Jones Coffee Roasters is located at 537 South Raymond Avenue. Their hours are Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. They are closed on Sunday. For more information call (626) 564-9291 or log onto www.thebestcoffee.com.