Tyree slinging lattes at the Alberta Cafe
Tyree Pullen is a Portland native who remains dedicated to his hometown, even as he dreams of opening a micro-roastery in Belgium. He loves the undercurrent of creative energy that runs deep in Portland. “It is remarkable to watch how Portland has changed over the years, but yet the creativity aspect remains the same. It can take people a while to tap into that part of the city.” When not at work, Tyree enjoys playing basketball, socializing around the poker table, and more recently has discovered the joy of fishing. Even having been raised here, he gets excited about the abundance of new places to discover and experience around this great city.
Roasting
Tyree was introduced to the coffee industry while working at a small cafe on the OHSU campus. As he moved deeper into his work, Tyree’s perspective changed to incorporate all the potential of what coffee and coffeehouses could be. Working at Java Nation, he was part of the crew that slowly helped that cafe evolve from 2nd wave coffee to the more quality-conscious approaches of 3rd wave coffee. It was during this evolution that he truly fell in love with Specialty Coffee.
Nailed it!
His wife’s hometown of Antwerp, Belgium is the dream place for Tyree and his family to land where there is an emerging awareness of craft coffee and he hopes to be a part of it. There is still a lot to learn before heading off on that adventure and he is thankful for the opportunity to do a great deal of that learning here at Case Study Coffee. Tyree is currently learning as our assistant roaster and has found that there is an added layer of intimacy connection to the farm. Getting to then work with those coffees at a barista level really helps to expand the awareness of how minute changes in roasting effect the overall outcome in the cup. When asked why he loves working for Case Study, Tyree responded “Having competent coworkers around you, good equipment, great owners, and an awesome knowledgable staff is just the beginning. Being at Case Study fits my perspective on coffee: it’s really all about the people and the relationships with those we serve.”
