Fourth wave coffee? These new roasters are using technology to hone their craft
Historically, roasting coffee has been a very hands-on, sensory experience. Roasters used their senses of hearing, smell and sight to determine what stage a roast was at. Today, new technology is changing the way coffee is being roasted, including businesses right here in Sacramento.
Donovan and Casey Albert launched Anchor & Tree Coffee Roasting Company at the end of 2022, and opened their downtown cafe at 1412 16th St. in January 2024.
Donovan Albert had worked in the coffee industry previously. He was an education representative for the coffee roasting software Cropster. The software allows roasters to capture temperatures during the roasting process, and use that data to set reference curves to allow for more consistent roasts.
At the peak of COVID-19, Albert lost his job with Cropster, but he couldn’t shake his passion for coffee.
“So we decided, why not just start our own company? In doing that, we wanted to find a way for us to hold true to our mission of being like an eco-friendly, more sustainable coffee roaster,” he said.
Around the same time, Berkeley-based Bellwether Coffee launched their self-contained coffee roasting machines using the same data-driven principles as Cropster.
“I said, ‘hey, I’d love to be a beta tester.’ And so I was one of 50 in the nation to have that roaster. And then the one next to it is their Shop roaster. I was actually one of only three in the nation to have that,” Albert said.
For Albert, Bellwether’s machines dovetailed perfectly with his commitment to sustainability.
“There’s no propane or natural gas application and it’s all self-contained. So it compresses any of the natural carbons, has a water reservoir and captures the chaff. And it has the most consistency because it is all self-cooling as well,” he said.
Artisan roasters may have a sample roaster that lets them do test runs of as little as 100 grams. Albert does not, so he has to run a full batch for any new bean.
“For both of our machines, it’s either 6 pounds, no more, no less; or 3.3 pounds no more, no less. I have a pretty good foundation and a knowledge of most coffees, regions, climates, to understand how I want to apply heat,” he said. “I’ll just do a batch, and then that batch will be my test batch. But typically it’s pretty on point, so I just adjust a few degrees, and then I’m able to set that parameter. I’m a coffee addict, so if I have to roast six pounds, and I don’t think it’s perfect for the shop, it’s perfect for my tummy.”
Anchor & Tree also stands out by working with producers to create co-fermentations, where other fruits are added during the coffee fermentation process, imparting their flavors to the final product. Currently, it has a piña colada bean, which is fermented with coconut, pineapple and lime.
Anchor & Tree expanded into a second space, taking over operations of the cafe at the Crocker Art Museum last October. They’ll be launching a food program on Feb. 1.
Albert is more than a customer of Bellwether’s machines. He’s also an evangelist.
Liliette and Stephen Freeman started Pittador Brews in 2020, initially using a propane roaster. With Albert’s mentorship, they’ve switched to a Bellwether machine. With the continuous roasting upgrade, they can roast 44 pounds in a single session.
The couple were last year’s winners of Sacramento Downtown Partners’ Calling All Dreamers contest, where startup concepts go through an incubator program and are eligible to win up to $25,000 to launch their business. They opened their Old Sacramento cafe at 1005 2nd St. last November.
For the Freemans, Bellwether’s automation is key to running their business.
“It literally is the flick of a switch. It’s all connected to the internet. We can go on our dedicated profile and upload our own roast profiles that we have already created for some of our blends,” Liliette Freeman said. “It really is set it and forget it. We’ve roasted here and been able to walk away, answer questions, make drinks and things like that. We’ve gotten a lot of hours back.”
What I’m Eating
Since I live, breathe and obviously eat food for a living, it’s pretty easy to develop some palate fatigue. When you have the privilege of eating everything, sometimes nothing sounds good.
When that happens, I go back to basics.
One place I fall back on is Sellands. It’s an icon of Sacramento dining, and the Broadway location is close and large enough that it’s easy for me to drop in on any given evening.
Best of all, since their remodel at the end of 2024, they’ve installed a stylish U-shaped marble bar, where you can order food with your drink, as opposed to the dining room, where you order at the counter. It’s a small step up, but it feels ever so much more civilized.
With a menu that spans pizzas, deli salads, sandwiches and a smattering of mains and sides, even the weariest palate will find something to eat.
On a recent visit I went in for their famous Swedish meatballs ($13), a melange of pork and beef smothered in a mushroom-sherry gravy. I made it a combo plate ($23.50, plus $2 for Swedish meatballs or salmon as the main) with some mashed potatoes ($6 a la carte) and broccoli ($5.50 a la carte), to feel virtuous. It was simple, classic and comforting — and just what I needed to reset.
Sellands
Address: 915 Broadway, Land Park
Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Phone: 916-732-3390
Website: sellands.com
Vegetarian options: Plenty
Noise level: Moderate
Openings & Closings
- Bottle & Barlow, R Street’s combo bar and barbershop, closed abruptly on Saturday following an announcement on social media Friday. The concept had been in business since 2015, undergoing an ownership change in 2024. The post said the business was “happy to end on a high note … and we hope this isn’t good bye but see ya later!”
- Popular Bay Area southern Italian restaurant chain Doppio Zero is expanding into the Sacramento region, with a new location slated to open in the Westfield Galleria at Roseville. According to the Sacramento Business Journal, the new restaurant is set to open by summer 2027. Doppio Zero currently has locations in San Francisco, Mountain View, Concord, San Carlos and Campbell.
- Popular taproom chain Yard House is putting the final touches on its newest location in Folsom’s Palladio shopping center, with plans to open by early February, according to the Folsom Times. This will be the third location in the region, alongside existing restaurants at Sacramento’s Downtown Commons and The Fountains at Roseville. The chain restaurants are known for the expansive beer selections.
This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 1:50 PM.