Ruby Coffee Roasters: Central Wisconsin's Orchard-Fruit & Caramel-Forward Single Origins

Ruby Coffee Roasters started in fall 2013 when Jared and Deanna Linzmeier began roasting out of a garage in rural Portage County, Wisconsin. Jared had spent years in West Coast specialty coffee — including an apprenticeship at Intelligentsia and stints in Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle — before returning home to build something rooted in the same sourcing rigor. The company takes its name from Jared's grandmother, chosen to represent something colorful and personal. By 2015 the roastery had outgrown the garage and moved into a warehouse in Nelsonville, where roasting, shipping, and quality control still happen today; a full café followed in 2019.

That West Coast training shows up in a catalog dominated by washed single origins from Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia, with the flavor language leaning toward orchard fruit — apple, pear, and cherry — layered with caramel, nougat, and praline sweetness. Bright pink bourbon lots bring florals and citrus, while the seasonal blend program rounds things out with chocolate, fudge, and honeyed sweetness across drip-friendly roasts. Given the range of processing styles and roast levels on offer, CoffeeByMe's AI recommendation engine is a useful way to zero in on the exact orchard-fruit or chocolate-forward profile you're after.

Single Origins

Blends

Roast Profile & Flavor Range

Ruby's active catalog splits fairly evenly between light-medium and medium roasts, with most single origins landing in that middle range and one standout light roast; the seasonal blend program pushes slightly darker, including one medium-dark offering built for depth. Acidity runs medium to medium-high across the washed South American lots, with body staying in the medium range throughout — nothing overly heavy or aggressively bright. The recurring flavor signature is orchard fruit (apple, pear, cherry, plum) paired with caramel, nougat, and praline sweetness, with occasional pink bourbon lots adding florals, citrus, and cola-like brightness. Pricing runs from about $19.45 for seasonal blends up to $35 for limited single-origin microlots, with most everyday coffees landing in the $25–$31 range for 8–12 ounce bags.

Why Buy Ruby Coffee Roasters

• West Coast sourcing rigor, Wisconsin roasting: Founder Jared Linzmeier trained in specialty coffee on the West Coast before building Ruby's program around the same relationship-driven sourcing, now centered in a dedicated Nelsonville roastery.

• Orchard-fruit signature: Apple, pear, cherry, and plum notes recur across the single-origin program, layered with caramel, nougat, and praline sweetness — a distinctive flavor identity among Midwest roasters.

• Balanced light-medium to medium roast: With most coffees at the middle of the roast spectrum, Ruby suits drinkers who want fruit clarity without the highest-acid end of the light-roast spectrum.

• Range for every budget: From approachable seasonal blends in the low $20s to $30-plus microlots, CoffeeByMe's AI recommendations help you navigate Ruby's catalog and land on the right price point and flavor profile.

Frequently Asked Questions