What and Who is One Up One Down?
OUOD is a family-owned coffee company with a simple mission: supply consciously-sourced, thoughtfully roasted specialty coffee for a well-balanced cup, without pretentiousness. Coffee is an affordable luxury, and potentially the most reliable part of every day. We hope our customers will remain curious about their preferences, and humbled by the truth around coffee trade.
Vince, co-owner and founding roaster of OUOD, started roasting coffee in 2012 on a popcorn popper. He later spent 18 months apprenticing and production roasting with a venerable pioneer in the “third-wave” coffee movement along the Delaware River. One Up One Down was born in 2015 as a tiny “boutique” roaster, offering coffee subscriptions online and making local deliveries by bicycle. Originally a side-hustle to Vince’s photography and cycling industry marketing career, OUOD moved into Trenton to 2019 to expand to a full time roastery and café.
Vince brought his wife Natalie, a specialty and local food professional, into the fold. Erik, a long-time friend, joined after leaving the road as a touring drummer to settle down with his family. Finally opening fully to the public in June of 2020 after many building and pandemic related delays, we made it through, grew every year, and made the bittersweet decision to close and pass the torch at the café space in October of 2024. Scroll our social media feed to experience some of that 5 year journey! Once named Food and Wine Magazine’s favorite coffee shop in NJ, it was a life changing experience.
For more info on our current state, visit Where to find us
Our Beans
When roasting and “profile matching” with other small batch roasters, we aim to accentuate the flavor notes the growers intended and our roast profiles vary based on country of origin, process and coffee variety. We never roast close to the point of a “second-crack” in the bean so our coffees do not qualify as “dark roast.” They would typically be described as “medium” to “medium-light.” Our methods yield dry, non-oily beans with colors ranging from light caramel to deep brown. This helps our coffees appeal to most palettes and preferences. (Dark roast enthusiasts usually enjoy our coffees described as “full bodied” and appreciate the additional flavor notes a classic darker roast would burn away. ) We focus on transparency, seasonality and quality in sourcing our raw, green beans. Please read about them individually on our “beans” page.
Why “One Up One Down?”
The name, as one might guess from the logo, was inspired by our dog’s ears. But it embodies a simple concept that we attempt to apply universally: Balance. Work balanced with play. Sunk in a chair staring at a glowing screen balanced with feet on the dirt gazing at a glowing sunset.
A good cup of coffee has balance. A good life has balance. Find balance. Move forward.