Maas Coffee Roasters is 'all about the bean'

If you’re a fan of Maas Coffee Roasters in Fort Walton Beach, you are going to love Maas Coffee Roasters Destin. 

Now open at 4014 Commons Drive, Suite 102 in Destin, Maas Coffee Roasters is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. 

What sets Maas apart from other coffee shops? 

“It’s all about the beans,” said Jim Maas, who opened Maas in downtown Fort Walton Beach 19 years ago. 

And the same is true for Teddy and Lupe Batarao of the Maas shop in Destin. 

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“What makes us unique is that we actually control the bean ... we roast our coffee fresh every week,” Teddy said. 

“Anybody can open a coffee shop. But the reason people come in here is because the taste is unique and literally you have an artist that has mastered it,” Teddy said of Maas. 

Jim Maas has mastered eyeballing what the bean is supposed to look like, smell like and taste like. 

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“Every bean has a certain profile, and he has figured that out,” Teddy said. 

They get their beans from 10 countries and do small batch roasting. 

“We are specialty coffee roasters. Every bean in here is less than two weeks old,” Maas said. 

"They are beans of origin. I’m telling you exactly where they are coming from and the roast has different profiles, medium, light and dark. We also have flavored beans, and we have blends,” Maas said. 

And although they have a full menu of coffee their specialty is “good fresh coffee.” 

“The freshness is the main thing,” Teddy said.  

“You’ll never be able to buy something off the shelf and compare it to what we’re doing,” Teddy said, unless they are small batch roasting as well. 

Here is the back story of Maas

“I’m a roaster,” Maas says. 

But he wasn’t always. 

He was in sales in Ohio and one day stopped at a coffee place and had what he called the “best cup of coffee” he’s ever had. 

He started going back to the place regularly and became friends with the guy who owned the shop. Maas asked him: If I ever want to open a coffee shop, would you help? 

Years later, Maas moved to Fort Walton Beach and was doing faux painting when he decided he was tired of climbing scaffolds. With a love for coffee, he decided to open a coffee shop and got in touch with his friend. 

“He taught me how to roast,” Maas said. 

He opened in Fort Walton Beach on U.S. 98 across from the Temple Mound Museum 19 years ago and the rest is history. 

Sharing a cup

Teddy met Maas out of a love for coffee as well. 

Eighteen years ago, Teddy, who was in the Air Force, stumbled across his coffee shop in Fort Walton Beach while he was on a lunch break. He noticed Maas had a Puerto Rican bean, which struck his interest because he was from Puerto Rico. 

“I said I’d like to try it,” Teddy said. 

He tells the story of how Maas wanted him to buy a whole bag at first, but then later serves him a cup. 

"It just blows my mind. Wow ... this is excellent coffee,” Teddy said, noting he bought the bag and it later became a weekly thing. 

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“I’m addicted to this stuff,” Teddy said. 

Once Teddy was out of the military, he started bugging Maas if he ever wanted to sell the business, he would love to buy the coffee shop. 

The two became friends and then a couple of years ago, Teddy got a call from Maas that he would like a partner and would like to open in Destin. 

They found the place on Commons Drive in April and opened on Nov. 27. 

More at Maas

Although coffee is the centerpiece at Maas, they do offer other things as well. 

They have pastries and croissants. 

“We get the pastries freshly made from Bon Appetit in Fort Walton Beach,” Lupe said, noting the goods have no preservatives. 

They deliver multiple times a week, “So we can keep them as fresh as possible,” Lupe said. 

Pastries include a raisin Danish, Guava cream cheese Danish, cherry Danish, blueberry scones and cinnamon roll, to name just a few. 

As for croissants, Maas Destin has added ham-and-cheese and bacon-cheese croissants. 

“That’s been a good hit, because people want something like that for the morning time,” Lupe said, noting they go quickly. 

They also have a chocolate and almond croissant. 

Maas has espresso, cold brew and non-coffee options on the menu. 

But the coffee that always sells out is a flavored bean called Jazz. 

“The term for it in our circle is ‘crack coffee,’” Teddy said. 

“If you meet someone that’s been to Maas and asked if they’ve tried Jazz ... they are going to say, ‘Oh yes, crack coffee,’ ” Teddy said. 

Maas mood

The Batarao family have tried to create a “laid back” atmosphere at Maas Destin. 

Teddy said they found a cool picture on the internet and liked the style. 

“We wanted to create a space to cater to our locals,” Teddy said. 

The Bataraos have been in the area for 26 years and in Destin since 2013. 

“Yes, we are in a hot spot for tourist and we welcome tourist. But we really wanted a space ... a place we could all enjoy,” Teddy said. 

And so far, so good. 

 “It has been real encouraging to see how the community and even the local business people have been popping in and have been excited about it,” Lupe said. 

"A lot of people do love coffee and I wanted to make it an an inviting atmosphere. So, if you need to finish up something on your laptop, you can, and enjoy a great cup of coffee ... or to be able to relax and unwind,” Lupe said. 

“It’s super laid back,” Teddy said. 

Throughout the coffee shop, there are couches, tables and chairs, even a table set up for checkers or chess. 

Maas melting pot

“Coffee shops are like little melting pots,” Teddy said. 

“Everybody from the world comes in here ... and they rave about our coffees,” he said. 

“I love interacting with people, and what better place to come hang out and meet your community and a place for conversation?” Teddy said. 

In the last three weeks, Teddy said, he has had conversations with people he would have never met if it had not been for coffee. 

“What better opportunity to create a place where people can have conversations, where you can benefit the local community and provide an actual good product that you’re passionate about?" he said. 

Teddy said he opened an IT company 10 years ago that helps to fund his passion for coffee. 

And at Maas, “we’re a unique coffee place that does fresh small batch coffee. It’s a cool spot where you can sit and enjoy. We’re trying to serve our community,” Teddy said.