We’ve reached the point that specialty coffee has moved beyond the third wave, and that the idea of sticking with a single roaster – unless you’re the company actually doing the roasting – has become quaint. We’ve also seen coffee companies become feeder systems for entrepreneurs who open cafes and roasters with distinct ideas about how to conduct business. My fall trip to the Bay Area with fellow coffee aficionado Matthew “Mattatouille” Kang led to many new coffeehouses, but none more surprising Modern Coffee, “Oakland’s first coffee taproom” from a pair of Peet’s veterans.

Our very last stop before hitting the 580 and driving home was at the base of the building that housed bygone Oakland Tribune.

As we found out, Modern Coffee isn’t open on weekends, but co-owner Robert Myers happened to be working in the cafe and led us inside the small shop. It would have taken awhile for the espresso machine to warm up, so that didn’t make sense, but in a display of hospitality, Robert brewed us pourover coffee.

The coffeehouse has a printout of “coffees we love right now,” with picks from owners Kristen Nelson and Robert Myers, plus employees like Tom and Dana.

According to Robert, coffees change seasonally and based on personal preferences. Verve Coffee Roasters, Ecco Caffe and Four Barrel remain stalwarts on shelves and in their machines.

Baristas pull espresso shots on a shimmering silver La Marzocco.

Ojercaibal from Four Barrel had dark chocolate qualities and emanated from “61 tiny coffee gardens in the Chimaltenango region of Guatemala.” I believe Matt opted for coffee from Sightglass, one of the latest specialty roasters to open in San Francisco.

Our fortuitous stop was energizing for more reason than one, not just because we were able to grab a good cup of coffee, but also because we got to experience another cafe run by flavor forward, variety-driven entrepreneurs, a segment of the population that seems to be exploding in California.