To put it in layman’s terms, coffee roasters devise different roast times to attain specific tastes and styles of coffee. When it comes to the best roaster around town, check out The Coffee Grounds (4212 Southtowne Drive, Eau Claire) – a café that also holds the title of the first coffee roaster in the area. Close behind, Cabin Coffee Co. (2922 Meadowlark Lane, Altoona) opened as part of the River Prairie development in 2018. The sustainability-focused roasters at Hikers Brew Coffee (2921 Mall Drive, Eau Claire), who got their start in 2016, balance out our list. — Natalie Derks