94 Celcius Coffee: The Quebec Roaster Bringing Science to Specialty Coffee
Specialty coffee is constantly evolving. Producers are experimenting with fermentation, roasters are developing increasingly precise profiles, and coffee lovers are becoming more interested in understanding what happens between the farm and the cup.
Few Canadian roasters embody that combination of curiosity, precision and experimentation quite like 94 Celcius.
Based in Sainte-Julie, Quebec, in the greater Montreal area, 94 Celcius has been roasting specialty coffee since 2017. Founded by Marc-Alexandre Emond-Boisjoly, the roastery brings together an unusual combination of scientific training, sensory curiosity and a strong appreciation for the people behind every coffee.
The result is a coffee program that can move comfortably between approachable everyday coffees and highly experimental lots featuring modern fermentation and processing techniques.
At Speciality Coffee, we are excited to introduce Canadian coffee lovers to 94 Celcius and its distinctive approach to specialty roasting.
Explore 94 Celcius coffees at Speciality Coffee
Looking for more stories about specialty coffee, producers and roasters from around the world? Visit the All About Speciality Coffee Blog.
The Story Behind 94 Celcius
94 Celcius began in Montreal in 2017 with a simple but ambitious idea: coffee could be both technically precise and genuinely exciting.
Founder Marc-Alexandre Emond-Boisjoly brings a scientific background to the company, having studied biochemistry and pharmacology before dedicating himself to specialty coffee. That experience has become an important part of the way 94 Celcius approaches roasting.
Rather than treating roasting as simply an artistic process, 94 Celcius looks closely at the science behind heat, development and extraction.
The company's approach is built around understanding each coffee individually. Origin, variety, processing and the characteristics of the green coffee all influence how a roasting profile should be developed.
But science isn't the only ingredient.
94 Celcius also places considerable emphasis on curiosity and flavour. The roastery actively explores coffees that challenge traditional expectations, including co-fermented coffees, anaerobic processing and other experimental approaches.
This combination of analytical thinking and sensory exploration has become central to the 94 Celcius identity.
A Scientific Approach to Coffee Roasting
One of the most distinctive aspects of 94 Celcius is its connection between science and roasting.
The roastery uses a Probat P12 equipped with high-precision thermal probes and carefully monitored roasting curves. Temperature, energy, development and roasting rhythm are analyzed to create profiles designed around the individual coffee rather than applying a single roasting formula to everything.
This matters because every coffee behaves differently.
A washed Ethiopian coffee may require a completely different approach from a naturally processed Colombian coffee or an experimental co-fermented lot. The objective is not simply to roast all coffees to the same degree, but to understand what makes each coffee special and build a profile that allows those characteristics to come through.
The philosophy is particularly relevant for specialty coffee, where subtle differences in acidity, sweetness, texture and aromatic character can dramatically change the experience in the cup.
For 94 Celcius, precision isn't about removing personality from coffee. It is about creating the conditions for that personality to become more visible.
From Traceable Origins to the Final Cup
Good roasting begins long before the coffee reaches the roaster.
94 Celcius places importance on traceable coffees and relationships with producers and importers who share its commitment to transparency and respect.
The roaster looks for coffees with distinctive sensory qualities while also considering the values and practices of its partners. This creates a sourcing philosophy where quality and relationships work together rather than existing separately.
The company's producer network includes internationally recognized names such as Diego Samuel Bermúdez, Wilton Benitez, Pepe Jijon and Sebastian Ramirez, producers known for pushing experimentation and innovation in coffee processing.
These relationships give 94 Celcius access to coffees that can offer dramatically different experiences from one season to the next.
It also means that the roaster's selection is constantly evolving.
Instead of relying exclusively on a permanent menu, 94 Celcius follows the coffee season and explores new origins, producers and processing methods as they become available.
Exploring Modern Coffee Processing
Coffee processing has become one of the most exciting areas of specialty coffee.
While traditional washed and natural coffees remain essential to the industry, producers around the world are increasingly experimenting with controlled fermentation, thermal treatments and co-fermentation.
94 Celcius embraces this evolution.
Its coffee selection includes more traditional profiles alongside coffees produced using anaerobic fermentation, thermal shock and co-fermentation.
These methods can create unusually expressive cups, sometimes bringing flavours and aromas that seem closer to tropical fruit, candy, wine or fermentation-driven beverages than the traditional idea of coffee.
For coffee drinkers, this makes exploring 94 Celcius particularly interesting.
A washed coffee can provide clarity and structure, while a natural may emphasize fruit sweetness and body. More experimental coffees can take those characteristics even further, producing intense aromatic profiles and unusual flavour combinations.
The important distinction is that 94 Celcius isn't experimenting simply for novelty.
The goal is still balance.
Never Bitter, Always Fair
One phrase captures the 94 Celcius philosophy particularly well:
“Never Bitter, Always Fair.”
The idea goes beyond simply avoiding bitterness.
For 94 Celcius, balance means respecting the coffee's inherent characteristics while creating a roasting profile that produces a pleasant and expressive cup.
This philosophy also connects to the company's broader approach to fairness and relationships within the coffee industry.
The roaster's coffees can therefore range from classic and comforting to intensely experimental, but the underlying goal remains consistent: create a coffee that is enjoyable, balanced and expressive.
That makes 94 Celcius appealing to a wide range of coffee drinkers.
You don't have to be an experienced specialty coffee enthusiast to enjoy the coffees, but if you are interested in discovering new processing methods and unusual flavour profiles, there is plenty to explore.
What Makes 94 Celcius Different?
1. Science Meets Sensory Experience
The scientific background of the company is more than a marketing story. It informs how roasting profiles are developed and analyzed.
Thermal control and detailed roasting curves provide the technical foundation, while tasting and sensory evaluation determine whether the resulting coffee actually delivers.
2. A Willingness to Experiment
94 Celcius isn't afraid of unconventional coffees.
Co-fermentation, anaerobic processing and other modern techniques are part of its selection, giving customers opportunities to experience some of the most innovative developments happening in specialty coffee.
3. A Focus on Traceability
The roaster emphasizes coffees with identifiable origins and works with producers and partners who share its values around transparency and respect.
4. Seasonal Variety
The lineup changes with the coffee harvest and availability. That makes the 94 Celcius range feel more like an ongoing exploration than a fixed catalogue.
One release might emphasize a familiar chocolate-and-caramel profile, while another could offer intense tropical fruit or fermentation-driven characteristics.
5. A Balance Between Accessibility and Innovation
Perhaps the most interesting thing about 94 Celcius is that experimentation doesn't replace accessibility.
The company offers blends and more familiar coffees alongside limited and experimental releases. Its current lineup includes espresso blends, filter coffees, decaffeinated options, capsules and more adventurous single-origin coffees.
What Can You Expect in the Cup?
There isn't one single “94 Celcius flavour profile.”
That's part of what makes the roaster interesting.
Depending on the coffee, you may encounter bright fruit, floral aromatics, sweetness, chocolate, caramel, citrus or more unusual fermentation-driven flavours.
The processing method can have a major influence.
Washed coffees often emphasize clarity and origin character, making them a great choice if you enjoy clean, structured cups.
Natural coffees can offer more fruit-forward sweetness and body.
Experimental and co-fermented coffees can be considerably more expressive, with unusual aromatic combinations that challenge traditional expectations of what coffee can taste like.
For anyone building their specialty coffee palate, trying different 94 Celcius coffees side by side can be an excellent way to understand how origin, processing and roasting interact.
How Should You Brew 94 Celcius Coffee?
The best brewing method depends on the specific coffee.
For a clean and expressive filter coffee, a V60, Kalita Wave, Chemex or similar pour-over brewer can highlight acidity, sweetness and aromatic detail.
If you're brewing an espresso-focused blend, an espresso machine will allow you to explore body, sweetness and balance in a more concentrated format.
For experimental coffees, filter brewing can be particularly rewarding because it allows complex aromatics to develop clearly in the cup.
As always, the coffee itself should determine your recipe.
Start with the brewing recommendations provided for the particular coffee, then adjust grind size, water temperature and ratio according to taste.
If the coffee tastes sour or thin, a finer grind or slightly higher extraction may help. If it tastes overly bitter or dry, try a coarser grind or reduce extraction.
The goal isn't to follow one recipe perfectly. It's to find the point where the coffee tastes balanced and expressive.
Why We Selected 94 Celcius for Speciality Coffee
At Speciality Coffee, we are always looking for roasters that offer something distinctive.
94 Celcius stands out because it combines several qualities that are important to the specialty coffee experience: traceable sourcing, technical roasting, producer relationships, seasonal variety and a genuine willingness to experiment.
It is also a particularly exciting roaster to feature for Canadian coffee drinkers.
Based in Quebec, 94 Celcius is part of Canada's growing specialty coffee community while maintaining connections with producers and coffee professionals around the world.
Its coffees demonstrate that innovation doesn't have to mean sacrificing balance. A coffee can be experimental and approachable, technically complex and delicious at the same time.
For experienced coffee drinkers, 94 Celcius offers an opportunity to explore unusual processing and flavour profiles.
For someone newer to specialty coffee, the range provides an accessible way to begin exploring how much coffee can vary from one origin, producer or processing method to another.
And that's ultimately what makes specialty coffee so exciting.
There is always another coffee to discover.
Discover 94 Celcius with Speciality Coffee
From its beginnings in Montreal to its current home in Sainte-Julie, 94 Celcius has developed a distinctive identity within Canada's specialty coffee scene.
Its approach combines science with sensory curiosity, precise roasting with producer relationships, and approachable coffees with some of the more experimental processing methods found in modern specialty coffee.
Today, 94 Celcius coffees are available through hundreds of points of sale across Canada and internationally, reflecting the growing reach of the Quebec roaster.
Whether you're searching for an everyday espresso, a clean filter coffee or an unusual experimental release, 94 Celcius offers plenty of opportunities to explore.
Shop the 94 Celcius selection at Speciality Coffee
And for more guides, roaster profiles and specialty coffee stories, explore the All About Speciality Coffee Blog.
Frequently Asked Questions About 94 Celcius
1. What is 94 Celcius?
94 Celcius is a Quebec specialty coffee roaster founded in 2017 by Marc-Alexandre Emond-Boisjoly. The company focuses on traceable coffees, precise roasting and expressive sensory profiles.
2. Where is 94 Celcius based?
94 Celcius is based in Sainte-Julie, Quebec, in the greater Montreal area. The company has been roasting specialty coffee since 2017.
3. Who founded 94 Celcius?
94 Celcius was founded by Marc-Alexandre Emond-Boisjoly, whose background includes university studies in biochemistry and pharmacology. His scientific training influences the company's analytical approach to coffee roasting.
4. What does “Never Bitter, Always Fair” mean?
“Never Bitter, Always Fair” reflects 94 Celcius's philosophy of producing balanced, expressive coffees while maintaining a commitment to ethical relationships and quality throughout the coffee supply chain.
5. Does 94 Celcius roast light or dark coffee?
94 Celcius offers a range of coffees rather than following one roast style exclusively. Its profiles are developed according to the characteristics of each coffee, with an emphasis on aromatic clarity and expressing the coffee's individual qualities.
6. Does 94 Celcius use experimental processing?
Yes. The roaster explores coffees using techniques including anaerobic fermentation, co-fermentation and thermal shock, alongside more traditional processing methods.
7. Where does 94 Celcius roast its coffee?
The company's coffees are roasted in Sainte-Julie, Quebec, using a Probat P12 with high-precision thermal monitoring and roasting-profile analysis.
8. Is 94 Celcius coffee available across Canada?
Yes. 94 Celcius states that its coffees are available through more than 250 points of sale across Canada and internationally.
9. Where can I buy 94 Celcius coffee in Canada?
You can explore the currently available 94 Celcius coffees through Speciality Coffee, including selections such as Supernova, Othosolo, Les Freshs, Caro Citric and other seasonal releases.
