Brewing Brillance with Anomaly Coffee Company
Photos by Alan Escalante @alanescalante
Taking pop-up coffee culture to a new height, Anomaly Coffee Company draws inspiration from the budding creatives of local communities, promoting artistry and sustainability through brewing, packaging and simple conversation.
Noah Vernick, the 27-year-old founder and brewer of Anomaly, became enamored with service at the tender age of 14, entering the workforce at Jersey Mikes to support his family in Maryland. Working for restaurants, with communities, and co-hosting philanthropic events with his brother gave him a deep sense of fulfillment over his adolescence.
“I always wanted to start my own business, I just didn't know what it was. I was missing that service aspect of life [after graduating college], so I decided to try coffee,” said Vernick.
After relocating to California, Vernick reconnected with an old friend and founded Anomaly. Vernick taught himself the art of roasting, diving headfirst into entrepreneurship by connecting with other roasters. Over two years, alongside his partner and an expanding team, they transitioned from hosting backyard setups to joining elaborate events, crafting unique menus for each occasion.
Photos by Alan Escalante @alanescalante
Homemade matcha lattes with mint syrup, cold brews, spiced gingerbread lattes and more have delighted their menu — all enriched by the smoothness of oat milk. Vernick stated how oat milk is a people’s favorite: a way to delight their taste buds and honor the planet.
“My favorite drink is something we actually haven’t launched yet,” said Vernick. “I love cardamom. We added cardamom extract to agave syrup, and put that in a cappuccino. I love the nutty, slightly bitter taste of it, and it’s something I'd love to launch with the right group.”
Anomaly roasts and sells small-hand batched beans to restaurants scattered throughout Long Beach and its surrounding counties, sometimes roasting over 200 minutes per day to fulfill orders. Their Sinister Sip, Drift Craft, and Majestic Morning packages all include the work of local artists.
Vernick and his team make it a priority for Anomaly to be a sustainable-forward business, putting in every effort to ensure their products meet the needs of the community and the planet. Vernick established bike deliveries, began utilizing aluminum to compostable cups and ditched the infamous coffee cup lid to reduce waste.
“It's tough as a small business owner to figure out how to do these things and then understand how much it costs, if it makes sense, and if people even care enough,” said Vernick. “One time I was shipping out beans and we didn't have any cardboard boxes, so I decided to make my own with cardboard waste.”
Photo courtesy of Noah Vernick.
Some large-scale to local pop-up events Anomaly has attended include REI, Patagonia, electric car manufacturer Rivian, local literature publisher The Kingfisher and LA music event Sunday Sounds, to name a few. In March, they served over 20,000 people at the LA Marathon with oat milk brand Minor Figures.
Finding their corner in local festivities and charming locations has enhanced their customer service experience, Vernick stated. Anomaly was never about offering a simple caffeine fix, but a quality experience to the community — a place to have conversations and indulge in connection. Their ever-evolving menu and inclination to serve fuels their passion for roasting more than any caffeine rush.
This summer, people can expect more collaborations with Good Time Cafe, a local hotspot for smooth brews and good eats. Vernick aspires to venture more into the food business, too, using his culinary background as guidance. Booking event after event has had its challenges, but Vernick remains confident that he and his team will continue to deliver their best efforts in any creative venture.
“It's fun to serve and have everyone be excited about what we create. That's why we do it, really. Just to serve somebody, have them enjoy the product and be thrilled about the experience as a whole,” said Vernick.
You can take a sip of Anomaly’s roasts in Long Beach at Good Time Cafe, Wrigley Coffee and Ethikli. Visit their pop-up store every Friday at the DTLB Farmer’s Market or at Long Beach Rising’s rock climbing gym every third Sunday. Keep up with their special events and collaborations via their Instagram @anomaly.coffee.co