culture. | nemesis signature

Sammy Piccolo, the 2011 Canadian Barista Champion and 2009 Canadian Brewers Cup Champion, founded Nemesis Coffee in Calgary after growing frustrated with inconsistent quality from coffee suppliers and deciding to roast his own. The name was chosen to represent the opposite of bad coffee, and the philosophy follows through: Piccolo believes roasting is not a dark art but a data driven craft where transparency in methodology matters. They roast on a Loring S15 Falcon, a smokeless intelligent roaster, with a style that emphasizes showcasing each coffee's natural character rather than the roast itself. All sourcing happens through direct trade relationships or trusted importers, with single origins coming from Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Rwanda, and Brazil. Piccolo is known for sharing knowledge openly rather than guarding roasting secrets, and the roastery offers SCA certified education alongside regular public cuppings. The result is clean, bright, fruit forward profiles that consistently reflect the quality established at origin.