Roasting Specialty Coffee in the Tug Hill Region
OUR STORY
For us, coffee isn't just what you drink to get you going in the morning. It's part of a worldwide story.
Tug Hill Artisan Roasters was launched with a vision to bring Direct Trade Coffee to the Tug Hill Region. A natural fit for Northern New York, where agriculture forms the backbone of a vibrant farm culture that can appreciate growers' labor in the Southern Hemisphere, where our coffees are sourced.
Scott and Vanessa Gilbert are a husband and wife partnership with a team dedicated to purveying specialty coffees worldwide and roasting them in small batches allowing an appreciation for unique fresh flavors and aromatics.
We are excited to be characters in this story, supporting ethical sourcing, building community, and sharing our passion with those around us.
Thank you for your continued support!
"We value and appreciate the history of our region while we look forward to being a part of its future."
Scott Gilbert
Owner, Tug Hill Artisan Roasters
WE BELIEVE
We believe in our community.
By investing in specialty coffee and excellent baked goods we can create jobs and contribute to our community's offerings. We pay real wages to our staff and baristas. Not tip wages.
We care about the environment.
Our facility is heated with heat pumps, our 10 oz bags are biodegradable, we compost our coffee grounds and we utilize an afterburner that eliminates 95% of the VOC and odors that our roaster emits. Part of our desire to care for the environment comes from the fact that we are located in a unique part of New York. Squeezed between the Adirondack State Park and the Tug Hill Region we are endowed with amazing natural beauty. We value and appreciate the history of our region while we look forward to being a part of its future.
We care about the supply chains in the specialty coffee and baking world. Our job as roasters and bakers is to understand the journey and story of our products. That means advocating for the needs of farmers, processors and importers.
Owners
Scott & Vanessa Gilbert
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Barista
Noah Cross
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barista
Emilie Lehman
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Position / Role
Drew Carlyle
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MEET THE CREW
How it started
In 2017, Scott Gilbert, his brother, and a friend built a shed, bought a three-pound coffee roaster, and started roasting coffee. Within the year, the team made enough money to purchase a 150lb bag of green coffee that launched Tug Hill Artisan Roasters. They sold coffee to friends, family, and individual customers until 2018 when Lowville’s PB&J café became their first account, one that remains a loyal wholesale customer today.
As for most small businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic posed several challenges for Tug Hill Artisan Roasters. Without access to a temporary vendor permit, the team got a mobile unit permit and took their business on the road in 2021 with their newly renovated trailer. Next, in November of the same year, Tug Hill Artisan Roasters received a stabilization grant to renovate Lowville's old jail on South State Street, a project for community renewal.
In January 2023, the first phase of renovation started, securing a new space for their roasting operations. In just two months, they moved the bake house across the hall from the roastery, run by passionate baker and entrepreneur, Vanessa Gilbert. The family business worked out of these two rooms, successfully selling their coffee, breads, and pastries. Later that year, in an effort to make expansion possible, the couple pulled together a proposal for a New York restoration grant which they were awarded in 2024 to renovate the front of the building and upstairs.
After renovating the front room, reinforcing the floor, and adding a fence, patio, and porch, they opened Saint Drogo's Coffee and Bake House on July 11, 2025. Here, Scott and Vanessa are excited to showcase great coffee and baked goods, while remaining true to their roots as a wholesale bakery and roastery. With the expansion, they also have the opportunity for barista and coffee equipment training, and to create a space for socialization and community building. Recently, they finished two Airbnb units upstairs, and are leasing the space above the café to The Gallery of the Blue Frog, showcasing local artists' work. Additionally, the growth of their business makes it possible to strengthen relationships with coffee farmers and importers, and to take trips to places like Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras where we source most of our coffees.
We truly appreciate our supportive community, loyal customers, and hardworking staff who have made this expansion possible. Thank you for the warm welcome and we can’t wait to keep growing! Stay tuned for more.
Head Roaster
Scott Gilbert
Head Baker
Vanessa Gilbert
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Production Manager
Noah Cross
