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FRINJ Coffee

@frinjcoffee

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Pioneering a new terroir for specialty coffee in California.

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It is with heavy hearts we announce that California coffee pioneer and FRINJ co-founder, Jay Ruskey, passed away, with his wife Kristen, over the weekend. FRINJ would not exist without Jay, who dedicated the past 23 years to his dream of establishing an industry in California that could produce the most distinct coffees in the world. ⁠
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He was a force of nature, a genius for organic agriculture, and had a rare ability to cultivate exotic fruits at Condor Ridge Ranch, the Ruskey family farm in Goleta, California. When the world said California couldn't produce coffee, he proved them wrong when one of his coffees made history as the first coffee from California to be sold at an international auction.⁠
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To those of us who knew him and worked with him, he was more than just our CEO. He was a best friend, and to some, a father figure. He was as much a larger-than-life inspiration as he was a down-to-earth friend.⁠
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Though this is a devastating loss, FRINJ plans to uphold his dream and carry on his legacy.⁠
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Jay and Kristen Ruskey are survived by their three teenage children. If you support Jay's vision, please consider donating to the family's GoFundMe, which can be found through the link in our bio. by @frinjcoffee

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8 months ago

Not Colombia. Not Ethiopia. It’s California!🌴☀️🌊 For International Coffee Day, we’re going a little closer to home.

Meet our latest limited tasting set from @frinjcoffee , featuring two California-grown Catuaí Rojo coffees processed two different ways.

@frinjcoffee is a seed-to-cup coffee company pioneering specialty coffee in California. Working directly with growers across the state, they bring together farming, processing, and roasting to showcase coffees shaped by California’s unique terroir.

About two lots:

☕️The Traditional Washed undergoes a 24-hour room-temperature fermentation, bringing out green apple🍏, white flowers, and clover honey🍯.

☕️And the Yeast Washed takes a very different route with yeast inoculation and a 96-hour cold fermentation, bringing caramel, almond cookie🍪, citrus🍊, and chocolate🍫.

Same variety. Same California origin. Two very different expressions.

Available now. by @frinjcoffee

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16 days ago

A full tour video of @frinjcoffee is now up! We go through the whole facility from processing to drying to the coffee trees. Thank you @derekopperman for hosting and showing everything off. I can't wait to visit again. taken in Ventura, California by @frinjcoffee

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24 days ago

With notes of strawberry jam, toffee, and chocolate, FRINJ Silent Springs Yeast Washed Pacas offers a distinct cup from a unique Californian farm where all the coffee is grown inside tunnels. ⁠
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Available while supplies last. by @frinjcoffee

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a month ago

Catuai, Pacamara, and Geisha trees ☕️ @frinjcoffee

Quick vlogs with @kimoi.coffee @billlisq1 are up where we visit the trees, eat cherries, and check out different areas of the processing facilities! More to come. taken in Ventura, California by @frinjcoffee

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2 months ago

Quick snaps from my visit @frinjcoffee

I'll be uploading a series of videos showcasing the amazing work the team at FRINJ is doing! Stay tuned. taken in Ventura, California by @frinjcoffee

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2 months ago

Alhamdulillah, coffee continues to take us to places we never imagined possible. This time, our journey brought us to California, USA a place few would expect to produce world class specialty coffee.

Driven by curiosity, we visited FRINJ Coffee, founded by pioneering farmer Jay Ruskey, whose vision is now carried forward by a dedicated team redefining coffee cultivation in California through innovation, research, and a relentless pursuit of quality.

Walking through the farm and joining the cupping table was unforgettable, but one coffee completely surprised us: the Washed Geisha. From the first aroma, it was bursting with beautiful floral notes, and in the cup it immediately reminded us of some of the finest washed Geishas from Panama; elegant, vibrant, expressive, and exceptionally clean.

We also cupped a rare Laurina, another outstanding coffee with remarkable character.

What makes this even more exciting is that some of the genetics cultivated by FRINJ trace their roots back to Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama, now expressing themselves through California’s unique terroir.

We are delighted to have secured both coffees from this year’s harvest and look forward to sharing them soon @TheEspressoLab In Sha Allah.

Most importantly, this visit wasn’t just about discovering exceptional coffees; it was about building meaningful relationships with people who share the same passion for pushing specialty coffee forward.

A heartfelt thank you to Andy Mullins, David Armstrong, Chris Brocco and the entire FRINJ Coffee team for your warm hospitality. We look forward to building a long-lasting partnership together.

Stay tuned as our origin journey continues.
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#TheBaristaDance #سفراء_القهوة_الإماراتية #TheEspressoLab #EmiratiGahwa #SpecialtyCoffee #OriginTrip2026 #California #FRINJCoffee taken in California USA by @frinjcoffee

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3 months ago

Grown just minutes from the Santa Barbara coast, Knopf Knoll Ranch Catuaí Rojo is a perfect coffee summer quencher when brewed as an iced pour over or cold brew.⁠
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Knopf Knoll Ranch sits in the foothills above Carpinteria, an idyllic southern California beach town, where Geisha and Catuaí Rojo trees dot a steep hillside and produce coffees of extraordinary balance and uncommon flavor. This Catuaí Rojo pours caramel and chocolate, a luxurious introduction to our southern Californian terroir.⁠
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Grab a bag for yourself. Link in bio by @frinjcoffee

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3 months ago

Coffee was never expected to thrive in California, USA — yet @frinjcoffee transformed the improbable into a new expression of terroir.

In 2002, the late Jay Ruskey partnered with UC Farm Advisor Dr. Mark Gaskell planted California’s first commercial coffee trees, laying the foundation for an entirely new origin. Jay’s experiment became his life’s work: proving that coffee belonged in California.

That vision evolved into FRINJ in 2017, co-founded by Jay alongside Andy Mullins, Juan Medrano, and Lindsey Mesta. Today, even after Jay’s passing, his influence continues to shape farms stretching from San Luis Obispo to San Diego.

Through precision cultivation and innovative post-harvest practices, FRINJ coffees have reached competition stages, omakase counters in Los Angeles, Seoul, and Tokyo, and most recently became the first California coffees presented at the 2026 Dubai Coffee Auction.

This latest selection reflects the spirit Jay helped cultivate: Silent Springs Laurina Yeast Washed carries playful layers of liquorice candy, strawberry, ripe mango, blueberry, brown spice, and root beer. Knopf Knoll Ranch Geisha Yeast Washed unfolds with complex florals, nectarine, bergamot, champagne, and Earl Grey. Vedder Ranch Geisha Classic Washed reveals lemongrass, pear, and Earl Grey for a gentle brightness.

Each coffee proves Jay right — coffee can emerge from the most unexpected places. So come join us in celebrating a legacy that keeps growing with every harvest. Order your share via the link in bio. taken in Archers Coffee by @frinjcoffee

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4 months ago

Coffee production in California presents both opportunity and complexity.

At Williams Canyon Ranch, a trial is underway with MakroBoost, a kelp-based biostimulant derived from Macrocystis pyrifera, applied as part of an emerging coffee production system led by Frinj Coffee.

As new crops are introduced into evolving environments, field trials like this help generate insight into how biostimulants may support plant development under unique growing conditions.
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#OceanRainforest
#MacrocystisPyrifera
#CropTrials
#SpecialtyCrops
#seaweedbiostimulants by @frinjcoffee

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5 months ago

Frinj is derived from the word “Fringe,” which means “the edge” or “outer boundary” in English. The traditional Coffee Belt lies between 25° north and south latitude, while this coffee comes from 34.4°N—well beyond this range. The name reflects @frinjcoffee‘s commitment to exploring coffee cultivation on the very fringe of possibility.

Grown at just 60 meters above sea level in Carpinteria, this washed Geisha from Finca 1890 far exceeded our expectations. It presents classic notes of citrus and jasmine, with remarkably high sweetness—reminiscent of sun-ripened Californian fruits—while maintaining impressive complexity and structure.

Carpinteria, at 34.4°N and close to the Pacific coast, benefits from a maritime microclimate. The large diurnal temperature variation and cool coastal fog help compensate for the lack of heat at this higher latitude, while also enabling an extended growing cycle.

Typically, very high-altitude coffee farms see a 9–10 month period from flowering to ripe cherry. This California-grown Geisha, however, matures even longer to be 10–12 months, contributing to its elevated sweetness and complexity.

One major challenge is California’s naturally low annual rainfall (380–550 mm), far below the 2000–4000 mm seen in high-altitude regions of Panama. Fortunately, the core team at Frinj comes from agricultural backgrounds, with extensive experience cultivating avocados, lemons, oranges, and vineyards. They bring deep expertise in precision irrigation and soil management.

During our visit to the farm, we observed rows of black irrigation tubes running tightly along the base of the coffee trees. Dave, who leads cultivation at Frinj, explained that they collaborate with University of California, Davis to analyze soil conditions and deliver precisely formulated nutrients through the irrigation system—achieving both targeted watering and fertilization.

“Growing on the Fringe” is more than a slogan—it’s an exploration of what’s possible. This high-latitude washed Geisha from California invites you to experience coffee at the very edge of its potential. This is the one washed geisha you can’t missed! by @frinjcoffee

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