Brewing For The Birds

Recently, I sat down with Collin Kelly, founder and owner of Elkhorn Coffee Company.
With minutes to spare before the opening of Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic 2025, Collin
generously gave time to share the origin story of his coffee dream that’s brewing some
wonderful things in the uplands. Driven by a deep-seated mission to conserve natural habitats all across the continent, Elkhorn ties that to something we all love to drink or at least are adjacent to in life. Whether we guzzle down several cups a day (like myself) or grew up with the smell of it permeating the house, coffee has most likely had an impact on us all. In our conversation, we tackle the entire arc of the Elkhorn storyline, including what made Collin want to get started in the industry, challenges he has faced along the way, and exciting things that are on the horizon for the company. We even discuss which is better: pheasants or quail. So pause and make a quick cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and enjoy our conversation during the world’s premier bird hunting convention.

Ryan: What made you want to start Elkhorn Coffee Company?

Collin: For a long time, I wanted to work in the outdoor industry. The first expression of that was starting an outdoor media company, which included a Youtube channel. And while this taught me a great deal about the outdoor industry, I discovered that it wasn’t really my strong suit. But the idea wouldn’t leave me alone that I wanted to bring something to the table. One day, while I was flipping through the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation publication, Bugle, and sipping on a hot beverage, it hit me: It’s coffee! No matter if you’re hunting or fishing, the morning always starts with it!

Ryan: What is the idea behind the brand/logo?

Collin: I live in Elkhorn, Nebraska, just outside of Omaha. I love history and coincidentally, Theodore Roosevelt, a champion of conservation, owned and operated “Elkhorn Ranch” in the North Dakota badlands. He gave the ranch this name after he discovered two elk that had locked antlers while sparring and died in battle. Sadly, the story of this place is not well told. In a day and age where television fabricates what life was and is like in the west, I thought to myself, “I’m going to tell a real story through my coffee”. Based on Roosevelt’s Elkhorn symbol, I did some tweaking and made the antlers form an “E”. Side note: Our Elkhorn Roast rolls out in a week at a Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation banquet in Omaha.

Ryan: How did you acquire the artwork for each bag?

Collin: Growing up, I always read publications like “Field and Stream” and eagerly awaited the Cabela’s Christmas Catalogue each year. I loved the vintage, classic artwork in those magazines and knew that was the type of feel Elkhorn should have. Through the power of social media, I connected with an artist named Colt Mcdermott from Southwest Iowa. After describing to him the feel I wanted the artwork to have, he created beautiful illustrations that possess the classic feel I was exactly going for. Dessi Price, a graphic designer, knocked it out of the park as well. Her work added such an elegant feel to the coffee bags.

Ryan: How does each bag support habitat?

Collin: On each bag that supports an organization, we have dual branding. Not only do we have its logo in the corner, but also the organization’s namesake animal makes up the artwork. On the back of the bag, the organizations have free reign to say what they wish about themselves, though it's typically their mission statement. We always list their website on the bag as well. At the end of the day, we at Elkhorn want to drive more membership to these places. But not only that, with every bag of coffee purchased, one dollar from that sale goes directly back to the organization on that particular bag. Our coffee is putting habitat right back into the ground.

Ryan: How did the partnership process begin with these organizations?

Collin: Our coffee roaster has been roasting for twelve years. We were quite confident we had a good product. Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, and the National Wild Turkey Federation had done some partnerships with coffee in the past, but no one had put those birds on the front of their coffee bags. I wanted to take things to the next level. The challenge was making it marketable to these organizations. We knew we needed to invest well into the artwork. Once we had done that and pitched concepts to the organizations, they fell in love with the idea and the rest is history.

Ryan: What goes into bean source selection?

Collin: While we have a couple of blends, such as the “Longbeards Brew”, most of our coffees are single origin roasts. We source beans from all over the world, but mostly they come from South America and Africa. Undoubtedly, it has been a huge learning experience for me in regards to shipping and trade differences. There’s a lot of scheduling and planning that goes into it. I always try to create coffee that everyone is going to like, but it’s never a perfect system. Fortunately, Omaha, Nebraska is a coffee-rich environment where I can workshop what we’re doing off fellow roasters and coffee enthusiasts. I think it provides a well-rounded product. Note: Collin shared with me that part of his subtle strategy is to match the bird on the bag with the roast. For example, he said that quail are bright. So, he wanted the “Covey Roast” to have a bright, delicate flavor to it. Rooster pheasants are darker, with a flush that is bold at first but then
quickly smooths out. He nailed both undertones!

Ryan: What is the roasting process like?

Collin: For us, our roasting is always done on Mondays and Tuesdays. This is small-batch
roasting, no more than 40 pounds at a time. Bagging and restocking inventory is what goes on the rest of the week. The thing about coffee is that it gets less interesting after two months of being on the shelf. It will begin to lose its characteristic notes and tones. When you buy coffee off most grocery store shelves, chances are it’s been out of the roaster for six months or more due to shipping and logistics. With that in mind, we are always roasting and getting product out in a timely manner to give people the best coffee possible.

Ryan: What is the best way to brew coffee, in your opinion?

Collin: Pour over. I’ll do a percolator every now and then, but most of the time, it’s pour over all the way. All of our ground coffee is pour over ready as well.

Ryan: What advice would you give someone wanting to start a business?

Collin: This dream is something that’s been brewing (no pun intended) inside of me for ten years. What I’m saying is you have to find something you're passionate about. If your idea is simply about making money, you will never make it. Network with people a lot and be a student of the industry you are embarking into. I also feel that prayer is a big piece of all this, having faith it will work out the way it should.

Ryan: What has been a big milestone for Elkhorn?

Collin: This year, through coffee and merchandise sales, we’re giving a sizable donation to each organization we’ve partnered with. In 2025 we will also be forming new partnerships with conservation groups, something we are very much excited about. We’ve also been able to donate to a lot of banquets hosted by these organizations, another way we’re thankful to give
back.

Ryan: Is there anything new on the horizon for Elkhorn you would like to share?

Collin: I can’t say much right now, but we have some good stuff in the works for this year. Like I said, we have some new partnerships we’ll be forming. We are also launching some new artwork, and all I can say is it’s going to be pretty fierce.

Ryan: Pheasants or quail?

Collin:  It all depends on the day. There’s something about that first rooster getting up on opening day right after daylight that’s irreplaceable. I love that feeling. That being said, when you’ve been hunting pheasants all day and an unexpected covey of quail erupts in front of you, that’s a welcomed sight. Seeing those little dots scatter on the horizon is a cherished experience in our Nebraska haunts we sadly don’t see enough of anymore. So, it all depends on when you ask me.

Ryan: Anything you want to add?

Collin: We really appreciate the community’s support. It means a lot. There are many companies in the outdoor industry, coffee included, doing great things. Be sure to support them. Go make memories and chase your adventure.

Chase that adventure, indeed. But when you do, make sure you're fueled up with Elkhorn
Coffee. Not only am I certain you will find an exceptional roast that delights your taste, but know that you’re advocating for wild places with every sip. Between knowing that and the caffeine, that’s something to be amped up about. See you in the field.
- Ryan