December Business of the Month: Bittle Brew Coffee Co.

December Business of the Month: Bittle Brew Coffee Co. (Cottage Grove, Oregon)

Bittle Brew Coffee Co. was voted December’s Business of the Month by the Groovin’ in the Grove community. Family-owned and proudly local, Bittle Brew has grown from a dream into one of Cottage Grove’s favorite stops for coffee, conversation, and community connection.

Known for creative drinks, homemade scones, and a welcoming, family-first atmosphere, Bittle Brew has quickly become a place where locals feel at home.

How would you describe Bittle Brew to someone who’s never visited?

“We are a family-owned coffee shop offering a wide variety of drinks and snacks. We serve espresso, drip coffee, cold brew, Redbull, Lotus energy drinks, refreshers, smoothies, teas, and more.

For snacks, we try to support other small businesses. We offer cookies from Random Acts of Cookies, pretzel pockets and pastries from Sugar Mouse Bakery, and bagels from Lox, Stocks & Bagels.

We also make scones from scratch, which have been very popular and are available every Wednesday, along with energy bites (peanut butter protein balls). We also offer weekday specials — just ask!

We are very family-oriented, and our main goal is to make you feel like you’re a part of that family.”

What inspired you to start the shop, and what keeps you going today?

“It all started as a dream — we hoped to own our own coffee shop someday. We also wanted to keep our maiden name alive (Bittle) and do what we love.

Heather has been in the coffee industry for over 12 years, and I (Amber) have been in it for about five years. I went to school for business management while Heather continued learning more about coffee.

After I finished school, I met my now-husband Jonathan. A few years later, what started as a dream became reality when Jonathan designed and built our first trailer during the summer of 2023.

We’ve been operating since October 2023. What keeps us going is knowing how much we wanted this and seeing it become a reality. We refuse to fail. Our customers have become friends and family, and our biggest motivation is building something our little girls can one day love and take care of.”

What are the customer favorites right now?

“Our most popular coffee drink is the Chupdaloop, made with white chocolate, English toffee, and sea salt caramel sauce.

Our most popular Lotus energy drink is the H-Wow, featuring purple Lotus, blackberry, orange, and passionfruit.

And of course, the scones. We make 50 every Wednesday, and they usually sell out that same day — if not by Thursday morning.”

Do you offer seasonal or holiday specials?

“We release new monthly specials every month, and December always brings some fun seasonal drinks. Typically, we offer three specialty coffee drinks and three Lotus energy drinks.

We also roll out holiday-themed scones throughout the month.”

What do you enjoy most about serving Cottage Grove?

“Heather and I grew up locally, so we love seeing familiar faces and meeting new people.

We truly enjoy making connections and building relationships with our customers — turning them into friends and family.”

Anything new or exciting coming up?

“We’ve transitioned our mobile trailer into a permanent location so we can be available to our customers daily.

Because of that, we’re taking a short break from events for now. In the future, we hope to build another trailer specifically for events so we can continue serving our daily customers while also attending local gatherings.”

What’s something people might not know about you or the shop?

“Heather and I are actually fraternal twins — which surprises a lot of people.

Many of our drink names are a little silly because they’re based on family and friends. It’s our way of personalizing the menu and making things more fun.”

Why the Community Chose Bittle Brew Coffee Co.

Bittle Brew Coffee Co. was chosen as December’s Business of the Month for its family-first values, commitment to supporting other local businesses, and the genuine care shown to every customer. From handmade scones to creative drinks and warm conversations, Bittle Brew has created a space where community and connection are always brewing.