The Chosen Bean: Small-Batch Coffee Roaster in Coral Springs

Moshe Ruza has lived a number of lifetimes: He helped run his family's three-generation high-fashion accessory business in New York City, owned a resort in the Caribbean for close to a decade, and today is the founder of his own coffee-roasting company.

Ruza founded the Chosen Bean five years ago, a small-batch coffee-roasting operation based out of his Coral Springs home. At the time, Ruza was on a search for the perfect cup of coffee. He quickly learned that if he wanted fresh coffee, he would have to make it himself.

See also: Rusty Hook Tavern Could Help Make Pompano Beach A Trendy Neighborhood

In 2009, specialty coffee roasting didn't exist in South Florida. So Ruza, who had never roasted before, set out to learn. But his love affair with what he calls "better" coffee began even earlier -- in the late 1980s -- when he began drinking a higher-grade coffee after discovering a locally roasted coffee while on a cruise to Alaska. The coffee, known as Raven's Brew, was so good that he found himself wondering how to make a similar roast.

"As an Orthodox Jew, we do a lot of meditation, and in the midst of prayer the mind wanders off to other things," says Ruza. "I started thinking about coffee and ways that I could turn the rest of the world onto what I'm enjoying. That's how the Chosen Bean started. Today, the process I have follows an intrinsic value system as a biblically inspired company. I want to provide our customers with something special."

Coffee at the Chosen Bean is chosen for its high quality and exclusivity. To ensure this, Ruza says he selects beans from the top 2 percent of all beans worldwide, sourcing from small farms around the world. This also provides the beans with exclusive flavors, he adds, depending on the individual farmer's growing technique.

To do so, Ruza works with a number of importers to source beans globally from regions in Central and South America, Africa, and Indonesia. He currently roasts five signature blends but also offers a number of single-origin picks, each available for purchase on his website.

At the moment, the Chosen Bean retains its focus on the freshness by roasting to-order. Ruza -- who can roast up to 200 pounds a day -- has partnered with Mendy Dalfin to expand operations into a commercial space.

Although there's no coffee shop or tasting room just yet, you can still sample the Chosen Bean any time you like -- simply order a sample pack. For $5, you can taste any of the Chosen Bean's single-origin coffees or blends, with incentive to save money on a full order.

"What I love about roasting is that it's a craft," says Ruza, "a beautiful craft in a world so devoid of the human touch and human element. I take tremendous pride in what I do."

Visit TheChosenBean.com, or call 954-536-7892.

Nicole Danna is a food blogger covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on Clean Plate's Instagram.