Sunset Park's 'Extraction Lab' Is Serving A $14 Cup Of Coffee — And Normal Cups, Too

SUNSET PARK, BROOKLYN — You may have read something about an uncommonly expensive cup of coffee now being offered in Industry City — as of Monday, it was a $14.75 cup from Ninety Plus Geisha Estates, grown under the supervision of Jeremy Zhang in Panama.

But most of the coffees on tap at Extraction Lab are typically priced, explained Thomas Perez, the CEO of Alpha Dominche, as are the shop's teas and pastries (Monday's menu is below). The most expensive blends are for those who want to try something truly rare, he said — like ordering a $1,000 bottle of wine.

Extraction Lab is Alpha's new showroom and coffee bar, a place where guests can sample teas and coffees brewed by the company's signature "Steampunk" brewer, a tablet-controlled device that looks more like a minimalist sculpture than something found in a coffee shop.

The "Steampunk" brewing system

Perez said the Alpha has sold Steampunks to 500 shops in 35 countries, but wanted to open Extraction Lab, located at 33 35th St. (building 5 in the IC complex) so it could "showcase the machine in a consumer space."

With its paired-down design, the Steampunk brings the customer and barista face to face, Perez said, adding, "We feel interaction with the customer is just as important as good coffee and tea."

The CEO said he started looking for a Brooklyn showroom about two years ago. Industry City was the "perfect match," he said, as it's now connected with quality crafting.

Inside Extraction Lab

Perez said the menu will change at Extraction Lab, which is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The business wants everything it sells to be fresh, and so it orders small portions directly from about 50 roasters. At any one time, about 10 or 15 types of coffee will be available, Perez said.

Tea waiting to be brewed

Extraction Lab also has a space in the back where roasters and tea makers can meet with buyers and demonstrate how Steampunk works with their products. As Perez put it, "We'd like this space to be a community for the industry."

Perez said a few additional Extraction Lab staffers will likely be hired. Those interested can lab@alphadominche.com.

[Editor's note: an earlier version of this story misreported the origin of the $14.75 cup of coffee.

Pictured at top: Thomas Perez, CEO of Alpha Dominche. Photos by John V. Santore