As always, there is a lot that one could write about this, but my aim is to pare down all of that and give you just the basics of selecting a coffee supplier. Towards the end of this post, I'll give a list of some of my favorites.
1) Make sure the coffee you are buying is fresh.
As mentioned in the last post, coffee should be consumed within 14 days of its roast date. Most reputable roasters or cafés will have no problem telling you what day the coffee you are buying was roasted on. Heck, most of them will have it printed on the bag. If they don't know, or don't care, DO NOT BUY IT. You will likely be purchasing stale coffee, and what is worse is that by purchasing stale coffee, you are telling said retailer that they can continue selling stale coffee. Make a stand for good coffee, always buy fresh.
2) Transparency
If you didn't already know, coffee is a fruit. The "bean" is actually the seed of the fruit. Long story short, there is a lot that goes into harvesting the good stuff and if you are paying a premium price for your coffee, you need to know where it is coming from. Sadly, some cafés or roasters who simply don't know, or don't care what good coffee is, will charge you $15 for a pound of their "Sumatra coffee" completely unknowing of whether it is quality or not. Look for someplace that can tell you why they selected the coffee they did, maybe for certain flavors. Even better, if the place can tell you the region, terroir, or farm's name that the coffee is from, they likely are going to be giving you a quality product.
3) A higher price
This is where I tend to lose people. "Can I not have good coffee at a value price?" Well it depends on what you see as value. Most people will gladly spend $15 on a bottle of wine that will yield 4-5 glasses and see that as a bargain. $15 can easily get you a pound of good coffee that can yield 28 cups. That to me is a great bargain for a premium culinary beverage.
Will specialty coffee ever be as cheap as Folger's? No. But you really don't want it to be. The "high" price you pay for coffee ensures that everyone who worked to get that coffee to you is making more money. And by paying more for certain "premium" crops, you are voting with your dollar for more high quality crops and giving incentive for everyone in the long chain of people involved to keep working hard at trying their hardest.
Alright, so some places to buy good coffee; let's start with the local guys:
Elemental was the first roaster in the Oklahoma City area to really stand up for quality in the cup in every roast, and for that I am very grateful. You can buy their stuff direct from them online, or pick it up at the local stores listed on their website.
While not a roastery (currently), Coffee Slingers sources some awesome coffee from those self-proclaimed "damn coffee hippies" at Barefoot Coffee in Santa Clara, CA.
This new café in Norman is serving up some fine product from the wonderful people at Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea.
Not quite as local, these Tulsa coffee craftsmen not only start some of the most entertaining debate in coffee culture, they also roast up and serve some great product in the process.
In today's internet age, one is never too far from good coffee, and nearly any roaster can have a pound or two on your doorstep in two to three days of the roast date for usually around $5 in shipping. Here are some companies that aren't nearby, but are doing some awesome stuff that you need to try.
Without a doubt, Counter Culture is my all-time favorite coffee roaster. I've never had a bad coffee from them, and believe me, I have tried a LOT. On top of that, the people who work there constantly push the industry to evolve, grow, and really put the focus on the people who make our morning cup so special, the farmers.
Stumptown has a simple goal: to have the best coffee out of anyone, anywhere. One of the "big three roasters" (the others being the previously mentioned Intelligentsia and Counter Culture) Stumptown has a lot of resources and does a lot with them to always try to stay on top. You'll pay a hefty price for some of their coffee, but there is no denying that it is excellent.
Ritual always has a small, but interesting selection of coffees that are as full of flavor and personality as the awesome people who run the place. Plus, they have the coolest logo in all of coffee-dom.
Anyway, I hope that gives you some ideas as for what to look for when buying coffee. As always, comments are appreciated!
Next post: How do I get the most out my coffee?
I would add Metropolis to the mix too, I am a sucker for Redline in lattes. I have known the guys from Elemental for a very long time. I was there the first time they did a cupping, using my iRoast. Amazing how far they have come in the past year.
ReplyDeleteLove the new blog. Local coffee geekery ftw.
I think I'll come back at some point and do a huge list of all of the quality roasters in the U.S., because there are a few I really wanted to mention, but felt the article was getting a bit long winded. I really appreciate your comment!
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