# Looking for Good Coffee Supplier



## Burl Source (May 12, 2012)

I am looking for a good coffee supplier for my own personal use.
I don't know a lot about coffee and don't have any upgraded gear. Just a normal drip coffee maker.
There are a few decent coffees from Oregon Roasters that I have tried, but I was thinking it could be better.
What I have tried and liked were Costa Rican, Mexican and Hawaiian.
I don't much care for the dark roasts and most of the commercially available blends.

Of everything I have tried I liked the Hawaiian that was a light/medium roast the best.
I probably sound like a coffee-tard. But I am sure I do not want to try the Poo-Berry.

Anybody have any suggestions?
Coffee is my main vice. Just want some better stuff.


----------



## UCChemE05 (May 12, 2012)

My go to... 

http://redbirdcoffee.com/


----------



## Andrew H (May 12, 2012)

http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/


----------



## Pensacola Tiger (May 12, 2012)

If you're not getting whole bean and grinding just before brewing, start. Since you're using a drip maker, one of those inexpensive spice/coffee grinders will work just fine, since the filter will stop any of the really finely ground coffee from coming through to muddy your cup.

Then you want to get the freshest roast whole beans that you can. That means buying in small amounts, just enough to last you no more than two weeks, one week is better. Before I started roasting my own beans, I bought from The Coffee Fool (http://www.coffeefool.com/). Stick to those that are labeled "American Roast", as they will be the light/medium roast you favor. 

I'll warn you now that drinking freshly roasted and just-ground coffee (as compared to the ordinary brew from stale supermarket coffee) is addictive and almost as expensive as the wood habit we have and you feed. I got tired of the shipping charges from The Fool, and that's how I came to start roasting my own. You may well find yourself going down that road, too.

Rick


----------



## SpikeC (May 12, 2012)

I have found my bean home with Stumptown Roasters.


----------



## obtuse (May 12, 2012)

Counter culture coffee, stumptown, portland roasters, blue bottle, four barrel, ritual, pt's, metrapolis to name a few


----------



## RobinW (May 12, 2012)

SpikeC said:


> I have found my bean home with Stumptown Roasters.



+1 on stumptown coffee roasters.


----------



## WildBoar (May 12, 2012)

+1 on Counter Culture, although they are on the east coast.


----------



## obtuse (May 12, 2012)

WildBoar said:


> +1 on Counter Culture, although they are on the east coast.



$5 flat rate shipping on orders within the continent. Sadly I have to pay more. I think they have the best pricing especially for the quality. Sometimes you don't need to spend $20+ on a 1/2 pound of coffee to get a good cup. 

Mark, you might want to invest in a decent brewer and grinder. decent doesn't need to be expensive. At work I brew out of the bonmac 2 hole 'pour-over' counter culture sells, paired with my hario travel grinder. if you really need an auto-drip brewer the bonavita is a good deal http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005YQZT92/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 paired with Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VAWXOU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 or Baratza http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002OQNVO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20. those are some good and cheap setups for work or home.


----------



## ajhuff (May 12, 2012)

My favorite is local to me in the tiny town of Murphy NC, but I don't think they ship.Freshness second only to roasting yourself.

I like this guy: http://www.caffefresco.us/index.php
My favorite if you happen to be in Canada: http://www.tatum.ca/
This was a fun coffee and I had no complaints with taste: http://www.deathwishcoffee.com/index.html

-AJ


----------



## l r harner (May 13, 2012)

i get mine form pork and beans westminster MD ( not sure if they ship )

i also liek to make mine in an aeropress (cheap and fun way to get a good cup ) its a bit liek a coffee chem lab


----------



## Eamon Burke (May 13, 2012)

What's Brewing? Organic Brazilian Blue is my favorite coffee of all time.

I am not biased, I didn't even know they were from texas until long after I loved them. if you can't get any, I'll get you some.


----------



## obtuse (May 13, 2012)

Brown is a good roaster out of San Antonio http://www.browncoffeeco.com/ I have enjoyed their coffee on more than one occasion.


----------



## NO ChoP! (May 13, 2012)

Valentine Roasting Co. out of Milwaukee; one guy does it all...says he caramelizes the beans instead of roasting to bring out the natural sweetness. It is the strongest, yet peculiarly least bitter coffee I've ever had....


----------



## obtuse (May 13, 2012)

I worked with a few people from Alterra in milwaukee, they have good coffee. Also carmelization is part of the roasting process along with the mailard reaction.


----------



## wenus2 (May 14, 2012)

Hey Mark,
I dunno if you ever get over to Ashland, but Noble Coffee Roasters are doing a good job there.

Also, Mix Sweet Shop carries a good variety of fresh Stumptown beans and they brew a good cup as well. Their pastries don't suck either (not even a little), neither does the gelato.

Hope that helps.


----------



## Tristan (May 14, 2012)

Does anyone buy from sweet maria's?


----------



## obtuse (May 14, 2012)

Tristan said:


> Does anyone buy from sweet maria's?



I do


----------



## kalaeb (May 14, 2012)

This is what I drank in college, https://caffeibis.com/ , great brews. I have not been back in years, but it now appears you can buy online, yeehaw.


----------



## apicius9 (May 14, 2012)

I really enjoy a good coffee, but I lack consistency in my motivation. Years ago I ordered green beans from Sweet Maria's and Vivace and loved both their espresso mixes. But shipping green beans to Hawaii is illegal (supposedly to avoid importing 'pests' that endanger the local coffees) and the shops are now much more compliant. So, for my French press, I use whatever local coffee I can find freshly roasted - and there are good choices between Wholefoods, a few specialty stores and even Costco roasting Kona beans regularly - but I still need to find a way to get my hands on green beans for good espresso blends. May have to have them shipped to mainland friends and then have them forwarded here.

Just looked at the original post again and realized that was not your question. But I know there should be places that ship out Hawaiian roasts to the mainland - Aaron, don't you have 100% Kona roasts you can ship?

Stefan


----------



## Duckfat (May 14, 2012)

I'm not sure why any one wouldn't want pea-berry but my go to places are;

http://greenwellfarms.com/

http://www.roosterfarms.com/


----------



## Jim (May 14, 2012)

Mark, you have lots of suggestions for coffee, unless your pot can hit and maintain the proper water temps you will never get everything the beans have to offer.

Its a slippery slope to head down!

A pour over filtercone and electric kettle are a good way to see the differences proper water temps can make in the cup.


----------



## mano (May 14, 2012)

Mark, if you don't have one already, get a burr grinder and buy whole bean. Switching from a whirly blade to the burr got the single best increase in flavor in all my coffee drinking years. 

There are lots of good coffee roasters and some were mentioned here, so try the same coffee from each one and see what you like best. I usually get mine from Porto Rico Roasters or Coffee Bean Direct. Neither are boutique roasters but they do it in-house and because they have high volume the coffee has always been fresh. 

BTW, when you said poo-berry were you talking about that monkey poop coffee?


----------



## Duckfat (May 14, 2012)

+1 on ditching the whirly blade bean grinders. I thought Poo-berry was a typo for pea berry but if Mark was talking about Kopi Luwak I can understand the aversion. 
I'd also suggest a French Press but if sticking with AD then the Cuisinart burr grinders run around $50 and are a steal for what they do. 

Dave


----------



## Pensacola Tiger (May 14, 2012)

If you are noticing an improvement in taste when moving from a whirly blade grinder to a burr type, then you are likely grinding too long. Pulse the whirly type just until you get grounds, not powder.


----------



## SameGuy (May 14, 2012)

Pour-over and good-old-fashioned vacuum pot coffees give two distinct but very clean profiles. Next best (IMVHO) is French press, which I call quick-and-dirty coffee. I still drink more espresso than anything else, and that is the toughest form of coffee with which to achieve consistency, even with the most expensive equipment available. I have a humble setup for espresso -- Rancilio Silvia v.3 that I'm hoping to PID, and a cheap burr grinder -- that makes really great coffee once in a while. I'd love to step up to a Mazzer Mini grinder and perhaps a Quickmill Andreja Premium, but for now I make pretty good espresso on a fairly regular basis. IC Black Cat most of the time, BTW.


----------



## Burl Source (May 14, 2012)

mano said:


> BTW, when you said poo-berry were you talking about that monkey poop coffee?



I had read about collecting Lemur poop and washing the undigested beans.

I really got spoiled a while back when a customer who roasts his own was sending me coffee.
Right now I am using one of the rotary grinders. Sounds like I need the burr type grinder.
I will check out the suppliers and you guys have mentioned. Plus a better brewer.

I will need it to be convenient, brew then into an air pot because I like to drink coffee through the day while I am working.

I get over to Ashland once in a while, and yes, I enjoy good pastries.


----------



## Namaxy (May 14, 2012)

+1 on the burr grinder. Also on the brew method. I really like the French press, although there are many who prefer the direct pour over, like Chemex. A bean that hasn't been mentioned is Hogan Brothers, although they are small and East coast. I love a roast they haved called Strange Brew.


----------



## ajhuff (May 14, 2012)

Duckfat said:


> I'm not sure why any one wouldn't want pea-berry but my go to places are;
> 
> http://greenwellfarms.com/
> 
> http://www.roosterfarms.com/



I prefer pea berry to all other beans.

-AJ


----------



## Burl Source (May 14, 2012)

Based on what you guys have told me,
I am thinking I should get the Bonavita BV1800 8-Cup Coffee Maker with a thermal caraffe.
That way I don't have to use an air pot. 

I think I will try out some of the bean suppliers you mentioned until I find out what I like the best.

For home I will try the electric kettle and cone.


----------



## SpikeC (May 14, 2012)

When I need to brew a pot I use a Technovorm Moccamaster. The water is heated to a reliable 200 or so degrees, it is approved by the American Specialty Coffee association, and will produce as good a drip coffee as you will find, and it brews into a thermal carafe. 
For grinding, I use a Kitchenaid Proline grinder with Mazzer Mini burrs, it took a little modifying to install the burrs but they make the grinder work at a vey high level.
For my regular morning up I make an Americano with my La Pavoni Stratavari, but when company is here the Moccamaster does a really nice job.


----------



## UCChemE05 (May 14, 2012)

How much coffee do you drink and how much at a time? If low volume, you may want to look into a manual pour over or aeropress. I just got an aeropress last week and am very impressed so far.


----------



## mano (May 14, 2012)

SpikeC said:


> When I need to brew a pot I use a Technovorm Moccamaster. The water is heated to a reliable 200 or so degrees, it is approved by the American Specialty Coffee association, and will produce as good a drip coffee as you will find, and it brews into a thermal carafe.
> For grinding, I use a Kitchenaid Proline grinder with Mazzer Mini burrs, it took a little modifying to install the burrs but they make the grinder work at a vey high level.



My exact setup but with stock burrs. How difficult is it to install new burrs and where do you find them? For Americano, or something close to it, I use a Krups Moka Brew


----------



## Namaxy (May 14, 2012)

SpikeC said:


> When I need to brew a pot I use a Technovorm Moccamaster. The water is heated to a reliable 200 or so degrees, it is approved by the American Specialty Coffee association, and will produce as good a drip coffee as you will find, and it brews into a thermal carafe.
> For grinding, I use a Kitchenaid Proline grinder with Mazzer Mini burrs, it took a little modifying to install the burrs but they make the grinder work at a vey high level.
> For my regular morning up I make an Americano with my La Pavoni Stratavari, but when company is here the Moccamaster does a really nice job.



That's a very good drip coffee maker. I still prefer a press, but if you want a full pot, it's a great option. If you went that way I would get the thermal carafe option.


----------



## SpikeC (May 14, 2012)

Moccamasters are only available with thermal carafes. 
Mano, I had to make a couple of shims to bring the Mazzer burrs up to thickness and drill and tap a couple of holes to match the new burrs. I found the burrs through Google search. Coffee geek web site has articles on the process.


----------



## Burl Source (May 14, 2012)

UCChemE05 said:


> How much coffee do you drink and how much at a time? If low volume, you may want to look into a manual pour over or aeropress. I just got an aeropress last week and am very impressed so far.



I usually drink 2 to 3 pots a day. 
I like to keep myself busy during all of my waking hours so coffee and me are a good combo.
I usually stop drinking coffee around when it get's dark out unless we go out for dinner somewhere with rich deserts.
Then you have to drink coffee with the desert.


----------



## add (May 14, 2012)

Burl Source said:


> I usually drink 2 to 3 pots a day.
> I like to keep myself busy during all of my waking hours so coffee and me are a good combo.
> I usually stop drinking coffee around when it get's dark out unless we go out for dinner somewhere with rich deserts.
> Then you have to drink coffee with the desert.


:shocked3:

Good lord man!

How do ya keep a steady hand on all the saws, lol ?


----------



## ajhuff (May 14, 2012)

SpikeC said:


> Moccamasters are only available with thermal carafes.
> Mano, I had to make a couple of shims to bring the Mazzer burrs up to thickness and drill and tap a couple of holes to match the new burrs. I found the burrs through Google search. Coffee geek web site has articles on the process.



Very interesting. I love my Kitchen Aid but I only do French Press and Siphon so I think it's pretty overkill for those two methods.That Moccamaster looks pretty slick!

-AJ


----------



## mano (May 15, 2012)

Burl Source said:


> I usually drink 2 to 3 pots a day.
> I like to keep myself busy during all of my waking hours so coffee and me are a good combo.
> I usually stop drinking coffee around when it get's dark out unless we go out for dinner somewhere with rich deserts.
> Then you have to drink coffee with the desert.



How many whole beans do you use per pot? At two teaspoons for every 8-ounce cup you're probably using around 4 oz of beans/day and 1.5 lbs/week. If that sounds anywhere near right, you're using a lot of coffee, so buying 5 lb. bags makes sense. Check here: http://www.coffeebeandirect.com/?source=adwords&gclid=CJjtyMWKgrACFYeo4AodbUB4Fw If you buy through Amazon the price is cheaper but it takes a few days longer to ship it.

and here: http://portorico.com/store/ and sign up for their weekly sales.

Mark, if you're spoiled by home roasted coffee, consider roasting your own. Home roasted has been some of the best I've ever had, bar none.

I was seriously considering a Behmor https://www.roastmasters.com/behmor.html but never followed through. The inventor keeps making improvements based on feedback from users and it seems to be the most highly regarded home roasting machine. Get a big bag of green beans and you'll be drinking excellent brew for about half of what you'd pay for roasted beans.

And yes, a good burr grinder is far better than the whirly blade even if you pulse the grind. The Technivorm is stupid expensive, but it'll work great for years so the cost will amortize.


----------



## apicius9 (May 15, 2012)

Wow, I hadn't looked at roasters in a while, I always thought the Behmor was more expensive. That is really something that goes on my list. Anybody need an IRoast 2?  

While I see the benefits of a good grinder (still not convinced that one needs to spend $1,000 for an espresso grinder, though...), home roasting has made the biggest difference on the quality of the coffee I make at home. I have neglected that a bit in the recent past, but unless you have some roasters around the corner, this is a huge step upwards.

Stefan


----------



## Namaxy (May 15, 2012)

SpikeC said:


> Moccamasters are only available with thermal carafes.
> Mano, I had to make a couple of shims to bring the Mazzer burrs up to thickness and drill and tap a couple of holes to match the new burrs. I found the burrs through Google search. Coffee geek web site has articles on the process.



Perhaps what is currently offered for sale has changed, but my family has one with a glass carafe. I teased my father about it and bought him an airpot last X-mas.


----------



## SameGuy (May 15, 2012)

Stef, a decent espresso grinder shouldn't cost that much. A Rancilio Rocky -- while not perfect, still a HB benchmark machine -- can be had for less than $400 new. Others in the same category are priced similarly (Ascaso, Baratza Vario, La Pavoni Jolly, Nuova Simonelli Grinta).


----------



## SpikeC (May 15, 2012)

Namaxy said:


> Perhaps what is currently offered for sale has changed, but my family has one with a glass carafe. I teased my father about it and bought him an airpot last X-mas.



Oopsy! You are correct, they do have a glass carafe version as well!


----------



## ajhuff (Jul 22, 2012)

ajhuff said:


> My favorite is local to me in the tiny town of Murphy NC, but I don't think they ship.Freshness second only to roasting yourself.
> 
> I like this guy: http://www.caffefresco.us/index.php
> My favorite if you happen to be in Canada: http://www.tatum.ca/
> ...



My local place is now online! Here's the link if anyone is interested:
http://www.stuccohousecoffee.com/our_coffee

-AJ


----------



## Lefty (Oct 26, 2012)

Here's a roaster my wife and I have enjoyed for years. They're close by, and now available in many different locations. I was happy to see them a few hours away, at a Loblaws grocery store. That's when I knew they had made it!

http://www.fireroastedcoffee.com

We still head down to the market and get fresh-roasted coffee on some weekends, and it's always delicious, hot and put caffeine in my system, which I am not against.


----------



## harrison (Oct 27, 2012)

Organo Gold is pretty good


----------

