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I believe that education about the people who grow and harvest coffee beans, the characteristics of coffee varieties and processing methods, choices in quality coffee gear, storage, and brewing options will enable my customers to become better informed coffee consumers.  

As a student of Anthropology and an advocate for indigenous peoples, I prefer to work primarily with coffee importers who actively help coffee growing communities become self-sustaining. The majority of the coffees in my lineup have one or more certifications: Organic, Fair Trade, Utz Kapeh, Bird Friendly and Rainforest Alliance. (To learn more about formal certification of coffees please visit Links). Some coffees are termed "Socially Responsible" which is not a certification but an indicator that the growing, processing, harvesting and/or importing is done in a way that enables that coffee-growing community work toward self-sustainability and environmental protection. Those coffees may not be formally certified but are produced by eco-friendly methods that protect not only the earth, but birds and wildlife. Keep in mind that many coffee producing communities barely have money to live on, much less for expensive certification for their coffees. And the reality is . . . there are some coffees that have little or no socially redeeming value whatsoever - they're just really good coffees that I couldn't pass up!

Now - about my roasting philosophy. We in the Pacific Northwest have been raised on dark roasted coffee, thanks to you-know-who. I now believe that taking coffee to French Roast is to incinerate most of the flavor right out of it - in addition to risking a fire in my very expensive roaster. I have several coffees with a bold, heavy profile that don't need to be charred to knock your socks off. Be brave, and try a bean with a naturally wild profile at Full City, and for more body brew it in a French Press!

I make every effort to make my 100% Arabica coffees affordable, though every bean I buy is in the Specialty Coffee category - no commercial grade coffees ever!  Most are in the $12 per pound range. Those that are higher are exotic beans for which I pay a significant premium. To ensure freshness all my coffees are sold in polyfoil heat-sealed bags for longer shelf life. Unfortunately, because they are made of several different materials they are not recyclable but they can be washed out and used for other non-food purposes. I encourage you to find creative uses for them after the coffee is gone: plant seedlings or keep them handy for those walks with Rover!

Ready to try some fabulous java? Take a look at our Coffees!