Ordered their online 4-pack gift box for a variety of whole bean coffees. Enjoyed the various…read moreoptions particularly the low acid coffee option. I have yet to visit their local store.

VOLCANICA 7/5/24…read more EAST AFRICAN COFFEE STATUS & OUTLOOK Based on the USDA's latest outlook, Africa accounts for 11-12% of the world's total coffee production, including 10.5% of the Robusta crop and 12.5% of the 23/24 Arabica crop. There are 54 countries in Africa, but only about a dozen produce coffee. While Ethiopia accounts for most of it, the high-quality specialty grade Arabica coffee production is limited to 6-7 East African countries, including some very small countries with problematic histories. Located in the equatorial coffee belt, East African coffee benefits from ideal coffee growing conditions, including volcanic soil, high altitude, climate, access to fresh water and tradition. Conscientious processing, disciplined coops and dedicated smallholder farms also play a role. Coffee is a subjective topic and while good coffee can be found throughout the equatorial belt, the acid rich East African coffees are recognized as the world's most distinctive. The traditional varieties and grade from Ethiopia (Yirgacheffe) and Kenya (south-central highlands) are particularly noteworthy and often compared. While some would include 100% authentic Kona (miniscule production, hard to get & subject to fraud), the best Tanzanian and the crazy expensive Geisha (Panama & elsewhere) among the best, the coffee from Kenya and Ethiopia is widely viewed as the world's most consistent, distinctive and recognizable. Regardless of source, it is important to note that countries producing the most distinguished specialty coffee also produce average or worse coffee. In a way, East African coffees are like finalists in a beauty contents, it's hard to pick the winner. The contest is also dynamic, i.e., this year's crop winner could be next year's loser. While the demand for specialty coffee continues to grow, small coffee farmers have been burdened by an exploitive value chain. Living on a few dollars a day, Africa's small coffee farmers have had little incentive to produce the low yielding crop. If impoverished farmers do not get a bigger piece of the value chain's pie, higher prices and a shortage of high-quality coffee seem likely. FINDING REPUTABLE RETAIL ROASTERS When purchasing country of origin coffee, the quality will vary by crop year, terroir, region, sub-region, botanical variety, grade, processing, storage, logistics, roast and freshness. Excluding effective auctions, higher prices may not guarantee a better tasting coffee. Storage and freshness are key because coffee does not age well. Indeed, assuming the flavor has not been compromised by logistics and storage, fresh green coffee has a 6-12-month shelf life while fresh roasted whole bean has a 30-day window. As the importer of these potentially fine coffees, IT IS THE RETAIL ROASTER WHO DETERMINES THE QUALITY AND FRESHNESS OF OUR COFFEE. Finding a reputable retail roaster with good customer service, a good menu of single origin coffee and consistency is a Herculean task. Given the limited shelf life, always looming new crop and roaster inconsistency, the ongoing journey never ends. Organic, free trade, direct trade, sustainable, certified, relationships and consistent buying all make sense, but coffee that shoots the lights out on the cupping table is really what the specialty coffee game is about. While there are exceptions, roaster websites are not generally well developed or organized and many do not disclose all the information required to make an informed purchase, including the origin, roast, ounces per bag, processing, etc. Some lack contact information while others fail to follow up on inquiries. Many also use a poor choice of colors and fonts that make the websites difficult to read. Fortunately, many roasters specializing in East African coffee provide more detail and organized information, including the granular source, varietal, processing, roast and roast date. Blends are being hyped by roasters and while they might be relevant to coffee drinkers, they are not very relevant to coffee lovers that already know what they want. Affordability is another issue because there are high-quality single origin coffees that are affordable and offer real value. Indeed, many blends are priced higher than good single origin coffee. VOLCANICA EAST AFRICAN COFFEE: As Good As It Gets Volcanica is currently offering nine East African single origin coffees, including the Kenya AA (Nyeri Hill Estate), the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe and the Tanzania Peaberry (Nitin Estate, Ngorongoro Crater). All are washed and roasted light or medium light. In addition to being among the highest quality East African coffee on the market today, they offer real value. Indeed, Volcanica's 16 oz pricing is less than what many of their competitors are charging for 12 oz. Volcanica's website is also developed, organized and provides granular details appreciated by coffee lovers. JBC has also done a good job with their website development and disclosure. I have chased

PURIST PERFECTION A rare +++ EDIBLE...WHERE have you been…read moreall my LiFe! On the outer edge of sprawling Atlanta burbs and of course in an unassuming strip-mall is where this gem is. Inside, is a small artisan coffee roaster who sells perfected coffee. The name, Belux represents owners' names, Ben and Lucy. They specialize in small batch ROASTING and PROPERLY BREWED COFFEE. They sell light to medium beans and serve ONLY coffee here...no food nor over sugared coffee disasters. I had a dopio and Ben kindly added a spoonful of foam for me. It was the most fragrant shot I've ever had. I fell in LOVE. Definitely the best coffee I've had in a couple of years! Belux speaks coffee. This is the only purist coffee retailer I'm aware of in Georgia and am so thankful, albeit 45 minutes drive. Also, they are the only one to offer Gesha outside of a special event. Belux is planning to open their second location in Roswell in July :-) MY RATINGS - - - Inhumane - - Disgusted - Don't bother = Missed the Mark + Good ++ Better +++ EDIBLE...WHERE have you been all my LiFe!

Beautiful coffee shop. A little small with a counter to…read moreserve about 6. Very personalized service Don't stop by if you are in a rush, come to sit and enjoy the process and learn a bit about the coffee and the owners. Prices were a bit high but you should know that based on the coffee your choose. It's a place to go for a quiet date or to impress someone. We preferred the Panama Emerald Geisha coffee @$26 a cup.. and shared it. It was fantastic.

Cortado is huge. Good coffee. Recommend. Service is quick place is small mom and pop place hissed…read moreoff the corner so it's a nice quiet place to grab a great cup of coffee. Small food menu and pasties but it's the coffee that shines here.

What a hidden gem!! This small family ran café is my favorite place to get coffee by far. They…read morewarmly greet every customer and also recognize if you've visited before. There is seating inside so you can work remote comfortably or also catch up with friends. I didn't order food yet, but everyone that came in before and after me did and it made me regret not getting something to eat but that means I'll try next time

Wonderful menu, large selection of coffee and tea! My daughter loved the boba. It is a really…read moreneat place you with your laptop and chill out and enjoy a nice beverage

Red Bean is the coolest. Space, coffee and the barista's are just awesome. I love all the big…read morewindows with the natural lighting with nice comfy seats to relax and enjoy your brew. Also good work space and strong WiFi. The roasted aroma when you first walk in sets the stage for a tasty experience. Freshly ground beans make for a smooth rich tasty cup of java. My barista was so cool, friendly and fun to talk with. I wound up going with the Carmel Macchiato and it was the best. A great place to enjoy a cup or take it to go and stroll the downtown streets of Jasper.

Four months ago, I called Phoenix Roasters a quintessential coffee shop…read more Four months later, they're celebrating their three-year anniversary, and somehow this place just keeps getting better. I came in this morning and it was fully packed. The parking lot was busy, conversations filled the room, coffee was moving across the bar, and at 10 AM I'm hearing people order brisket pizza and brisket tacos because apparently Friday at Phoenix now means BBQ. The menu has expanded. The place is busier. But the important stuff hasn't changed. The coffee is still exceptional. The quality is still consistent. And this place still has that ability to make time feel a little less important. I've realized Phoenix has become my decompression station. Sometimes it's only 20 minutes--scroll through my phone, grab one of the National Geographic magazines they have lying around, or just sit with a great cup of coffee and take in the room. Whatever kind of day I walked in with, I usually leave feeling reset. Four months ago, I compared Phoenix to some of the great coffee experiences I've had elsewhere because I was trying to explain the feeling this place gives me. I don't think it needs the comparison anymore. Phoenix truly stands on its own. Great coffee isn't impossible to find. A place with soul is a lot harder. Happy three years, Phoenix. Please don't change.

I really wanted to like this place but I just didn't enjoy the drinks :/…read more The matcha-misu is a beautiful green but it was more milk and mascarpone than matcha. It was pretty disappointing, I hope they can improve or find a better matcha brand to serve. The ice to drink ratio was perfect but the drink needs more matcha!!! Figgy pudding was also not it unfortunately. The espresso tasted a little burnt and watery. I didn't taste much fig but I did notice it was flavored. It was just hard to distinguish the two. :( My barista was really nice so I added stars to that. I went through the drive through and it came out in about 8 minutes. I might come back to sit and drink again but I'm not sure I really wanted to like this place.

Good, but expensive. Super cute interior and a cool vibe. It reminds me of some of the coffee shops…read moreI used to go to when I lived in Williamsburg. The parking lot always seems to be packed, which is kind of annoying. I've only tried the chai so far, but it was very good. The pastries looked delicious too, and I'm looking forward to going back and trying a few of them. Not much else to say about the service. It was fine, exactly what you'd expect from a coffee shop. I'd come back. The atmosphere is probably the biggest reason. It feels a little different from most of the coffee shops around here. Edit: also it's 25 cent extra to order something iced, which I find a bit strange.

Cafe Blue is away from all the busy-ness of Duluth traffic and it's one of the few cafes that are…read moreopen before 10/11am, unlike all the "cutesy" cafes in the area. This cafe holds its own moody, navy interior while serving delicious drinks and foods, both sweet and savory, whether you're there in the morning or in the evening. Their black sesame latte has changed me. It's all that I want and I can't stop thinking about it. I got it hot with oat milk so it's creamy, nutty and it doesn't even feel like I'm drinking coffee - which can be dangerous. I got a second one to go before I left. I also had a croissant which is very reasonably priced at $3. I'm not much of a sweets person so depending on the next time I'm in, I'd be curious to try their croffle - I still haven't had one yet in general. Even if I'm not there for a dessert, I'm looking very forward to the next time I have an excuse to stop by this cafe.

Are you ready, kids? Aye aye, barista!…read moreI can't hear you! AYE AYE, BARISTA! Ohhh, who makes a latte with orange blooms? ALMA COFFEE Cozy and warm in your favorite rooms? ALMA COFFEE If floral and frothy is what you wish-- ALMA COFFEE Pour it in a cup and give it a swish! ALMA COFFEE Or-ange Blos-som Lat-teeeee! Come and get it kids!

If you're serious about your coffee, Alma Coffee is on another level. From the first sip, you can…read moretell this isn't your average cup--it's smooth, rich, and incredibly well-balanced without any bitterness. Every blend feels thoughtfully crafted, and you can really taste the quality and care that goes into sourcing and roasting their beans. What sets Alma apart is not just the flavor, but the intention behind it. Knowing that they directly support coffee farmers adds a deeper appreciation to every cup. It feels good to enjoy something that's both high-quality and ethically sourced. They also offer a great variety of flavors and profiles, so whether you like something bold and strong or light and fruity, there's something for you. Everything feels tailored, fresh, and consistently excellent. Honestly, once you try Alma, it's hard to go back to anything else. It's the kind of coffee that turns your daily routine into something you actually look forward to.

Tried Night Sky Coffee Roasters in Winder, GA. I'm new to GA and wanted to check out a spot a…read morelittle farther from Flowery Branch, and figured coffee was the best way to see what Winder's about. The place has really good vibes -- modern but cozy -- and it's clearly a popular spot. I got a matcha, my husband had an Americano, and both were really good. We found a seat without any issue. Didn't try any snacks. Portions were solid, and they serve drinks in real mugs, which I love.

Super sweet staff and surprisingly busy!…read more I've been eyeing this coffee shop for a while and i'm so glad I went. The breakfast sandwich is SO GOOD, and i love that they offer a fruit of your choice for the side. Delicious coffee and lattes with a dreamy atmosphere. They also have a huge coffee roaster and plenty of books to read.