Posts by Mark

Do you live in Portland? Consider getting your coffee OR equipment delivered via bicycle! Our bike courier Andrew (or Andy) is dextrous, quick, and extra friendly. If you order coffee equipment (excluding espresso machines) he can set it up for you and show you how to use it if you so desire.

To take advantage of this, first read our Bike Delivery page for more info, then choose “Zero Carbon Bike Delivery” at checkout. If you’d like equipment setup and/or instruction with your delivery, please specify in the Notes box at checkout.

Here’s a pic of the handsome lad:

And here’s a map of the delivery area in Portland.

I just got back from Pigeon Toe Ceramics, the local Portland hive of ceramic artisans (Lisa and Lola, represent) that we’ve commissioned for the first Clive Coffee mug. These mugs are a subtle juxtaposition of modern and rustic, clean yet memorable, Amsterdam meets Portland, 1920′s brought to 2010. We put a lot of thought into the curve of the handle, the weight of the edge, and the texture of the glaze. We’ll have coffee mugs and macchiato cups. Here’s a sneak peak. Should be ready for shipment next week.

And in other news, here’s the salvage walnut wood we’ve found for our upcoming showroom in SE Portland. More info to come, obviously. Until then, Happy Friday!

I just returned from the annual coffee convention sponsored by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). There was a lot to see, including the US Barista Championship and some amazing new commercial espresso machines from Slayer and La Marzocco. The 2009 World Barista Champion, Gwilym Davis, made me a perfect machiatto with Square Mile Coffee. It was amazing. Here are some highlights that relate to the home brewing enthusiast:

I met Gerard-Clement Smit, the inventor of the Technivorm. He’s elegant and funny, and obviously pleased to see his creation receive so much praise here in the US. He invited me to take a tour of the Technivorm factory, which I hope to do soon. A little later, I talked to another roaster from Portland who told me that he bought a Technivorm brewer from Europe in 1983. It’s still going strong. Further proof that these things are built to last. Smit’s design has barely changed from the original 1964 design, with the exception of thermal carafes introduced a few years ago. Why mess with something that is proven to last? With how much specialty coffee has changed in the last few years (even the last two to three years), it’s remarkable that this machine is still one of only two coffee makers that brews according to standards set out by the SCAA.

Double Technivorm should be here this fall! This unit, the Technivorm Moccamaster CDT-20, is basically two Technivorm CDT units put together.The European unit runs on 220, so both can brew simultaneously. The US unit will run on 110, so the units brew back to back. This coffee maker will be ideal for small offices looking for high quality coffee without a bulky commercial machine. More info to follow.

Read more…

Hello from Portland,

The near complete devastation in Haiti from the earthquake has prompted me to write this letter to you. As you may already know, we sometimes find really fantastic coffees and then choose a cause to support that is working to improve conditions in that coffee producing region. We look for vital, imminent causes, such as clean water, education and shelter for abandoned children, or environmental restoration. We prefer programs that are building sustainable communities and economies rather than just short-term handouts. We raise the price for the coffee a little bit beyond what we’d normally charge, then donate 100% of the proceeds back to the cause. We don’t make a cent on the venture. It’s our way of joining forces with our customers to donate to these very important efforts.

We’ve found a way to support Haitians as they work to build an economy that can survive without perpetual handouts. Here’s the story.

Read more…

Just integrated – Amazon.com Checkout! You can use your existing Amazon.com account to manage payment and shipping addresses on CliveCoffee.com. We also support Amazon PayPhrase which allows you to checkout by entering your unique, two-word phrase and 4 digit pin. This means you can finish your order checkout in like 15 seconds. You can manage multiple ship-to addresses and credit cards with your Amazon.com account, then use them whenever you buy from us.

Who says the little guy and the giant can’t play nice together?

Irish Coffee is a St. Patrick’s Day tradition that marries the warmth of good coffee with the Celtic spirit of Irish whiskey.

We’re normally purists around here. No cream or sugar. Just great, carefully roasted coffee that allows the innate characteristics to shine through. However, sometimes it’s okay to mix a little booze in with your coffee, as long as you can still taste the coffee. We have a few folks around here with Irish in their blood, so we went on a quest to find the best coffee for this honored drink. We coupled our current collection of twelve caffeinated coffees with two beloved Irish whiskeys, Jameson and Bushmills, and tried all twenty-four combinations in four preliminary rounds

Over the past weeks, we assembled a tasting panel with impressive credentials—a bartender, several professional coffee tasters, and multiple members of an Irish family–to help us judge the twenty-four combinations, methodically rating and narrowing down the selections. We finally found the perfect combination to recommend to you, for your Irish Coffee drinking pleasure, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. It was hard work, but someone had to do it.

Our winning combination?

Brazil Organic Mogiana and Jameson. This combo won us over with its chocolaty and nutty attributes, creating such a pleasing cohesive smoothness that is both comforting and festive.  It’s a St. Patrick’s Day celebration in a cup.

But for those who say Jameson is too good to mix in a drink, you will be happy to know our close runner-up coupling is Papua New Guinea Kigabah and Bushmills; a well-rounded combination with hints of peaty earthiness. Nice fruit flavors develop as it cools.

The Perfect Irish Coffee Recipe:

1 shot Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 ¹/₂ teaspoons sugar
5 oz Brazil Organic Mogiana coffee
Heavy cream, whipped

Pour a shot of Jameson into a warm glass or mug (preferably one with shamrocks and a gold rim).

Add the 1 ½ t of sugar to dissolve in the whiskey.

Pour in hot coffee, leaving room.

Top with cool whipped cream.

Do not mix; just enjoy sipping the hot coffee through the cool cream. Let the flavors blend in your mouth and enjoy with an Irish toast from us to you!

Our friends are the best friends, loyal willing and able.
Now let’s get to drinking! All glasses off the table!

Sláinte!

Look how simple it is to do the pourover method! Even anime robots can do it.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Hario Kettle – $55

The Bee House Pourover Set – $40

We just roasted up a fresh batch of our Papua New Guinea Kigabah Estate and Nicaragua Florencia. We’ll be roasting these beans in small batches (like always), but they tend to sell out quickly. Here are the flavor profiles:

Papua New Guinea:
This coffee is snappy and fruity – think of the fragrance from a fresh peeled orange, then add guava and star fruit. The acidity is crisp and balanced. We roast this just to second crack. The outside of the bean is a lovely mahogany color – not dark or oily. There’s enough spice to make this a complex and enticing coffee.

Nicaragua Florencia:
This coffee is dark but not dark-roasted, bearing dry fruit, caramel, and toffy. It’s really great brewed strong in a french press with a small amount of cream – the molasses and dark fruit will come through. The aftertaste is clean and simple. Overall, a great coffee from northern Nicaragua!

Get yours today!

See what we love about Portland! Be sure to click the expand button to watch it in full screen, high-def. Enjoy!

I have no idea how this happened, really. The New York Times put the Technivorm KBT-741 in their 2009 holiday gift guide, and linked to Clive Coffee as the source. We appreciate the gesture!