Clive News

This wonderful micro-lot comes from the efforts of 20 small farmers in and around the mountain village of Santa Maria de Jesus. It features vibrant notes of cinnamon, dark cherry, and orange blossom.

The Guatemala Santa Maria De Jesus is sourced directly by Coffee Shrub and is only available through Coffee Roasters’ United.

The Santa Maria particularly shines on a Chemex. Watch our brewing guide for tips on how to achieve a full and sweet brew.

We recently paired up with Megamouth Film & Design to create a new Clive Video Short. Inspired by a Chet Baker song (which provides the soundtrack), this is an homage to slowing down and developing a worthwhile routine, a ritual if you will. We love the ritual of making traditional espresso, and here’s our tribute.

Our own barista Chris Ryan tackles the topic of home grinders in Fresh Cup Magazine, a respected coffee industry publication. Scroll to page 50. From the hand grinders like the Camano to the staff favorite Baratza Vario, Chris talks through the questions to ask when considering a grinder. Got a question? Send him a note: chris@clivecoffee.com.

For a long time, we’ve only sold the Technivorm brewer. It was the only high quality brewer we could find that was simple, reliable, and brewed at 200 degrees for 5-6 minutes, two important factors for delicious, flavorful (and not bitter) coffee.

The US market now has access to a European competitor of the Technivorm, called the Bonavita. It is available in both glass and thermal models.

As you would expect, a lot of people are comparing the two brands and asking our opinion of which model to purchase. The Bonavita and the Technivorm have similar claims to brewing time and temperature, so we did a side by side test of each brewer, and here is our opinion of the pros and cons of each:

Read more…

Ellanie and Ethan give it a go in the Clive Coffee showroom, using the Izzo Duetto.

If they can, you can too.

Clive at Five is back! We’ve got some excellent cocktails in the works. Sneak away from the relatives for a minute and enjoy some good music and company. In the mood for shopping? We’ll have some showroom-only discounts available during the party. Whether you’ve got $20 or $6k to spend, you’ll get a little extra boost to your buck.

Jenn Lawrence of Letterpress PDX will have a mobile letterpress on hand. See it in action and take home a pre-holiday momento.

Bring a friend!

RSVP here

The La Spaziale Mini Vivaldi II has had a place in our showroom for almost a year now. We’ve admired its gush of powerful dry steam for microfoam and consistent shot temperature for nice, sweet pulls. However, the black plastic side panels just weren’t quite up to the finish level of the other machines on our bench, such as the Andreja Premium and the Izzo Duetto. We decided to build some side panels out of the same Oregon black walnut that we use for the Clive Stand. The walnut plays nicely with the shape of the Vivaldi, lending it a mid-century aesthetic. Pricing available upon request.

La Candelilla estate in Terrazu, Costa Rica. We bought a micro lot of coffee from this producer in 2010.

Coffee prices have risen considerably over the last year, and this trend has not escaped the attention of many coffee drinkers. Many roasters/retailers have been raising prices across the board and it may feel a little like an attempt to squeeze the consumer. However, there are very real cost issues that are directly related to the product at the heart of these businesses: green Arabic coffee. The explanation is almost disappointingly simple: basic green, specialty grade coffee costs almost twice as much today as it did a year ago. This increase in price is a direct result of the nature of coffee as an agricultural product and how it is traded globally.

Read more…

I’m pleased to announce that Clive Coffee is moving! We have found a space that is more than double our current 738 SE Washington location. Our new showroom will have an expanded line of products on display and ready for a hands-on demonstration, plus a new lineup of classes for making great coffee at home. Home espresso machines in Portland can be difficult to find, so we’re pleased to move to the centrally located historic building at 79 SE Taylor St, just six blocks north of OMSI. Our neighbors include clarklewis, Bunk Bar, Water Avenue Coffee, and Hair of the Dog Brewery. We are moving this Saturday, and the new showroom will be be open on Wednesday, June 29th at 11 am. Stay tuned for details on our grand opening party!

Here’s a preview of the showroom space.

I have to be honest with you. I was skeptical at first. When I heard that we would be carrying the La Spaziale Mini Vivaldi II, I wasn’t entirely sure why.  Compared with the machines with the E-61 group head, I thought it looked a little less elegant, more commercial by appearance. I’d heard great things about its performance, but wasn’t impressed with how it looked in photographs and videos online.

The day after we received the first unit in our shop, my co-worker pointed it out to me as it sat on our workbench. When I turned around and saw the machine in person for the first time, I immediately did a double take.

“That is the Mini Vivaldi!?”  One look at the machine and my mind was changed.  It looked bigger and much prettier in person, definitely a more substantial presence than the impression given in any photo I’d seen. Later that day, when I first tested the Mini Vivaldi by pulling shots and steaming milk, then I was really impressed.

Read more…