New Products, Guides and Industry News

Espresso

Espresso grinds should be fine, but not powdery. When you pinch the grounds between your fingers they should clump together, but disperse when you drop them on the counter.

Paper Cone

For both Technivorm and manual pour over, your coffee grounds should be about the consistency of a fine corn meal.

Gold Filter

Since the Gold Filter will allow more sediment to pass through, you should grind your coffee a little coarser than you would for paper filters.

French Press

When grinding for the French Press, your coffee should be about the consistency of sea salt. If your press is hard to plunge it’s a good indication that your coffee is ground too fine.

We’ve put together a handy little guide to selecting coffees based off of the dominating flavor profile. We’ve categorized our coffees by Bright & Fruity, Robust & Smoky, Chocolaty & Nutty, and Sweet & Balanced. Check it out and explore some new coffees!

We’re happy to announce a new addition to our coffee lineup: Guatemala Quetzaltenango “Loma Linda.”

“Loma Linda” is a well-balanced, thick bodied coffee, with a sparkling acidity complimented by hints of chocolate, dried fruit and delicate spices.

Loma Linda is a cooperative coffee growing operation in the state (Department) of Quetzaltenango in Western Guatemala. It was founded by a group of 120 families who had lived and worked on coffee farms and dreamed of owning and cultivating their own land. The local Catholic Church helped these families find the right piece of land in 1981, nestled in the mountains between two sparkling creeks.

The producers of Loma Linda own their own coffee processing mill and warehouse, and export only a small quantity of coffee, making this coffee a rare treat. “Loma Linda” translates to “Lovely Hill,” an evocative name that suits this lovely coffee well.

Heading to the beach for camping and surfing? Maybe suffering through pitiful coffee at the office? Or perhaps you just like hand-operated tools that don’t require electricity. We’ve got the tools for you to make great espresso or coffee wherever you go.

So much of the coffee on the market these days is really a commodity product that has been standardized to provide consistency. Generally, this means the coffee isn’t too terribly bad nor too terribly great. It’s a generic, non-offensive caffeine delivery mechanism.

An origin trip changes all that. It brings you, the roaster, face to face with the person that is growing and processing your coffee beans. It means you and farmer have talked shop over a cup of coffee, toured the processing mill that he set up himself, and met the family he’s feeding with the profits. It’s the antithesis of generic, commodity coffee.

A few months ago I toured five small farms in the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica, driving for hours over the steep hillsides that are covered in lush, deep green vegetation. The tropical sun is very intense at the high altitude, but the temperature when I was there was only around 75 degrees, and the constant breeze made it very comfortable. The city of San Jose is nestled in a valley that is surrounded by extremely steep hills, which are continually buffeted by clouds rolling in from the Pacific Ocean before dissipating over the tops of the hills. It reminded me of San Francisco and the surrounding hills on the peninsula. There’s a mystical quality to the fog breaking up just above the tree branches.

Tarrazu’s unique topography and proximity to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans brings microclimates of surprising variety, producing fantastic, rare coffees. The rich volcanic soil, high altitude, and dry summers produce a coffee that is sought internationally for its clean profile and bright acidity. However, great Costa Rican coffee must be cultivated with great care to bring out the best flavors. It takes a lot of work and foresight to steward the coffee from sapling to export.

Read more…

Fresh from the roaster, I’m happy to introduce my new favorite coffee, Bolivia Organic Aprocafe. With creamy body, a bit of spice and nuts, and pleasant acidity to round it out, this coffee makes a truly enjoyable cup. We’ve brewed it in both the Technivorm and French Press and this Bolivian coffee is excellent in both methods.

Bolivia Aprocafe is the product of 41 small farmers’ collaboration to grow organic, delicious coffee. The farms that belong to the Aprocafe co-op average 3 to 11 acres in size. The farmers and their employees are fairly compensated for their hard work and dedication to quality. Their efforts to preserve the natural environment have earned Aprocafe Bird Friendly Certification from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.

This is a limited edition coffee, so get it while you can.

Why not 10% off everything for Father’s Day? That means the Silvia is $584 with free shipping. “Fathersday10″ at checkout…

The small print: this coupon is valid for orders placed between today and June 13th. It cannot be applied to prior orders or backorders and may not be combined with other offers.

And now, from the ceramic artisans two blocks away at Pigeon Toe, we present our first mug.

Get yours in storm blue or dove grey.

What’s that delicious food spread at the end of the video you ask? Why, that’s from the breakfast press release event that Google hosted at Clive Coffee.

We found this short video from the Science Channel that deconstructs one of our most popular entry-level burr grinders, from Breville. The narration and music are a little much, but the information is solid! Click on the image below to view it on the Science Channel website. It demonstrates how the burrs work to evenly crush the coffee beans, which is superior to blade grinders which simply chop them up into uneven pieces.

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.