On seasonality…

Like with any other food, seasonality and freshness have a big impact on the character of coffee, but it works a bit differently than, say, cherries that reach their peak every July. That’s because all green coffee (aka pre-roasted coffee) in the continental U.S. is imported from other countries where the terroir is suitable for growing, and each of these coffee regions harvest at different times throughout the year. The other difference is that, unlike a cherry that is ready to be eaten right off of its tree, coffee seeds have to be processed and roasted before they are ready to be brewed. 

Our commitment to seasonality means that we are constantly sourcing from the most recent harvests possible. Throughout the year, the particular coffees used in our offerings are ever-changing, while the overall flavor profiles stay the same. We achieve that consistency by carefully selecting coffees for their quality and character, with our roast profiles in mind.

Speaking of cherries… Coffee has nothing to do with beans. It’s actually the seed of the fruit (often called a “cherry”) on the coffee plant.

Also key to freshness: when that coffee was roasted. Coffee roasted months prior to being consumed will be drinkable. But it’s true potential can only be fully realized within the first few weeks of roasting. We want to make sure our coffee is in your mug soon after its roast date.

Finally, all these efforts would be for naught if our coffees weren’t ground fresh. That’s why we offer our coffees unground. Grinding as you go is huge!

*There is one ambitious farm that we know of in southern California growing coffee plants that bear fruit.