Fresh Not Dead
We source the highest quality coffee beans from up to a dozen different countries to offer the largest local selection of unique and wonderful coffees. We control each roast with time, heat and air to create a specific depth of a roast to showcase each coffee’s natural notes and tastes (similar to wine). Carefully roasted, fresh bean will have a matte finish and a color like milk chocolate.
We have built our reputation of national award winning coffee (Good Food Awards and numerous Golden Bean wins) not only on our sourcing practices, but also due to our roasting practices - taking each batch to the point where we bring out the full and natural flavor profile that each varietal has to offer.
Roasting 101 - Green coffee beans have trace amounts of oil, sugar (not even measurable) and water. Heat causes amino acids and carbohydrates to react (Maillard reaction) creating CO2 and producing aromas. The CO2 pushes against the cellular structure of the bean causing it to expand while forcing the sugar and fat toward the surface. Coffee has a life of approximately 21 days. This is the time it takes for the bean to ‘off gas’ leaving the bean completely spent and pretty much tasteless.
A new Roast House coffee fan recently shared her concern that our beans were all ‘dried out’, not what she likes to see…nice fresh oil beans. Shiny, oily beans are indicative of aging, old coffee. It means that the natural oil from within is fully on the outside and oxidized. Hence, we resist the urge to roast our beans to death.
We understand the misperception. Her belief is not uncommon among coffee drinkers. Perhaps this belief was propagated by big, corporate coffee producers, due the sheer volume of stale, lower quality, coffee they sell.
Coffee on sale? Treat it like an exquisite cheese.
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Only buy what you can drink in a week or two.
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Don’t freeze or refrigerate it. Store it in airtight containers*.
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Keep it out of sunlight.
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Buy fresh, local roasted.
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And, tell 500 of your closet friends about us and our beans!