<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for A review of six Central American coffees]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by Sinjin32 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:39:12 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/1 ya missed one...

http://www.copperdoorcoffee.com/ is great coffee, powered by the wind, carbon offset shipping, the whole shootin match - and did I say great coffee??

]]> ya missed one...

http://www.copperdoorcoffee.com/ is great coffee, powered by the wind, carbon offset shipping, the whole shootin match - and did I say great coffee??

]]> Comment #2 by Seacloud http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 04:19:11 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/2 And another ....

Thanksgiving Coffee:  www.thanksgivingcoffee.com

]]> And another ....

Thanksgiving Coffee:  www.thanksgivingcoffee.com

]]> Comment #3 by swag http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 04:42:19 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/3 some corrections...

Some of your info is a little inaccurate. For example, Intelligentsia only does Direct Trade -- and severed all ties with Fair Trade a couple of years ago out of their frustrations with them.

And of course coffee deserves some of the blame for global warming. But so does living, really. The existence of any human requires them to follow the second law of thermodynamics. Nobody has been able to skirt that one, leaving people with the option to either consume and generate more entropy or to basically commit suicide. We all have to make choices.

]]> some corrections...

Some of your info is a little inaccurate. For example, Intelligentsia only does Direct Trade -- and severed all ties with Fair Trade a couple of years ago out of their frustrations with them.

And of course coffee deserves some of the blame for global warming. But so does living, really. The existence of any human requires them to follow the second law of thermodynamics. Nobody has been able to skirt that one, leaving people with the option to either consume and generate more entropy or to basically commit suicide. We all have to make choices.

]]> Comment #4 by estark http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:02:51 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/4 Cafe Mam

My personal favorite is Café Mam, whose organic and shade-grown beans are roasted in Eugene, Ore., just before shipping ... when you open the bags it smells like it was just roasted! Their dark French Roast is sublime. The company also supports pesticide reform groups and is fair trade and socially responsible. Nothing tastes better than that. http://www.cafemam.com/

]]> Cafe Mam

My personal favorite is Café Mam, whose organic and shade-grown beans are roasted in Eugene, Ore., just before shipping ... when you open the bags it smells like it was just roasted! Their dark French Roast is sublime. The company also supports pesticide reform groups and is fair trade and socially responsible. Nothing tastes better than that. http://www.cafemam.com/

]]> Comment #5 by klevin http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 09:18:14 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/5 Batdorf & Bronson

I've been a fan of coffees from Batdorf & Bronson (based in Olympia, WA) for some years now. They got me through the long dark years in Kansas. I don't drink much coffee anymore, but when I do, it's usually from B&B. They sell a mix of coffee; about half of it is Organic/Fair Trade or direct trade. My personal favorites are the Ethiopian coffees, particularly the dry processed ones, when the weather has smiled on dry process producers.

]]> Batdorf & Bronson

I've been a fan of coffees from Batdorf & Bronson (based in Olympia, WA) for some years now. They got me through the long dark years in Kansas. I don't drink much coffee anymore, but when I do, it's usually from B&B. They sell a mix of coffee; about half of it is Organic/Fair Trade or direct trade. My personal favorites are the Ethiopian coffees, particularly the dry processed ones, when the weather has smiled on dry process producers.

]]> Comment #6 by rosweed http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:48:57 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/6 Peet's

I have been a fan and addict of Peet's since 1994, living in San Francisco. Now I mail order because I haven't found anything in New York that measures up to Peet's.

]]> Peet's

I have been a fan and addict of Peet's since 1994, living in San Francisco. Now I mail order because I haven't found anything in New York that measures up to Peet's.

]]> Comment #7 by barthanderson http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:11:23 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/7 Fair Trade Is as Fair Trade Does

Great article, Tom. Cool to get the taste angle, but I'd be curious if company practices weigh in here for Grist coffee-drinkers, too. Unlike the others in your sampling, Equal Exchange is a worker owned co-op with lauded democratic, work-place practices. It's one thing to make farmers do the Fair Trade dance, and it's another to do it yourself.

And a side note: coffee prices are going to vary widely in grocery co-ops nationwide, as opposed to the big box chain stores. At my co-op in Minneapolis, for example, Equal Exchange and Peace Coffee (another highly eco-friendly and local Fair Trade coffee company) routinely have sale prices as low as $6.99/lb. Just to offer some perspective on costs to consumers.

]]> Fair Trade Is as Fair Trade Does

Great article, Tom. Cool to get the taste angle, but I'd be curious if company practices weigh in here for Grist coffee-drinkers, too. Unlike the others in your sampling, Equal Exchange is a worker owned co-op with lauded democratic, work-place practices. It's one thing to make farmers do the Fair Trade dance, and it's another to do it yourself.

And a side note: coffee prices are going to vary widely in grocery co-ops nationwide, as opposed to the big box chain stores. At my co-op in Minneapolis, for example, Equal Exchange and Peace Coffee (another highly eco-friendly and local Fair Trade coffee company) routinely have sale prices as low as $6.99/lb. Just to offer some perspective on costs to consumers.

]]> Comment #8 by miamarcakis http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:37:05 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/8 Coffee In Canada

Im from Vancouver, and I used to be a Sbux employee. (go figure!) And I can't bring myself to buys Starbucks anymore. I found a brilliant coffee about 2 years ago called Kicking Horse Coffee.(http://kickinghorsecoffee.com) It is amazing.  It retails here for $14 a pound. It is organic, fair trade and shade grown, and some of the flavour profiles are great. The 454 Horse Power has wonderful chocolate undernotes. I also really love brewing the Espresso Roast.  I really like the coffee and will not ever be buying a pound of Starbucks again.  They charge 14 minimum for a pound, and it is not organic, fair trade or shade grown (in fact, im my opinion, their shade grown mexico tastes like shit) And they claim they pay more than market value for the coffee, but Id much rather buy something that is "certified" all of those things.  Enjoy!!

]]> Coffee In Canada

Im from Vancouver, and I used to be a Sbux employee. (go figure!) And I can't bring myself to buys Starbucks anymore. I found a brilliant coffee about 2 years ago called Kicking Horse Coffee.(http://kickinghorsecoffee.com) It is amazing.  It retails here for $14 a pound. It is organic, fair trade and shade grown, and some of the flavour profiles are great. The 454 Horse Power has wonderful chocolate undernotes. I also really love brewing the Espresso Roast.  I really like the coffee and will not ever be buying a pound of Starbucks again.  They charge 14 minimum for a pound, and it is not organic, fair trade or shade grown (in fact, im my opinion, their shade grown mexico tastes like shit) And they claim they pay more than market value for the coffee, but Id much rather buy something that is "certified" all of those things.  Enjoy!!

]]> Comment #9 by mtvyfan http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:41:42 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/9 Raven's Brew is good, too.

They come in a variety of hilarious names like Dead Man's Reach, Dharma Beans and the famous Three Peckered Billy Goat. And they taste wonderful.

]]> Raven's Brew is good, too.

They come in a variety of hilarious names like Dead Man's Reach, Dharma Beans and the famous Three Peckered Billy Goat. And they taste wonderful.

]]> Comment #10 by onthebusoratleasttryin http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:46:27 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/10 great java--Cafe Mam

I agree with estark--been a cafe mam fan for 10 yrs now since lived in Eugene, OR. it's an ace company, great customer service, and as an organic decaf french roast freak, theirs is the ONLY one I can find that hits the spot! I LOVE CAFE MAM! their values etc. really walk the talk too..

]]> great java--Cafe Mam

I agree with estark--been a cafe mam fan for 10 yrs now since lived in Eugene, OR. it's an ace company, great customer service, and as an organic decaf french roast freak, theirs is the ONLY one I can find that hits the spot! I LOVE CAFE MAM! their values etc. really walk the talk too..

]]> Comment #11 by BeanActivist http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Mon, 28 Jan 2008 07:35:24 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/11 Is "Direct Trade" Just Greenwash?

As you rightly note, "Direct Trade" is not a certification (let alone a 'major certification') but rather a trademarked marketing term used by Stumptown, Intelligentsia, and Counter Culture to describe their "model" (their word) of trade.

From a social responsibility perspective, it is problematic to compare coffees bearing certified claims with coffees bearing no certified claims. Basically, these companies are saying "take our word for it - we're eco-conscious and fair." Unfortunately, their claims are unverified and their model is proprietary and opaque so its not actually a model at all. This sounds to me like what most people would consider greenwash.

I find these claims about coffee and sustainability as confusing as the next person - which is why I'm in the midst of writing a book trying to sort out what's working and what's not in the world of fair trade and sustainable coffee. I'm blogging about it with my co-authors over here: http://www.BeanActivist.com.

Thanks and cheers,
Chris O'Brien

]]> Is "Direct Trade" Just Greenwash?

As you rightly note, "Direct Trade" is not a certification (let alone a 'major certification') but rather a trademarked marketing term used by Stumptown, Intelligentsia, and Counter Culture to describe their "model" (their word) of trade.

From a social responsibility perspective, it is problematic to compare coffees bearing certified claims with coffees bearing no certified claims. Basically, these companies are saying "take our word for it - we're eco-conscious and fair." Unfortunately, their claims are unverified and their model is proprietary and opaque so its not actually a model at all. This sounds to me like what most people would consider greenwash.

I find these claims about coffee and sustainability as confusing as the next person - which is why I'm in the midst of writing a book trying to sort out what's working and what's not in the world of fair trade and sustainable coffee. I'm blogging about it with my co-authors over here: http://www.BeanActivist.com.

Thanks and cheers,
Chris O'Brien

]]> Comment #12 by schoonsart http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:31:01 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/12 Beans for Hope

Here is a company working improve the quality of life for their farmers, the farmers families and the environment in which they work and live.  They call their practice More Than Fair Trade.

http://www.beansforhope.com

Anyone have any experience with them? I found out about them at an art opening.  They share warehouse space with a local art co-op. The only aspect I dislike about them so far is that they are not completly organic, but they are supposed to be phasing into that this year.

]]> Beans for Hope

Here is a company working improve the quality of life for their farmers, the farmers families and the environment in which they work and live.  They call their practice More Than Fair Trade.

http://www.beansforhope.com

Anyone have any experience with them? I found out about them at an art opening.  They share warehouse space with a local art co-op. The only aspect I dislike about them so far is that they are not completly organic, but they are supposed to be phasing into that this year.

]]> Comment #13 by dhwert http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:41:03 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/13 More on "Direct Trade"

Chris, I think you're probably right to be skeptical about direct trade's non-verifiable claims.  However, I am still intrigued by the concept, and comparing this to the certified organic debates, I know there are good farmers out there who don't want to get certified, but still grow things at a higher standard than certified organic.  It does require more openness and more trust, though, on both the company's and consumer's parts.

Here's an interesting take on Direct Free Trade from another good coffee company, Level Ground Trading Company.  http://www.levelground.com/direct_fair_trade

Dave

]]> More on "Direct Trade"

Chris, I think you're probably right to be skeptical about direct trade's non-verifiable claims.  However, I am still intrigued by the concept, and comparing this to the certified organic debates, I know there are good farmers out there who don't want to get certified, but still grow things at a higher standard than certified organic.  It does require more openness and more trust, though, on both the company's and consumer's parts.

Here's an interesting take on Direct Free Trade from another good coffee company, Level Ground Trading Company.  http://www.levelground.com/direct_fair_trade

Dave

]]> Comment #14 by maia1955 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:16:56 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/14 More GREAT fairly traded organic roasters!!

We love all of our fairly traded oranic coffee roasters!!
Check these out:

Pachamama Coffee Cooperative [www.pachamama.coop] - This is a growers cooperative... That is about as fair as it gets.

Kickapoo Coffee [www.kickapoocoffee.com], Excellent micro-roaster in Veroqua, Wisconsin.

Just Coffee Cooperative [www.justcoffee.net] - Madison, Wisconsin worker-owned coffee roaster... lovely air-roasted coffee! Ahhhh.

]]> More GREAT fairly traded organic roasters!!

We love all of our fairly traded oranic coffee roasters!!
Check these out:

Pachamama Coffee Cooperative [www.pachamama.coop] - This is a growers cooperative... That is about as fair as it gets.

Kickapoo Coffee [www.kickapoocoffee.com], Excellent micro-roaster in Veroqua, Wisconsin.

Just Coffee Cooperative [www.justcoffee.net] - Madison, Wisconsin worker-owned coffee roaster... lovely air-roasted coffee! Ahhhh.

]]> Comment #15 by rraimo http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:03:01 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/15 No robusta beans in the Trader Joe's coffee

If you were writing about the Trader Joe's coffee that appeared in your picture, the package reads 100% Arabica beans right on the front.  Not saying it's the best coffee, but at least be fair about what it is.

]]> No robusta beans in the Trader Joe's coffee

If you were writing about the Trader Joe's coffee that appeared in your picture, the package reads 100% Arabica beans right on the front.  Not saying it's the best coffee, but at least be fair about what it is.

]]> Comment #16 by arawak http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Fri, 07 Mar 2008 05:49:49 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/16 missed the best

You also forgot my personal favorite, Higher Ground Roasters.  Those folks only roast Fair Trade, Organic, Shade coffees, use wind offsets, are members of 1% for the planet, were named Micro-roaster of the year by Roast magazine....oh... and almost forgot, roast one hell of a cup of java.  

]]> missed the best

You also forgot my personal favorite, Higher Ground Roasters.  Those folks only roast Fair Trade, Organic, Shade coffees, use wind offsets, are members of 1% for the planet, were named Micro-roaster of the year by Roast magazine....oh... and almost forgot, roast one hell of a cup of java.  

]]> Comment #17 by paulhue http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/ Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:54:30 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/java-good-time/17 Why no wildcard?

I wish you guys would have tossed in one or more despicable samples, say from detested Starbucks, just to see where it would have come out.

]]> Why no wildcard?

I wish you guys would have tossed in one or more despicable samples, say from detested Starbucks, just to see where it would have come out.

]]>