Best whole bean coffee

ColbyLang

Guys, wife and I use an electric percolator. Currently not satisfied with our coffee selection. Have a bean grinder that’s never been used. What’s your go to whole bean coffee? Looking to change it up. Our current bag is a medium/dark roast of Community Coffee. Thanks 

jtcBoynton

There are many quality providers of coffee. But as long as you use a percolator it doesn't really matter. The percolator is the weak link in your process.  Good coffee can be brewed by several different methods to get great results but the basics need to be followed: good roasted beans, good tasting water, proper brew time, and proper brew temperature.  You miss out on the last two with a percolator.

smbishop

That is a loaded question.  I love the nostalgia of peculated coffee, however in my own opinion you will get much better results out of a French Press:

https://bluebottlecoffee.com/preparation-guides/french-press

Or a Cold Brew:

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_cold_brew_coffee/

Some people order freshly roasted made to order beans straight to their door with in 24 hours.

Personally, I buy vacuumed sealed beans from the grocery store or Costco.  I FoodSaver the left overs to keep the fresh.  Just choose the blend you like.

Too many artisan companies to choose from...

If you are a using a grinder, make sure it is a Burr grinder..

https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-coffee-grinders-to-buy-4118542

Not a coffee snob, but do appreciate a good cup... 

GrateEggspectations

At the risk of taking an unpopular position, I’ll say that I believe that the source of bad coffee is most often the bean to water ratio - percolator or otherwise. While I am loyal to one particular brand, my shopping habits are such that I have recently cycled through three distinct, arguably lesser brand coffees in the last few months. While the flavour has differed, they have all turned out quite palatable. In fact, I routinely get compliments on the coffee that I serve at home, regardless of the brands I use. I believe that this is due to the fact that I always make it in proportions that result in a bold product. 

The world of coffee shares similarities with the world of fine spirits, food, fashion, etc. - snobbery often abounds. 

GrateEggspectations

Also, my Valentine’s Day card to my wife. It’s the truth through and through.....

GrateEggspectations

And to answer your question, I’ve always used about 60% very dark roasted beans cut with about %40 espresso in a ratio of about five scoops whole beans for every six cups of water. In a percolator.

GrateEggspectations

dmourati

Verve or Four Barrel for me.

1911Man

I've been buying from Dean's Beans for years. My 'go-to' is their Columbian. I always get whole beans and grind them each morning just before I brew the pot. I've recently been playing around with the grind level (KitchenAid Pro coffee grinder) and am using either #7 or #7.5 on the dial. I use less scoops of beans this way to get what I want in my mug. 

Of course, I drink it black... Just like my soul! IME, good coffee is best without any other additions once brewed. 

I'm using a Cuisinart drip maker (bought some years back) that brews at the right temperature (not too hot) and I have the hot plate under the carafe set to it's lowest temperature. Granted 99.5% of the time I pour into my mug once it's ready. I also make just enough for one mug in the morning (not drinking any more than that each day anymore). 

I get 5# of roasted beans with each order I place. Typically they have a 'roasted on' date of the day they ship out to me. Since they're close to where I am, I usually see the order the following day via UPS ground. For something THIS vital, I refuse to trust USPS to deliver, or deliver on time. The UPS guy (the one that typically delivers here) made a comment about smelling great coffee all day with the box on his truck. He had been wondering where it came from (probably until he picked up the box).

If you're going to buy roasted coffee, make damn sure you get beans that were roasted as close to when they shipped as possible. If you're going someplace to buy them, make sure they were roasted less than 24 hours ago. I've noticed the difference in coffee where the beans were roasted weeks (or more) ago. At least compared with what I typically get.

Also, do NOT freeze your coffee (beans or ground). I pour the beans into quart Ball jars and seal them up (just by hand). This keeps them fresh until I'm ready to use that jar. This also lets me know when I need to place another order. 

Legume

Buy lighter roast beans and give them a light smoke (Cherry is good) 15 min at 350 indirect is great. Just spread them out in a foil pan.  

speed51133

1911Man said:

I've been buying from Dean's Beans for years. My 'go-to' is their Columbian. I always get whole beans and grind them each morning just before I brew the pot. I've recently been playing around with the grind level (KitchenAid Pro coffee grinder) and am using either #7 or #7.5 on the dial. I use less scoops of beans this way to get what I want in my mug. 

Of course, I drink it black... Just like my soul! IME, good coffee is best without any other additions once brewed. 

I'm using a Cuisinart drip maker (bought some years back) that brews at the right temperature (not too hot) and I have the hot plate under the carafe set to it's lowest temperature. Granted 99.5% of the time I pour into my mug once it's ready. I also make just enough for one mug in the morning (not drinking any more than that each day anymore). 

I get 5# of roasted beans with each order I place. Typically they have a 'roasted on' date of the day they ship out to me. Since they're close to where I am, I usually see the order the following day via UPS ground. For something THIS vital, I refuse to trust USPS to deliver, or deliver on time. The UPS guy (the one that typically delivers here) made a comment about smelling great coffee all day with the box on his truck. He had been wondering where it came from (probably until he picked up the box).

If you're going to buy roasted coffee, make damn sure you get beans that were roasted as close to when they shipped as possible. If you're going someplace to buy them, make sure they were roasted less than 24 hours ago. I've noticed the difference in coffee where the beans were roasted weeks (or more) ago. At least compared with what I typically get.

Also, do NOT freeze your coffee (beans or ground). I pour the beans into quart Ball jars and seal them up (just by hand). This keeps them fresh until I'm ready to use that jar. This also lets me know when I need to place another order. 

BTW, it is ColOmbian. NOT ColUmbian.

Asking what coffee is good is like asking what beer is good. It all depends what you want, what you like, and how you will drink it. Personally, I LOVE coffee. I recommend checking out the website www.wholelattelove.com and get yourself a french press coffee maker along with a bag of good coffee. I love anything made by both Illy and Lavaza. I think the french press does a better job of pulling out the taste than a drip percolator and is pretty cheap.  Buy whole bean and only grind what you will use that minute. Don't over/under grind either. Get an adjustable grinder and grind appropriately. 

https://www.wholelattelove.com/collections/whole-bean-espresso-coffee?_=pf&pf_v_brand=Illy&pf_v_brand=Lavazza

ColbyLang

I guess this is like asking what lump you prefer! I’m far from a coffee snob. Had a Keurig (bought it for my wife as a Mothers Day gift from the little ones). Threw it out and switched to a percolator. I know it ain’t ideal and doesn’t brew to optimum temp or anything like that. I’m not asking anyone to reinvent the wheel, was just looking for a little feedback. I’m gonna check out the online shops for sure. Locally, we have little to nothing roasted here. Any of you guys try Black Rifle coffee? Brother in law swears by it, but he got hooked on in it in the sandbox for 2 years....

ColtsFan

I have a hard time getting away from Sbucks Sumatra and Lavazza beans

milesvdustin

I've been buying starbucks medium roast 2.5 pound bags from Sam's. Grind it like kosher salt. Pour over bodum coffee maker. 

Lit

I have been using Myorga from Costco for several years. Burr grinder and a French press is the way to go. 

northGAcock

Great question. If i were to say the brand i most purchase, it would be the traditional Dunkin Donuts whole bean. I however, have been changing mine up with each recent purchase. One i have grown to love is Counter Culture, their Fast Forward Blend is doing it for me.  https://counterculturecoffee.com/ 

I purchase at Fresh Market myself....not sure about other retailers. That said, check out there web site.

fiber_induced_deuce

speed51133 said:

1911Man said:

I've been buying from Dean's Beans for years. My 'go-to' is their Columbian. I always get whole beans and grind them each morning just before I brew the pot. I've recently been playing around with the grind level (KitchenAid Pro coffee grinder) and am using either #7 or #7.5 on the dial. I use less scoops of beans this way to get what I want in my mug. 

Of course, I drink it black... Just like my soul! IME, good coffee is best without any other additions once brewed. 

I'm using a Cuisinart drip maker (bought some years back) that brews at the right temperature (not too hot) and I have the hot plate under the carafe set to it's lowest temperature. Granted 99.5% of the time I pour into my mug once it's ready. I also make just enough for one mug in the morning (not drinking any more than that each day anymore). 

I get 5# of roasted beans with each order I place. Typically they have a 'roasted on' date of the day they ship out to me. Since they're close to where I am, I usually see the order the following day via UPS ground. For something THIS vital, I refuse to trust USPS to deliver, or deliver on time. The UPS guy (the one that typically delivers here) made a comment about smelling great coffee all day with the box on his truck. He had been wondering where it came from (probably until he picked up the box).

If you're going to buy roasted coffee, make damn sure you get beans that were roasted as close to when they shipped as possible. If you're going someplace to buy them, make sure they were roasted less than 24 hours ago. I've noticed the difference in coffee where the beans were roasted weeks (or more) ago. At least compared with what I typically get.

Also, do NOT freeze your coffee (beans or ground). I pour the beans into quart Ball jars and seal them up (just by hand). This keeps them fresh until I'm ready to use that jar. This also lets me know when I need to place another order. 

BTW, it is ColOmbian. NOT ColUmbian.

Asking what coffee is good is like asking what beer is good. It all depends what you want, what you like, and how you will drink it. Personally, I LOVE coffee. I recommend checking out the website www.wholelattelove.com and get yourself a french press coffee maker along with a bag of good coffee. I love anything made by both Illy and Lavaza. I think the french press does a better job of pulling out the taste than a drip percolator and is pretty cheap.  Buy whole bean and only grind what you will use that minute. Don't over/under grind either. Get an adjustable grinder and grind appropriately. 

https://www.wholelattelove.com/collections/whole-bean-espresso-coffee?_=pf&pf_v_brand=Illy&pf_v_brand=Lavazza

Obviously a spelling bee runner up that just wants one more round.  Like Uncle Rico, could’ve been state champions.

dbCooper

My all time fav is Jamaican Blue Mountain, but is too expensive in the USA for me to justify purchasing.  Luckily, one or twice a year, I seem to know somebody that is vacationing in Jamaica.  So I get one or two pounds that way on occasion.

@ColbyLang: For sure get that bean grinder into use.  Try small quantities of various beans and you decide what you guys like.  Kind of like any other beverage, taste is a subjective thing, just experiment.  Also, as noted a percolator will not get you best results.

For those that have access to un-roasted beans and might be interested roasting their own, I've played around with Hot Air Popcorn Poppers to roast with ok results.  Use your fav search engine for details on methods.

speed51133

I happen to be of Colombian descent and frequent the country. It is a very common mistake for people in the US to spell it Columbia, probably because of the pronunciation in English as well as the jacket brand, school in NY, etc. I even see it in printed packaging and media. I just point it out when I see it.

With respect to unroasted coffee seeds (they are actually not beans), I have picked and tasted the fruit right off the coffee shrubs. Yep, coffee shrubs produce fruit, a cherry. It is kind of sweet with a soft, bitter seed you can also eat. When picked and dried out, the flesh of the cherry is discarded. The dried seed is the roasted in many different ways for different flavor profiles.

There are also different species of coffee. The big ones are arabica and robusta, and sub species as well..... 100% arabica coffee is regarded as "premium" while robusta is a much more bitter taste. Robusta are cheaper to acquire and also have like double the caffeine. You can taste the difference, but personally I would not limit yourself to only one. I would stick to 100% of one of them before you explore blends..

fishlessman

jamaicanmecrazy at mr bagels in maine, hints of kahluah, caramel, and vanilla bean my new morning stop on my monday commute.

northGAcock

We should be asking @Botch as I have to believe his retirement Java is better than what any of the rest of us drink.

Eoin

speed51133 said:

I happen to be of Colombian descent and frequent the country. It is a very common mistake for people in the US to spell it Columbia, probably because of the pronunciation in English as well as the jacket brand, school in NY, etc. I even see it in printed packaging and media. I just point it out when I see it.

With respect to unroasted coffee seeds (they are actually not beans), I have picked and tasted the fruit right off the coffee shrubs. Yep, coffee shrubs produce fruit, a cherry. It is kind of sweet with a soft, bitter seed you can also eat. When picked and dried out, the flesh of the cherry is discarded. The dried seed is the roasted in many different ways for different flavor profiles.

There are also different species of coffee. The big ones are arabica and robusta, and sub species as well..... 100% arabica coffee is regarded as "premium" while robusta is a much more bitter taste. Robusta are cheaper to acquire and also have like double the caffeine. You can taste the difference, but personally I would not limit yourself to only one. I would stick to 100% of one of them before you explore blends..

There are so many different flavours from the bean variety and the producer, region and method of drying / fermenting. I get a weekly delivery of whole beans, single variety from one producer / coop. I like getting something different every week, it's like beer or wine, sticking to a single brand is not seeing the whole picture. 

@ColbyLang is your grinder a burr grinder rather than blades? You need a burr grinder. Lots of simple ways to make coffee, I use an Aeropress, but good quality beans, freshly ground in a burr grinder are the starting point for great coffee.

bicktrav

I've been roasting coffee for about ten years now. It is a bit of a passion (obsession?), and I've gotten pretty good at it. These days, I can make beans that rival the stuff you get from boutique, third wave shops, so this question lands squarely in my wheelhouse. Here are the things that matter most if you're interested in making good coffee. A few of these suggestions echo sentiments already listed in this thread, but hopefully, the refrain will emphasize their importance.

1) The right ratio of coffee grinds to water. Shoot for 1:16. In precise pour over terms, this means 22 grams of coffee to 350 grams of water. In less precise drip machine terms, it means 1 tablespoon to every 3 or 4 ounces of water.

2) A good brew-method. French press is good. Pour over is better. A great drip machine like the Techinivorm will get the job done splendidly. The wrong one will scarcely get it done at all (they typically don't have a strong enough heating element to get the water to optimal brewing temperatures). Invest in good equipment or learn manual brewing--it's not that hard, I do it every morning.

3) Buy a good burr grinder. To use a guitar analogy--hopefully, this isn't too esoteric--if you're playing through a crappy amp, it doesn't matter if you've got a 51 Fender Tele. You need to grind your beans fresh to make good coffee. And you need a grinder that will create even particle sizes. Burr grinders excel at that task. The Baratza Encore is a very good entry option. If you're up for hand grinding, the Lido 3 grinder is incredible.

4) Use the right water. Mineral content dramatically affects coffee. I've got a reverse osmosis filtration system at home that makes phenomenal coffee, but you can buy bottled water if you don't have something similar. Give a bunch of different brands a try to find out which you prefer. Here in SoCal, I've found Crystal Geyser to be the best.

5) Check the roast date on your beans. Ideally, they should be no more than two weeks old. You can stretch it to a month if you want, but don't bother buying beans any older than that. They'll be stale and flavorless.

Once you've got your brewing in order, you can get great beans from any number of roasters. Here is a list of my favorites (they all do mail order).

JBC Roasters
Dragonfly
Klatch
Bird Rock
Coava
Hula Daddy (outrageously expensive Kona, but some of the best coffee I've ever had)

fishlessman

and if you like sugar in the coffee its hard to beat a mvr concentration system

speed51133

I am like a 40 minute drive from JBC Roasters and I have never heard of them or seen them sold in stores. I will have to check them out.

bicktrav

speed51133 said:

I am like a 40 minute drive from JBC Roasters and I have never heard of them or seen them sold in stores. I will have to check them out.

Definitely check them out. They are unquestionably one of the best around.

FunkytownEgger

In addition to JBC Roasters, another favorite of mine from Wisconsin is Ruby Coffee Roasters.

Here are a couple more I like:
Onyx
Ritual
La Colombe
Tweed

Coffee can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be (more complex than wine actually), but it all starts with quality beans and your taste preferences.

Here is my favorite french press brew method if you want to geek out like me, but I'm usually a pour over guy most mornings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl79p_P4nbo

speed51133

I only drink espresso. Just fyi

I also have the feeling coffee can get to be like craft brewing. Millions of different breweries out there and it is easy to get carried away and sucked into snobbery.

Leopoldstoch

Dark matter coffee in Chicago is a great option

Mostra in California is another outstanding choice.

Bones coffee in Florida is fun for flavored coffee options.

All allow for mail ordering.

bicktrav

speed51133 said:

I only drink espresso. Just fyi

I also have the feeling coffee can get to be like craft brewing. Millions of different breweries out there and it is easy to get carried away and sucked into snobbery.

Coffee can absolutely become like craft beer or wine, with one major difference: with coffee, you, the consumer, play a role in the creation of the final product. Your brew method--and expertise--can create profoundly different cups. In that way, it's a more active hobby and, yes, quite available to snobbery.

oldmandawg

Purity coffee out of Greenville S.C., and I use a French Press.