OT: Favorite Boutique Coffee Brands

[Lynyrd]

Saccuzzo Coffee Company

Experience the passion and tradition of Saccuzzo Coffee, an Italian coffee brand dedicated to crafting exceptional artisanal coffee. For over 40 years, our family-owned business has meticulously sourced, blended, and roasted natural coffee beans to deliver the perfect balance of flavor and...

icaffe.com

 

[Icculus]

I feel that I am going to sound like a troglodyte and an idiot asking this question. But, I'd like to 'up my coffee game'. However, I'm just a one-cup a day K-cup user, and that's not likely to change any time soon. Are there any high-quality boutique coffees out there in K-cup form that people would recommend? Or is that very idea a sort-of oxymoron?

 

[8893]

I feel that I am going to sound like a troglodyte and an idiot asking this question. But, I'd like to 'up my coffee game'. However, I'm just a one-cup a day K-cup user, and that's not likely to change any time soon. Are there any high-quality boutique coffees out there in K-cup form that people would recommend? Or is that very idea a sort-of oxymoron?

@storrsroars can explain much better, but the biggest problem with most Keurigs is that they don't get hot enough for proper extraction so you would probably be wasting your money on better beans unless you have a Keurig that gets hot enough. In that case, there are refillable K-cups and you can buy your own beans, grind them and fill the K-cup yourself. I have not done this but I have heard from those who have that it requires more fresh-ground coffee to get the same strength as whatever method they use to preserve the prefilled cups.

 

[Deepster]

I feel that I am going to sound like a troglodyte and an idiot asking this question. But, I'd like to 'up my coffee game'. However, I'm just a one-cup a day K-cup user, and that's not likely to change any time soon. Are there any high-quality boutique coffees out there in K-cup form that people would recommend? Or is that very idea a sort-of oxymoron?

I would get a Chemex with a reusable filter. I have 2 cups a day and it's perfect. Very simple to use.

 

[alexd]

Acoustic Java, out of Worcester, MA. Our daughter worked there while attending Clark U.
Their Three Africans Blend is fantastic. https://acousticjava.com/worcester-roastery-open

 

[hardcorehusky]

I love strong coffee. I have tried all the brands and own an espresso machine that only uses Lavazza pods. That said, my favorite coffee is Turkish coffee where the grounds stay in the bottom of the cup. I use a cezve (Copper Turkish coffee pot) and mix in my sweetener in the water until it boils. Then I put a tablespoon of a Lebanese, Turkish or Israeli coffee into the boiling water and remove it from the heat after a few seconds- pour it in my cup and enjoy. Just don't drink the grounds!!

 

[Dove]

There's a One World Coffee Roasters in North Haven I will be stopping at in an hour.

Here's a link to a blog post about coffee brewing methods...

The Best Coffee Brewing Methods for Every Occasion

In this guide we’ll explore seven of the best coffee brewing methods that will give you great cups suited to your taste and preferences.

www.oneworldroasters.com

 

[husky99]

My three:

1) Bones
2) Lola Savanna
3) Maryanne's
4) Volcanica

Personally I'm a big flavored coffee devotee and IMO you can't beat any of these four in that department. Bones' 'small batch' recipes are tops, though narrowly. Their 'Electric Unicorn' is absolutely fantastic.

Solid list.. might add kumu also

 

[storrsroars]

@storrsroars can explain much better, but the biggest problem with most Keurigs is that they don't get hot enough for proper extraction so you would probably be wasting your money on better beans unless you have a Keurig that gets hot enough. In that case, there are refillable K-cups and you can buy your own beans, grind them and fill the K-cup yourself. I have not done this but I have heard from those who have that it requires more fresh-ground coffee to get the same strength as whatever method they use to preserve the prefilled cups.

There are coffee scientist types who have developed pods with exceptional coffee, but more for the Nespresso than the Keurig.

If one would like an explanation as to what 8893 is talking about, here's a good primer on the deficiencies of a Keurig brewer.

On the positive side, market demand is leading more specialty roasters to offer pods.

I would get a Chemex with a reusable filter. I have 2 cups a day and it's perfect. Very simple to use.

If one likes body and depth in their cup, Chemex maybe isn't the way to go, IMO. The thick filter allows you to better articulate the flavors in the cup (I like it for floral Yirgacheffes and Peruvians), but the mouthfeel is generally more like tea, IMHO.

A quick anecdote - I was asked to design the coffee service for a top local restaurant with a James Beard-nominated chef. I brewed him the same coffee on seven different devices so he could experience the result from each, and his comment on the Chemex was, "too feminine."

I love strong coffee. I have tried all the brands and own an espresso machine that only uses Lavazza pods. That said, my favorite coffee is Turkish coffee where the grounds stay in the bottom of the cup. I use a cezve (Copper Turkish coffee pot) and mix in my sweetener in the water until it boils. Then I put a tablespoon of a Lebanese, Turkish or Israeli coffee into the boiling water and remove it from the heat after a few seconds- pour it in my cup and enjoy. Just don't drink the grounds!!

Tradition says you should boil 3x for Turkish and 4x for Lebanese, or so I've been told. We used to have a belly dance teacher come into the shop every couple of months for awhile and perform with her students. I'd set up a Turkish coffee station. It was popular. I still have the three cezves I used.

You are hard core. It's a nice diversion every now and then, but every morning... woof. I suppose if you had a large jar and kept feeding it the sludge off the bottom, by mid-summer you'd have enough goop to fix cracks in your driveway ;-)

 

[Stinger92860]

Redding Roasters in Bethel CT

interesting time for me to see this thread. My espresso machine stopped working and I had no choice but to go out and buy a Breville Expresso machine this morning.

 

[8893]

There are coffee scientist types who have developed pods with exceptional coffee, but more for the Nespresso than the Keurig.

If one would like an explanation as to what 8893 is talking about, here's a good primer on the deficiencies of a Keurig brewer.

On the positive side, market demand is leading more specialty roasters to offer pods.

If one likes body and depth in their cup, Chemex maybe isn't the way to go, IMO. The thick filter allows you to better articulate the flavors in the cup (I like it for floral Yirgacheffes and Peruvians), but the mouthfeel is generally more like tea, IMHO.

A quick anecdote - I was asked to design the coffee service for a top local restaurant with a James Beard-nominated chef. I brewed him the same coffee on seven different devices so he could experience the result from each, and his comment on the Chemex was, "too feminine."

Tradition says you should boil 3x for Turkish and 4x for Lebanese, or so I've been told. We used to have a belly dance teacher come into the shop every couple of months for awhile and perform with her students. I'd set up a Turkish coffee station. It was popular. I still have the three cezves I used.

You are hard core. It's a nice diversion every now and then, but every morning... woof. I suppose if you had a large jar and kept feeding it the sludge off the bottom, by mid-summer you'd have enough goop to fix cracks in your driveway ;-)

Nespresso is very good. I’ve been impressed every time I have had a cup from one.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

I feel that I am going to sound like a troglodyte and an idiot asking this question. But, I'd like to 'up my coffee game'. However, I'm just a one-cup a day K-cup user, and that's not likely to change any time soon. Are there any high-quality boutique coffees out there in K-cup form that people would recommend? Or is that very idea a sort-of oxymoron?

Just do yourself a favor and get a grinder and decent drip coffee setup.

For grinder the Baratza encore is ~$150 but can usually find refurbs for closer to $100 and it's basically the industry standard for solid burr grinder without breaking the bank.

For drip machine (I'm lazy and haven't opted for the pour over route) take your pick from here to get one thats worthwhile shelling out for good beans:

Certified Home Brewers — Specialty Coffee Association

sca.coffee

I have the Bonavita 1901 for a couple years now and it's awesome. 1 button and impossible to screw up (granted the lid design is kinda crappy)

 

[Northbound]

Alias Roasters - Troy NY
Stack - Albany, NY

Both roast and serve, but man it does make a difference in who's doing the making/serving - it does have an impact on taste and depth.

 

[Kitaman]

Sadly I switched to K-Cups, mainly out of laziness. Had the bean grinder/brewer combo machine but it was so much effort and the coffee never came out as hot as I would like. I'm a black coffee drinker so I love my coffee.

Seeing the recommendations and favorites leaves me wanting for my roaster. Anyway I have a K-Cup pod for grinds which works.

I have tried the K-Cup Bones @Rich posted and its excellent.

 

[hardcorehusky]

There are coffee scientist types who have developed pods with exceptional coffee, but more for the Nespresso than the Keurig.

If one would like an explanation as to what 8893 is talking about, here's a good primer on the deficiencies of a Keurig brewer.

On the positive side, market demand is leading more specialty roasters to offer pods.

If one likes body and depth in their cup, Chemex maybe isn't the way to go, IMO. The thick filter allows you to better articulate the flavors in the cup (I like it for floral Yirgacheffes and Peruvians), but the mouthfeel is generally more like tea, IMHO.

A quick anecdote - I was asked to design the coffee service for a top local restaurant with a James Beard-nominated chef. I brewed him the same coffee on seven different devices so he could experience the result from each, and his comment on the Chemex was, "too feminine."

Tradition says you should boil 3x for Turkish and 4x for Lebanese, or so I've been told. We used to have a belly dance teacher come into the shop every couple of months for awhile and perform with her students. I'd set up a Turkish coffee station. It was popular. I still have the three cezves I used.

You are hard core. It's a nice diversion every now and then, but every morning... woof. I suppose if you had a large jar and kept feeding it the sludge off the bottom, by mid-summer you'd have enough goop to fix cracks in your driveway ;-)

I use it as a treat - once every 6 days or so. I like to savor my taste and drinking it everyday would kill that for me.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

If I were still in CT and wanted to buy local, I'd go to NEAT in Darien. Because I was in the industry for more than a decade, I got to know some really great people and Kyle Bellinger is near or at the top of that list. Great guy, really knows his stuff, solid roaster and buyer, now even has his own farms in SA.

+1 to Neat.

I'm friends with and grew up w/ Kyle's wife and she first got me trying their shop. I'm a boring coffee guy (Starbucks whole bean French Roast, ground daily over a Chemex. I can't do acidic coffees, they ravage my insides), but my wife loves Neat. We try to stop by every few months of so to parlay w/ a bread pickup at Flour Salt Water.

 

[ScottBonz]

+1 for J Rene. 528 house blend is one of my favorites. However the wife doesn’t like so we go stumptown now which is also great.

Used to do chemex but I feel the good drip makers are just as good if not better than me doing it. My bonavita finally kicked it and picked up an Oxo 8 cup which is excellent. We also recently got an espresso machine and do blue bottle on there. Any espresso recs?

 

[storrsroars]

Any espresso recs?

What's your grinder? That'll determine if you have the capability to adjust to different types of espresso.

I'd start with classics like Black Cat (Intelligentsia) and Hairbender (Stumptown) as those are fairly timeless for espresso blends. Once you get those where you're comfortable dialing in, then you can expand. Hologram and Apollo from Counter Culture are also good bets. Most good coffeehouses have good espresso blends, but I'd be wary of single origin espressos prominently featuring African or Central American coffees as those can be ridiculously bright (to be fair, some people actually like that).

Best espresso I ever had was Epic from 49th Parallel in Vancouver, but that was at a top notch bar on a really sweet espresso machine. I cannot come close to duplicating that cup at home on my equipment.

Oddly, although I probably consumed a gallon of espresso a week when I owned my shop, it was mostly for QC and not for enjoyment. I've lost the palate for straight shots, although I do enjoy a capp from time to time.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Big Island produces the best Hawaiian coffees I've tried. Award-Winning Hawaiian Coffee | Specialty Coffee From Hawaii

If you're a dark coffee drinker, their Dark and Deep collection includes three phenomenal coffees each from the three main Hawaiian producing regions.

 

[XLCenterFan]

CT's own Omar Coffee

 

[Purple Stein]

Does Omar count as boutique? Large roasting operation in Newington but they have a factory showroom with about the freshest coffee you can get.

I love Omar! If I'm splurging I'll order McNulty's from the Village.

On the Keurig it's Peet's Major Dickason's+whole milk+agave. It''s fast and mindless for when you need fast and mindless.

 

[ScottBonz]

What's your grinder? That'll determine if you have the capability to adjust to different types of espresso.

I'd start with classics like Black Cat (Intelligentsia) and Hairbender (Stumptown) as those are fairly timeless for espresso blends. Once you get those where you're comfortable dialing in, then you can expand. Hologram and Apollo from Counter Culture are also good bets. Most good coffeehouses have good espresso blends, but I'd be wary of single origin espressos prominently featuring African or Central American coffees as those can be ridiculously bright (to be fair, some people actually like that).

Best espresso I ever had was Epic from 49th Parallel in Vancouver, but that was at a top notch bar on a really sweet espresso machine. I cannot come close to duplicating that cup at home on my equipment.

Oddly, although I probably consumed a gallon of espresso a week when I owned my shop, it was mostly for QC and not for enjoyment. I've lost the palate for straight shots, although I do enjoy a capp from time to time.

The breville machine we have has a grinder built directly into it.

 

[JohnFSilver]

stumptown is probably my favorite. as far as local stuff goes, everything i have had from giv (canton, ct) has been great.

that being said, i am just as likely to have a bag of pre-ground dunkin donuts on my shelf as i am anything super nice.

LOL I get ground costco coffee 3 lbs for $15. That's my everyday jam.

 

[Dove]

LOL I get ground costco coffee 3 lbs for $15. That's my everyday jam.

[looks left...looks right...] This house has always smiled when the top of the Chock Full o' Nuts pops off. Always in stock...(New York Roast)

 

[Madmannsucks]

Simple...the ONLY thing I ever flavor coffee with is Irish Whiskey, Amaretto, or Bailey's.

 

[Dove]

Big Island produces the best Hawaiian coffees I've tried. Award-Winning Hawaiian Coffee | Specialty Coffee From Hawaii

If you're a dark coffee drinker, their Dark and Deep collection includes three phenomenal coffees each from the three main Hawaiian producing regions.

Thank you....need.

 

[Lefty2one]

The breville machine we have has a grinder built directly into it.

Barista Express?

 

[brihman]

Loving the suggestions—Is a Breville espresso machine worth it? Sitting on the fence. I’ve got a decent coffee set up going Baratza grinder, try to buy fresh beans, AeroPress but wondering about espresso. I’d probably use it occasionally and my wife likes espresso but prob only a drink a day.

Also worth mentioning that I really like what breweries are doing with coffee beans - Night Shift and TreeHouse have been pretty good.

 

[storrsroars]

Loving the suggestions—Is a Breville espresso machine worth it? Sitting on the fence. I’ve got a decent coffee set up going Baratza grinder, try to buy fresh beans, AeroPress but wondering about espresso. I’d probably use it occasionally and my wife likes espresso but prob only a drink a day.

Also worth mentioning that I really like what breweries are doing with coffee beans - Night Shift and TreeHouse have been pretty good.

I think you have to really love straight up espresso and a bit of spare change to blow to get any benefit from having a dedicated machine. You can create an ersatz latte with an Aeropress and a milk steamer/frother ($20-$30).

It's a deep rabbit hole if you're trying to get to same quality of shots you get in a good coffeeshop. How many beans are you willing to waste each morning while you adjust your grinder and go through a couple to several shots to get to today's ideal brewing parameters? Espresso is a constantly moving target. With each passing day beans behave differently, and it's not only oxidation, but environmental factors like how humid is your kitchen today?

That said, if you like cappuccinos or lattes and aren't all that fussy, then sure. Milk can cover up a lot of flaws in the shot. I own a Barista Express (got it for free as I worked for Breville) and it's a fine machine for that purpose. The steaming is powerful enough to get decent mircofoam. I would not get the Bambino as it's simply not stable enough on the counter. I think the Oracle line is overkill.

If I was really into espresso, I'd get a separate grinder (which you have) and something like the Rancilio Silvia, which has a big following, so lots of online advice on using it. Generally on any combo grinder/brewer, espresso or drip, the grinder will break down well before the brewer does. But then you're well over a grand for even a beginner setup.

 

[Lefty2one]

Loving the suggestions—Is a Breville espresso machine worth it? Sitting on the fence. I’ve got a decent coffee set up going Baratza grinder, try to buy fresh beans, AeroPress but wondering about espresso. I’d probably use it occasionally and my wife likes espresso but prob only a drink a day.

Also worth mentioning that I really like what breweries are doing with coffee beans - Night Shift and TreeHouse have been pretty good.

The wife and I bought a Barista Express earlier this year. I love the damn thing and I drank nothing but black coffee until about two years ago. We found it on sale for $450 so that made the decision easier. Espresso, lattes, Americanos, etc. every day really is a treat. One of my favorite reviews on the machine was (paraphrasing): "Having this machine in your home is a significant lifestyle upgrade." Semi in jest but also true. I'm not a drinker and we don't go out to eat often so this was our one food/drink splurge. I did the math because I'm a frugal idiot and it costs 99 cents on the nose to make an oat milk latte at home, vs $5.15 at our local coffee shop. Between me and the wife the ROI on this machine isn't that far out.

One of my favorite things about having a machine like this at home is that you can play with ratios and settings to find your perfect drink. I never really liked lattes because there wasn't enough coffee flavor. Standard coffee:milk ratio for a latte is 1:3 (typically 3 oz espresso, 9 oz milk) but at home I've found my ideal cup is 3 oz espresso and 7 oz milk. I get the stronger coffee flavor I don't find in most coffee shops, though I assume I could ask for less milk. I've also learned that iced lattes on a hot day are amazing. The slightest dash of maple syrup in there somedays, and I'm not a fan of sweet drinks.

As storrsroars mentioned though, I'm not a straight espresso drinker. This machine covers up flawed shots quite well with any milk-based drink. I do give a straight shot on many weekends to my 63-year-old Italian neighbor and he says they're amazing, and we have the kind of relationship that he'd be sure to let me know (over and over again) if the shot was terrible lol.