Worst thing for a homeroaster befell me awhile ago - I ran out of beans. Not only that, my finances have been tight (like just about everyone else these days). Been waiting until I had the money for an order. Put an order in this afternoon. Got an email a few hours later that it was already shipped! (SM always amazes me). Oh - the website is AWESOME now - the ordering page has a terrific, simple design, right in keeping with the way Sweet Maria's has always been (it's late, I've been working on school work & I can't come up w/the right words). Best of all - it works great. I ran out a couple of months ago. In the meantime, I've been making do with (gasp - cover your ears) grocery store coffee (oops, sorry, I should have told you to cover your eyes). Found a whole bean coffee that wasn't burnt beyond recognition at my local grocery store (couldn't afford to go to anyplace around here that roasts their own beans, but even if I did - I doubt that it would be worth the price they charge today). Sad to say, even though the one I finally decided to get didn't have a *huge * amt of acid in it, no amount of cream could make this stuff worth drinking, (even drank tea instead for awhile, but I gotta have my coffee...). But I drank it, just the same. *Can't wait.* For the record here's what I ordered: Ethiopia FTO Shoye Sidamo WP Decaf - 5 lbs, Panama Carmen 'Sieite Dias de Bellota' - 5 lbs (and just for fun) I also threw in 1 lb each of: Ecuador Quilanga Microlot Especial and Brazil Joao de Campos WP Decaf. Did I mention that I can't wait? :P This is better than Chirstmas when I was a kid! Lynne (doing the Snoopy Dance-of-Joy, and throwing away the antacid tablets!!) Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
nothing to be ashamed of, Lynne--there have been times between roasts (no beans, or too recently roasted) when I've resorted to buying beans from Intelly, Metropolis or Allegro......even (gasp!) K-Cups! (Losing patience with the family Keurig Platinum, which has started short-cupping again--the little Mini which travels on car trips does behave itself). Recently even got a gift of freshly roasted DaKine, ground (he knows not what he did, Lord!) for French Press. The thought was what counted....but it still brewed up pretty nicely. On Aug 25, 2010, at 10:20 PM, Lynne wrote: <Snip> Peace & song, Sandy www.sandyandina.com Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Lynne, When the "out of homeroast" situation hits again, try Whole Foods for a "split the difference" coffee. Not as good as the good local roasters, but for around $12 / lb, you can get decent, freshly roasted coffee. Just look closely at the beans, as the variability in roast accuracy is quite high. I've seen some labeled "lightly roasted" and they are black and shiny. -Seth On Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 11:31 PM, Sandy Andina wrote: <Snip> beans, or too recently roasted) when I've resorted to buying beans from In= telly, Metropolis or Allegro......even (gasp!) K-Cups! (Losing patience = with the family Keurig Platinum, which has started short-cupping again--the= little Mini which travels on car trips does behave itself). Recently e= ven got a gift of freshly roasted DaKine, ground (he knows not what he did,= Lord!) for French Press. The thought was what counted....but it still b= rewed up pretty nicely. <Snip> ith <Snip> you <Snip> on <Snip> ariascoffee.com <Snip> ee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=7820 <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmar=iascoffee.com Homeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee=.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=7820 |
At 10:20 PM 8/25/2010, you wrote: <Snip> Lynne, Lynne, Lynne You *have* to find a place somewhere in your area that roasts their own. They may or may not have coffee as good as Sweet Marias but they *will* have green coffee you can get from them. Yeah, it'll probably cost more / pound, odds are strong it won't be as good as what Tom offers, but it'll get you by *much* better than the horrible stuff you resorted to. Kansas City is big enough I know of four or five without even searching, a couple of which have pretty good coffee. Heck, we even have a local coffee company (NOT the Folgers plant I worked across the street from for over a decade) that produces pretty good coffee - it's at least not stale and sometimes not even over-roasted. Not that I have to resort to them - even if funds are a bit tight, my next order from SM arrives on Monday. Some things you have to plan ahead for. Glad to hear you're almost out of the bad times. Enjoy! Steve :-> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Yeah, my daughter went to Montreal a week ago. When she got back, she phoned me - and told me she brought back some coffee for me. *Coffee!! * Gasp - she was in the land of bagels, and she gets me roasted coffee! In fact, she started to read the label and she mumbled something about dark roast.. she *mus*t know that I don't like dark roasts, so I think that's why she mumbled it. She didn't realize what she bought, until then. :-( But her heart was in the right place, and I don't have the *heart* to say anything, so I'll accept the gift with joy. Lynne On Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 11:31 PM, Sandy Andina wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Yeah, I thought of doing something like that. I did buy some greens from a local roaster once when I ran out before, but that was a few years ago, and I felt kind of guilty, cuz I'm not a customer. When I thought about buying something for $12 a lb, (knowing I was going to be out for a few months), it just seemed insane at the time. The money needed to go to more important things (yeah, sacrilege, I know - but them's the facts). I managed to get some good ol' Eight O'Clock that wasn't stale - except when I bought some at my local big box store. Ack, pfft - stale, stale - I was so desperate that I tried the re-roasting trick that I sometimes use for my homeroast when the roast is 'off.' You know, when the beans are stale, there is no reviving them. I don't even think Jesus could bring those babies back to life! Ugh!! No matter - my order will be here soon. Can't wait!! Lynne On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 12:13 AM, Seth Grandeau wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I will admit to buying Greenline from Metropolis (green homeroaster version of their Red Line Blend, which latter is blended after the components are roasted) when I run out of Liquid Amber or Monkey. (I suspect that many excellent small-scale roasters buy SM greens anyway). Oh, and be careful at Whole Foods--the bins used to have "filled on" dates but now they have "roasted on" dates instead. I bought some med. roast Allegro espresso purportedly roasted 8/18; it was fine on the 21st, but when I brewed it on the 22nd, the crema had already thinned. On Aug 26, 2010, at 10:07 PM, Lynne wrote: <Snip> Peace & song, Sandy www.sandyandina.com Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |