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Buy Coffee Roasted to Order:
I've tried all of these coffees and they are all of exceptional quality that you're not likely to find in just any roastery. These are the best of the best out there. Because of the freshness factor of purchasing coffee on the internet, many people choose to buy their web coffee from the roaster that's located closest to keep shipping times down. I've listed two Chicago-based roasters, one on the east coast and two on the west coast. You can't go wrong with any of these.
Intelligentsia Coffee - Try the Black Cat and Black Cat Organic blends for espresso. Black Cat is one of the best selling espresso blends in the US (for a reason). Single Origin offerings are excellent as well and will really show off the capabilities of your Aeropress or pour-over coffee maker. This is a Chicago-based company that's just in the past couple of years started spreading out to New York and Los Angeles.
Metropolis Coffee Company - Another Chicago-based coffee joint, Metropolis has an excellent blend called Redline (named after the train route they're very near). Very good stuff.
Counter Culture Coffee - This small company is based out of Durham, NC. I just started drinking CCC's Toscano blend last year ('08) and it's very good. As I'm headed to NC for the next four years or so, I plan to become a loyal customer.
Cafe Vivace - This is where quality espresso began. Cafe Vivace is a Seattle-based coffee company run by the guy who literally wrote the book on espresso, David Schomer. The Dolce blend is designed for straight espresso (still makes a mean cappuccino) and the Dolce blend is geared more toward drinks with milk like a cappuccino or latte. Great coffee that's worth a try.
Barefoot Coffee - This Santa Clara, CA roaster has several espresso blends and single origin offerings to choose from. Very high quality. I'm a fan of their Sweetness Espresso blend. It's..um..sweet.
Learn About Coffee:
Coffeegeek.com - This is a great resource for information and reviews on different coffee related products. It's geared mostly toward the home enthusiast and has a very deep and active user forum. If you're just getting into coffee and have questions, this is a great place to start.
Home-Barista.com - Another great resource geared to the home enthusiast, Home-Barista has very well written reviews of some of the most popular home machines on the market. There's also a good forum system. A little bit more technical than CoffeeGeek, lots of people "graduate" from CoffeeGeek to Home-Barista for more in-depth discussions.
Chris Coffee - If you're looking for high-end equipment for your home or business, Chris has a great selection and fantastic customer support.
Sweet Maria's - This is the Mecca for the home roaster. If you're at all interested in learning how to roast green coffee beans at home to get the absolutely freshest coffee available, check this site out. They have a great selection of green beans, how-to's and roasting equipment.
Whole Latte Love - Whole Latte Love has a great selection of coffee and espresso equipment at all different price points.
Coffee Beans Galore - Your guide to coffee beans and espresso machines from great brands like Lavazza, illy, Saeco, Gaggia, and Delonghi.