Where are the best places to get coffee and coffee beans?

Question

I'm looking for some good tasting ones, ones that could distinguish themselves from starbucks coffee.

If possible, tell me where I can get them, preferably somewhere online since Yahoo Answers has members all over the US and it is nearly impossible for me to drive 1000 miles to get some coffee. I live in the Bay Area of California if that helps.

Answer 1

The problem with buying most coffee online - or really, most coffee at a store at all - is that it comes pre-roasted. While green (unroasted) coffee can be safely and freshly stored for years, once coffee is roasted it will start to go stale after a matter of days (and if you grind it, it will lose its freshness in a matter of hours). This is the reason why coffee is so often either bitter, or overly roasted to cover up the bitterness. Good, fresh coffee should have no bitter flavour at all (indeed, they can be chocolately, citrussy, or have berry notes) and can be enjoyed (even as an espresso) from only a light roast.

Thankfully, I've found a place that sells green coffee by bulk. They're in Canada, but they ship worldwide (I'm in France myself, and if it can get to me, it can get to you in California) - plus everything on their site is in Canadian dollars, which is much cheaper than US dollars or Euros! They're called 'Merchants of Green Coffee' and I think that their website is http://www.merchantsofgreencoffee.com .

They sell coffee from all over the world, and most if it is either organic, fair-trade, or both. And it's really really good. You can easily roast the coffee in your oven at home (just put it on a cookie tray) or if you want, they sell fairly inexpensive roasters as well.

Definitely check them out, they're fantastic.

Answer 2

Starbucks

Answer 3

Try smaller, boutique roasters. The coffee will be of a better quality and fresher, giving you a much much much better coffee. A great place to talk and find supplies in your local area is www.coffeegeek.com The friendly people on the forums will point you towards some great places.

Answer 4

Gevalia has good coffees, plus a good starter deal they will send you a coffee marker and i think two or three types of coffee for 19.95 then you can have the shipments whenever you want they have a catalog. The also send holiday blends out I think three times a year. You can get it in whole bean or ground and decaf or regular. Its great coffee,. My coffee maker died and they send me another free one no questions asked

Answer 5

Try to find a firm who roast coffee beans. I always use half of the amount of light roasted beans and the other half dark roasted beans. As I'm not living in the USA, I can't help you with an address or a name.

Answer 6

Believe it or not, 7-Eleven, of all places. I'm from NY but was recently in CA. It's like your AM/PM chain, as far as kind of store. Most likely they do sell 7-11 coffee online. I haven't checked. I even subscribe to Gevalia gourmet coffees and STILL prefer 7-Eleven.

Answer 7

You've got a great resource where you are ~ Peets. Great coffee, good people, really interested in educating the consumer. And I don't work for them, I just like to see people who are doing the best business they can.

Answer 8

mcdonalds coffee rated better than starbucks 70% of the time during a blind coffee taste testing...atleast thats what i heard.

i'm not talking about all that frappalate mocha stuff(yum)...i mean plain coffee.

Answer 9

Starbucks!!!!

Answer 10

Your local coffee house or grocery store.