Frequently Asked Questions

---

We use Arabica beans sourced from sustainable farms across the globe. We have established relationships with multiple green coffee importers in the United States and buy what is fresh and appeals to our taste buds at that time. 

Beans with an "organic" label are noted. The reality is that most speciality grade coffee is being grown using sustainable practices and that is probably of greater importance than an "organic" stamp. Typically the large and very wealthy plantations are the only ones that can afford the certifications and paper work to obtain the organic label. Single-origin beans that can be traced to the farm of harvest are typically grown using the same techniques and practices as the larger "organic" farms. I encourage you to research this and draw your own conclusions. The Roasted Fink uses speciality grade, sustainably grown coffee exclusively and makes our in-house blends using these beans.

Speciality grade and third-wave coffee terms can be used interchangeably. They typically refer to beans that score greater than 80 points on a 100 point profile scale. This scale is made up of: Fragrance, Aroma, Flavor, Aftertaste, Acidity, Sweetness, Mouthfeel, Overall cup, Uniformity of Beans, and Number of Bean defects. Most often you will find these beans at small local roasters. 

First wave coffee is what you will find canned in your local grocery store and often as a "bottom-less cup" at your local restaurant.

Second wave coffee is most often what has become mainstream coffee shop brew. Plug in your favorite nation-wide chain here. The pre-made espresso drinks also fall into this class.

Cost and availability. Some statistics say only 6% of the world's coffee beans meet the requirements of speciality grade. For a large national chain, the profit margins and supply just can not meet their needs. 

No. While that is a very common cost saving practice, our blends are made using the single-origin beans we sell. We pair them to create unique flavors and/or aromas that might not be present by themselves. 

Most of the time the beans are roasted after you order them! Occasionally if we roasted a batch of what you want within the past day or two we will offer that. The roast date will always be on the bag letting you know just how fresh your beans are.

Yes. We can grind both medium, for drip and pour over style preparations, and coarse, for French press. We do recommend investing in a nice burr grinder yourself, so that you can keep those precious beans fresh and intact, just until you brew.

We use thick, mylar lined, zipper lock, opaque bags with one-way CO2 releasing valves. When stored in a cool location (think cupboard or pantry, NOT the fridge or freezer) these beans will remain fresh and full of flavor for several weeks in whole bean form. When ground, they start to lose some of the brightness and unique flavors quickly. Much better than what you will find on your grocer's shelf and usually even in your local coffee shop that keeps a stocked shelf supply.

As much as some of us like to geek out over that information, many people start to glaze over when we excitedly tell them a bean was " grown at 2000 masl, in volcanic soil, anaerobically processed, washed, and then dried on raised beds."  We offer our cupping notes and opinions, but it really comes down to what you like in your cup. Don't worry, we can provide you with all of that information, just send a request for more information and which bean you would like to get to know better.