How to Make a Better Tasting Cup of Vermont Coffee

Today is the day that Brown and Jenkins' master roaster Glenn is creating a batch of Celebes Kalossi coffee. This means that the roastery is filled with the fragrance of fresh beans and the sound of the roasting machine. He is roasting to fill orders from our Coffee Break Club and will ship them immediately so that those folks have their beans within a day or two of being roasted. Here are some tips to help you make the best tasting cup of coffee possible in your own kitchen.

Start fresh!

Even though we ship our gourmet coffee beans all over the country and the world, it's imperative that they are delivered as soon as possible to maintain freshness. Nothing can ruin the positive characteristics of a great coffee bean like sitting on a shelf or in a cupboard for too long.

Use Whole Beans


Even if you can't afford a pricey burr grinder, making a $20 investment for a blade grinder, rather than buying pre-ground coffee beans, will make a dramatic improvement in the taste of your coffee.


Grind per use

Only grind as much coffee as you are going to use immediately. Exposure to air, light and humidity lessens the taste and aroma of coffee by depleting the beans of its oils.


Airtight storage

Store your gourmet coffee beans in an airtight container like a vacuum sealed bag. Most fold over coffee bean bags are appropriate as long as you keep it in a cool and dry place. I don't recommend storing your beans in the fridge or the freezer. Instead, plan on using them within a one to two week window and replacing them with fresh ones as needed.


Of course, you need to do what actually works best for you! These are just my recommendations based on coffee characteristics. The most important thing is that you enjoy your cup of coffee.

Local Event Alert

Hey local residents- don't forget about the amazing Pie for Breakfast and Annual Spring Boat and Bike Swap next weekend. The Swap will take place at Cambridge Elementary School on Saturday, May 1st starting at 9AM. Pie for Breakfast is here at Brown and Jenkins and the $5 donation goes to benefit the Cambridge Rotary . (Drop offs for the swap occur Friday night at the school from 6-8.) Go to the Cambridge Crossroads Calendar for more information.

Until our next cup,
Sandy Riggen