Frequently Asked Questions
about ORDERS...
We roast to order every Monday & Tuesday. Your order will ship as promptly as possible with the shipping speed/service you choose. (If you order in the last half of the week, we'll ship fresh beans from the following Monday/Tuesdays' roasts, unless we have enough from the current week's batches). You will receive email notification when your order is heading out the door. (Be sure to allow for some time for tracking info to update on the carrier website.) If you have specific shipping questions, give us a shout orders@crcrcoffee.com or 503.325.2755.
We ship via USPS and UPS Ground (estimated 1-6 business days in transit based on how far from Oregon you are). Give us a call with questions! orders@crcrcoffee.com or 503.325.2755.
We can ship to all 50 US states, as well as to military APO addresses via USPS. We can ship internationally but it gets REALLY expensive. Give us a shout if you'd like to see how expensive: orders@crcrcoffee.com or 503.325.2755.
Yes! During checkout, use the coupon code PICK UP, and we'll send you an email as to when your order will be ready to pick up during our retail shop's open hours.
We really want you to be happy with your purchase. If you have any bizarre issues with your coffee, or if there are errors in your order, please contact us at orders@crcrcoffee.com or 503.325.2755 immediately after receiving your order and we'll help get things sorted out. (Take pictures to help us know what went wrong!) Barring that, coffee is perishable and we roast to order, so we're not able to take coffee back or make exchanges.
YES! If you want us to, we will grind your coffee. For the most awesome cup of coffee we suggest keeping your coffee within a few weeks of its roast date, ordering whole bean, and grinding your coffee with a burr grinder right before you brew (those little blade mill chopper/grinders don't leave you with consistent sized coffee particles so we don't suggest them). For more info on how to get the most awesome coffee at home, check out the Coffee Guides page.
...COFFEE SOURCING & ROASTING...
Is your coffee organic or fair trade?
We are an Organic Certified roaster, certified by the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and we have a good variety of certified organic coffees. We also occasionally have coffees that are grown using organic growing methods, however they aren't certified organic so they remain unlabeled as such. We also sometimes have 'fair trade' certified coffee but prefer the 'direct trade' model of sourcing. The 'fair trade' certification is well-intentioned and seeks greater equity in international commodity trade. However, it doesn't guarantee sustainability on the farms or quality coffee, nor does it mean those not certified aren't sustainable and high quality. There are many industries within the coffee industry.... Look for the stories, that will help. If the growers are known, that's relationship coffee and a good way to do business on the planet.
Where do you source your coffee?
We strive to source our coffee as direct as possible. We want to know where the coffee we roast comes from! Direct trade relationships (where we buy directly from the farm owners), direct source/origin importers (that work with smaller individual farms and help connect roasters to growers with exceptional micro lots of coffee in a transparent, direct process that is outside of the commodity-traded coffee market), and importers with whom we have long-standing relationships and history. We are intentionally pursuing more and more relationship-based, direct trade sources to ensure fair prices along the whole chain of supply, sustainable growing practices, better quality of life for the farmers and better quality of coffee in your cup.
How does decaf coffee become decaf?
Our decaf is decaffeinated using the 'Swiss Water Process,' in Vancouver B.C. Canada. The Swiss Water® Process uses the elements of water, temperature and time to create some of the most intriguing decaf coffees. First, they start with small batches of amazing coffee and green coffee extract. They then add local water and a dash of loving attention by monitoring time and temperature until the coffee is 99.9% caffeine free. You can see how it all happens in four sort-of-simple steps, and learn more at their website: swisswater.com.
Where do you roast? Might I watch?
We have everything under one roof (roasting, packing, offices, etc) in our location at 279 W. Marine Drive in Astoria, Oregon, right under the big Astoria-Megler Bridge that crosses the Columbia River to Washington. Our roasting equipment is in view from within our retail shop, which we're redesigning to hold a coffee lab/training space and coffee house! We roast primarily after hours at the moment, because the roasters are quite loud and it does a good job killing the comfy coffee shop vibe. Once we have it soundproofed, YES, you might watch!
What's a 'single origin' coffee?
Our 'single origin' coffees come from a single farm, from a single producer. We include farm/estate names and as much info on the coffee and its growers as possible. 'Blends' are a mixture of beans from multiple places, multiple countries. When we create a coffee blend, our goal is to pull unique aspects of one coffee origin and combine them with another to create a coffee that is unique on it's own and that has a consistent flavor profile year round.
Do you have any of that 'Cat' coffee? (Or was it a bird? a monkey?)
NO! NEVER! GROSS!!! "Kopi Luwak" coffee is processed through the digestive track of the civet cat in Indonesia and it is crazy expensive for legit wild, scavenged coffee. It's frequently fake and most often produced on farms with caged civets force-fed coffee cherries.... We want NO part of that.
...COFFEE STORAGE & BREWING...
How should I store my coffee?
For the most awesome coffee experience, we recommend you keep your coffee supply small enough that you use it within a month or less. FRESH COFFEE TASTES BETTER! Sorry for yelling, we just really believe freshness is a huge part of an awesome cup of coffee. Yours will arrive in a sealed bag with a one-way valve, allowing the freshly-roasted coffee's natural off-gassing to force oxygen out and allow none back in. Once the bag's seal is broken, the coffee begins to lose its awesomeness more quickly. Keep your coffee in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. It stores best whole bean and we suggest you avoid storing coffee in a fridge or freezer (taking coffee in and out of the fridge or freezer every time you brew a cup will increase possibilities for added moisture and flavor funkiness.) The only exception to the freezer rule would be if you're trying to preserve a sealed bag of coffee you plan on using several months down the road. It still won't be as tasty when it was fresh, but more so than if it was in the back of the pantry next to the potatoes you forgot about. So when you can, keep it simple and just drink fresh, tasty, coffee. You deserve it :)
Do you have flavored coffees?
Only one! Frodo's Cup is our seasonal holiday coffee that uses freshly ground chocolate, spices and raw sugar to create a lovely, wintery cup of coffee. Otherwise, no: we add nothing to our coffees but the craft of the roasting. The cupping notes on our coffee descriptions are the natural flavors inherent in quality coffees, that show themselves when the beans are roasted with care.
How should I grind for my particular brew method?
Check out the Coffee Guides page for more info (COMING SOON).
We coffee nerds use the term 'extraction' to describe the process of dissolving soluble particles from ground coffee in water. The fineness of your grind is extremely important in how your coffee extracts: If you extract too much from the coffee (ie the grind is too fine for your brewing method, or the brew time is too long) your coffee may taste bitter and chalky. On the flip side, if you don't extract enough (your grind is too coarse for your brewing method, or the brew time too short) your coffee can have flavors that are weak, sour, and lacking depth.
Different levels of roast (ie light, medium, dark) will also require slightly different grinds and water temps. Darker will require a little coarser, and lowerwater temps, for the best flavors.
Use a burr grinder and (next level) a scale to weigh the grounds, making small adjustments to find the settings that work best for your unique preferences.
Since we're talking about grinders, we also recommend grinding your coffee right before you brew it, in a quality burr grinder (we love this one). Cheaper blade grinders haphazardly chop your coffee into inconsistently sized particles which will react inconsistently in your brewing method. Burr grinders are able to give much more uniform, consistently-sized coffee bits, which lead to smoother, more tasty coffee.
Any recommendations on how to best brew for my particular brewing method?
Glad you asked... Head to the Coffee Guides page for details on a few of our favorite brewing methods. COMING SOON! Sorry to be such a tease ;)
Do I really need to grind my coffee right before I brew it?
We're not going to tell you that you HAVE to.... You do what you want! We want you to be happy with your coffee experience, and if that involves using pre-ground coffee that's lovely. However, we think you deserve the most awesomely tasty cup of coffee. And grinding right before you brew (ideally with a burr grinder) is a part of the recipe for the most awesome coffee possible.
How long will the coffee I ordered stay tasty?
Your coffee will stay good and tasty for about a month or so. Coffee that is pre-ground or stored in less than ideal conditions will stale and degrade more quickly. Ideal conditions are in airtight container, in a cool, dark place. We firmly believe fresh coffee tastes better! It's the reason we roast to order.
How can I make my coffee the most awesome thing ever?
Check out the Coffee Guides page for more specific info, but short answer: Fresh coffee, proper grind, appropriate dose (a scale is super helpful), clean equipment, tasty filtered water at the right temperature, adequate brewing grind and time for the method.
...AVAILABILITY....
Where can I find your coffee?
In your coffee cup if you order online =] and locally on the Oregon Coast (Astoria to Yachats), the SW Washington coast, and a couple places in the Portland/Salem area. Call us to find the closest to you!
I know this coffee shop that should use your coffee.... What should I do?
Tell them how awesome we are, and that they should look us up! We will gladly send samples to coffee shops, restaurants, drive thrus, grocery stores. Check out our WHOLESALE page for more info on working with us.