Had anyone bought coffee here? I understand they roast their beans locally, and you can get really fresh product. I'm keen to try some
Yes, I've tried his beans. They are freshly roasted, but like so many roasters these days, they over-roast. If you like the flavor of burned beans, they're your source. So why do roasters over-roast? Two main reasons: First, they can use cheaper, lower quality beans resulting in more profit. Second, they are following the lead of Peet's and Starbucks who started the trend. Dark roasting is not about better coffee. It's about more profit. They've done a terrific job of convincing many coffee drinkers that if Starbucks serves it, it must be good. Unfortunately, their motivation has nothing to do with serving a superior product. I've roasted coffee as a hobby for many years and many people tell me it's the best coffee they've ever had. I don't over-roast. Imagine that. If you'd like some outstanding roasted coffee, consider ordering from Stumptown or Intelligentsia. Anderson's doesn't come anywhere close to either one of them. Or, go to Sweet Maria's for some of the world's finest green coffee and roast your own. It's not nearly as difficult as you might think.
BTW, having good beans is only one part of making outstanding coffee. The entire process has to be right--good water, freshly roasted, freshly ground, properly ground, correct water temperature, correct steeping time, clean pot, etc. I think Stumptown has a pretty good tutorial if I recall. There are also earlier threads on this site that provide more information.
