Ask Phil: Artisanal Coffees

Thanks for your note of appreciation. We really try to bring you more than the basics about coffee, and artisanal coffees is a positive trend in the elevation of flavor and enjoyment in coffee brewing. Like many foods and beverages (cheese, beer, wine, bread, in particular), artisanal coffee has appealed to those aficionados who appreciate foods and beverages made the old fashioned way---by hand. Artisans pay particular attention to how the food sources are grown, especially without pesticides and weedices; and how it is processed, and prepared for consumption without any additives. Sometimes it's hard to remember, but the widespread use of pesticides is a fairly new phenomenon in American agriculture and began during and shortly after WWII. We are just now recognizing some of the dangers this has caused to our health. The food artisans are not just interested in the health angle, they want foods that taste great, that re-introduce the purest pleasures of herbs, cheeses, beers and wines, teas and, most importantly to us, coffees that taste "the way they should taste".

Are they worth the extra pennies? Only your palate can answer that question, so to make it clear, taste a cup made from freshly-roasted organic coffee next to a cup of store-bought canned ground coffee or freshly ground regular beans. Let us know your answer!

Here’s to a great cup of coffee!

Phil