as coffee as portland can be

Every Tuesday I wait. I patiently anticipate. I'm not still. There's no such thing front of house in a popular neighborhood eatery, and my supplier and I don't set exact times or routines. I just know that at some point, a bike will pull up, and an airtight jar and two hand labeled brown paper bags will be delivered. It's always a surprise, we started with Cerrado de Minas from Brazil, then Costa Rica, Sumatra, and are currently receiving product from Guatamala. My customers rave about the layers of flavor and smoothness, my own QA testing only confirms. Courier roasts some damn fine coffee beans.

So I've been watching a little too much "Weeds." Seriously though, I love the smell of napalm coffee in the morning, especially fresh roasted beans (usually we wait a couple of days before using them, so all I really can do is smell them when they're first delivered). I wish our coffee needs were larger, we could even get coffee delivered twice a week.

Joel and his crew of mad coffee science bicyclists are, too me, the quintessential Portland coffee operation (more Stumptown than Stumptown, wow I said it):
-Small, never over or under done, batches.
-Variety of fairly traded beans form across the globe.
-Hand written brown paper bags detailing origins and roasting time (down to the minute).
-Secret coffee lab for hosting cuppings, restoring legacy gear, and geeking out with vacuum pots.
-Semi-hidden, pillow in the window, denoted coffee bar, where you belly up instead of standing in line.
-Year round, weather independent, bike delivery.
-Homemade baked goods.
-Served regularly once upon  a time at the now legendary LRBC (RIP 2010)
-Served currently at Produce Row, Jade Teahouse, Toast, Hash, Dove Vivi, Navarre, and Two Tarts
-A turntable.

-Knowledgeable, adept, p-town chill, coffee passionate, baristas

There's really so many great choices in Portland when it comes to coffee, I'll avoid the silly "this is the best" sort of claims, but will say it's one of MY favorites (along with Spella). This is a great place to sip a cappuccino or pick up beans (and for those of you who own restaurants maybe even setup an account, you'll thank me later).

Courier Coffee Roasters
923 SW Oak
Portland, OR
M-F 7-5
http://www.couriercoffeeroasters.com/
Courier Coffee Blog
Portland Monthly writeup