Whenever I've brought up the subject of small-batch American roasters with hard-core coffee lovers, three or four names usually come up: Intelligentsia from Chicago, North Carolina's Counter Culture, Blue Bottle Coffee from the Bay Area, and Stumptown from Portland (now with locations in NYC, too).
Owner Duane Sorenson started Stumptown in 1999 with a small café on Division Street in Southeast Portland. He focused on buying beans directly from farmers, roasting them to perfection, and making drinks by hand to order.
His coffee caught on, and every two years he opened another location: in the Belmont area (2001), Downtown (2003), an annex to the Belmont shop (2005), at the Portland Ace Hotel (2007) and in Seattle (2007).
In 2008, Duane moved to Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, and the next year, Stumptown had shops at the Ace Hotel and, later, a Brew Bar in Red Hook, where you can learn how to brew the ideal cup of coffee. (Stumptown recommends grinding the beans just before brewing and using a French press with filtered water.)
If you don't live in Portland, Seattle, or New York, you can still buy Stumptown beans online. They have a catalog of coffees from around the world, including Direct Trade and Organic blends.
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Comments (11)
One of the best hostess gifts I ever received was a bag of their house blend. It sells for around $12, and even with shipping it's still equitable to a bottle of wine, but imo it was much more memorable. I stuck the bag in the freezer (not ideal, I know) and was pretty miserly with it, giving my husband drip coffee while I made the Stumptown in the French press (he's not the coffee snob I am, and besides, as far as I remember our vows said nothing about coffee). It was amazing.
I live in PDX and I basically think Stumptown is overrated. There are some amazing local roasters here - my favorite is St. Johns Coffee Roasters - if you're local, try their St. Johns Blend - its is utterly fantastic. Portland Roasting Co. is very good as well.
I'm a biiiiiig fan of Bald Guy Brew in Boone, NC. You have to check it out -- best coffee i have EVER had. http://www.baldguybrew.com
former resident of PDX and big, big fan of Stumptown coffee. i was *this close* to getting it ordered in bulk for my office but, alas, they don't take AmEx so we couldn't set up the corporate card payments.
i'm not really in to Blue Bottle, so here in SF i make do with Phillz and Sight Glass, which are both quite good.
Another Stumptown devotee! Any care package I send to loved ones outside the Portland area includes a pound of Stumptown. It's ah-mazing.
I have to add that, around here, Nossa Familia Coffee is giving Stumptown a run-for-their-money at restaurants all around town these days.
www.familyroast.com
As a PDX resident, I like Stumptown from one of their stores brewed and poured by dirty-haired skinny jean clad baristas. But the beans of theirs I've bought from the local grocery wasn't so great. I think it's all about the freshness and how recently it has been roasted. I've been quite happy with Portland Roasting and Seattle's Best Henry's Blend for my basic coffee needs at home.
Ahhhh.....living in the midwest after growing up in Seattle, I can't tell you how wonderful it is to read about really. good. coffee. Please keep commenting so I can enjoy. Everyone in my office drinks Folgers.
Intelligentsia is my favorite, but I'm also a big fan of Sightglass out of SF.
@sleeping spot, not sure where you are in the Midwest, but you can often get Intelligentsia outside of Chicago (when we lived in Minneapolis, we bought their beans from a local coffee shop that used them).
When in Portland last year, one of our destinations was this delicious coffee shop. I took a picture of my latte that looks just like the one posted here!
I totally agree that Stumptown marks one of the "big four" beans in the nation. I've tried Intelligentsia in Chicago as well... both have a cult like following that is well deserved! Thanks for the read, I referenced your post in my Stumptown Review :)