Backcountry Coffee Roasters

2011-12-24T12:49:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to all our supporters, friends and family! We wish you a Merry Christmas filled with laughter and joy shared with your family and friends!

Cheers,

Bob & Lori

"Winter Festival Blend"...is now available!

2011-11-19T12:37:00.000-08:00

This coffee is amazing! It is rich, medium bodied magical blend that pairs well with all the hearty foods of the winter season, especially desserts. It is delicious served as a drip coffee and literally oozes with crema when pulled as an espresso shot.

The festive gold bag depicts its bold, rich and satisfying character and it makes gift giving easy because it comes pre-wrapped. But don't be fooled into thinking this is just another holiday classic. We roast and offer this coffee throughout the winter season long after the festivities of the holidays have passed. It will become your go to blend clear through February.

Take a pound to that office party or holiday dinner, give a few pounds away as gifts for those on your list that "have everything they need." But most of all join us and enjoy your winter season by making this your "new favorite coffee" all winter long.
Cheers!

Papua New Guinea...new crop has arrived!

2011-10-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

Our favorite single-origin coffee is Papua New Guinea and our new crop has arrived! This amazing island coffee is as complex as the native people who grow it. This year's crop is delicious with a dark chocolate aroma, great body and hints of cherry on the finish...your sure to enjoy!

With amazing crema it pulls a great shot but this coffee shines as a drip. We prefer to use our Chemex or Aero Press but no matter how you brew it you will enjoy it.

New Partnership & new coffee in Winthrop, WA.

2011-04-17T12:54:00.000-07:00

Backcountry Coffee Roasters is pleased to announce that the Rocking Horse Bakery in downtown Winthrop is now exclusively serving our new espresso blend "Outlaw Espresso" as well as our Cowboy Mud "French Roast", Cougar "House Blend", No Trace Decaf and our delicious single-origin Papua New Guinea.

Stop by on your next trip through Winthrop and treat yourself to one their delectable pastries and our "Sweet, rich and creamy Outlaw Espresso"...sure to bring new meaning to the phrase

"double-shot".

We are excited to partner with Rocking Horse Bakery. We both have a community-minded approach to business as well as many other things in common...one of which is our logo designer. Local artist, Mary Sharman, designed both of our logos which we are both proud to display side by side. For more delicious information visit us both on facebook!!

Thinking about Spring!

2011-01-27T14:44:00.000-08:00

Owning a scooter makes the thought of Spring all
the more fun!!

NEW LOGO APPAREL

2011-01-24T17:28:00.000-08:00

Organic cotton t-shirts in awesome colors come in short-sleeve for men and long-sleeve for women. This is the best quality cotton you will find...thick & soft in great colors printed right here in the Methow Valley by Mary Sharman the graphic artist who also designed our logo.

Also, pullover hooded sweatshirts in Texas Orange and Dark Granite. Printed on both sides with our logo on the front and "Life is an adventure...drink it up!" on the back. The colors are awesome and they are so comfortable you will want to buy both colors. Stop by our roasting/retail shop in Winthrop and see all the cool new stuff we have.

Hand Burr Grinders!!

2011-01-19T21:16:00.000-08:00

A new shipment of hand coffee mills are on their way and should arrive any day now. We looked for a long time to find the perfect hand burr grinder and were pleased to find the best ones on the market are not only hand-crafted in the USA, but are made by former Methow Valley residents, Justin & Britta Burrus.

From espresso grind to french press, the fully adjustable conical burrs will you give a perfect even grind time and again. We appreciate all the little details that make this grinder so special and we know you will too.

Simple, elegant, delicious!!

2011-01-17T14:31:00.000-08:00

We believe making great tasting coffee should be simple and easy; and our new favorite way to brew coffee is using a Chemex.

Developed in 1941, the time tested design of the Chemex is both state of the art and fun to use, allowing you to perfectly extract all the full, rich flavor from your coffee while leaving the bitterness behind.

The Handblown version is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (NY) and other fine museums and will make a beautiful and functional addition to your home. The simple glass design of the Chemex is also inexpensive.

NEW ARRIVALS!

2011-01-16T18:13:00.000-08:00

We have a new shipment of men's and women's t-shirts on their way. They are a high quality organic/fair trade cotton and come in assorted colors with our amazing logo on them. We also have hooded sweatshirts coming as well.

They are printed right here in the Methow Valley by our logo artist...Mary Sharman!

Stay tuned for availability!

New Winthrop Location

2010-10-27T18:23:00.001-07:00

It's been 5 months since we expanded and moved to our new larger roasting facility in Winthrop; and we are still amazed at how we were able to function in our previous location. We now have two roasters, more green coffee, plenty of parking space and a view of the mountains out every window.

Life in the Methow is amazing and we feel fortunate to be here, building a business and creating a product that we can be proud of in a community full of wonder people. Life doesn't get a whole lot better and as we look forward there are many wonderful moments to come...the first snow, the holidays, winter activities...Life is an adventure and we are drinking it up!

Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to all who have made this journey possible by purchasing our coffee and supporting our efforts one pound at a time.

Lori & Bob

WE HAVE MOVED!...to Winthrop, Washington

2010-05-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

Backcountry Coffee Roasters has expanded and moved to a larger roasting facility just 9 miles away in Winthrop, Washington. Follow Hwy 20 to White Ave/Twin Lakes Rd go past Chewuch Inn to Horizon Flat Rd, turn left follow to gray building just past North Valley Lumber on the right-hand side of the road. We are unit #4.

We have the same great coffee, mugs, cups and t-shirts, we are just a bit bigger with a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains.

Pictures are coming!!!

Life's an Adventure....
Drink it up!!

New seasonal blend & coffee cups now available

2009-11-21T13:50:00.000-08:00

Our new ceramic coffee cups have arrived just in time for the holiday season. If you're looking for a great gift for that special person that won't break the bank account we suggest giving them one of our new ceramic cups with our awesome logo; another great addition to our "Deer gear" line up of t-shirts and travel mugs. Pair that ceramic cup with a pound of our delicious coffee and you have a gift every coffee lover will appreciate and enjoy over and over again.

Also, after numerous requests for a holiday blend we decided to create something a little better...a Winter Festival Blend! **Available as a limited release throughout the winter season (not just the holidays) the Winter Festival blend is a "rich, magical" blend of coffees created to compliment all the savory foods as well as festive activities of the winter season. This coffee is so unique and delicious we thought it deserved a different look, a bright new package, something you don't have to wrap...the gift that keeps on giving sip after sip or pot after pot...so be on the lookout for the bright gold one pound package of Winter Festival coffee on the local grocery shelves. We guarantee it will be a great addition to your gift list, your party list, your dinner list or your "treat yourself list" and true to our committment to our consumers and our environment...this coffee like all our others is both 100% Organic and Fair Trade certified. During the hustle and bustle of this holiday season we wish you a season full of great tasting coffe and lots of Joy, Peace and Love...

Life is an adventure and like our delicious coffee, should be savored...."Drink it up".

3rd Qtr Photo Contest Winners on..."Coffee Rock"

2009-10-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

Congratulations!

Peter & Therese Ohlson are the winners of the 3rd Qtr Backcountry Coffee Roasters photo contest. Peter & Therese submitted several great photos and it was difficult to decide which one we liked the most but we kept coming back to this one over and over. A free pound of coffee is their reward for taking such an awesome photo and even though much of the clarity is lost on this blog you can definitely tell it was taken in the backcountry near the Methow Valley.

We thank them for entering our contest and being such wonderful customers; and we understand why they looked forward to getting out of their sleeping bags and climbing up on "Coffee Rock" to enjoy their morning brew...this is a fine example of why we chose the tagline..."Inspired by Nature"...and why we are committed to roasting only 100% certified organic coffee.

Life is good and the Ethiopia "Sidamo" is even better at Backcountry Coffee Roasters

2009-08-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

Great coffee is what we strive to produce at Backcountry Coffee Roasters and all the daily work that is involved in sourcing, roasting, cupping and ultimately packaging great coffee is truly a labor of love. And often we team up with Mother Nature to produce an exceptional coffee that you just have to taste to believe and today that coffee is our Ethiopia "Sidamo"!!

It is a bold, African coffee that shines with flavor. It is thick and rich on your palate, has a wonderful mixed berry aroma and an amazing sweet aftertaste...simply delicious. The only thing I can think of that would make it more decadent would be to make a Cuban Espresso with it and add a dollop of whip cream...Mmm.

Available at our roasting shop, through our online store and at the Red Apple Market in Winthrop.

Life is a sweet adventure...drink it up!!

Winthrop, Twisp, Methow Valley Coffee Roaster

2009-07-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

Methow Valley Visitors!!

If you have recently visited the wonderful Methow Valley

and found yourself craving more of the delicious

Backcountry Coffee Roasters fresh coffee this blog post is

for you.

There are a lot of great things here in Winthrop & Twisp

and it is difficult to remember all the names, places and treasures you discovered while you were here. So we want

to make it easy to find more of our delicious coffee.

You can visit our website and purchase directly from us or you can take a look at the links supported on our blog and find a location close to home. When you do make a return

trip to the Methow Valley you can purchase our coffee at the Red Apple Market in Winthrop or at Hanks in Twisp or just stop by and visit us at our Retail/Roasting shop on Twisp River Rd. Our doors are always open and delicious fresh coffee is always being roasted. See you soon!

Photo contest winner!!

2009-07-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

"World's best coffee in our favorite cup! Moab, UT~ Spring 2009"
Anita & Shane Myers

Here is the direct quote and winning photo submitted by Winthrop residents Anita & Shane Myers that was taken on their spring trip to Moab, Utah.

Delicious coffee being enjoyed in the great outdoors...one of life's wonderful pleasures that everyone should experience on regular basis.

LIfe's an adventure...drink it up!

Shane and Anita did!

New T-shirts in stock

2009-07-09T19:00:00.001-07:00

We just received a new batch of freshly printed t-shirts. These shirts are awesome and they will go fast. They were printed locally in the Methow Valley by the artist who created our logo (Mary Sharman). We have several colors in stock in both a men's style and women's style. The women's shirts come in a long sleeve, short sleeve and sleeveless cut and they are very flattering. The men's style are made with Organic/Fair Trade cotton that is made with a thick, soft cotton similar to the quality of the t-shirts Patagonia sells. We even found the supplier through a Patagonia link.

We have brown, orange, green, white, maroon and navy blue. They are available at our retail/roasting shop in Twisp (across from NCNB Bank) and at the Sunday Artisan Market in Winthrop in the park by the barn.

Don't wait too long because these will fly off the shelf.

Photo contest by Backcountry Coffee Roasters

2009-06-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

Backcountry Coffee Roasters’ is sponsoring a photo contest. Enter the contest by submitting a photo of Backcountry Coffee Roasters’ coffee being consumed somewhere in nature. It could be a coffee photo from a trip deep in the backcountry, on the saddle of a horse or bike or a simply a self portrait from a morning coffee break on your back porch. Nature has always been our inspiration and we want to share that inspiration with others. Let our coffee inspire you to be creative, enjoy nature, have fun and possibly win a pound of delicious fair trade/organic Backcountry Coffee Roasters' coffee.

The rules are simple: send in a picture of our coffee being consumed in the beautiful surroundings of mother nature along with your name, phone number, when and where the photo was taken and you could win a free pound of coffee.

Once a quarter a new winner will be chosen and featured on our Blog. Photos can be printed and dropped off at the roasting shop or mailed to the address below or they can be emailed to Lori’s attention via the email address below. Any photo missing the quarterly deadline will be considered for the following quarter. We will not be able to return any photos that are submitted so don't send us your only copy. Life is an adventure....drink it up!!

Backcountry Coffee Roasters (photo contest)
PO Box 951
Twisp, WA 98856

info@backcountrycoffee.com

What is Fair Trade and why is it important?

2009-06-03T15:44:00.000-07:00

Ask anyone you know if they want to receive a fair living wage for the work they do and you will hear a resounding "yes". Yet most of us don't consider that concept "Fair Trade" we consider it something we are entitled to or something we deserve. We couldn't agree with you more but we also think everyone should get paid a fair living wage for the work they do. One of the most common questions we get asked about the labels on our coffee is... "What does Fair Trade mean?"

The Fair Trade Certified label on our coffee guarantees that the farmers & workers who grew & processed it received a fair price for it, which in turn means those farmers can then feed their families and send their children to school instead of sending them to work in the coffee fields.

By receiving a fair price, Fair Trade coffee producers can avoid cost-cutting practices that sacrifice quality and their traditional artesanal farming methods that result in exceptional coffee. Most Fair Trade certified coffee, tea & chocolate in the US is certified organic & shade grown. This means that the fair trade coffee and other products you buy maintain biodiversity, provide shelter for migratory birds and help reduce global warming.

From a global, social and environmental perspective buying and selling Fair Trade Certified coffee is something we feel is important to everyone. We should all be able to feed our families, send our kids to school and live on a healthy planet. The next time you buy a package of coffee reach for one with a Fair Trade Certified Label and feel good about your choice.

More Travel Mugs...new colors

2009-05-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

More mugs and new colors have arrived

at the roasting shop. We added two new colors

for a total of eight. You can now get them

in pink, brown, orange, black, red, blue,

white & green.

They are available at our roasting shop in Twisp,

Winthrop Red Apple and White Trail Produce

in Quincy.

Lemongrass; Wenatchee, WA

2009-05-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

Wenatchee coffee drinkers can now buy Backcountry Coffee Roasters delicious coffee in one pound bags at Lemongrass, a natural foods market on Springwater St. in Wenatchee.

You don't know what you're missing if you haven't stopped by Lemongrass for some of the items on your shopping list. This natural foods market has it all...beautiful bins of bulk foods, wine, beer, energy bars and now delicious, fresh roasted, local coffee from Backcountry Coffee Roasters.

From the moment you walk in the door and receive a cheerful greeting from Natalie or Julie you will know that you have stepped into a food market with high-quality products and services. The next time you are out and about stop by and say "hello" to Natalie and Julie and check out their fine selection of natural products.

Ken's Market - Queen Anne

2009-05-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

Backcountry Coffee is now available by the pound and by the cup at Ken's Market on Queen Anne hill in Seattle. Located at 2400 6th Ave West in Seattle, you will find this gem of a neighborhood market. With a great selection of grocery items and a very helpful, friendly staff you will find several of our blends available by the FULL POUND and by the cup.

If you can't find what you need or you simply want to talk coffee with a great guy...ask for George...and tell him Backcountry Coffee Roasters sent you.

Inspired by Nature

2009-04-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away."

I feel fortunate to have recently stumbled upon this quote, stitched on a pillow, at the Retro Pony retail store in Winthrop, Washinton; and I thought it paired well with this stunning photo of my friend's horse (Maggie) and the Sawtooth Mountains behind her.

For now this quote seems to be etched in my mind as a reminder to pay closer attention to the beauty that surrounds us and the awesome displays of beauty that nature keeps dishing out. When choosing a tagline for our coffee roasting business we kept coming back to "Inspired by Nature".

We entertained many different ideas along the way; but deep in the heart of why we do what we do and how we do it ...our motivation is simple. Mother nature creates great green coffee and we want to honor her by roasting each and every batch to perfection. So the next time you sip a delicious cup of our coffee remember...we just finish what mother nature starts.

Life is an Adventure...drink it up!

Awesome Travel Mugs have arrived!!

2009-03-03T18:11:00.000-08:00

Bob and I have searched for a long time to find the perfect travel mug to sell to our customers. We were looking for a high-quality mug in which to showcase our beautiful logo and fill with our delicious coffee and we finally have them.

They are stainless steel inside, light-weight and stainless steel/acrylic on the outside. We have several beautiful colors and the ink used for our lettering and logo is made from a soy-based material which is environmentally friendly and durable. One cautionary note!!! The manufacturer recommends that they be hand-washed and not placed in the dishwasher due to prolonged high heating.

The mugs can be purchased at our Roasting/retail facility in Twisp located on Twisp River Rd across from the NCNB Bank. You may not want to wait too long to pick your favorite because these mugs will not sit on the shelf very long.

"WAG MORE...bark less!"

2009-02-14T13:45:00.000-08:00

Every business longs for the perfect employee; the one with that dynamic, infectious, positive attitude that has a way of making work seem like play. The one who reminds everyone else that life is more about your attitude and less about what happens to you. The employee who comes in early and stays late without complaining and who never asks for a raise. The one who is happy just to get a quick snack now and then and who woofs down their lunch and is back on the run in seconds.

Bob and I are happy to say that we have found the perfect employee named "Zoe". She is easy to please, always happy, wears the same cute outfit every day. She never smells, has impeccable manners and is motivated by a simple pat on the head (and the occasional belly rub). She prefers to be paid with treats instead of money which has a positive impact on our bottom line and holiday and vacation time??? Well she thinks every day is the equivalent of a holiday or a vacation and doesn't understand the concept of saving it for a later date.

The best thing about Zoe is her ability to teach and or lead by example. She is the epitome of the bumper sticker that reads "Wag More...bark less". When you find yourself in need of a little mood booster we now have two things here at the Roasting Shop that may help you out; one is the continued production of our delicious, fresh roasted coffee and the other is Zoe dare we say one of the cutest employees in the valley.

"Coffee...the world in your cup"

2009-02-14T11:27:00.000-08:00

On February 7th, Bob and I packed up our brewing equipment and coffee and headed for the University of Washington to serve our coffee at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. We accepted an invitation to serve our coffee to Museum patrons and visitors during the "Coffee...the world in your cup" exhibit that is being presented at the Burke through June of this year.

We spent the day brewing lots of delicious coffee for the exhibit visitors and chatting about the environmental and social benefits of Organic/Fair Trade coffee. If you plan on visiting Seattle between now and June 09' we strongly suggest that you stop by the Burke Museum to view the exhibit. The have a couple of informative videos running that talk about the origin of coffee and the impact of organic and fair trade practices on the industry; as well as great displays of coffee trees, green coffee, burlap bags from around the world and northwest coffee roaster bags (including Backcountry Coffee Roasters).

Those of you in the Methow Valley who want to attend can stop by our roasting shop and pick up an informational card about the exhibit that includes a 2-for-1 coupon good through June 7, 2009 that will save you 50% on the cost of admission for two people.

We had a great time and appreciated the opportunity to be a partner with the Burke Museum on such a great informative event. We were told that we may receive an invitation to return later in the spring if they extend the exhibit beyond June and we will certainly entertain the idea. We love talking about Organic/Fair Trade coffee and we certainly enjoy serving our coffee to people who can't get enough of it. If you want more information about the Burke Museum and the coffee exhibit you can click on the following link. http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/coffee/

New "Papua New Guinea" coffee

2009-01-31T12:57:00.000-08:00

We are excited to introduce this new single origin coffee with it's wonderful taste and unique characteristics. Holding true to our committment this coffee is 100% Certified Organic/Certified Fair Trade. Here are some of the reasons we picked this coffee to share with our customers:

It is not as earthy as other Indonesian coffees but still has a bit of a wildnest due to the hand-processing performed in each small village. It is a little lighter bodied with the brightness of Central American coffees, mixed with a touch of African mild fruitiness...Mmm good.
PNG is one of the least explored places left on earth, with dense rainforests, rugged mountains and over 800 indigenous spoken languages. The area holds incredible biodiversity with 60% of its estimated 11,000 plant species being endemic and over half of its 762 bird species also being endemic.
Much of the coffee in PNG is grown organically, often at altitudes of over 5000 ft and about 70-85% of the coffee is produced by small holders of garden plots and about 40% of the population derives income from coffee farming. Coffee is the only cash crop for many of the small growers in PNG, so organic techniques and the concept of Fair Trade have been adopted to increase both revenue and sales resulting in better benefits and a brighter future for the co-operative farmers and their families.
Some of the coffee stock in PNG comes from varied origins such as Jamaica's Blue Mountain Region and the bourbon variety Arusha which gives PNG coffee its own unique character, which is different from that of the regions which surround it. PNG is the eastern half of the larger island of New Guinea (the size of California) located in the Pacific region just north of Australia.

If you like a bold coffee with outstanding taste we recommend you give our Papua New Guinea a try. Oh...and the rich heritage and biodiversity from which it was grown is simply the cream of this crop, punn intended:)

Powered by Oxygen & Caffeine

2008-06-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

Check out Backcountry Coffee's newest way to lessen their carbon footprint and still deliver delicious, 100% organic, 100% Fair Trade coffee to local businesses in the Methow Valley.

Taking the time to examine every aspect of our business practices on a day-to-day basis is the norm at Backcountry Coffee Roasters. From the daily roast to the daily delivery we strive to be the best we can be; that is why you will see Bob deliverying coffee using his bike and trailer as often as possible.

Bob would like to think the power lies solely in his legs but his wife believes the extra push comes from the delicious "Iced Mochas" he drinks that our cold-brewed using their "Basecamp Espresso". Either way..."it's all naturally good".

Wenatchee Coffee Tasting

2008-06-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

On Friday, June 13th from 10am - 1pm visit Wenatchee Natural Foods (located at 222 N. Wenatchee Ave) for a coffee tasting presented by Backcountry Coffee Roasters.

Stop by for a free taste of delicious, 100% Organic/100% Fair Trade drip coffee fresh roasted and brewed by Backcountry Coffee Roasters. This new addition to the shelves at Wenatchee Natural Foods is one you will not want to miss tasting and taking home.

Meet you there!

Great coffee in the backcountry!

2008-05-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

For those people looking for a fast, easy, environmentally-friendly way to brew great tasting coffee on their next outdoor adventure-look no further. Some time ago we discovered a great little tool called an AeroPress; it works much like a french press but is far less messy and creates the smoothest cup of coffee we have ever tasted. It retails for about $29 and weighs in at 10.6 ounces. All you need is hot water and ground coffee (espresso grind) to make a wonderful shot of espresso or a cup of coffee. The bonus is the easy clean-up; when you are all done you end up with a small compressed disc of grounds that looks like a hockey puck to dispose of or carry out with you and the tiny little paper filter (comes with 360 of them) can be rinsed and reused again, burned or discarded with the grounds. No one needs to sacrifice the great taste of coffee ever again with this little tool. Drink up!!

Why do we buy & sell 100% certified organic coffee?

2008-05-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

Some people may feel the benefits of buying and processing organic coffee are obvious but we feel it never hurts to review the subject from time to time. First of all, organic coffee tastes better than coffee grown and processed using harsh chemicals and toxic pesticides; because organically grown coffee uses techniques that are more conducive to the natural needs of the coffee plant thus they produce coffee beans that have a richer, smoother flavor. Now if better taste isn't enough motivation to buy organic coffee think about the following additional benefits:

buying organic coffee supports farmers who are committed to maintaining the long-term health of our environment as well as the health of their family farms and their communities and worldwide everyone wins from a healthier earth.

buying organic coffee helps perserve bodiversity creating healthier environments for all species of plants, birds and animals.

buying organic coffee reduces the need for mass produced, chemical ridden coffee that saturates the market with lower quality beans which in turn depresses prices and drives down the cost of all coffees making it difficult for farmers to make a good living from year to year.

For those who just want a better tasting cup of coffee or for those who want a healthier planet to live on or for those who want both...Buy Organic Coffee.