Decaf coffee isn’t the most exciting thing to drink. But when I tasted Blue Bean’s Honduran Decaf, I became an immediate fan. It’s way better than a lot of regular coffee I’ve had.
Kelly Ziebarth, who together with her family owns and runs Blue Bean Coffee Roasters in Livingston, explained why.
“We roast on demand. Everything is replaced at the grocery store every week. So everything that we sell is extremely fresh. Some of our beans will actually get better as they age, so you’ll notice as you go through a bag of coffee, if you have a really good palate, the taste will change. You really don’t have to worry about freshness with us.”
I’ve found the exquisite Honduran Decaf is sometimes missing at Town & Country. Kelly tries to stock enough, but “the decaf is a tough one. You decaf drinkers, I can’t quite figure out your patterns. Sometimes it’s full-on decaf and I’m like, what’s going on here? Like in the spring, the decaf seems to really hit an uptick. I don’t know what that is. It’s a balance every week.”
When I asked her what she does with the old coffee she takes off store shelves, she said, “Oh, well, we sell out. It’s gone.”
Of course.
For a reliable supply of your favorite coffee, you can subscribe. There are several options, but you can make an arrangement that works for you. Free delivery in Livingston means you’ll get the freshest coffee any roaster can offer – right at your door.
Ground beans are available, but for the freshest cup of coffee, Kelly suggests you buy whole beans and grind just enough for the day.
The best way to store your Blue Bean coffee is in the bag you buy it in. Kelly said she spent two years searching for the ideal bag “that’s protecting the coffee as well as protecting the planet. Our bags are made from plants. You do have to remove the zipper seal, which is important for keeping the coffee fresh. That is not compostable. And of course the valve is not compostable, but the rest is.”
“The CO2 valve on the back of the packaging allows the air to be released so the beans are not exposed to it to make the coffee go bad,” Kelly said. For ultimate freshness, “you just need to keep the beans away from air and light.”
“Blue Bean” in the company name spotlights the high quality of all the beans they sell. “The Jamaican Blue bean is one of the best coffees in the world.”
Because Kelly and her husband, Bryan Smith, were born and raised in Livingston, the company is dedicated to helping local businesses. For example, wholesale buyers, such as Faye’s Cafe, can request a unique blend. And any organization can get its logo stamped on bags to sell at a fundraiser.
Supporting community partners includes the farmers who grow the beans.
“We offer Fair Trade organic coffee,” Kelly said. “Fair Trade is really important to make sure our farmers are being compensated for fair work. We also have some beans that we direct trade, which means we actually get to meet the farmer and get the beans. We make sure they’re using practices that we agree with, as far as treating their employees well, using sustainable farming methods, making sure they’re not putting chemicals in our beans, and things like that.”
Search for bluebeancoffeeroasters on Instagram and Facebook to see fun photos by happy customers displaying their love of Blue Bean coffee around the world.
To enjoy a refreshing, icy cup of coffee this summer, look for the Cold Brew Blend on the “Buy Coffee” page of the website, where you’ll find the complete recipe. Here’s the short version.
Blue Bean Cold Brew Coffee
Use 1 oz. coarse ground coffee per 1 cup of water.
Soak for 12-24 hours.
Strain, chill, and enjoy.
This is a concentrate, so dilute with milk or water.
To find a location in town where you can buy a cup of coffee or a whole bag of beans, check bluebeancoffeeroasters.com.
