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  • Water is the Main Ingredient in a Good Cup of Coffee

    Most people who love their coffee go to great lengths to get exquisite beans, a capable burr grinder, and an expensive device for brewing.


    For some reason, however, they never seem to give the water a second thought. The truth is that water constitutes more than 98 percent of the final drink. Perhaps we ought to see it as the most crucial ingredient in a cup of coffee.


    I had been a coffee geek for years before I realized the importance of water. Once I finally understood the role of water in coffee extraction it changed my brewing for good


    Water chemistry can get pretty complicated, so this is my attempt to boil the most important aspects down to some actionable advice, so you can also brew better coffee at home.


    Water is more than H2O

    Water is water. It’s everywhere in our daily life, and we never give it a second thought. Sure, you can get some fancy mineral water in the supermarket, but that’s just marketing. Right? Well, it probably often is, but there’s also some truth to it. Water is a lot more than just H2O when you study it carefully. It usually contains minerals, salts, and some impurities.


    Depending on where you are in the world the water composition will be somewhat different. Rainwater percolates into the underground where it will go through layers of limestone and chalk. This process makes the water harder as it picks up minerals on the way.


    You probably never thought about it, but it’s not uncommon that a single liter of water contains enough minerals that it equates to the size of a headache pill.


    People who live in areas with much calcium in the water, however, already know this since they have to descale their electric kettle and bathroom tiles regularly.


    The science

    One of the things that has become apparent in the specialty coffee community in recent years is that water isn’t just an ingredient in coffee.


    The water – or rather the minerals in it – also acts as an extraction agent that pulls the delicious compounds from the coffee beans and into the cup.


    The British barista champion Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood and chemist Christopher Hendon did a research project a few years ago that shed some light on the process.


    It turns out that magnesium and calcium are the two most important minerals when it comes to coffee extraction. Especially, magnesium is vital if you want to be able to taste the fruity and lively flavors of light roasted coffees.


    It could be tempting to think that more minerals equate better coffee but that isn’t the case, argued Hendon and Colonna-Dashwood in their research paper. Instead, there is a sweet spot where minerals and a buffer are balanced to create the ideal water.


    When their book, ‘Water for Coffee,’ was published it made headlines within the specialty coffee community.


    However, beer brewers had been aware of the importance of water for centuries. In fact, that’s the reason why beers from London, Prague, and Brussels historically had their own style.


    Test your water

    So how do we boil all this science down to some actionable advice? Well, luckily you don’t have to study water chemistry to start making better coffee.


    One thing you can do today is to stop using hard water for brewing coffee if you live in an affected area. You should be able to obtain this information from your local water station easily. Otherwise, you can buy a cheap TDS pen online (I recommend the Xiaomi brand) and measure it yourself. Unfortunately, the majority of Americans have hard water in their taps.


    To find out if a certain water is right, you can check the label and see what the amount of total dissolved solids (TDS) is. If it’s between 50 and 150, the water will most likely be great.


    However, if the water has a TDS score from 0 to 20 – which is typically the case with reverse osmosis water – it will not be ideal for brewing. The flavor compounds of the beans need some minerals to adhere to in order to be extracted properly. The taste will be astringent and somehow artificial.


    Soft water is better.

    What if you have soft water in the area where you live? Then you’re one of the lucky ones.


    You can probably get away with using a filter pitcher such as Brita. If you can find specific cartridges that convert calcium to magnesium, you should go for that.


    It may sound like a lot of trouble to go through, but using the right kind of water makes a huge difference when brewing manually. If you’re still unsure whether it’s worth the effort, I’d encourage you to test it at home. Just brew a cup of coffee with tap water and bottled water and taste them next to each other. The difference should be obvious.


    If you already care about buying freshly roasted coffee and have the right equipment, this last step will take your cup from good to great.


    About the Author: Asser Christensen is a Danish journalist. These days he mostly writes about coffee. He is a certified Q Arabica Grader with the Coffee Quality Institute. His work has been published in a range of newspapers and magazines in his native country, Denmark, as well as internationally. You can follow his coffee journey at his personal blog: ‘The Coffee Chronicler.’ If you already care about buying freshly roasted coffee and have the right equipment, this last step will take your cup from good to great.

     





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    Water is the Main Ingredient in a Good Cup of Coffee

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  • Unpacking Coffee Features Paul Katzeff of Thanksgiving Coffee

    From the Roastery

    Unpacking Coffee is a celebration of coffee through episodes that focus on individual coffee roasters and their unique stories. The show’s hosts, Kandace and Ray, share a mutual love for all things coffee and created Unpacking Coffee to make the wide world of the specialty coffee industry more accessible.


    In their newest episode, Kandace and Ray unpack Thanksgiving Coffee to find out what it means to be Not Just A Cup, But A Just Cup. They chat with Paul Katzeff about his political activism, and how his background in social work shaped the company that Thanksgiving would become.


    Thanksgiving Coffee

    “I was the first social worker to become a coffee roaster,” Katzeff told K-Ray. “When you bring two ideas together for the first time — or two professions together for the first time — you’re going to get an explosion of new ideas.”

    This episode also features Roast Magazine‘s founder and publisher Connie Blumhardt, who provides some detail on everything that goes into the selection of Roaster of the Year.


    “I think the most interesting thing about Thanksgiving winning, to still be a contender ahead of the curve and really stretching the limits of what most roasters do, was really impressive to me that they still have this amazing culture that they’ve adhered to for 30 plus years.”

    So kick back with your favorite Just Cup, and enjoy this delightful episode all about Thanksgiving Coffee, made in some kind of Fort in Mendowhatnow California.



    059 Thanksgiving Coffee from Needmore Designs on Vimeo.


    Check out the Thanksgiving Coffee page, and the longer discussion with Paul Katzeff on the Unpacking Coffee website.




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    Unpacking Coffee Features Paul Katzeff of Thanksgiving Coffee

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  • Tanzania Coffee - Now Available for a Limited Time

    Tanzania Coffee - Now Available for a Limited Time

    Once a month, members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club have the opportunity to sample unique micro-lot coffees from around the world. Everything from our excellent Enjambre Cafetalero Mexico Coffee, to special micro-lots from farmers in Malawi, Sulawesi, and Honduras. Following the harvest cycle, Roastmaster’s Club Members have exclusive access to these one-of-a-kind coffees at their peak freshness, and now it’s your turn! We were so impressed by this beautiful Tanzanian peaberry coffee that we ordered a fresh lot, just for you, for a limited time. Don’t miss your chance to try a bag of this exquisite coffee from volcanic foothills, nestled at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.



    Towering at almost 20,000 feet above the African landscape, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest point on the African continent and the highest “freestanding” mountain on the planet. It is in this nutrient-rich volcanic soil, at the foothills of the monumental giant, that some of the best coffee in the world in grown.



    Tanzania is enormous, bordered by a few of our other coffee producing countries, like Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Just below the equator, Tanzania is in a prime location for growing coffee, but produces less than one percent of the world’s Arabica coffee supply. This year, the micro-lot that we received is excellent, and we think you’ll love it too.



    Coffee from Tanzania

    Unique and lively with hints of white grape.



    Tanzania is perfectly situated for growing exquisite coffee, yet it produces less than one percent of the world’s Arabica coffee supply. Still, this modest production plays an important role in the nation’s economy as its third largest agricultural export. This year, the micro-lot that we received is superb and we are so thankful to be able to share it with you.



    This Tanzania peaberry coffee is a premium blend from high grown estates in Southern and Northern Tanzania. The Southern Estates (lunji, Utengule, and Kanji Lanji) are located in Mbozi and Mbeya, in the southern highlands of Tanzania. The Northern Estates (Mondul, Burka, Ngila, and Lyamungu) are located in the Karatu District on the slopes of the Ngorongoro crater, surrounded by the Ngila Forest reserve, as well as on the southern foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro.



    tanzania coffee bean

    Altitude Grown: 1400-1800 meters
    Processing: Washed, Sun-dried
    Grower: Estates of N and S Tanzania
    Varietal: N & KP, Kent, Bourbon



    Order a bag of this limited edition coffee and taste the one-of-a-kind flavors imparted by Mount Kilimanjaro, while supporting hundreds of small family farms. Are you curious about what this month’s special Roastmaster’s Select coffee? Be the first to know by joining the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club today!



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    Tanzania Coffee - Now Available for a Limited Time

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  • Winesong 2018

    Winesong 2018

    Living in a small rural town means that we all have to work together to support our community resources. Fundraising events are seasonal cornerstones out here on the Mendocino Coast, and of all the events we participate in throughout the year Winesong is the most prestigious. Since 1985, Winesong has raised over $7.5 million for the Mendocino Coast Hospital Foundation and has contributed to our local health care services by funding everything from ultrasound machines, ambulances, and patient beds to uninsured cancer treatments. Every year it takes the whole town, and an army of volunteers, to put this event together and Thanksgiving Coffee is always there to lend a hand to serve everyone a delicious cup of coffee.





    And what a beautiful event to attend! Held every September at the Mendocino Botanical Gardens, guests are surrounded by dahlias in full bloom while they enjoy wineries, musicians, and food vendors from all over California, culminating in an exciting live auction at the end.



    We were happy to share our beautiful Congo medium roast with guests from near and far who appreciate a great cup of coffee while supporting health care services for our community.

    Not Just A Cup, But A Just Cup.

    Thanksgiving Coffee Company

    2017 Roaster of the Year




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    Winesong 2018

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  • National Dog Day with the Mendocino Coast Humane Society

    National Dog Day with the Mendocino Coast Humane Society

    We love dogs here at Thanksgiving Coffee, and we are happy to celebrate National Dog Day this Sunday, August 26. Brutus and Zoe are Thanksgiving’s reliable four legged co-workers, a joyful addition to the team, always ready for a head scratch or a treat. Sometimes the twins, Venture and Mariah, stop by for a visit. And who could forget how all our hearts melted when Palmer brought his new puppy, Mocha, in to say hello?



    We celebrate National Dog Day everyday, not just with our furry co-workers, but through our coffee. With your support, we raise money through for the local humane society with our Good Dog Blend Coffee, and we champion their wild cousins with a variety of Save the Wolves coffee roasts. Even the Art Explorers, a local non profit that helps adults with developmental challenges through art therapy, chose dogs as their main subject for 3 of their 20 unique coffee labels. Clearly, the love of dogs has a profound impact on our lives.





    Good Dog This year, we hope you will celebrate National Dog Day with a canine that you love, and maybe a cup of coffee. Pick up a package of Good Dog Blend in your favorite roast color and help find homes for pets in need. Give a friend a bag of Save Our Wolves and you can help protect the legacy of wild dogs. Whichever you choose, together we can honor our four legged friends, just by enjoying a great cup of coffee.

    Not Just A Cup, But A Just Cup.



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    National Dog Day with the Mendocino Coast Humane Society

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  • Radhaus Restaurant in San Francisco

    Radhaus Restaurant in San Francisco

    If there’s one thing you can always count on during a visit to San Francisco, it’s that you’ll be able to find great food on every block. It’s a big city with a lot of creative and talented individuals, and there’s always something excellent to eat around the corner. Earlier this month, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area welcomed another delicious establishment. Radhaus is the newest addition to Fort Mason’s growing scene, and we are excited to be their coffee provider.



    Radhaus was started by the guys behind Biergarten and Suppenkuche. This newest endeavor is similar to their popular restaurants in Hayes Valley: Bavarian Style foods, clean and unique interior designs, and a lot of German beer. They only opened its doors on August 6, but has quickly become the hotspot we knew it would.



    We got Radhaus set up with a coffee brewer right away, and are thrilled to be working with one of the Bay Area’s newest restaurants. You can bet that Thanksgiving Coffee will be stopping by the next time we make a trip down to the city.



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    Radhaus Restaurant in San Francisco

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  • Yunnan Coffee in the New York Times

    Yunnan Coffee in the New York Times

    Thank you to Florence Fabricant of the New York Times for featuring Thanksgiving Coffee’s Yunnan Coffee in the Front Burner food section. Florence got the chance to taste our Yunnan Coffee, and gave us this review:



    “I brewed it in a French press with a full-bodied result that had pleasing bitter chocolate notes.”


    You can read the full mention of Thanksgiving Coffee online, or pick up a copy of the Wednesday, August 8 New York Times to read about it in the print edition!

    www.nytimes.com






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    Yunnan Coffee in the New York Times

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  • Guatemalan Coffee for the Roastmaster's Select Coffee Club

    Guatemalan Coffee for the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club

    For three and a half years, the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club has brought outstanding micro lots and rare single origins to Thanksgiving Coffee customers. Forty-three unique coffees, selected by Roastmaster Jacob Long have been offered exclusively to members of this club. (For example: Mexico, Malawi, Sulawesi, Tanzania and Honduras)



    Club members, get ready for our August selection, the 44th coffee to join the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club: Fairtrade and Organic “Los Jóvenes” from ASOBAGRI in Huehutenango, Guatemala.



    Coffee from Huehuetenango, Guatemala


    coffee tree Huehuetenango is a high-quality coffee producing region, known for its remoteness, extreme elevations and rugged terrain. This particular coffee comes from the Asociación Barillense de Agricultores, also known as ASOBAGRI. This association is very well-established, and is both Organic and Fairtrade certified.

    The coffee we chose from the ASOBAGRI cooperative is a very specific lot, managed by a group of 70 young farmers beginning their careers in coffee production. Coffee farming is an industry that is aging quickly, with many children of second and third-generation coffee farmers leaving the family farms to move to cities and take on new endeavors. The “Los Jóvenes” project from ASOBAGRI is encouraging young coffee farmers to innovate and bring new ideas to the industry, while also bringing spectacular coffee to the table.

    We are excited to offer a limited amount of this coffee to our customers, and support the efforts of ASOBAGRI to interest young people in coffee farming, and move the specialty coffee industry into the future. Want to give this coffee a try? Join the Roasmaster’s Select Coffee Club during the month of August and your first coffee will be Los Jóvenes from Guatemala.

    About This Guatemalan Coffee

    “Balanced, with notes of candied walnuts, and a lasting finish.” – Jacob Long

    Altitude Grown: 1100-1650 meters
    Processing: Fully washed and dried on patios and raised beds
    Cooperative: 70 youth associated with Asociación Barillense de Agricultores (ASOBAGRI)
    Region: Santa Cruz Barillas, Huehuetenango, Guatemala




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    Guatemalan Coffee for the Roastmaster's Select Coffee Club

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  • Art in the Gardens This Weekend

    Art in the Gardens This Weekend

    The 26th annual Art in the Gardens is this Saturday, from 11a to 5p at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Mendocino County is teeming with creativity, and will be on display in the form of pottery, jewelry, paintings, photographs and more throughout the 47 acres of oceanside gardens.


    Cup Flower

    In addition to showcasing the craftsmanship of Mendocino’s artisans, Art in the Gardens also features an array of refreshments. Every visit to AIG begins by grabbing a wine glass or a beer stein. As you wander through the garden, you’ll have the chance to taste beers and wines from all over Mendocino County. All of this is set against the dramatic backdrop of the Pacific Ocean. We love the Botanical Gardens year round, but we are always thrilled when Art in the Gardens rolls around.

    This year, Thanksgiving Coffee will be serving coffee at AIG, giving out samples of our nitro cold brew, and making our regular cold brew available to purchase through Rhody’s Garden Cafe. We can’t wait to once again attend this excellent event, and we’re looking forward to seeing many of you there.




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    Art in the Gardens This Weekend

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  • Good Vybz at Reggae on the River

    Good Vybz at Reggae on the River

    It’s summer in Northern California, and that means festivals are everywhere. One of the classic festivals that takes over Southern Humboldt County is Reggae on the River, which makes its home on the banks of the Eel near Garberville.



    2018 marks 34 years of this event, pulling in reggae musicians from all over the world to our little corner of the universe. Just like the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, a good group of the Mendocino Coast travels inland for this event, since it’s only a two hour drive from the cityof Fort Bragg.



    Good Vybz

    Thanksgiving Coffee at Reggae on the River

    This year, Reggae on the River attendees will have the chance to taste Thanksgiving Coffee cold brew, courtesy of our friends at Good Vybz Devine Design. Good Vybz just opened up a retail location in Willits, and will be traveling to the festival with their handcrafted designs.



    In addition to the tie dye and bright colors that Good Vybz brings, they will be serving cold brew from Thanksgiving Coffee during the 80+ degree days that this festival is predicting. As a bonus, these guys also sell shaved ice–and we can’t imagine anything more refreshing than shaved ice and a cold brew on a hot summer day, especially while enjoying music on the river!



    If you’re planning on attending Reggae on the River this year, stop by the Good Vybz booth and say hello to Lynesha and Jason! Tell them thank you from Thanksgiving Coffee, for serving locally roasted Fairtrade and Organic cold brew. Follow Good Vybz on Facebook for more information about their work.

    Good Vybz LLC in Willits
    1637 S Main St #C
    Willits, CA 95490




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    Good Vybz at Reggae on the River

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  • Honduras Coffee for the Roastmaster's Select Club

    Honduras Coffee for the Roastmaster's Select Club

    Each month, it is our privilege to bring exclusive single origins coffees to the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club. In 2018 alone, we’ve featured coffees from Ecuador, Mexico, Malawi, Sulawesi and Tanzania. This month, our coffee selection was grown in the beautiful country of Honduras, by members of the Cafe Organico Marcala Cooperative.



    Coffee from Honduras

    Cafe Organico Marcala, S.A. (COMSA) is a cooperative with 641 members in the Marcala region. This area is between 1300-1700 meters above sea level, and is a protected designation of origin within the department of La Paz, Honduras. COMSA boasts a newly renovated wet mill for processing and a demonstration farm where innovations in organic farming are being perfected.



    Altitude Grown: 1300-1700 meters
    Processing: Wet processed
    Cooperative: Cafe Organico Marcala (COMSA)
    Region: Marcala, La Paz, Honduras




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    Honduras Coffee for the Roastmaster's Select Club

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  • Thanksgiving Coffee at Tocaya Organica Restaurants

    Thanksgiving Coffee at Tocaya Organica Restaurants

    Since we first announced that Tocaya Organica started serving Thanksgiving Coffee, this organic Mexican food restaurant in Southern California has only continued to grow. We are excited to announce that Thanksgiving Coffee is now being served at two new Tocaya locations, in El Segundo and San Diego!



    This brings the total number of Tocaya Organica restaurants to seven, with three more on the way. We are excited to be partnered with such an innovative restaurant group, and excited that we align so well with their sustainable and organic business model.



    Head on into any of the Tocaya Organica restaurants throughout Los Angeles and San Diego to pick up a cup of fairtrade and organic espresso. As a bonus, the new San Diego location is serving up Thanksgiving Coffee cold brew–a necessity for those warm SoCal days.



    Tocaya Organica Coffee on Social Media

    Patrons of Tocaya all over Southern California are sharing their photos of Organic coffee, as they partake of excellent Mexican food. Take a peek at their Instagram profile here.



    Tocaya Organica Espresso

    New Tocaya Organica Locations


    TOCAYA ORGANICA SAN DIEGO
    755 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101
    (619) 343-2898

    TOCAYA ORGANICA EL SEGUNDO
    850 S. Sepulveda Boulevard, El Segundo, CA 90245
    (424) 352-0876


    Have you visited this organic Mexican restaurant yet? Stop by next time you’re in the Los Angeles or San Diego area, and be sure to tell them thank you for serving Fairtrade and Organic Thanksgiving Coffee Company! Grab a cup of coffee, and share it on Facebook or Instagram.




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    Thanksgiving Coffee at Tocaya Organica Restaurants

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  • Coffee from Yunnan

    Coffee from Yunnan

    Although the region is best known for its excellent teas, an alternative agricultural product has attracted interest in the farmlands of the Yunnan Province. While tea plants have been grown in China for a millennia, the coffee tree has only been cultivated there for under 150 years. Larger scale coffee production didn’t begin until the 1950s, and at that point too, the coffee being grown in China was only really being consumed in China, with little being exported to the rest of the world.


    China’s coffee production has been through some changes in just the past decade, and as this origin comes into its own and enters the specialty market, coffee drinkers around the globe are taking a look at what Yunnan has to offer.


    Coffee from Yunnan

    Here at Thanksgiving Coffee, we’ve been bringing rare and unique origins to the table for almost half a century. Co-founder and CEO Paul Katzeff was one of the founding members of the Specialty Coffee Association of America back in 1982, and has long been an on-the-ground advocate for guiding coffee producing countries into the world of specialty by helping farmers bring out the best in their coffee beans.


    In the 1980’s, when specialty coffee was still a new idea and Starbucks wasn’t yet a household name, Paul was traveling to coffee origins and learning about what makes coffee great. We spent our time developing relationships with farmers and educating workers at origin on what makes an excellent cup of coffee.



    Karen Cebreros

    With this decades-long history of providing for farmers at origin, Thanksgiving Coffee was the first call that Karen made when she was ready to start finding roasters for her newest rare coffee: Manlao River Specialty from the Yunnan Province of China.


    “Paul is a visionary in many ways, and was the logical first call for this project. As the first roaster to travel to origin and understand the urgency of combating the pollution of our planet, Paul has been the champion of numerous movements in the SCA(A). Our culture has a problem with China on many levels, and I think Thanksgiving Coffee is the right leader to take on this coffee in this rather tough political climate.” – Karen Cebreros of Global Coffee Trading


    Karen is a mainstay in the world of specialty coffee, and a great friend of ours for many years. Paul and Karen have traveled to Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua on various origin trips together, and she was an instrumental piece of bringing the first certified Organic coffees to the United States. We are delighted to be the very first coffee roaster in the United States to roast and sell this coffee, both online and in grocery stores and cafes.


    Manlao River Specialty Coffee

    The Manlao River project began as a poverty alleviation initiative in the Southern Yunnan region, near the border of Laos. The opportunity arose to use a 10,000 hectare lot in this area to help impoverished farmers with a new product—coffee.


    The coffee from this region of Yunnan comes from two estates, ManZhongTian and Nagy. ManZhongTian sits at 1300-1500 meters, with a lot of shade. The fruit coming out of this estate is denser, with beans that mature a bit slower than their counterparts at the Nagy estate. Nagy is situated between 1200-1400 meters, and the cherries here are harvested a little earlier in the season.


    These two coffees come together to create a profile that Roastmaster Jacob Long calls “Rich and full-bodied, with notes of chocolate and toasted nuts.”



    Yunnan Coffee

    Thanksgiving Coffee and China


    Upsetter We first sourced from Yunnan in the early 1980s, as the first coffee roaster in the United States to sell coffee from China. Three decades later, we are excited to once again feature this unique single origin as a part of our ongoing lineup of specialty coffee. Coffee from Yunnan has come a long way in the past few decades, and we are happy to support the continued growth of these new coffee farmers that are bringing their product to the world.
    Thanksgiving Coffee Company is reintroducing coffee from China for the second first time, with coffee better than ever. As a nod to the coffee’s legacy, we have even brought back the original label design from 35 years ag

    Yunnan as a Specialty Coffee Origin

    This year, China was featured as the Specialty Coffee Association’s “Portrait Country” during the annual Specialty Coffee Expo in Seattle. This new emergence of coffee from China’s Yunnan Province is due largely to the work of Ted Lingle. Ted was also a founding member of the SCA, and served as the executive director of the Coffee Quality Institute for a number of years, as well. Ted has been working with the Yunnan Coffee Exchange to improve the coffee coming from this region, and coffee drinkers everywhere should be extremely thankful for his work.

    Thanks to Ted and Karen, the farmers of the Yunnan Province of China are growing better and better coffee, and we are the very first to bring Manlao River Specialty coffee to you, our customers. This coffee is available online, and you can also look forward to seeing a selection of Yunnan Province Coffee at grocery stores throughout California and beyond.

     

    Category_Farmers & Cooperatives

    Coffee from Yunnan

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  • First Day of Summer

    First Day of Summer

    Summertime brings so many fun things to Mendocino County, and as the tourists start flooding our coastline, we thought it was a good time to do a roundup of our favorite summer events here in Fort Bragg and Mendocino. This place has so much to offer, and there’s no better time to celebrate the goodness than on the First Day of Summer!


    Sierra Nevada World Music Festival

    June 22 – June 24
    Sierra Nevada is just a day away, this weekend in Boonville. For the 25th year in a row, this reggae music festival is sure to be a good time–and Thanksgiving Coffee will be serving coffee at the STEEP Organic Coffee & Teas tent!


    Fourth of July in Mendocino

    July 4
    If you’re on the coast for Independence Day, you are in for a treat. The Mendopendence Parade takes place at noon on the Fourth of July, making its way through downtown Mendocino. After the parade, you can stroll over to the Kelley House for a BBQ, visit Ukiah Street for a block party, or just wander around the shops and enjoy the local flavor.


    World’s Largest Salmon BBQ

    July 7
    Just after the Fourth of July is Fort Bragg’s annual “World’s Largest Salmon BBQ.” This event has been happening for 47 years, and it’s a staple in the community. The BBQ raises money for salmon habitat restoration here on our coastline, and we serve coffee every year. The event takes place on the south side of Noyo Harbor, just down the hill from the Thanksgiving Coffee Roastery.


    Mendocino Music Festival

    July 7 – July 21
    For two weeks in July, Mendocino is filled with the sweet sounds of music! Performers from all over the world come to the coast to entertain tourists and locals alike on the headlands, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.


    Noyo Headlands Race

    August 5
    The first annual Noyo Headlands Race is happening on August 5, now that the Fort Bragg Coastal Trail is open from Noyo Bridge to MacKerricher Park. This event is going to feature a half marathon, 10k, 5k, and a few different races for the kids, as well.


    Paul Bunyan Days

    September 1 – 3
    This event over Labor Day Weekend brings us back to the logging days of Mendocino County. It’s a weekend of competitions with axes, saws and a lot of plaid. The annual parade occurs on Labor Day itself, and finishes up with the joyous sounds of the Humboldt State Marching Lumberjacks, who always put on quite a show.


    Winesong

    September 8
    As the summer winds to a close, we finish up with one last excellent event to complete the list. Winesong is probably the most popular event that happens here on the Mendocino Coast, and is attended by people from all over the state of California. This fundraising event for the local hospital is held at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, and features the best food and beverages from restaurants, vineyards and breweries all over Mendocino County. Do not miss Winesong 2018!


    Enjoy this long beautiful First Day of Summer… and all the gorgeous days of summer to follow!




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    First Day of Summer

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  • Sierra Nevada Music Festival

    Sierra Nevada Music Festival

    One of Northern California’s favorite music festivals is coming up once again. The great Sierra Nevada World Music Festival is celebrating its 25th year this weekend! Pulling in some of the greatest names in reggae, this event draws enormous crowds to Mendocino County, with everyone descending on Boonville to dance, sing, relax and have a grand time.


    We are a part of that crowd, and are excited to announce that our partners at STEEP in Hopland will be serving Thanksgiving Coffee at this year’s Sierra Nevada Music Festival!


    Sierra Nevada


    Coffee at Sierra Nevada

    Ever since STEEP opened three years ago, they’ve been serving Thanksgiving Coffee out of their bright yellow building on the edge of Hopland. Mike and Jess and the STEEP staff will be serving Thanksgiving Coffee espresso and cold brew at Sierra Nevada this year, in the main music bowl at the Valley Village Stage. We’re also providing coffee for the performers backstage, keeping everyone at the festival caffeinated!


    Upsetter Espresso


    The STEEP team is serving up espresso drinks and regular coffee, alongside some excellent cold brew. The cold brew we’re bringing for the festival is our Upsetter, a light roast espresso blend that draws its name from Lee “Scratch” Perry. Lee is an artist, producer and innovator in the world of reggae, and actually performed at Sierra Nevada in 2017.


    Be sure to stop by and tell the STEEP Coffee team thank you for serving locally roasted Thanksgiving Coffee at Sierra Nevada World Music Festival 2018! We are honored to be a part of this event, and can’t wait to join in on the dance floor this weekend.


    Thanksgiving Coffee in Anderson Valley

    Wondering where else around Boonville you can snag a cup of Thanksgiving Coffee? Here’s a list of our accounts throughout Anderson Valley!


    BOONVILLE

    Lizbby’s Restaurant and Bar
    Anderson Valley Market
    Redwood Drive In


    PHILO

    Lemon’s Market
    Philo Apple Farm


    NAVARRO

    Navarro General Store


    YORKVILLE

    Yorkville Market


    CLOVERDALE

    Dahlia and Sage
    Eagles Nest Deli
    Hamburger Ranch




    2019

    Sierra Nevada Music Festival

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  • Pollinator Week 2018

    Pollinator Week 2018

    This week we are celebrating pollinators, and the important work they do for our earth. Happy Pollinator Week, everyone! Thanksgiving Coffee created Bee Bold Coffee in 2015, raising money for legislative action and worldwide awareness for bees through Friends of the Earth, as well as local pollinator awareness through the Noyo Food Forest here on the Mendocino Coast.


    Thanks to your generous support of this project, we’ve donated over $17,000 to these two organizations!



    Save Honey Bees


    Pollinator Week is June 18 – June 24, and it’s an excellent opportunity to spread the word about the importance of our bees


    Order an extra bag of Bee Bold Coffee this month to share with your friends, family and coworkers! Let’s work together to make sure these vital pollinators continue to thrive on our planet.


    Upsetter Espresso



    Category_Sustainability>Bee Bold Alliance

    Pollinator Week 2018

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  • Best for the World: Thanksgiving Coffee

    Best for the World: Thanksgiving Coffee

    For the third year in a row, Thanksgiving Coffee Company is proud to be named one of B Lab’s Best for the World companies. This distinction is in honor of our ongoing commitment to give back to the communities around us, through our partnerships with international conservation groups, as well as local nonprofits.


    What is a “Best for the World” B Corporation?

    B Corporations are at the front of a global movement, encouraging people everywhere to use business as a force for good. Over two thousand for-profit companies are making a difference in communities all over the world by giving back and becoming more transparent. In order to achieve a B Corp certification, companies must meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

    Every year, B Lab highlights the Certified B Corporations with scores in the top 10% of the entire global community. These are separated out into four different categories: Environment, Community, Workers and Customers. Thanksgiving Coffee Company was in the top 10% of the Community category, and proudly carries the title Best for the World for the third year in a row!

    Thanksgiving Coffee Gives Back

    Have you taken a look at our Cause Coffee program? We’ve partnered with a wide range of amazing organizations, locally and internationally.

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    Best for the World: Thanksgiving Coffee

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  • Wild Grounds Coffee: One Year Anniversary

    Wild Grounds Coffee: One Year Anniversary

    One year ago, we launched Wild Grounds Coffee, in partnership with the American Wild Horse Campaign. This organization is working to stop the federal government’s systematic elimination of wild horses and burros from our public lands.


    Thanks to our generous group of customers and supporters of wild horses everywhere, we’ve been able to donate almost $4,000 to the AWHC, helping fund their efforts to protect these majestic creatures. We are excited to look forward to another 365 days with the American Wild Horse Campaign, and will continue to support them for as long as our wild horses need us!


    Coffee Club Subscription

    Wild Grounds Have you joined the cause yet? You can sign up for a monthly Cause Coffee subscription right here on our website. For every purchase you make of Wild Grounds Coffee, we donate 25% to the AWHC.

    Already a Wild Grounds Coffee Club member? Thank you for being a part of the solution! Grab an extra couple of bags this month to pass out to friends and family, to help raise awareness for these majestic creatures. Let’s spread the word about the plight of our wild horses, and work together toward protecting them.
    Roast Color

    Coffee Descriptions

    Not sure what roast color is your style? Take a look at our Roast Color page to learn more about the differences between light, medium, dark and French roasts.



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    Wild Grounds Coffee: One Year Anniversary

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  • World Oceans Day: Noyo Center for Marine Science

    World Oceans Day: Noyo Center for Marine Science

    If you’ve spent any time following Thanksgiving Coffee on social media, you know how much we love the place where we live. Our roastery is less than half a mile from the Pacific Ocean, and you’ll routinely find us walking the headlands at lunch and heading to the beaches for sunsets after work. The ocean is in our blood. June 8 is World Oceans Day, and this year we are partnering with the Noyo Center for Marine Science in support of their 2018 campaign: Help the Kelp.


    This campaign is focused on bull kelp, an essential part of the Pacific Ocean’s ecosystem, and a seaweed that has been disappearing from our coastline. Learn more in this excerpt from the Noyo Center’s Help the Kelp page:


    “Bull kelp forests are the foundation – or structure – of our nearshore coastal ecosystem. The floating canopy of this brown algae gives shelter to young fish and the kelp itself provides food for valuable species, such as red abalone and red sea urchin.

    Today, our kelp forests are in serious trouble. Though annually variable, in the past five years, California’s kelp forests have decreased by 93% of normal. Higher sea surface temperatures in recent years have limited kelp growth, and sea star wasting disease has removed a key predator of purple sea urchins, a voracious eater of kelp. Though our waters have cooled this past year, the explosion of the purple urchin population—60 times higher than normal—has prevented the kelp forests from recovering from these multiple blows.


    The Noyo Center is raising awareness, and bringing people together to learn more and do something about this issue. Mendocino is very lucky to have this inspiring group of people here in our county, and they’ve proven that they can get things done time and time again, most recently through the Orca Project here in Fort Bragg


    Noyo Center

    Noyo Center Cause Coffee

    We have created a Cause Coffee, which will only be available at the Noyo Center. This allows the nonprofit to get the largest amount of donations right back into their organization. While you can’t sign up for a club subscription with this coffee, as it will only be available for a limited time, you CAN buy multiple packages and give them out to friends and family.


    Our oceans are not only special and beautiful–they’re an essential part of the existence on our planet. Everyone has to work together to protect natural resources like our kelp forests, and this is one small way to give back. If you want to make an even bigger impact, you can also donate directly to the Noyo Center. This organization is doing important work, and we are happy to have them in our community, working toward healthier oceans for everyone.


    Noyo Center for Marine Science
    155 Cypress St
    Fort Bragg, CA 95437
    Phone: (707) 733-6696

    Category_From the Roastery>Events

    World Oceans Day: Noyo Center for Marine Science

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  • Bird-Friendly Coffee at Stow Lake

    Bird-Friendly Coffee at Stow Lake

    For well over a century, Stow Lake has been a San Francisco landmark, a gorgeous piece of the Golden Gate Park scenery. In 1893, this man-made lake was created as a way for people to escape the city, relax and enjoy the scenery–and it continues to be that oasis to this day.


    Golden Gate Park is home to a huge variety of songbirds, and has long been an important stopping place for migratory birds on their way up and down the West Coast. This little shelter in the sprawling metropolis of the Bay Area is vital to their journey, and Stow Lake offers the cover they need to rest their wings as they travel. This also makes it a great spot for Bay Area birders to spot more rare species passing through.


    Stow Lake Boathouse

    The park is also home to the Stow Lake Boathouse, managed by the excellent folks at Ortega Family Enterprises, who operate cafes and concession stands on a number of properties, including the majestic Muir Woods. It only made sense that the Stow Lake Boathouse chose vendors that reflect the values of their unique landscape and substantial bird populations, so as of last month, they are now serving Thanksgiving’s Songbird Coffee lineup! They chose the coffees that would benefit birders and birds everywhere, through the American Birding Association.






    Stow Lake, and Golden Gate Park as a whole, offer a chance to put aside stress and worries, take a boat out on the water, and just relax. Thanksgiving Coffee is wholeheartedly a believer in connecting with nature, and Stow Lake lines up with our principles in every way!


    On your next visit to San Francisco, grab a cup of coffee at the Stow Lake Boathouse Cafe, and meander around the lake at your leisure. Slow down, enjoy the scenery, and tell them thank you from us for serving Thanksgiving Coffee Company.


    Stow Lake Boathouse

    50 Stow Lake Dr E
    San Francisco, CA 94118
    Phone: (415) 702-1390


    Cafe Hours:

    11:00 am – 5:00 pm Daily

    Boat Rental Hours:

    10:00 am – 6:00 pm Daily

    Songbird Coffee

    Our partnership with the American Birding Association has been a decades long project, promoting the importance of shade-grown coffee, and care for migratory birds at coffee origins in Central and South America. Our current lineup includes coffees from Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia and Mexico, at farms that have been certified ‘Bird-Friendly’ by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Click the image below to learn more!


    Birdnote




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    Bird-Friendly Coffee at Stow Lake

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  • National Doughnut Day: Coffee and Doughnuts!

    National Doughnut Day: Coffee and Doughnuts!

    Tom and Jerry, Bonnie and Clyde, Chips and Salsa, Mulder and Scully… some things are just meant to be paired up. We have one more duo to add to that list this week: Doughnuts and Coffee. June 1st is National Doughnut Day!


    Cristaudos

    Clearly, there is only one way to commemorate National Doughnut Day, and that’s by stopping by your local bakery. We can help you out with one aspect of this celebration though, and that’s the type of coffee to enjoy alongside your doughnut.

    It’s time for a doughnut and coffee pairing.


    Beaujolais Blend + Maple Bacon Doughnut

    Ahhh, the maple bacon doughnut. Love it or hate it, you can’t deny that the collision of savory and sweet has made this dessert one of the most popular choices at the corner doughnut shop. Our Fairtrade and Organic Beaujolais Blend is also a balance of unique flavors, with coffees sourced from Africa, Central America, and Indonesia. This Medium Roast is full-bodied and complex, and holds its own alongside the contrasting flavors of bacon and maple.


    Ethiopia Yirgacheffe + Beignet

    Our Ethiopian Gedeb Yirgacheffe is a light roast, with rich notes of ripe cherry and golden raisin. This coffee alone can be a sweet treat, so pairing it with something overly sugary isn’t the right choice. Instead, we chose the beignet. A simple fried pastry with a dusting of powdered sugar can enhance the flavors of this award-winning single origin.


    Noyo Harbor French + Apple Fritter

    No Doughnut Day blog post can go by without mentioning the over-the-top apple fritter. This glazed explosion of sugar will go great with your dark cup of Noyo Harbor French this morning. The hint of roasted nuts in this coffee and that classic smoky french roast flavor enhances every sweet bite of the apple fritter, making these two the perfect companions.


    Whatever pastry or roast you choose this morning, all of us here at Thanksgiving Coffee wish you an excellent National Doughnut Day!






    Category_Coffee 101

    National Doughnut Day: Coffee and Doughnuts!

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  • Espresso Blends: Softened Acidity + Heavy Body

    Here we are with another Coffee 101 post! Our subject today is espresso.

    Espresso Blends

    You may have scrolled past our espresso blends in the past, on the hunt for the newest single origin to try. We don’t blame you, we also search out the best in limited edition and micro lot single origins. But while we love these excellent coffees, this post is about something different. We want to tell you why we love espresso blends, brewed at home without the use of an espresso machine.


    What is a Coffee Blend?

    Paul Blends Need a quick overview on the coffee blend? It’s simple: two or more origins, mixed together. Creating a coffee blend is an art form. You have to understand and appreciate the nuances in different coffees, and bring the flavors together to be transformed into a more complex cup of coffee. With 46 years of history sourcing coffee from all over the planet, we have a unique relationship with the coffees arriving at our roastery, and can create some truly spectacular blends with the coffees we receive.
    One thing that’s special about a blend is the subtle shifts in flavor that we create to maintain freshness. We regularly modify the recipes for our blends, adding in our latest arrivals of coffee, while keeping a consistent flavor profile.


    Espresso Blends

    Now let’s talk espresso. What makes an espresso blend different from any other coffee blend?

    Our four espresso blends have certain characteristics: softened acidity, a smooth experience throughout the cup, and a heavy body with a really spectacular aftertaste. These traits are specifically built into the blend for the purpose of pulling a superb espresso shot, but using our espresso blends in your home brewer also makes an equally excellent cup of coffee.


    Espresso Blends

    One of our favorite things to do at Thanksgiving Coffee, is to encourage you to try new things. The world of coffee is vast, and there is no way any one person would be able to try all the amazing coffees out there. What we do have is the opportunity to experience and taste more than ever before as our world becomes better connected, and we love bringing these alternative coffee options to you.


    Every sip of coffee is a new experience, and we are honored to be a part of your coffee rituals.




    coffee 101

    Espresso Blends: Softened Acidity + Heavy Body

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  • National Trails Day at Pelican Bluffs

    National Trails Day at Pelican Bluffs

    National Trails Day – The First Saturday of June
    Pelican Bluffs Trail Work Day: June 2, 2018 from 10am-12pm
    hosted by the Mendocino Land Trust


    A mile south of the town of Point Arena, a beautiful new addition to the California Coastal trail has been created at the 70 acre Pelican Bluffs Preserve. Owned and maintained by the Mendocino Land Trust, this epic landscape is free and open for the public to enjoy. Because the Land Trust is not funded by taxes like other parks, the work and energy it takes to maintain open spaces is a burden carried by community members, whether through monetary donations or ‘sweat equity’. Over the past year, volunteers from near and far, in addition to service organizations like the California Conservation Corps, have all come together to build over two miles of trail along this breathtaking blufftop.


    From the parking lot, the newly completed loop trail leads visitors up through a coastal prairie that climbs to a crested hill. At the top, the wide expanse of Pelican Bluffs is revealed. Wildflowers speckle the bluff top, while dramatic white cliffs drop away to the rocky beach below. The sound of the waves tumbling over the shore and the smell of the ocean breeze is a feast for all senses. Continue to follow the trail along the coast and you might see seals resting on the beach and whales spouting in the distance, while an osprey soars overhead. Home to Peregrine falcons and the endangered Point Arena Mountain Beaver, Pelican Bluffs is a beautiful place for people and wildlife in equal measure.

    This National Trails Day, spend some time helping to take care of the trails and the wild places you love. It’s time well spent, and always worth the effort.



    Mendocino Land Trust and Thanksgiving Coffee Company

    Thanksgiving Coffee and the Mendocino Land Trust have collaborated to create Fog Dodger, a Cause Coffee benefiting the MLT and their efforts building trails all over our county.




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    National Trails Day at Pelican Bluffs

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  • Sulawesi Coffee for the Roastmaster's Select Coffee Club

    Sulawesi Coffee for the Roastmaster's Select Coffee Club

    Members of the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club got something really special this month. April’s fresh micro-lot selection is our Sulawesi coffee in a Medium Roast, from the North Tana Toraja Regency of the island. The coffee that comes out of this particular region is fully washed, giving it a cleaner cup and a more refined flavor profile than most coffees from Indonesia, which typically use the wet-hulled method (for instance, our Sumatran coffees).


    Altitude Grown: 1400 – 2000 meters
    Processing: Fully washed and sun dried
    Producer: Pedamaran Farm & PT Toarco Jaya
    Region: North Tana Toraja, Southern Sulawesi, Indonesia


    A Summary from Royal Coffee:

    Sulawesi Toarco Jaya Peaberry is sourced from the Toraja people, an indigenous group from the central mountain region on the southern part of Sulawesi Island (formerly known as Celebes), Indonesia. The coffee is processed at the PT Toarco Jaya Estate, a joint Japanese and Indonesian coffee venture established in 1976. PT Toarco Jaya Estate is one of just a handful of Indonesian producers that utilizes a fully-washed process. PT Toarco Jaya Estate also has a long history of contributing to the region’s economic development and social improvement programs.

    We have a limited amount of this coffee available, and are making it exclusively available to members of our Coffee Club. Interested in snagging a bag of our Sulawesi coffee? Join the Roastmaster’s Select Coffee Club. You can cancel at any time by giving our office a call at (800) 648-6491. Make sure you place your order before the end of the day on April 30! Once May rolls around, we’ll be shipping out a new single origin to club members.




    Category_From the Roastery

    Sulawesi Coffee for the Roastmaster's Select Coffee Club

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