Ask the Roastmaster

What bean/blend do you guys serve at the L.A. Farm restaurants? It’s quite yummy.

By JC on 02.06.08 10:19 pm

Hi JC,

I believe you are speaking of the Farm of Beverly Hills. If so, that is our Double B (Blue Bottle) Blend, a Viennese Style roast of Mexico Chiapas and Guatemala Antigua Estate coffees. Glad you like!

By Sol on 02.09.08 12:18 am

Can I grind Kenya AA coffee very fine and use it as Expresso?

By Cesare on 03.19.08 10:07 pm

Thanks for your question, Cesare! While you can use Kenya AA as Espresso, we wouldn’t recommend it, due to its high acidity and wet method processing. In fact, very few single origin coffees make good espressos; the best espresso is a blend of several different single origin coffees. However, if you want to try a single origin coffee for Espresso, we can recommend our Brazil FVA Natural Dry.

By Sol on 03.20.08 5:03 pm

I’m the guy that rode a gas bicycle to
your place from Long Beach CA. After roasting and sampling your coffee I’m
completely hooked. It makes this Gevalia and Boca Java stuff taste vastly inferior. It’s the smoothest most delicious coffee I’ve ever tasted. The lady at your 213 number is the only reason that I could buy the beans my thanks to her for the invaluable help. I should wait after the roast to grind them up but I had to try it out of curiosity and they are magnificent. Thanks again for everything. B.

By Bob D. on 05.08.08 11:47 pm

Just received my Panama Estate couldn’t wait to taste it although I know it’s best to wait a while after roasting. Finest cup bar none that I have tasted to date. Even risking life and limb on a bike from Long Beach to the Jefferson St. factory is well worth it after sampling my new batch. Customer for life and them some. B. Thanks. P.S. I’m not related in any way to these folks, in fact I have never met them. Their coffee speaks for itself.

By Bob D. on 05.13.08 9:27 pm

What blends do Nate and Al use? I thought they were very good, and I am interested in using them in my shop up in Paso Robles.
Thank you!

By Lauren on 10.14.08 2:20 pm

Is it possible to get a particular bean, such as Columbian or Kenyan AA roasted on the dark side (dark and shiny look & feel) without getting that “french roast” flavor?

By Paul on 04.05.09 5:09 pm

Hi Paul,

“French Roast” is simply a degree of darkness to which you roast any bean, so whether it is Colombian or Kenyan coffee does not matter. All coffee can be French Roasted. As far as the flavor profile for French Roasts, since the roast is on the very dark side, charred and smoke flavors are inevitable. The darker you roast coffee the more of the coffee flavors you roast out and the more of the roast flavors you roast in.

City Bean’s general roast style is medium to accent the flavors associated with sourcing top-grade single origin coffees. To your point regarding the sheen of dark roasts…coffee draws its flavor from oils and if they are on the surface of the bean and oxidized then they inherently are not inside of the bean ready to be enjoyed. City Bean has developed roasting techniques specifically to keep oils inside the bean even with dark roasts.

Lastly, you speak of the “amp” of dark roasts. This is curious because as you roast coffee, you roast off some of the caffeine. The darker the roast, the more caffeine is rosted away and it is typical for a dark roast to possess 10% less caffeine than a medium roast.

Thanks for your interest and enjoy the coffee!!!

By Sol on 04.10.09 8:22 pm

We had superb City Bean coffee (regular and decaf) at the West Side Tavern in Los Angeles July 11, 2009, and would like to purchase some.

Which one of your coffees (regular and decaf) were they serving that evening?

By Howard on 07.12.09 6:41 pm

Hi Howard,

Thanks for your note! We’re so glad you enjoyed the coffee you had at the Westside Tavern. They serve our Double B (Blue Bottle) Blend as their regular coffee, and our Decaf Colombian as their decaf coffee. Both can be purchased from our website or by calling us at 888-248-9232. We look forward to hearing from you.

By admin on 07.16.09 4:54 pm

Downtown Macy’s Plaza location – which coffee blend is typically served? It’s great, and I walk an extra block or two past Starbucks, Coffee Bean, and Marie’s to get it!

By Dan Nowell on 10.04.09 7:19 pm

Thanks for your note, Dan! We’re so glad you’re enjoying our coffee. At City Bean Macy’s, we brew a different blend every day. Be sure to ask whomever helps you what coffee they’re serving when you go in.

By Sol on 10.09.09 5:14 pm

Hello,

It’s been a while since I last visited your Downtown LA retail outlet. I tried calling them a few times last week but their phone number no longer works. Are they still around? Also, how can I buy your Guatemala Antigua online–I don’t see it as being available.

By Norbert on 05.09.11 5:41 am