I'm not sure if this is an appropriate post for this forum, but given that local coffee pioneers (Jackson's, Sunergos, Heine Bros) have created such a demand for fine coffee,I thought I'd give it a shot:
While Louisville is spoiled with several excellent micro-roasters, there is a rich world of domestically roasted, single-origin and excellent blends beyond the borders of the metro. Many of these roasters provide same-day shipping service (coffee shipped the day it is roasted) and, given that UPS is kind enough to keep a hub in our backyard, we Louisvillians are positioned to enjoy the fresh fruits of their labors.
To supplement my local consumption, I've been ordering beans from roasters like Intelligentsia in Chicago, Terroir (the company run by Peet protege and genius George Howell) and 49th Parallel in Vancouver. However, I am but one person and, between myself and my wife, can only safely consume about 10,000mg of caffeine a week. So, we end up with some stale beans. If you've ever tasted a shot drawn from them, you know that the staling of Black Cat beans from Intelligentsia is criminal. I'm thinking that, as a community, we could perhaps band together and prevent said staling. Here's my proposition:
A local gourmet coffee club. We place, as a group, a periodic (weekly?) order for a bulk amount (5+ lbs) of freshly roasted beans. We all shoulder the burden of expedited shipping cost and enjoy the added flavor of economies of scale in our daily espresso or drip. Ideally, everyone could order the amount they would consume. We'd all cut down on staling and waste. And, we'd be able to explore the rich world of boutique North American coffee roasters.
Anyone interested? I'd be happy to coordinate such a project, but wanted to see if there is any demand out there. I'd welcome input from anybody, especially area micro-roasters. I wouldn't see this as competition for you guys, but perhaps more of an educational opportunity. An educated, informed consumer is the best kind of consumer. Naturally, we could also highlight and feature local roasts. I remember a Ugandan coffee last year at Jackson's that totally knocked my socks off. More people need to experience that.
Thanks in advance,
John Lannon