Now I'm not addicted to caffeine, but I surely do need my morning dose of coffee. I'm addicted to the rich aroma that fills the kitchen. To the feeling of "ahhh" that one gets when they take that first sip. It doesn't matter how you drink it, sugar and cream please, but how you enjoy it and the satisfaction you feel.
A Walk Down Memory Lane
Alfred Peet founded Peet's in Berkeley, California in 1966, and introduced darker roasted Arabica coffee through blends such as French roast to the United States. Peet was raised in the Netherlands, where his father started a coffee and bean grindery, and learned to roast and grind coffee alongside his father.
He emigrated to London in 1938, at the age of 18, to work for the Twining's Coffee and Tea Company. Alfred lived briefly in New Zealand and Indonesia prior to relocating to San Francisco in 1955, where he worked for a coffee and tea importer.
Peet opened the first "Peet's Coffee, Tea & Spices" on Vine Street near the University of California, Berkeley campus in 1966. Rather than cups of coffee, he sold coffee beans. His coffee beans were roasted in small batches, by hand. The company expanded to four locations and was renamed "Peet's Coffee and Tea." Peet, who was known as "The Godfather of Gourmet Coffee in the U.S.," wanted to introduce better coffee to the American market.
Story has it, Mr. Peet supplied Starbucks with its first coffee beans and served as an example of coffee roasting for future generations. Peet was shocked to learn that "The Richest Country in the World" drank such subpar coffee. After WWII, Americans had gotten used to drinking watered-down, low-quality coffee, because there was a problem with sourcing, and lack of roasting expertise.
Now remember, Mr. Peet was a coffee roaster's son! Freshness has always been a priority for the business and was unquestionably what first set Peet's apart. The period of time following roasting, from 3 to 14 days, is when coffee tastes the best. After that, it quickly deteriorates.
Peet's grew to be large enough to acquire cult favorite coffee roasters, Chicago-based Intelligentsia Coffee and Portland-based Stumptown Coffee, after becoming more well-known in the Bay Area with the rise of Silicon Valley.
What's Single Origin Coffee?
A bag of coffee is considered to be "Single Origin" if each bean can be traced to a single farm, farmer, producer, crop or region in one country. In some cases, this is even the same coffee plantation plot. In this instance, the San Sebastian coffee farm in Antigua, Guatemala.
Single Origin coffees are typically seasonal and "limited edition" because they are only produced for the year after the entire crop is harvested. The entire year's supply of coffee can be purchased by coffee roasters with significant purchasing power, like Peet's, who can then sell it all year long. Peet's has been collaborating with this specific farm in Antigua for almost fifty years. That suggests several things, including a positive working relationship between the producer and the consumer, a reliable product worth repurchasing, and consistent consumer demand, too!
Who Would Like a Cup of...
Now if you are a coffee freak, like me and 65% of Americans or 40% of the world, then I'm sure you've heard at least once that Guatemala produces some of the best coffee in the world. While Antigua produces the best coffee in Guatemala. And why? They get plenty of sunshine, low humidity and all of that rich volcanic soil makes for perfect coffee bean growing. Peet's claims that the San Sabastian coffee farm produces the best in all of Antigua. Now that's some serious confidence.
Guatemala isn’t the only single origin coffee source that Peet’s offers. They currently import their single origin coffee beans from the Americas which include Nicaragua, Brazil, Columbia, and Costa Rica. Their Africa/Arabia blends come from Yemen, Kenya and Ethiopia. The flavors of the Indo-Pacific region include Papua New Guinea, Sumatra and Sulawesi, Indonesia. Peet’s gives back to the farms that they have taken years and decades to establish relationships with, practicing fair trade and pay. Having the ability to buy a whole year's worth of crops, Peet’s gives the coffee farmers a peace of mind so they can focus solely on the quality of coffee instead of who they will sell to.
Flavors For Every Palate
Papua New Guinea Kopi-Kuta
A balanced and well-bodied dark roast from the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea with syrupy notes of malt, molasses, sweet plum, and rich caraway spices. This is a favorite among espresso drinkers, but any which way you choose to drink your little bit of heaven, you'll be coming back for more.
Major Dickason's Blend
Peet's all-time best seller with a mixture of beans from the America's and the Indo-Pacific regions. Hand roasted to perfection, this dark roasted coffee has a rich and robust flavor. For those who like their coffee strong with a beautiful earthy and spicy aroma, that is sure to fill your home with deliciousness, then this is a definite must try.
French Roast
Their French Roast carries an aromatic, smoky undertone, yet with a rich flavor and smooth taste. You can never go wrong with a classic that has attributes of dark chocolate and burnt sugar.
Arabian Mocha-Java
A world famous blend of mocha beans from Yemen and Indonesia, they carry an intense and complex aroma with a rich and full body. The flavors that are distinctive with this popular blend are bittersweet chocolate, port, and cardamom. A brew that has lasted centuries and we're sure will last for centuries to come.
Big Bang
Peet's most loved medium-roast coffee is blended with beans from the America's and Ethiopia. One could call Big Bang the little brother/sister to Major Dickason, with its own twist. Roasted to be full bodied, vibrant with citrus aromas and hints of milk chocolate and graham cracker crust. This is sure to be a favorite with anyone that prefers a lighter tasting coffee compared to dark roasts.
Cafe Domingo
This carefully crafted signature blend was created for those times when one wants to linger, slowly sipping their coffee, taking in the aroma's and the sights of the world. Blending beans from El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Brazil, you get a sense of belonging with every sip. With a bouquet of toast, toffee and nougat, we're sure you'll be coming back from a second cup.
What’s Your Way to Brew?
Besides having our favorite roasts and flavors, we also have our favorite ways to brew them. The most common way is obviously the Coffee Maker. No matter what brand you favor, they all do the same job in the end. Slowly dripping water over coffee grounds, through a filter and into the pot, keeping it hot for quite some time. Even though this is the most common way to have your morning cup of pick me up, you might not be tasting all your coffee has to offer. The super hot water that flows over the grounds can negatively impact the flavor, almost burning the fine coffee grounds. This is sadly what we sacrifice for the convenience of our lives.
The Pour Over method is good if you don’t need a whole coffee pot and you don’t want to waste all that goodness. Place a conical filter in your cup with some coffee grounds and slowly pour hot water over. This particular method gives the coffee a delicate and smooth texture that is hard to get with any other brewing method. This method is preferred by coffee enthusiasts because it allows them to control the taste, texture, temperature, and strength of the brew.
The French Press method is possibly the best way to experience your coffee as it is intended in its purest form. By forcefully pressing coffee to the bottom of a french press pot, you are making sure you’re getting all of the flavors that are trapped deep within the coffee. This results in a deep, dark, and full flavored cup of… coffee.
A new favorite way to brew is Cold Brewing. Place your coarse ground coffee in a pourable container filled with room temperature or cold water and let it sit for at least 12 hours, but preferably longer. The taste is sweeter and smoother making it less bitter and more flavorful. Some people find that they can use less sugar and creamer/milk when drinking cold brew. This could be a great option for those trying to cut back on their sugar intake and might be counting calories.
If you are a little adventurous and like the outdoors, I’m sure you know all about the Cowboy brew. The simplicity of this brew is what draws most people to it. All you need is a coffee pot/kettle, water, and coarse coffee grounds. That’s it. The fact that the grounds are coarse and not fine or medium, allow for them not to dissolve in the water. This helps for the flavor not to be over-extracted, giving you a smooth and buttery cup of coffee.
The Gift That Keeps Giving
Peet’s Coffee gives you the choice to buy your coffee one purchase at a time, whenever you might need your next cup. The best bang for your buck is to opt for one of their subscriptions. With their subscriptions, you always get free shipping and they only mail your order when you are ready, so you don’t have coffee filling up your cabinets. They can either curate a subscription letting you taste something new and exciting each month, or you can build your own subscription of flavors that peak your taste buds.
Now it’s never nice to keep all the goodness to yourself. So what better way can we share the beautiful aromas of brewed magic? With one of Peet’s Subscription Gifts. Give the gift that smells like Mother Earth is giving you a warm hug.
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