Crunchy capitalism

Dunn Bros Coffee is like Starbucks in atmosphere, but they roast their coffee on site! Each blend bin is marked re: the date it was roasted, and you can buy it in any quantity. There are 4 in the DFW Metroplex. I once bought some decaf from them (Addison location) and it was THE BEST coffee I've ever made. I was eager and disregarded common sense and ground and brewed it right away (it had just been roasted that day or the day before), before the CO2 had dissipated from the coffee, so my French Press had quite a head of foam on it!

(Coffee should be allowed to breathe for several days after it's roasted before sealing it, so the CO2 can escape. Those little "buttons" you see on bags of sealed roasted coffee were invented under directions from Starbucks for that purpose - i.e., so they could ship fresh roasted coffee across the country, yet allow the CO2 to escape via a one-way gas-permeable opening.)

For those not in the know re: how to make good coffee, visit: Cubicle Coffee. If you're a perfectionist, buy whole beans and once you open the bag, use a vacuum sealer with a mason jar attachment to store the unused beans in mason jars in a dark place (e.g., pantry), taking out only what you need and resealing the jar each time.

Yeah, I guess I'm kind of a nut about this.

Answered my own question: Mystic Monk Coffee, made by some Carmelites in Wyoming: http://www.carmelitemonks.org/coffee.html

You can roast your own at home... my brother buys raw beans from a store nearby him in Winnipeg and uses a home roaster (although DIY Magazine showed how to use a popcorn air popper instead of a specialty machine).

I'm not nearly the aficionado that he is.

Yikes! Sorry about that. I'll get it changed asap.

My brother usually puts his roaster in his (clean) fireplace. Works fine for small quantities.

The price is fine - $10 a lb. is about the least you'll pay for, e.g., Starbucks whole bean coffee. My problem is I drink mostly decaf and a 1/2 lb. of regular coffee would last more than a week, so occasional orders, not a subscription, would be the way for me to go. I'll be picking some up when I'm in Denton in the near future, esp. with your recommendation, Andy.

I never thought about the fireplace option. ;^)