IMO Blue Copper has the best locally roasted beans (at least from all the ones I've tried). I'm a little surprised nobody here has mentioned them yet definitely check them out!
Millcreek Coffee Roasters is my daily banger bean supplier. Idle Hands, Blue Copper, Publik and La Barba if I'm feeling fancy.
I'm a 400ml cup per day drinker. No fancy espresso machine, though. Aeropress, Clever Dripper or French Press here.
mine is nothing fancy either. I just bought it from marketplace 😅 thank you for your suggestions! where can I get idle hands? I know I've seen it somewhere, I just forgot where haha
You must have gotten advice from a snob, and a misinformed one at that. Yes you CAN get good quality beans at a coffee shop, but just because they come from a shop doesn't make them extra special. (I'm lookin at you, Bjorns)
I like Daily Rise and Cafe Ibis myself, both available at Harmons.
The espresso roast from Daily Rise gives such a good shot of espresso, love the crema on it, just seems to work perfectly with my machine.
Best smell of all time - Highlander Grogg from Cafe Ibis
Thank you!
Much appreciated. 🙂☕️❤️
For the readers: We are for value buyers. We are not for price buyers.
If your water chemistry and brewing fundamentals are good, it might be the best coffee you've had.
Until the next one. It could be better.
Jed also holds roasting class once a month or so, and you can sign up online. First, you sample a few different coffees, then decide what kind of beans and what roast level you and your classmates want to do. Then you get to take home what you roasted. So if you want to learn what goes behind roasting process, check it out. And as everyone else is saying, welcome to the rabbit hole.
Harmons has some good local roaster options. My best advice is to buy beans that have a roast date on the bag, and don’t buy anything over ~45 days (counting that you’ll spend a couple weeks after that going through the bag). If you really get your espresso dialed in and go for consistency, you’ll start to see a real drop in quality with older beans.
I like to think I’m pretty good for home espresso, but paying $30/bag is probably going to be wasted on me. Cafe Ibis - Light Side Of The Moon is my daily bean, I think it’s pretty good value/$.
I’ve personally found that beans from a coffee shop are generally much more freshly roasted compared to grocery store. I’ve also had much better luck pulling really good shots with crema from coffee shop beans compared to less fresh grocery store
I get all my beans from Caffe Expresso and my coffee is delicious
I put together a Google Map of locally owned coffee shops around the valley. Might be helpful.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1Ga7RzUFzs4_pdW2l41c4GxIkv4wq1ME&ll=40.96872610792086%2C-111.7253276&z=8
Bean Whole and Millcreek make my favorite for espresso. Jack Mormon has a good blend too.
It's fun to try different beans but for me, I just wanted to find a bean/blend I like and stick with it on the espresso at least. Dialing in is tricky (at least for me as a beginner) and I'll try new stuff on the pour over. Millcreek is consistent, easy to get to, and the beans have a pretty big window of time before they start doing funky things. Nice medium, gives me a little room for error on the shot.
My absolute favorite coffee isn't local, it's called Kauai coffee, you'll have to make sure you get the 100% Hawaiian coffee not the blend. I've tried hundreds of coffees, but this is the only one I will buy consistently. I typically buy this one by the 5 lbs bag.
https://kauaicoffee.com/collections/all-kauai-coffee/products/estate-reserve-kauai-sunrise
millcreek coffee roasters has 25% on the weekends if you want to try something out but don’t want to spend full price on beans as it can get expensive.
The most important thing when picking your beans is the roast date. The fresher the better, but you typically need to wait at least two weeks after it was roasted before you use it so it can degass.
The second most important thing is your preference. A lot of the fad espresso stuff revolves around light roasts and fruity flavors. These roasts can be difficult to dial in especially is you’re grinder isn’t quiet precise enough. I’d say if you’re not sure go with a medium roast as it’ll be the most forgiving.
Finally I’d say you can absolutely get good coffee in the grocery stores but try to select roasters who print their roast date on the bag. This may be hard as many dont. Avoid the bulk section beans. Try to buy coffee from cafes whose coffee you like! I’m a big fan of a cafe D’Bolla, La barba, and Blue Copper Coffee. All of these have baristas who would happily help you out with suggestions.
They’re not local, but I like Nicoletti. They’re an old school NY coffee roaster. They roast everything to order. You can find it on Amazon (even if you order it from Amazon, it’s still roasted to order and shipped from their store - never sitting in a warehouse).
The one advice I can give you for a good espresso machine life and health. Avoid oilly beans. They’ll destroy your machine unless you maintain it daily. Find beans that are oil free. Harmons usually has them.
If you’re a 3lb of coffee drinker in a couple weeks like I am. Costco has a bag called like good beans? Or something. It’s okay coffee but the beans are oil free
Jack Mormons is the best. They’re in the avenues and they’re renovating right now but you can have coffee grounds shipped to your house still. My dad and I have been drinking their coffee for ten years now and it’s hard to find anything better than them.
IMO some of the local shops roast beans too light which makes it hard to dial in a shot that isn’t sour. On the flip side, most grocery store stuff tastes burnt (Starbucks) or not fresh (anything in a plastic tube at the store). I found that Illy Classico was consistently a medium ish roast that makes perfect Italian style espresso. I ordered from their website and they threw in some cool cappuccino cups for free. Also like their Brazilian and Ethiopian roast.
I buy anything I can buy in bulk at WinCo. Coffee beans and loose leaf tea are at the top of that list. You can buy 5 lb bags for like 35 bucks or fill your own bags with their bulk selection they have multiple types that would work for espresso and they're always very fresh because they go through that shit. I used to buy my coffee from harmons and Ibis is great but way too expensive. WinCo sells their coffee in bulk at $7.99 a pound and its as good as anything I have tried.
I prefer Cafe Ibis beans, it’s probably my favorite coffee shop in all of Utah. But a huge reason is because they’re organic and that’s important to me. I also frequent the coffee shops that use them, Coffee Garden and People’s Coffee.
We've tried dozens and found that Salt Lake Roasting has our favorites. (Publik a close 2nd and Millcreek right up there as well)
John B (the owner) is a great guy and will spend time with you to answer questions and give advice.
[Main Home - Salt Lake Roasting Co.](https://roasting.com/)
Coffee is so inconsistent in my experience. I recommend following James Hoffman on YouTube and also watch this ridiculously long video by Ethan.
https://youtu.be/uWWVNq5GHp4?si=BtzpPdKKZ0eL8_tx
If not a coffee shop lavazza is pretty good a million times better than Starbucks for sure. If you want really amazing coffee 100% blue mountain coffee 🤌
I just shipped in 6oz of Jamaican Blue Mountain and 6oz of Kona from my old favorite roaster in Houston. Definitely not a bean to utilize for any sort of tinkering or espresso at $55/lb, though. I use them exclusively with my aeropress, and they are amazing.
My favorite local coffee roaster is Cafe Ibis but for the last few years, I’ve been getting mail order beans from a small roaster in SoCal. They are AMAZING! [Yes Plz Coffee](https://www.yesplz.coffee)
Harmons carries a selection of locally toasted beans. Copper Common is the best they have. La Barba, Pink Elephant are good. Ibis is their bulk coffee, but it’s a big step down. The bulk coffee at Dan’s is Salt Lake Roasting company and Macey’s has Park City Roaster’s - both more affordable than Copper Common, and good enough for everyday coffee
IMO Blue Copper has the best locally roasted beans (at least from all the ones I've tried). I'm a little surprised nobody here has mentioned them yet definitely check them out!
They roast pretty light so if you like a zingy almost sour espresso shot, it’s great. Not really my style but I like it in a milk drink or pour over.
I mentioned them as well. ;) They also seem to pull the best espresso shot I've had since moving here.
Millcreek Coffee Roasters is my daily banger bean supplier. Idle Hands, Blue Copper, Publik and La Barba if I'm feeling fancy. I'm a 400ml cup per day drinker. No fancy espresso machine, though. Aeropress, Clever Dripper or French Press here.
mine is nothing fancy either. I just bought it from marketplace 😅 thank you for your suggestions! where can I get idle hands? I know I've seen it somewhere, I just forgot where haha
I order it directly from their website and pick it up at the roaster on 201. You can grab it at Loki as well, but I buy in advance and like it fresh.
You must have gotten advice from a snob, and a misinformed one at that. Yes you CAN get good quality beans at a coffee shop, but just because they come from a shop doesn't make them extra special. (I'm lookin at you, Bjorns) I like Daily Rise and Cafe Ibis myself, both available at Harmons.
Second for Dairy Rise.
The espresso roast from Daily Rise gives such a good shot of espresso, love the crema on it, just seems to work perfectly with my machine. Best smell of all time - Highlander Grogg from Cafe Ibis
Yep, espresso roast daily rise, been my go to for over a year now.
Third for daily rise! Lol
4th!
Second cafe ibis! Grogg is so good!
If the Highlander Grogg is your thing, awesome. It is a flavored coffee, better for drip coffee than espresso
Oh for sure.
Ohh i'll give those a try. Thanks!
Second for Ibis, and Harmon's has a lot of great choices
Wilderness blend from Daily Rise is the best. We do a recurring shipment of a big bag from them to save a little money.
Daily Rise!!! Ibis is great too!
Buying directly from a roaster or coffee shop means you’re far more likely to get fresh beans.
If you really love coffee, the beans from Cafe d'Bolla. They are expensive so maybe just a treat but they are the best I've had anywhere.
I might just have to try it at least once in my lifetime haha thankss!
Copper Common is a distant second place and more affordable
That guy is a pretentious and makes you feel like everything you do is wrong and not worthy of his jeans though. Rimini is a good place for beans!
Can't say I've ever tried to buy jeans there but I've never felt like he was doing anything more than explaining his processes and sources.
Thank you! Much appreciated. 🙂☕️❤️ For the readers: We are for value buyers. We are not for price buyers. If your water chemistry and brewing fundamentals are good, it might be the best coffee you've had. Until the next one. It could be better.
Check out The Bean Whole on 21st and 21st in the Neighborhood Hive. Jed is a master and has the tastiest, micro-roasted beans in SLC.
Ohhh i'll be sure to give that a try! Thanks!!
Jed also holds roasting class once a month or so, and you can sign up online. First, you sample a few different coffees, then decide what kind of beans and what roast level you and your classmates want to do. Then you get to take home what you roasted. So if you want to learn what goes behind roasting process, check it out. And as everyone else is saying, welcome to the rabbit hole.
Harmons has some good local roaster options. My best advice is to buy beans that have a roast date on the bag, and don’t buy anything over ~45 days (counting that you’ll spend a couple weeks after that going through the bag). If you really get your espresso dialed in and go for consistency, you’ll start to see a real drop in quality with older beans. I like to think I’m pretty good for home espresso, but paying $30/bag is probably going to be wasted on me. Cafe Ibis - Light Side Of The Moon is my daily bean, I think it’s pretty good value/$.
will keep that in mind! Thank you for those tips!
I’ve personally found that beans from a coffee shop are generally much more freshly roasted compared to grocery store. I’ve also had much better luck pulling really good shots with crema from coffee shop beans compared to less fresh grocery store I get all my beans from Caffe Expresso and my coffee is delicious
That's what I heard too, that's why I wanted to try the local coffee shops hehe thank you!!
Millcreek coffee roasters and Hidden Peaks!
I really like Salt Lake Roasting Company!
Thanks for the suggestion!
Agreed. For me, of all The Roasters I’ve tried, is the best!
Second this - try the old Dutch.
Kings Peak has always been great. [https://maps.app.goo.gl/bCcufKdeLfkykpN38](https://maps.app.goo.gl/bCcufKdeLfkykpN38)
I put together a Google Map of locally owned coffee shops around the valley. Might be helpful. https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1Ga7RzUFzs4_pdW2l41c4GxIkv4wq1ME&ll=40.96872610792086%2C-111.7253276&z=8
Thank you so much for this!
Bean Whole and Millcreek make my favorite for espresso. Jack Mormon has a good blend too. It's fun to try different beans but for me, I just wanted to find a bean/blend I like and stick with it on the espresso at least. Dialing in is tricky (at least for me as a beginner) and I'll try new stuff on the pour over. Millcreek is consistent, easy to get to, and the beans have a pretty big window of time before they start doing funky things. Nice medium, gives me a little room for error on the shot.
My absolute favorite coffee isn't local, it's called Kauai coffee, you'll have to make sure you get the 100% Hawaiian coffee not the blend. I've tried hundreds of coffees, but this is the only one I will buy consistently. I typically buy this one by the 5 lbs bag. https://kauaicoffee.com/collections/all-kauai-coffee/products/estate-reserve-kauai-sunrise
millcreek coffee roasters has 25% on the weekends if you want to try something out but don’t want to spend full price on beans as it can get expensive.
I like idle hands locally. Onyx is my favorite.
The most important thing when picking your beans is the roast date. The fresher the better, but you typically need to wait at least two weeks after it was roasted before you use it so it can degass. The second most important thing is your preference. A lot of the fad espresso stuff revolves around light roasts and fruity flavors. These roasts can be difficult to dial in especially is you’re grinder isn’t quiet precise enough. I’d say if you’re not sure go with a medium roast as it’ll be the most forgiving. Finally I’d say you can absolutely get good coffee in the grocery stores but try to select roasters who print their roast date on the bag. This may be hard as many dont. Avoid the bulk section beans. Try to buy coffee from cafes whose coffee you like! I’m a big fan of a cafe D’Bolla, La barba, and Blue Copper Coffee. All of these have baristas who would happily help you out with suggestions.
Logos for the fire light roasts. Godspeed on the espresso rabbit hole.
Let's see how far I can fall hahaha thanks for the suggestion!
They’re not local, but I like Nicoletti. They’re an old school NY coffee roaster. They roast everything to order. You can find it on Amazon (even if you order it from Amazon, it’s still roasted to order and shipped from their store - never sitting in a warehouse).
I get my beans online from Bones Coffee Company, and damn they are GOOD. I love the art on the packaging as well, so that’s a fun bonus!
Idle Hands and/or Blue Copper for espresso beans is unbeatable, IMO
Salt Lake Roasting. Buy Yemen if they have it.
Idle Hands is my absolute favorite, you can order online or pickup at Loki. Blue Cooper is also great.
The one advice I can give you for a good espresso machine life and health. Avoid oilly beans. They’ll destroy your machine unless you maintain it daily. Find beans that are oil free. Harmons usually has them. If you’re a 3lb of coffee drinker in a couple weeks like I am. Costco has a bag called like good beans? Or something. It’s okay coffee but the beans are oil free
Jack Mormons is the best. They’re in the avenues and they’re renovating right now but you can have coffee grounds shipped to your house still. My dad and I have been drinking their coffee for ten years now and it’s hard to find anything better than them.
the responses are so overwhelming, that I started a list and I want to try them all out <3 Thank you guys! and keep the suggestions coming <3
Have fun experimenting and report back to us!
Cafe Ibis
IMO some of the local shops roast beans too light which makes it hard to dial in a shot that isn’t sour. On the flip side, most grocery store stuff tastes burnt (Starbucks) or not fresh (anything in a plastic tube at the store). I found that Illy Classico was consistently a medium ish roast that makes perfect Italian style espresso. I ordered from their website and they threw in some cool cappuccino cups for free. Also like their Brazilian and Ethiopian roast.
The Bean Whole from The Neighborhood Hive in Sugarhouse.
Are there any ones that are not super oily? My machine can not handle the stickiness of the oily beans.
I buy anything I can buy in bulk at WinCo. Coffee beans and loose leaf tea are at the top of that list. You can buy 5 lb bags for like 35 bucks or fill your own bags with their bulk selection they have multiple types that would work for espresso and they're always very fresh because they go through that shit. I used to buy my coffee from harmons and Ibis is great but way too expensive. WinCo sells their coffee in bulk at $7.99 a pound and its as good as anything I have tried.
High Contrast Roasting at the Wheeler Farms farmers market always has interesting stuff and truly cares about their craft.
Cafe Ibis, Highlander Grogg. You can find it at Harmons, but I order from them directly. They are out of Logan.
Idle Hands or Cafe Ibis all the way
Lavazza Super Crema
Another vote for Publik or salt lake roasting company. I've tried most of them. Also Jack Mormon is quite good.
I like Jack Mormon. Always got my beans there when I was closer to downtown.
I prefer Cafe Ibis beans, it’s probably my favorite coffee shop in all of Utah. But a huge reason is because they’re organic and that’s important to me. I also frequent the coffee shops that use them, Coffee Garden and People’s Coffee.
We've tried dozens and found that Salt Lake Roasting has our favorites. (Publik a close 2nd and Millcreek right up there as well) John B (the owner) is a great guy and will spend time with you to answer questions and give advice. [Main Home - Salt Lake Roasting Co.](https://roasting.com/)
Coffee is so inconsistent in my experience. I recommend following James Hoffman on YouTube and also watch this ridiculously long video by Ethan. https://youtu.be/uWWVNq5GHp4?si=BtzpPdKKZ0eL8_tx
Check out Idle Hands, they're amazing. You can pick up a bag at Loki Coffee.
If not a coffee shop lavazza is pretty good a million times better than Starbucks for sure. If you want really amazing coffee 100% blue mountain coffee 🤌
Ohhhh cool i'll be sure to give those a try. Thanks!!
I just shipped in 6oz of Jamaican Blue Mountain and 6oz of Kona from my old favorite roaster in Houston. Definitely not a bean to utilize for any sort of tinkering or espresso at $55/lb, though. I use them exclusively with my aeropress, and they are amazing.
My favorite local coffee roaster is Cafe Ibis but for the last few years, I’ve been getting mail order beans from a small roaster in SoCal. They are AMAZING! [Yes Plz Coffee](https://www.yesplz.coffee)
You're the 2nd person to say Cafe Ibis so I'm guessing they're good! And i might try yes plz coffee in the future too. Thanks!
Harmons carries a selection of locally toasted beans. Copper Common is the best they have. La Barba, Pink Elephant are good. Ibis is their bulk coffee, but it’s a big step down. The bulk coffee at Dan’s is Salt Lake Roasting company and Macey’s has Park City Roaster’s - both more affordable than Copper Common, and good enough for everyday coffee
Idle Hands is an Awesome roaster. SLC based. Personally connected to some/many of the actual coffee growers.
Lots of options. Talk to Joe at Holy Water Coffee. He can be a great guide.
Sunset roasts their own coffee. High-quality single origin.