Many thanks for your on-going support!
Mount & Crew
The concept of me telling someone not to drink coffee seems foreign. However, this past week, I received an e-mail from someone asking if our coffee was "gluten-free"? My initial reaction was ... I won't mention what I said.
After considering the question, I decided I should do some research to see if there was anything definitive before responding to the e-mail. Here's what I found.
Apparently, those who are gluten intolerant, may experience gluten-like side effects when drinking coffee due to similarities in the proteins present in coffee being similar to proteins in gluten.
Another culprit is when coffee is processed in the same facility as products containing gluten, there can be cross-contamination that takes place. And while I don't believe any of the coffees I purchase have been processed in this manner, I cannot guarantee it.
So the long and short of it is that for folks who find themselves gluten intolerant, you may want to find another option to coffee. I can't believe I just said that!
This Monday, we will be closed for the Fourth of July. If you are on schedule for home delivery on Wednesday, there will be not any interruption to your normal delivery.
The big news on the jazz scene is that on August 8th and 9th at 7:30 pm, Alan Broadbent will be returning to Classic Pianos for two shows. For those of you who are familiar with Alan's music... you'll know what his performances are like. Electric, profound, intimate and humble are just a few adjectives that come to mind.
He's performed at Classic Pianos multiple times and I've attended each of his performances. I have yet to be disappointed. If you would like to experience one of his shows, please call Peggie at Classic Pianos and reserve your tickets. They're guaranteed to sell out quickly. Peggie can be reached at 503.546.5622.
Be sure to check out our selection of coffees on Amazon. You may find them here - www.amazon.com/shops/stjohnscoffee.
Thanks for your continued support!
Mount & Crew
Well, the outcome of the Super Bowl certainly wasn't what I'd expected? I thought the Panthers were going to run all over the Broncos. Good thing I'm not a betting person. :)
I received an e-mail from Espro (the company who produces the stunning stainless steel French presses we offer) a couple days ago, announcing the introduction of a durable glass French press. As with the stainless steel models, the design is stunning with the advantage of them having a lower price point.
Two models will be available. One will be called the P5 and the other a P3. I'm not sure of the numerical significance. As soon as more information and photos become available, I will certainly share.
The scheduled shipping date is in three weeks and I've already told them I want some so keep your eyes peeled for those.
In other news this week, I learned yesterday my grant application to the St. Johns Mainstreet has been approved so we will soon be adding some additional exterior lighting to the building which I'm very excited about. It will go along the exterior wall facing Ivanhoe Street.
So, I'm going to get up on the proverbial Soapbox for just a minute and talk about The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
Most of you are familiar with Yelp. It's a great resource for obtaining information about businesses one is considering patronizing. St. Johns Coffee Roasters has been very fortunate to have garnered such great Yelp reviews. Until yesterday.
Yesterday we received a scathing review from someone that I feel was completely mean-spirited and wrong. It seems the author had an agenda and didn't have the courage to speak with any of us directly.
That said, I'm not suggesting we're perfect. We make mistakes but I'd like to believe, we do our best to learn from those mistakes and grow. Each of us are very passionate about coffee and the level of service we provide and take those responsibilites very seriously.
So I just want to put it out there that if when you visit our shop, if your experience is anything less than stellar, please ask for myself or mention something to any staff member. We encourage your feedback, good or bad and I promise you, we will listen.
Taryn just left a few minutes ago to go to the Concordia New Seasons Market to conduct a demo of our line of coffees, sold by New Seasons. If you're in the area of NE 33rd and Killingsworth St., please stop by and say hi.
I think that's it for this week. Have a great weekend and keep the coffee flowing!
Many thanks,
Mount & Crew
I guess it's just a natural progression but despite the fact we only opened the tasting room a little over a year ago, I felt the need to change things up a little bit. Nothing major but I'm in hopes the addition of some new shelving will do a better job of displaying our products.
What a crazy week it's been and what a perfect time for my motorcycle to have been in the shop. I digress...
We've added another beverage to our menu this week. The peppermint mocha! As with the rest of our beverages, the peppermint mocha is a perfect balance of mint and chocolate. Not overwhelming and not too sweet. The kids have also been enjoying the "non-espresso" version of this drink as well. Or, if you're really up for an adventure, let 'em have the espresso! :)
'Tis the season for indoor bulbs. Bestow has narcissus bulbs and boy do they smell great! Another seasonal fragrance is all the many varieties of evergreens being put into wreaths and centerpieces.
Swing by for a wreath to adorn your front door and remember to order your holiday centerpieces. Orders placed by December 14th will receive a 15% discount. Call Nyki at 503.208.4395.
The travel mugs have been a huge hit! The vacuum insulated stainless steel interior keeps drinks hot or cold for hours and remains condensation-free and the threaded snap shut lid prevents unwanted spills. They're slim enough to fit vehicle cup holders as well as those with smaller hands.
The ceramic logo mugs have been on order for what seems like an eternity. I still hope to have them back in stock before Christmas but it's going to be close.
People are already talking about Holiday parties and such. If your office is hosting a party and would like to provide brewed coffee, just let us know. In addition to the coffee, we'll provide all the accoutrements so everyone will get to enjoy their coffee the way they like it. Just give us a call at 503.445.2249 to reserve yours.
And if you would like to send fresh-roasted organic and fair trade coffees to friends and family, now is the time to submit your orders. Orders can be placed either through the web site or just call or e-mail. And of course, if you have any questions or need suggestions, we're here to help.
If you want something really festive to include with your coffee gifts, don't forget about the beautiful Mexican pottery from Delores Hidalgo. Always festive and we'll have more next week.
And last but not least, I was finally able to figure out a way to add a donation function to the shopping cart for those would like to support The Coffee Trust's effort in dealing with the La Roya blight in Central America.
I think that's it for this week.
Many thanks for your continued support and keep the coffee flowing.
Mount & Crew
Happy Friday Everyone. As great as this weather is for coffee consumption, I'm not sure I'm ready for the cold and wet but I guess I don't have much say in the matter. I'm sure I'll adapt. However, with the time change and the reality of darkness beginning at 4 pm. Eeek!
For those of you who live in and around St. Johns, I'm sure you've seen the progress being made on the new apartment building going in across the street from our shop and, I just received a note yesterday regarding the demolition of the Huk Lab/Hooka Lounge buildings set to begin this next Monday, signaling the beginning of the large development going in on the corner of Lombard and Richmond. Lots of changes and growth happening.
New small and medium size hoodies arrived yesterday. We sold out of previous stock really quickly so get yours while the gettins' good. This is the perfect weather for a warm and cozy hoodie.
Last week I mentioned looking into the possibility of bringing in some travel mugs. Well, I just placed an order for some as well as some amazing new French presses this past Wednesday.
The travel mugs are called Travel Presses and are vacuum insulated stainless steel with a dual micro-filter for grit- free, press coffee, voted best new coffee product of 2015. Not only can one create a French press coffee to-go but it will stay hot for hours. They'll be available in three colors - red, black and brushed stainless.
The French presses are the same vacuum insulated stainless steel construction with the same dual micro-filter, available in 18 oz. and 32 oz. sizes. Perfect for making French press coffee for dinner guests.
Because both the Travel Presses and French presses are vacuum insulated stainless steel, in addition to their elegant design and keeping one's coffee hot for hours, they're unbreakable and will also work for brewing tea.
The Straw Propeller oatmeals we began offering this past week have been a huge hit. They're a refreshing change to the over-sweetened options typically available. Not only that but the portions are hardy, enough to keep one going until lunch or beyond!
As the holidays draw nearer, coffee makes great gifts, whether it's for friends and family or as corporate gifts. If you have a business and would like to gift special customers/employees with some REAL.GOOD.COFFEE., talk to us about creating custom labels that will make your gift even more distinctive.
We also offer gift certificates and can put together various coffees to create nice gift packs. We'll even take care of shipping. Just let us know when you'd like the recipient to receive their coffee and we'll handle the details. Call or e-mail for more information.
A huge thanks to all who have contributed to The Coffee Trust program we've been participating in for the past month. Your contributions will help the coffee farmers of Guatemala learn new organic methods of eradicating the devastating La Roya coffee blight. The program winds up at the end of November so next time you're in the shop, look for the donation jar and donate whatever you're comfortable with. Every little bit helps.
Also, a plug for Bestow, the flower shop located within St. Johns Coffee Roasters. Nyki just returned from the flower market with some absolutely gorgeous fresh flowers. So even though the weather is getting chilly, the flowers will warm the ambiance and take that edge off. And don't forget the upcoming workshop on creating one's own terrarium!
I think that's it for this week. I hope you have a fabulous weekend, filled with lots of coffee.
Many thanks,
Mount and Crew