Molly,
Another option is to Home Roast – If you are interested, I will be glad to add details to the thread on the process.
I have been home roasting coffee for about four years now. I prefer a lighter roast (Blonde at Starbucks) City to Full City roast. I pay around $6 per pound for green beans and get the roast that I like. Some of the advantages:
– Green Beans, when stored properly last for years – barter?
– Cost
– You roast exactly what you want –
– easy learning curve
– low initial startup
– Dark or light roast they can be the same beans: its just a matter of how long they roast…
– 15-25 minutes per week to roast a pound of coffee.
– Once you roast your own, you will have a hard time drinking anything else!
I am actually going to leave the office early today since I am riding the motorcycle and it is beautiful outside. I’ll take the long way home then roast some beans from Burundi, Costa Rica and Ethiopia.