Coffee Information

Coffee Links

Once you've purchased coffee, the right equipment can help ensure a satisfying cup. See our companion reports on coffee makers and coffee grinders for more information. 

In addition to reviews of hundreds of coffee brands and blends, CoffeeReview.com has great information on the coffee-making process and political issues like fair trade agreements.

GlobalExchange.org also offers good background information about Fair Trade-certified coffee. It has FAQs, an annotated coffee bibliography and a list of coffee cooperatives, among other info.

TransFairUSA.org is the website of TransFair USA, the Fair Trade-certification organization. It gives an overview of the coffee program, including information for importers and roasters interested in certification. There is also a list of certified producers categorized by crop, name and country.

Direct-trade coffee is considered by some to be even more socially conscious than Fair Trade-certified coffee. Direct-trade manufacturers have more established relationships with their growers and pay higher wages, according to Bon Appetit magazine. Intelligentsia is one well-known boutique roaster that specializes in direct trade, in addition to Counter Culture and Stumptown.

Lifehacker.com has tips on how to brew the best coffee. The National Coffee Association also shares their technique for brewing the perfect cup.

Sean Paajanen, the former coffee guide at About.com, lists the best ways to store your coffee to ensure freshness and flavor.

You can find information on blends, beans, country of origin, etc. on manufacturer websites:

Caffe Ibis

Caribou Coffee

Chock full o'Nuts

Dunkin' Donuts

Eight O'Clock

Folgers

Green Mountain Coffee

Maxwell House

Millstone

Newman's Own Organics

Peet's

Starbucks

Tully's Coffee