This has been an arduous transition for me trying to get the new space initiated. I hardly expected it to be trouble-free...but several unforeseeable circumstances beyond my control have forced my hand. The roaster ("Heisenbeard") is going to be moved tomorrow while new gas and HVAC work is completed.  Portland is probably not the only West Coast with great sensitivities on the seismic front but there are very recently-implemented building code mods which impact "small appliances" like 5 kg. coffee roasters. All the ducks will line up in a row eventually this week, inspections and protocols met, and we will be resuming normal operations.

Will post on the blog about restart date but orders placed tonight onward CAN NOT BE PHYSICALLY ROASTED. Think good thoughts for yon Badbeard, your humble coffee servant! If you hear someone screaming AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH outside in Portland it's probably me, and no, it won't be because I'm doing anything pirate-y. Thanks for your understanding!---Justin

Busy busy times for me as we prepare to more the roastery in a few days...trying to make the transition to a new smaller and more intimate space with as little down-time as possible. Target date for install will be Friday April 28, and the new plant address 5829 SE Powell Blvd., Portland 97206. I have had an awesome time these last 4 years sharing a large space in Parkrose Business Center with the indominatable Vic Tuttle of Amici Services, and want to offer a public shout-out to this awesome guy. Beg your forbearance if Murphy's Law sneaks in and there are delays getting running...I will inform here on the Badblog.

But can finally post up about new coffees...all really exceptional. There's the return of last year's Organic Uganda Sipi Falls Project, and better than ever...a really great value for an East African gem approaching the quality of a fine Kenya. We restocked 30 kilos of the noteworthy Yemen Mocca Al-Roowad...all we could get. For Indo-lovers there's a new-to-the-world Java Womens' Cooperative washed arabica from Pangalengen. This co-op of 50 growers in once-moribund West Java is producing extra special coffee and enacting social programs and sustainability reinvestment with the profits from their very first crop offered in the US. Importer and my fave partner Royal Coffee (thanks especially, Mayra Orellana-Powell!) put a huge effort into making this project a reality...where many would back away. Bravo gang.

The new washed version of superwoman Bedhatu Jibicho's single-farm, microlot coffee (from Ethiopia's  Yirgacheffe/Gedeb surroundings), which we still have as her natural process, is in and I will post it as in offering shortly. Fantastico.

It seemed like a herculean effort for our LTL shipper to deliver the stash of fabuloso Kenya Peaberry from our esteemed partner-in-bean-crime Matthew Mugo, but I took it in today, Feb. 23. The designation Riamute (for the farm) only tells half the story...it also bears the tag Kathunguri ("rough road!"), which references both the highest elevation and the most difficult section to farm. Beautiful coffee! Cup notes of black currant, dark chocolate and lavender. Recommended for pourover/drip but will also roast darker for espresso if specified in your order. This coffee will also replace Mugo's SL34 AA Kiambu (so sad to see it go!) in the Hotshot Espresso, combined with Brazil Fazenda Rainha Yellow Bourbon pulped natural.

Sadly our stellar Kenya AA Kiambu is officially out-of-stock. We loved it and gleefully await producer Matthew Mugo's current crop offering, literally making its way to Portland on the ironically slow-as-molasses service Roadrunner. Beep-Beep, next week TBA we'll crank out Mugo's stellar Peaberry...stay tuned!

Great way to kick off February with intake of certified organic Ethiopia and Papua New Guinea coffees. Our fave Chelbesa, now out of stock, bumped off the top of the ladder by Bedhatu's exceptional, single-farm, raised bed-dried Yirg Grade 1. Notes of blueberry are not so common outside of the Harar region, but this coffee has it and much more.

No sooner had our stocks of Papua New Guinea Keto-Tapasi dwindled then we found another beautiful, fully washed coffee, from a relatively new cooperative called Timuza from the Eastern Highlands. Somewhat brighter than the Keto...might have something to do with the use of custom bilum bags in the fermentation process...and very fruit-forward and rich.

Behold the fierce, legendary Ethiopian coffee warrior Bedhatu Jibicho, master of the farm. A member of the Banko Gutiti cooperative close to her terroir, she has been growing great coffee on a 23-hectare plot since the 1960s. Her naturals and washed are legendary, and we luckily snagged some, arriving early next week. Blueberries a featured profile note. We ran out of our favored Chelbesa natural this week and always have to have the BEST in-house!@

Rest assured coffees like this new Yirg from Gelana Abaya are great discussion-starters. The Pride Mill is of relatively recent vintage, and sits around 7,000 feet near the base of Mt. Lato Samalo. Great cupping notes for fans of Yirgacheffe....this is the 31st different Yirgacheffe (counting both washed and naturals) we've handling since our start 11 years ago. Never enough!

Colombia is becoming my favorite origin country for exceptional smallholder coffee lots. We just took in Finca La Paz, a microlot production of a de facto women-only farm. Superb. Nice body and aromatics in the light-medium roast. Bravissima senoras!!

Another banner year at Badbeard's, loads of great new customers and coffees.  Last day to order coffees for 2016 will be Monday, Dec. 26, before 1 PM if you can! After that we'll resume 1/1/2017...starting the new year right! Enjoy your families and friends!

Some excellent coffees rolled in today, Dec. 7; a 100% pulped natural Yellow Bourbon from esteemed Brazil farm Fazenda Rainha, winner of many prizes in both Brazil Specialty Coffee Association and Cup of Excellence competitions, lovely s.o. espresso; rockin' Ethiopia Guji Shakiso and Organic Flores from Wongawali Ngura.

A lot of something for everybody! Happy holidays to all...remember that starting the day with a cup of Badbeard's is a surefire way to get your day off to a good start.