Overcoming Bad Coffee Experience

[LoveCoffeeLife]

I'd like to start this thread to read about some of the people who may have also had a bad coffee experience whether it be the coffee itself or the interaction with the coffee seller/vendor/roaster and how you overcame it.

I'm currently trying a new (to me) coffee brand and the start is a bit rocky so I'm hesitant to say a lot about it in specifics. Not just yet anyway. Still working to a resolution but I can say that in this situation I'm simply a consumer of coffee trying this brand for the first time from a small business via mail order so, we'll see what the outcome is then I'll report in detail.

In the meantime this has made me curious about the experiences of others. So, if you like please share. I'm listening.

 

[ensoluna]

I have one story to tell. and about "over-coming"? i do not know how to overcome this matter/problem.

here it goes.

3 years go, Steve Sims from Bodhi roaster asked me to send some super good micro lots. so i sent about 8 samples from Guatemala. By the way, whether you know it or not, sending samples from Guatemala isn't easy nor cheap. we have to visit several micro lot farms all over the places and collect the samples (which takes a week at least, and hours and hours of driving) and got phytosanitary certificate which allows us to send out the samples to overseas. and DHL cost wasn't cheap either.

After Steve got the sample, he never got back to me with cupping report. (it is a courtesy for buyers to give detailed cupping report within a week or max two weeks after he receives). So I called him up asking what happened. only thing, he said was that he was too busy to cup. and when he has time, he will cup and let me know. he never got back to me.

But story does not end there.
Last year, he asked for something special from Finca Santa Felisa which is one of top 3 specialty farms in entire central America. so I got some Geisha, Pacamara..etc. but this time, I had my guy send them over to my house in Los Angeles and I hand-delivered the samples to him. His shop is about 40 min driving from my house. He asked for q'ty and pricing which I provided.

then, I did not hear from you again, not even cupping report what so ever.

a month later, i found out that Steve went around my back and ask someone else in Guatemala to source out the coffee with Finca Santa Felisa with the Geisha sample I delivered to him. So he bought that same Geisha from someone else, after bargaining pricing with the farm..etc.

I thought that he was a nice guy when I talked to him face to face, but apparently, he does not have the ethics in our business.

 

[Duffyjr]

When I started working at my current job one of the guys was buying coffee online and would take orders from a few other coworkers so we could all enjoy free shipping. This was my first venture away from store bought beans so it was considerably better. Even after this guy left I kept buying from the same place up until a couple months ago when I decided to try a different vendor and I'm glad I did as the difference was significant, not as drastic as leaving store bought but definitely noticeable.

Besides the taste I did do the zip lock baggie test and even after a couple days the old vendors bag didn't change much to where the new vendors bad had puffed up some by the next morning. I guess I just took it that if they're selling beans they should be fresh but after looking at the Q&A page they don't even mention anything about roasting dates and their bags only have a use by date.

Not that this was a bad experience but it sure did open my eyes. Right now I have four different vendors I will be ordering from over the next few months.

 

[LoveCoffeeLife]

I have one story to tell. and about "over-coming"? i do not know how to overcome this matter/problem.

here it goes.

3 years go, Steve Sims from Bodhi roaster asked me to send some super good micro lots. so i sent about 8 samples from Guatemala. By the way, whether you know it or not, sending samples from Guatemala isn't easy nor cheap. we have to visit several micro lot farms all over the places and collect the samples (which takes a week at least, and hours and hours of driving) and got phytosanitary certificate which allows us to send out the samples to overseas. and DHL cost wasn't cheap either.

After Steve got the sample, he never got back to me with cupping report. (it is a courtesy for buyers to give detailed cupping report within a week or max two weeks after he receives). So I called him up asking what happened. only thing, he said was that he was too busy to cup. and when he has time, he will cup and let me know. he never got back to me.

But story does not end there.
Last year, he asked for something special from Finca Santa Felisa which is one of top 3 specialty farms in entire central America. so I got some Geisha, Pacamara..etc. but this time, I had my guy send them over to my house in Los Angeles and I hand-delivered the samples to him. His shop is about 40 min driving from my house. He asked for q'ty and pricing which I provided.

then, I did not hear from you again, not even cupping report what so ever.

a month later, i found out that Steve went around my back and ask someone else in Guatemala to source out the coffee with Finca Santa Felisa with the Geisha sample I delivered to him. So he bought that same Geisha from someone else, after bargaining pricing with the farm..etc.

I thought that he was a nice guy when I talked to him face to face, but apparently, he does not have the ethics in our business.

Wow!! that's a horrible story and I'm sorry that happened to you. This person obviously has a few integrity issues and had the nerve to ask you for something else. Which to me makes me believe he actually used your good will and good business ethic against you. Believe me I know how that feels and I'm sorry that happened to you.


When that happens do you have any recourse? Because basically you were the finder for the item for them that they eventually purchased even if it wasn't through you. Man! I hate hearing stuff like that!! You should at least be compensated for the time and effort to procure the coffee up to that point.

When the coffee industry started to crack down on abuse in sourcing etc. I know the effort is to afford the farmers a good life for a very real and valuable service but seems the there is still a ways to go in other aspects of the sourcing process. :heart:

 

[LoveCoffeeLife]

When I started working at my current job one of the guys was buying coffee online and would take orders from a few other coworkers so we could all enjoy free shipping. This was my first venture away from store bought beans so it was considerably better. Even after this guy left I kept buying from the same place up until a couple months ago when I decided to try a different vendor and I'm glad I did as the difference was significant, not as drastic as leaving store bought but definitely noticeable.

Besides the taste I did do the zip lock baggie test and even after a couple days the old vendors bag didn't change much to where the new vendors bad had puffed up some by the next morning. I guess I just took it that if they're selling beans they should be fresh but after looking at the Q&A page they don't even mention anything about roasting dates and their bags only have a use by date.

Not that this was a bad experience but it sure did open my eyes. Right now I have four different vendors I will be ordering from over the next few months.

I'm not familiar with the baggie test you mentioned. When it puffs in a day does that mean that the coffee is still considered fresh? Did the first vendor's beans puff?

 

[ensoluna]

yes, it hurt me for a while, but i let it go long time ago.
thank you for your kind posting

 

[Duffyjr]

I'm not familiar with the baggie test you mentioned. When it puffs in a day does that mean that the coffee is still considered fresh? Did the first vendor's beans puff?

I can't remember where I seen the baggie test but if the coffee is fresh it should still be de-gassing. Take a half cup of the beans and put them in a sandwich size zip lock and get as much air out as you can, I used a straw to help. After some time you should see the bag filling up.

Even after three days the first vendor put off very little but the second vendor was noticeable by the next morning. I've only tried this 3 times so I'm not positive this is the best way or even reliable, it could be that different beans de-gas at different rates, I just don't know for sure. The reason I did the test was because there was such a big difference in the taste so I assumed it was the freshness, whether the first vendors beans were fresh or not is not why I'm trying different vendors, I did enjoy their beans for quite a few years and they are certainly better than store bought.

 

[LoveCoffeeLife]

yes, it hurt me for a while, but i let it go long time ago.
thank you for your kind posting

You're right, ensoluna. You did the right thing by letting it go. I just don't like to see innocent people get hurt and taken advantage of. You were very wise to put your energy and focus behind your work. Your energy is best spent in your work that you love.

I checked out your FB page as well and that cupping process looks very interesting and the testers I can tell are very skilled and serious about their work. When I get my beans... finally I'm going to try a sort of amateur cupping session for myself. It'll be my first.

 

[ensoluna]

oh, great. cupping and roasting sample beans are great exercise to learn about the coffee profiles.
if you have any other questions, please let me know.
also, if you have a chance to come down to Guatemala, please let me know also.
even if I am not there all the time, I can have my people take you around.
thanks

 

[LoveCoffeeLife]

oh, great. cupping and roasting sample beans are great exercise to learn about the coffee profiles.
if you have any other questions, please let me know.
also, if you have a chance to come down to Guatemala, please let me know also.
even if I am not there all the time, I can have my people take you around.
thanks

Awesome! I'll keep that in mind about visiting Guatemala, I'd love to visit meet you guys and have great coffee! Thank you!

I will likely have plenty of questions for you. LOL I already have a few after reading some of the material about body and acidity and finish. I find that those have been the easiest to pick up on given the coffee and equipment that I currently have. We'll see what else I can pick up on with my new burr and beans. Will keep you updated.

 

[topher]

lovecoffeelife..It says you are in South Eastern US. Not sure how far south you are but if you want we have a roastery in South Florida if you are in the area pop in for a tour.

 

[LoveCoffeeLife]

Topher- I'd love that! I'm not that far south but if I ever am I'll be sure to let you know!! Thanks for that offer!

 

[LoveCoffeeLife]

Ok, so issue resolved. Now this is solely from a consumer point of view and I'm far from being a professional coffee person. Right now I'm an interested observer at best. LOL

The situation is that purchased coffee online from a small business. The first thing about the experience that annoyed me was that they only had one clearly defined way to pay and that's via paypal. If you've had experience with paypal you know it takes a few days for that payment to clear the vendors system and rightly so they can't fill the order till that happens. Finally my order was placed for two different blends, whole bean. Five long agonizing days later I finally get my package and I find that the beans were pre ground. I immediately called the business and the owner was very kind and sent me whole bean without making me send the ground coffee back. It took an additional week to get my whole beans but in the end the coffee was amazing. The difference between fresh burr ground and pre ground is vast.

I feel a little silly now saying it was a bad coffee experience but the important thing to me is that coffee vendor made things right and quickly as possible. I can appreciate that, greatly appreciate that.

 

[Duffyjr]

the coffee was amazing. The difference between fresh burr ground and pre ground is vast.

I'm afraid you're hooked now, there's no going back for you,

Glad they made it right for you, smaller companies tend to give better customer service as they have more to loose.

 

[Dmtexas]

Wow! That is so unfortunate!! My fiancé and his family is from Guatemala. We are going in the next few months and I am so excited to be returning because I have more of a coffee background now Such a beautiful country!