Plus, there's some serious behind the scenes bribing going on to have us pimping the other guys' beans.:-)

That was just a joke.
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I got to know Russ pretty well. Russ spoke well of the new owner. As for him being a buy & sell kinda guy, isn't that what he's in business to do if he's going to make money? I also think that in taking over the business when he did, he got it during an economic downturn.

The part about ordering and getting two different things, that is bothersome.
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I am sure there is some kernel of truth there. Maybe getting good deals (a form of bribery, if you will) so that you'll talk up that guy's beans? It wouldn't be the first time that is done. In fact, many places give "bird dog" rewards to those who bring in other customers. If a business does good things, has quality product and decent prices, I'm not opposed to such practice. In some other places, they call this word of mouth. And when the owner founds out that you talked them up, they "thank you" with discounts.
That's good business sense.

Peace of the Lord be with you.
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I liked Russ, too. As far as the buy & sell, let me clarify. Some of the companies, like SM, go out and meet the growers, visit the plantations, check on the processing, look for the best beans at the source. I think CBC just gets samples from his suppliers and buys what looks good, marks it up and passes it on. He doesn't really KNOW what he's got. Again, just my :-)

Yeah, it was Purple Mt Kona. The first pound was awesome so I ordered 10 more. What I got did not look the same (I still had a little of the first pound left) or taste even close. Needless to say, that was my last order from them.

And as for getting kickbacks, I have never even gotten a discount coupon from SM, EVER! That actually pisses me off a little, I have spent a lot of $ there.
I've gotten a few small samples from Uncle Beanz, not really kickbacks. I just like Norman personally, a lot. And I love that he is just 1 guy, busting his hump, trying to make a go of it. And, he has a limited selection and ALWAYS top shelf stuff. And he smokes cigars :-)
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In all seriousness, one of the main reasons I like Sweetmarias is the customer service I have recieved over time.

For example, I broke the glass roasting chamber on my Freshroast and they overnighted me a new one free of charge and included a return label for the broken one with no questions asked. If that qualifies as a kickback, so be it.

Another thing I like is their cupping notes. They can be a bit overwhelming and fancy, but they give the roaster a good idea of what to expect as well as roasting ranges.

Another supplier I like a lot is CCMcoffee in Tampa.

They have been in business for a very long time, the shipping is fast, and their prices are some of the best.

They're a no-nonsense company that doesn't do much advertising and always delivers quality.

As far as Unclebeanz goes, I really like their stuff, I like Norm, and if I can send business to a fellow BOTL, I will do so as long as quality and service is good. It always is.
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I love SM cupping notes! And the 1 time they screwed up an order, they fixed it really fast, yup, good cust ser.
I'm gonna check out CCM.
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CCM = nice selection, great prices, thanks! :-)
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Checked CCM out do like there site and prices are about the same as Sweet Marias. I did find a local importer and stopped by on my way home yesterday. I got 1lb of Costa Rican and a lb of Etheopian. Gonna try my hand at roasting this weekend.
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:-) Let us know how it goes...in detail :-)
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Roasted about 8oz of the Costa Rican yesterday. Gonna let them sit for a day or two before brewing them. My wife was impressed with my roasting skills. I will say the roasted beans do smell a lot better than anything ive ever bought at the store.
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Ain't that the truth?
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What are you roasting with Jeff?

I love Costa Rican beans and find them to be best when lightly roasted, which was suggested on the coffee tour I did while in country.
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Pete,

I roasted the first batch in a sauce pan. It turned out pretty well and i was impressed with how even the roast turned out. I roasted them to a medium roast. We have already brewed all that i roasted. My wife loves it! I will try the next batch at a light roast. What roast would you recommend on the Ethiopian Herrerra.:-)
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I have very little experience with Ethiopian beans but was recently suggested by Unclebeanz to try roasting just before second crack.

It's cool that the Ethiopians invented coffee roasting and still keep itold school as far as the roasting goes, as demonstrated here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwGuJcLJfKw
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Yea Lemme try the Light Roast you do.. Because Even though I Liked the Flavor of your Medium, It was a Bit too strong for Jana and I.
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Light roast is good for Ethiopian beans. Brings out some wonderful flavors. Make sure and let it rest a couple of days before you grind and drink it.
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Just roasted a full pound of the Ethiopian beans. Gonna let them sit for two days. The CR beans were awesome we went through the whole pound in about four days. :-)
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Yes folks, he is hooked. :-)
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Word!
Image
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