Rocky Mountain Roastery News, updates and helpful Info

Is your coffee tasting off?

We’ve rounded up the usual suspects—these issues are probably responsible for the your morning cup tasting off. 

1. Time: brewing the coffee for too long
2. Temperature: water that’s too hot
3. Quality: stale beans
4. Ratio: too much coffee for the amount of water
5. Grind: coffee grounds that are too small
6. Cleanliness: dirty brewing equipment

All of these issues have a backstory, and we’ll reveal them one by one. We’ll also go over some easy fixes to ensure that your coffee tastes wonderful!  You might also want to check out a new blend or single-origin!

1. Time

THE PROBLEM:
Over-cooking your coffee is one of the most common reasons your brew tastes bitter. Much like tea, coffee gets its flavor from steeping in hot water. If you let it steep for too long, too much of the bitter flavors come through and your coffee will taste burnt.

THE FIX:
1) Know how long your coffee needs to brew for the brewing method of your choosing, and 2) Set a timer so that you’ll know when it’s time to enjoy the good stuff!

2. HOT WATER

THE PROBLEM:
Lots of people bring their water to a boil and get right to brewing. But 212°F is actually too hot for coffee brewing! This is another way that coffee gets over-cooked.

THE FIX:
Patience . . . but if you’re like us and want your coffee now, a kettle with temperature control will let you choose a temperature just below boiling (195 – 205°F), eliminating guesswork and the need for patience.

And if you’re doing it the old fashioned way, taking the water off the boil for 30-45 seconds is all it takes to bring the temperature down to the magic coffee brewing range. Just remember, hotter water = bitter coffee; colder water = weak coffee.

3. QUANTITY

THE PROBLEM:
It’s a sad fact of life—not all coffee is created equal.  The problem with cheap coffee? It’s either under or over-roasted to cover up imperfections caused by low-altitude growing and mass harvesting. When coffee is over-roasted, it tastes bitter and burnt, more like ash than the fruit it comes from. If coffee is under roasted, it tastes like rotten citrus. 

THE FIX:
Buy better beans! It may seem expensive to buy premium coffee, but when you realize that it comes out to a measly $.30 a cup (compared to $2-3 at a cafe chain) and you actually taste the drastic difference, you’ll never want to go back to the world of bitter beans EVER AGAIN.

Sign yourself up for our coffee club and you’ll be able to try freshly roasted, specialty-grade coffee at home, on your schedule! We roast at high elevation, slowly, so your cup of coffee is silky, smooth perfection!

4. TOO MUCH COFFEE

THE PROBLEM:
Don’t get too carried away with the good stuff. Adding too much coffee relative to the amount of water you use is an easy way to make your coffee taste too strong and in many cases bitter.

THE FIX:
Stick to the script. For automatic drip machines, try 1 to 1.5 Tbsp of coffee grounds for every 6oz of water used. For other brew methods like french press or pour over, try 1.5 – 2 Tbsp.

5. THE GRIND

THE PROBLEM:
Sometimes when you grind your coffee too finely, you can over-extract and expose the coffee in the process. Much like over-cooking, this leads to a bitter brew.

THE FIX:
Make sure that you use the correct grind level for the brew method you plan on using!

6. CLEAN EQUIPMENT

THE PROBLEM:
The leftovers from your last few brews can add up fast, and the math isn’t always pretty. The old coffee residue often adds bitterness and makes your latest brew taste stale.

THE FIX:
Clean, clean, clean. Quick tip: it’s always easier to clean your gear right after you use it (and you’ll have some fresh liquid will-power in your system!).

Start With Better Beans

The most common cause of bad-tasting coffee is one we didn't list above: starting with stale, low-quality beans. Fresh-roasted, high-altitude Colorado coffee makes all of these problems less likely — because great beans are more forgiving. Browse our best-selling coffees or explore our single origin collection to find your perfect cup. Not sure where to start? Try our original Colorado blends — the same recipes we've been slow-roasting since 1993.

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, and for good reason. It can provide a range of health benefits that make it an ideal choice for those looking to improve their overall health and fitness. From helping to boost energy levels to aiding in fat loss, drinking coffee can be a great way to get healthy and stay healthy. In this article, we'll explore some of the health benefits associated with drinking coffee and how it can help you reach your fitness goals.

Coffee  contains caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant that is known for its ability to fight fatigue and increase energy levels (1Trusted Source).

This is because caffeine blocks the receptors of a neurotransmitter called adenosine, and this increases levels of other neurotransmitters in your brain that regulate your energy levels, including dopamine (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

One study found that consuming caffeine increased time to exhaustion during a cycling exercise by 12% and significantly reduced subjective levels of fatigue in participants (4Trusted Source).

Another benefit of caffeine is increased focus.  Caffeine has been proven to increase focus and performance in sport, allowing you to shred harder and push deeper!

According to some research, coffee could alter fat storage and support gut health, both of which may be beneficial for weight management (13Trusted Source).

For example, one review of 12 studies concluded that higher coffee consumption could be associated with decreased body fat, especially in men (14Trusted Source).

In another study, increased coffee intake was linked to decreased body fat in women (15Trusted Source).

Furthermore, one study found that people who drank one to two cups of coffee per day were 17% more likely to meet recommended physical activity levels, compared with those who drank less than one cup per day (16Trusted Source).

Higher levels of physical activity could help promote weight management (16Trusted Source). We all know that it is easier to get after it when we have had our coffee!

One of the coolest benefits of coffee is that coffee could help extend longevity, thanks to its multitude of potential health benefits.

For example, one review of 40 studies concluded that drinking two to four cups of coffee daily was associated with a lower risk of death, regardless of factors like age, weight status, and alcohol consumption (27Trusted Source).

Similarly, another study in 1,567 people found that drinking caffeinated coffee was linked to a lower risk of death after 12 and 18 years of follow-up. Furthermore, drinking at least one cup of coffee per day was also associated with a lower risk of death from cancer (28Trusted Source).

There are clearly many health benefits of drinking coffee.  The reality is that coffee is delicious, especially when it is roasted slowly, at high elevations.  There is only one roaster in the world roasting coffee slow, at high elevation- Rocky Mountain Roastery!

Experience the World's Best Slow-Roasted Colorado Coffee

Since 1993, Rocky Mountain Roastery has been slow-roasting coffee at high altitude in Grand County, Colorado — one of the only roasters in the world doing this at elevation. The result is a smoother, more complex cup that you have to taste to believe.

• Best Sellers — start with our most-loved Colorado roasts
• Original Colorado Coffee Blends — recipes crafted & perfected since 1993
• Single Origin Coffees — Kenya, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Sumatra & more

Subscribe to our coffee subscription and enjoy fresh high-altitude-roasted Colorado coffee delivered straight to your door.

For outdoor enthusiasts, coffee isn't just a morning ritual; it's a necessity. Whether you're skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, camping, or running, you need the energy to power your outdoor pursuits. That's why we roast the only coffee, such as Apres Ski Blend, guaranteed to boost your performance with your outdoor pursuits. Our  beans are roasted slow at high elevation to give you the perfect balance of flavor and energy for any activity. Enjoy the smooth, rich taste of our coffee as you push yourself to new heights and explore new horizons. With Rocky Mountain Roastery coffee, you'll be ready for whatever comes your way!

Find Your Trail Coffee

Ready to fuel your next adventure? Browse our best-selling Colorado coffees or shop our full original blend collection — slow-roasted at high altitude since 1993 for the perfect mountain morning cup. Want to explore global origins? Our single-origin coffees take you from Kenya to Guatemala to Sumatra, all roasted right here in Colorado.

Explore More Single Origin Coffees From Rocky Mountain Roastery

Kenya AA is just the beginning. Rocky Mountain Roastery sources exceptional single-origin coffees from around the globe and slow-roasts them at high altitude in Grand County, Colorado — bringing you fresh, vibrant flavors you can taste the difference in.

• Shop All Single Origin Coffees — Kenya, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Sumatra & more
• Best Sellers — our most-loved Colorado roasts
• Original Colorado Coffee Blends — crafted & roasted since 1993

Love discovering new origins? Our coffee subscription lets you experience fresh Colorado-roasted single origins delivered to your door.

Rocky Mountain Roastery is proud to announce a new partnership with a local trail advocacy non-profit organization, San Juan Trails. This partnership will help support the efforts of the non-profit and bring awareness to the importance of preserving trails in our area.

The Rocky Mountain Roastery team is passionate about helping protect our environment and making sure that trails are accessible for everyone. We believe that this partnership will be beneficial to both organizations and help promote outdoor recreation in our region. For every bag of our Trail Builder Blend sold, we will donate $5 directly to San Juan Trails!

Support the Trails — Shop Colorado-Roasted Coffee

Every bag of coffee you buy from Rocky Mountain Roastery supports our community and the trails we all love. We've been small-batch roasting at high altitude in Grand County, Colorado since 1993 — coffee with a purpose, roasted where the trails are.

• Best Sellers — our most popular Colorado roasts
• Original Colorado Coffee Blends — signature recipes since 1993
• Single Origin Coffees — ethically sourced from top growing regions

Want Colorado-roasted coffee delivered regularly? Explore our coffee subscription and save on every order while supporting Grand County.

The Simply Good Coffee Brewer is revolutionizing the way we make coffee at home. With its automated brewing process, you can now enjoy a fresh cup of delicious coffee without any of the hassle that comes with traditional coffee making. Its advanced pour-over technology and innovative design make it the perfect choice for anyone who wants to make good coffee at home without sacrificing time and effort. With Simply Good Coffee Brewer, you can now have pour over quality of coffee in no time!

Pair Your Brewer With Colorado's Best Coffee

The Simply Good Coffee Brewer deserves exceptional beans. Rocky Mountain Roastery has been slow-roasting small-batch coffee at high altitude in Grand County, Colorado since 1993 — the perfect match for a brewer built around quality. Try these Colorado-roasted coffees:

• Best Sellers — our most-loved Colorado roasts
• Original Colorado Coffee Blends — signature recipes since 1993
• Single Origin Coffees — taste the terroir from Kenya, Ethiopia, Guatemala & more

Or explore our coffee subscription and never run out of fresh Colorado-roasted beans again.