Alterra's Coffee Offerings
Click the column header to sort our coffee chart. Roast, body and acidity ratings are based on a 10-point scale. Higher numbers indicate darker roast, full body, and bright acidity. Lower numbers indicate lighter roast, medium body, and smooth acidity. To better understand how these numbers translate to your cup, check out our explanations of roast, body, and acidity.(*OFT = Organic/Fair Trade)
| Coffee | OFT* | Description | Origin | Roast | Body | Acidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alterra's Favorite |  |  How can we have two favorites? Try this certified organic, Fair Trade blend and find out for yourself! The combination of full-bodied and chocolatey coffees creates a brew worthy of carrying the Alterra name. | Alterra Blend | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Alterra's Favorite | We drink a lot of coffee. Some days we drink so much we start seeing things. When you take your coffee as seriously as we do, you have to have a blend that balances well enough to keep on drinking with impunity. Earthy Sumatra and a bright, acidic light roast brew together in a combination we swear by. | Alterra Blend | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Black and Tan | |  The black and tan has been a long time bar favorite consisting of a darker beer poured over a lighter brighter one creating a delicate balance of flavors. Our version embodies the same spirit combining rich, full-bodied dark roasted coffee with a sweet, clean, light-roast in a blend that looks almost as good as it tastes - and you don't need a funny bent spoon to enjoy it! | Alterra Blend | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Blue Heeler | |  Named after Mina, our Australian Blue Heeler mascot, this coffee stays true cup after cup. We combine regular and dark-roasted Sumatra Gayoland - Organic Fair Trade to create a blend worthy of Mina's namesake. It features a floral, earthy aroma with a full body and a spicy, smoky flavor. | Alterra Blend | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Brazil Fazenda Santo Antonio Bourbon Natural |  Rather than spread the picked coffee cherries on patios, Fazenda Santo Antonio allows the 100% bourbon coffee to dry directly on the trees. This method creates a powerful and very distinct aroma and taste that is full-bodied, nutty, and unlike any other coffee. | South America | 3 | 5 | 1 | |
| Brazil Fazenda São Domingos | Located near the town of Araponga in the state of Minas Gerais, Fazenda São Domingos and owner Danilo de Castro bring us this wonderful coffee. Home to some of the highest elevation coffee farms in the country, the topography, soil, and climate at São Domingos, combined with fastidious processing, results in this unique, delicious coffee. Low in acidity but intensely flavorful, this coffee show notes of chocolate, roasted nuts, dried cherry and tobacco and boasts dense, satisfying body. | South America | 3 | 5 | 1 | |
| Breakfast Blend | |  In order for a blend to earn the distinctive "Breakfast" title, it must be a coffee that one can consistently count on to start the day in a delicious way. This blend of certified organic and Fair Trade Certified coffees do just that. Enjoy! | Alterra Blend | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Breakfast Blend | Sometimes we need a little help waking up, and that's where our Breakfast Blend comes in. The combination of light and medium-roasted coffees creates a dynamic cup with the sweet, pronounced acidity to pry open our eyes, and just enough full, smooth body to prop us up. Whether enjoyed with breakfast or while running out the door, you can always count on our Breakfast Blend to start your day off right. | Alterra Blend | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Cafe Voltaire |  According to legend, the French philosopher and author Voltaire drank fifty cups of coffee per day. Had he tasted this satisfying blend of East Indies coffees, he would have needed only twenty. Our Caf&eaute; Voltaire delivers a rich and spicy cup with incredible body, balanced acidity and a sweet, lingering aftertaste. | Alterra Blend | 3 | 4 | 2 | |
| Campesino Blend | |  Around the world, millions of small-scale farmers (campesinos in Spanish) dedicate their lives to growing, harvesting, and processing high-quality coffee. In their honor, we've combined organic, single origin coffees produced by Fair Trade Certified cooperatives for a great-tasting blend. It possesses a rich, chocolatey flavor with a medium-to-full body, low acidity, and a hint of spice. | Alterra Blend | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Colombia El Castillo |  An Alterra-exclusive coffee, El Castillo is created through an intensive search for the best deliveries of the year from hundreds of coffee producers in the departments of Huila and Cauca in southwestern Colombia - a relationship of which we are very proud to be a part. Each lot is screened and cupped at origin as well as at our lab in Milwaukee, and the best lots are selected and blended to create an intense but balanced coffee with pronounced, sweet acidity and full body. This is GREAT Colombian coffee! | Central America | 2 | 3 | 5 | |
| Costa Rica Campeon del Valle |  To create the Alterra-exclusive Campeón del Valle (Champion of the Valley), we dug deep into the Dota Valley in Costa Rica and selected a handful of highest quality lots from the 700+ producer members of Coopedota and blended them together. These coffees exhibit pinpoint acidity, supportive body and a subtle fruitiness that is a result of harvesting very ripe coffee cherries. | South America | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Dark Sumatra Gayoland | |  We've roasted the Sumatra Gayoland - Organic/Fair Trade darker to give some complexity to the coffee's earthy flavor and full body. It's produced by the Gayo Organic Coffee Farmers Association, a Fair Trade Certified cooperative from the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Certified organic by the Dutch agency SKAL. | Asia/ Pacific | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Decaf Breakfast Blend | This medium-roasted blend of decaffeinated coffees will wake you up without the jitters. Count on the bright, zesty acidity, medium body and a hint of roast to help you start your day off right. | Alterra Blend | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Decaf Colombia El Castillo |  Attention, regular El Castillo fans: Our Decaf Colombia is now Decaf Colombia El Castillo! This is great news because it means that we are able to source even more coffee from the producers in Huila and Cauca with whom we've had long-standing relationships. Enjoy the complexity and balanced acidity of this great decaffeinated coffee well into the evening. | Central America | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
| Decaf Dream Harder |  As fellow sleepers, we recognize coffee can keep a person up at night. Time spent tossing and turning should be time spent dreaming. To this end, we created Dream Harder Decaf. Balanced and sweet, citrusy and spicy, Dream Harder makes it possible to both enjoy coffee and get the most of your restful hours. | Alterra Blend | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Decaf Espresso Toro |  Sometimes the bull needs to be tamed, and that's where our Decaf Espresso Toro comes in. This decaffeinated version of our regular signature espresso is delicious on its own or as a base for late-night cappuccinos, lattes or mochas. | Alterra Blend | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
| Decaf French Roast |  This dark roasted blend of coffees is for those of you who want the smoky flavor and aroma of French Roast without the caffeine. | Alterra Blend | 4 | 3 | 1 | |
| Decaf Mexico Kulaktik (Water Process) | |  Using high-pressured water is the only natural way to remove caffeine from green, i.e., unroasted, coffee beans - a process that makes sense for certified organic coffees. We are pleased to now offer a water-processed decaf version of our popular Mexico Kulaktik - Organic/Fair Trade from the municipality of Tenejapa in the southern state of Chiapas. | North America | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Decaf Sumatra |  Decaf lovers will love the full-bodied, low-acid characteristics and strong earthy flavors of this Water Process decaffeinated Sumatra Gayoland - Organic/Fair Trade. Simply knowing that this coffee's caffeine has been washed away with high-pressure water may help you sleep even better at night! | Asia/ Pacific | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| Decaf Sumatra (Water Process) | |  One of the best-tasting decafs that we offer, the Decaf Sumatra has the same earthiness as our regular Sumatra Gayo Mountain - Organic. The full body, low acidity, and strong flavors make this coffee a real treat for decaf lovers. | Asia/ Pacific | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Delta Mud |  As the name suggests, this blend of Papua New Guinea Kimel Plantation and a very dark-roasted Brazil Fazenda São Domingos yields an extremely rich, deep cup of coffee. It's not for the timid or faint of heart, but the rewards for those brave souls who indulge in this brew are as great as the Mississippi River is wide. | Alterra Blend | 4 | 3 | 2 | |
| East Timor Maubisse | |  In the wake their country's 1999 referendum on independence from Indonesia, coffee producers in East Timor regrouped under a USAID grant designed to jump start the rural economy. The focus on quality and continuation of organic farming practices have resulted in this excellent Maubisse, which has heavy body, low acidity and rich, complex flavor. | Asia/ Pacific | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Espresso Toro |  From selecting the coffees to tailoring the roast, everything about Alterra's Espresso Toro was designed with espresso preparation in mind. We really like thick, lasting, reddish-brown crema; full, caramel-toned, mouth-coating body; soft, berry-sweet acidity; and flavors like chocolate, roasted nuts, spice and flowers. We hope you will too, so go grab your tamper and give it a shot. | Alterra Blend | 3 | 4 | 3 | |
| Ethiopia Harar |  For years we've sourced the Harar Horse from Mohamed A. Ogsadey, one of the most respected coffee exporters in all of Ethiopia and an annual visitor to Milwaukee until his passing in 2006. Although his presence in the specialty coffee industry is missed, his nephew Rashid has taken over the business and continues to deliver the high quality to which we are accustomed. Milk chocolate and berry-fruit notes are abundant, while mild, sweet acidity and creamy body round out the cup. Unique and very drinkable! | Africa | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Ethiopia Yirgacheffe |  The Yirgacheffe highlands region of Ethiopia is home to some of the world's best and most unique coffees. Delicate notes of black tea, flowers, and cake spice add complexity to a light, elegant mouthfeel and crystal clear, lemon-toned acidity. | Africa | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| French Roast | | Fans of dark roasts, listen up! Our version of the classic French Roast - Organic/Fair Trade was created just for you. Dark-roasted coffees from Central America and Indonesia come together in this smoky, full-bodied blend, while flavors of dark chocolate and black licorice reward those who want a little roast in their lives! | Alterra Blend | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| George's Burly Blend |  Attention, fans of strong and dark brews, we now have something special that will challenge your taste buds like no other coffee has. Created by and named after one of our roasters, George's Burly Blend starts with Brazil and uses a secret component to give it an extra punch. With a full body and a rich and complex flavor, this blend is what our own roasters drink on the job. Think you're up to the test? | Alterra Blend | 4 | 5 | 1 | |
| Guatemala Pampojila |  Third-generation coffee farmer Oscar Diaz harvests, processes and hand-sorts coffee that's as beautiful as the region from which it comes. His Pampojilá (meaning: "the place where the mist begins") coffee is grown at 5,500 feet above sea level near San Lucas Tolimán, a town in the southeast corner of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. Layers of sweet, floral acidity complement smooth body and classic chocolate notes in a shining example of Guatemalan coffee. | Central America | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Half-Caff Mexico Kulaktik (Water Process) | | For the coffee drinker that prefers half the caffeine! We combine our regular-roast Mexico Kulaktik - Organic/Fair Trade with a water-process decaffeinated version of the SAME COFFEE, resulting in a flavorful brew with some (but not all) of its original kick. The water-process decaffeination also preserves the organic integrity of the coffee, which may help you rest even better. | North America | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Kenya AA |  Every Tuesday during the harvest months, some of the best coffees in the world are sold at auction in Nairobi, Kenya. Each year we sift through dozens and dozens of samples to find the really outstanding coffees to bid on and buy. Our favorites always have lush, wine-like acidity that complements smooth, buttery body for an intense yet balanced cup with plenty of interesting flavors. | Africa | 1 | 3 | 5 | |
| Mexico Kulaktik | | Representing our longest direct sourcing relationship, Alterra has worked with the Kulaktik cooperative in Chiapas since 1999. Going beyond fair trade, Alterra provides a "give-back" premium per pound sold that helps the farmer-members fund maintenance and improvements, from new coffee plants to cooperative infrastructure. This wonderfully mild coffee exhibits citrus and cocoa flavors, medium body, and is accentuated with delicate acidity. | North America | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Nicaragua Don Zeledon | |  To create the Alterra-exclusive Don Zeledon, we tasted and selected the best coffees from award-winning cooperatives in Northern Nicaragua and blended them together to create a sweet, clean coffee with juicy acidity, medium body and resonating finish. | Central America | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Papua New Guinea Kimel Plantation |  The majority of quality coffee grown in Papua New Guinea comes from larger estates, such as the Kimel Plantation, located in the famous Highlands region. Full-bodied and well-balanced, this coffee features soft, sweet acidity, subtle herbal notes and a smooth mouthfeel. | Asia/ Pacific | 2 | 4 | 3 | |
| Peacemaker Espresso | |  As a straight shot, our Peacemaker Espresso carries notes of cherry, lemon and spicy chocolate to create a bright, full and balanced espresso. Sip it on its own or fire up your steam wands and find out for yourself why we chose the name Peacemaker - this is an espresso that "makes peace" remarkably well with milk! | Alterra Blend | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Peru Chirinos | |  The Chirinos cooperative of Northern Peru, which was founded in 1968 with just 36 farmer-members, has grown to roughly 280 members from several communities in the Cajamarca region. This year, the coffees we selected from Chirinos came from 3 groups in the cooperative - Balcones, La Lima and Cordillera - that are at the highest elevations and produce the highest quality coffees. Harvested from mostly Typica variety trees (with small amounts of Caturra, Pache, Catimor and Bourbon) at elevations upward of 1,600 meters, this certified organic coffee is a delicious example of successful efforts in cooperative farming. This is a layered yet drinkable coffee with delicate floral and berry aromas and sweet, balanced acidity. Enjoy! | South America | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Punch in the Face |  This is a knock down, street brawl kind of coffee. Papua New Guinea Kimel Plantation and our very special Espresso Toro come to blows after each gulp for a blend that's nothing less than a punch in the face. | Alterra Blend | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| Sulawesi Toraja |  This Toraja is harvested from Mount Sesean in North-central Sulawesi at elevations ranging from 1,300 to 2,000 meters above sea level. Coffee grown on the mountain's eastern slope is collected in the market town of Minanga, while coffee from the Western slope comes through Sapan. The resulting mélange is something very special; flavors of herbs, clove and banana combine with mild, sweet acidity and lasting, syrupy mouthfeel finishing with a touch of roastiness. An incredible, intriguing example of the range of flavors coffees can have. Enjoy! | Asia/ Pacific | 3 | 5 | 1 | |
| Sumatra Gayoland | | In the cup, this Sumatra is characterized by its low acidity, medium-to-heavy body, and earthy undertones. It is produced by the GayoOrganic Coffee Farmers Association, a Fair Trade Certified cooperative from the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The cooperative members are small-scale farmers dedicated to growing 100% shade grown coffee that is certified organic by Skal. | Asia/ Pacific | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Traditional Mocha Java |  We've combined coffees from Java, Sumatra and Ethiopia to create our interpretation of one of the oldest known coffee blends, Mocha Java. Full, creamy body and subtle, delicate acidity support dried fruit and cocoa notes in this richly complex, sweet coffee. Tastes great in a press-pot or as an espresso! | Alterra Blend | 3 | 4 | 2 | |
| Sumatra Mandheling Takengon |  Our Sumatra Mandheling exhibits all of the complex, earthy flavors and smooth, full body that you expect from Sumatran coffee in a way that is elegant and drinkable, not wild and challenging. This coffee is grown in the Takengon region in the northern part of Sumatra
known as Simalungun at elevations between 1200 and 1465 meters above sea level (4400 ft). | Asia/ Pacific | 2 | 3 | 2 |