Roaster: Mindwater Coffee

Bean Name: Cocora

Single Origin / Blend: Single Origin

Origin: Tarrazú, Costa Rica

Process: Red Honey

Brew Method: Pour Over, Espresso

Mindwater was one of the first roasters to do a Q&A with the subreddit. I had been meaning to buy a bag for quite some time and finally pulled the trigger. I love the branding of their bags and everything about what their brand represents. If you have been on the fence, go give them some orders! I also know you can find their coffee in a few small stores around town if you want to skip the shipping costs.

I feel like this roast is going to appeal to the crowd that enjoys a classic medium roast that will do well on a variety of brew methods. As a pour over, I found it clean and approachable. There were some nice chocolatey notes up front that made way to mild fruits on the back. It has a balanced acidity and sweetness that will be easy to drink any day of the week. On espresso, I really enjoyed this one. It was citrus forward but with a nice buttery mouthfeel and pleasant acidity. There are noticeable chocolates but I found it to be an interesting shot on espresso that was excellent straight up or in a milk drink as well. If you are a medium roast lover, this one is for you.

Roaster: Spesh Coffee

Bean Name: Ethiopia Guji

Single Origin / Blend: Single Origin

Origin: Guji, Ethiopia

Roast Date: 8/17/26

Process: Natural

Brew Method: Pour Over

If you haven't had the time to read through the recent Spesh Coffee Roaster Q&A, this would be a good time to do so. Spesh is taking a very different approach to their coffee business and it is worth hearing from Matt directly as to how he approaches his coffee companies. As a quick background, Matt worked for Lofty Coffee for many years before starting Ghost Roast and Spesh. He is trying to sell his coffee to the average consumer at wholesale pricing and admits that the P&L for this part of his business is pretty tight. For example, this Guji roast is currently listed for $12 (before shipping which is $5.95 flat rate). After trying a few of his coffees, I can confidently say that he is providing some value that might be better than anywhere else I have seen to date. Is he getting the highest quality green coffee? No. But most of his green coffee scores between 85-88 pts and works well over a variety of brew methods.

I enjoyed this one most as a pour over. I brewed this primarily with my Deep27 but also with the Kalita Mino 185 for a few cups. The ground coffee had aromas of cocoa and berries. I found that the cup had rich chocolates up front but the lingering taste was that of boozy & sweet blueberry and strawberry. As it cooled, I was able to pick apart some winey notes that may be due to the natural process of the coffee. I never got a bad cup with this roast and I know its one of Matt's best sellers. His coffee is worth checking out if you want crazy value. Just buy a few bags at a time so the shipping cost is spread over more than one bag.

As a side note, I have been using the Coffi App quite heavily lately to log and rate all the coffees I buy to brew at home. If interested, you can follow along with my reviews on the app. Here is the review I made for this coffee which also incudes my Deep27 recipe.

Roaster: Seven Seas Roasting Co

Bean Name: Colombia Gustavo Ferney Osorio Guarin

Single Origin / Blend: Single Origin

Origin: Tolima, Colombia

Roast Date: 8/03/26

Process: Honey

Brew Method: Pour Over, Espresso

I do feel like Seven Seas is pretty underrated in the San Diego Specialty Coffee scene. I have had a few different roasts and have yet to be disappointed. Their owner Eric Dobbs does a great job of sourcing and building direct relationships with the farmers. They also support origin-specific projects that give producers access to tools, resources, and infrastructure designed to strengthen their farms and businesses. This roast is part of Forest Coffee’s ReForest Project, which works with Colombian farmers to plant native shade trees that promote biodiversity and help coffee farms become more resilient to a changing climate.

I first brewed this Colombian Single Origin as a pour over on my Kalita Mino. The whole beans had aromas that reminded me of toasted almond, chocolate, and red fruits. Once ground, I was able to pick apart biscoff cookies and brown sugar. In the cup, I was tasting the red plum front and center. There is also a hint of cane sugar and a brighter sweetness that makes for a shockingly complex cup for a medium roast. This one got better as it approached one month rested but I never had a bad cup brewed as a pour over.

As espresso, this could certainly be labeled a daily driver type of roast. I was still able to detect the red plum up front but could pull apart more cocoa and brown sugar tasting notes. I thought that this made for a very balanced espresso shot that had a good acidic presentation. I loved this one in a cappuccino as it produced a bold but interesting flavor profile that kept me wanting more. I am excited to continue to see what Seven Seas comes out with in the future.

Roaster: Yipao Coffee Roasters

Bean Name: SL28 Natural

Single Origin / Blend: Single Origin

Origin: Huila, Colombia

Roast Date: 7/28/26

Process: Natural

Brew Method: Pour Over, Oxo Rapid Brewer

Maria & Jairo are the masterminds behind Yipao Coffee Roasters. If you want to learn more about their brand, here is the Roaster Q&A. If you haven't had the opportunity to stop into one of their cafes (Pacific Beach or University Heights) or brew one of their roasts, you are absolutely missing out. I first met Maria at World of Coffee this past April and then had the pleasure of working with them on the Roaster Highlight. I then found myself in Pacific Beach back in July and wanted to stop in to purchase a bag as it had been too long since my last Yipao roast. Luckily, both Maria and Jairo were in that day and I was able to chat with them for a bit of time. It was great to learn a bit more about their Colombian sourcing and get some inside guidance into which roast I should walk home with that day. I settled on this SL28 as I wanted something with a bit more funk and it was highly recommended. Jairo then gave me a full recipe instruction on how to get the best out of the beans. They are wonderful humans and their respect for the Colombian terroir is pretty unmatched.

Anyways, let's dive into the SL28. Per Jairo's guidance, this roast is best dialed in for pour over using 15g at a 1:17 ratio with 92c water. He also finds that using a double bloom alongside 3 equal pours is able to bring out the best flavor profile. One thing to note here. The aroma from the whole beans on this roast might just be the best that I have ever smelled in my life. It is like taking a big whiff of an artisan strawberry dark chocolate bar with some boozy notes. Once ground, I was able to pick out banana, strawberries & cream, and boozy chocolate. Most of these aromas seem to carry over into the cup with the strawberry and funky natural notes as the main attraction. This one is simply an unbelievable expression of the natural process. One of my favorites of the year so far.

I also used a couple different Oxo Rapid Brewer recipes with this roast that was worthwhile. First, a standard 1:10 ratio with 197f water diluted down to around a 1:14 ratio produced a great cup. I was able to get much of the nuance of the pour over but with a simple, no frills approach that takes no more than a minute or two. I also tested this as a 5-minute ORB cold brew (perfect for the absurd heatwave). Basically, I just add a 1:5 ratio of room temp water and let it steep for 5-minutes before pumping it through. Then, I add another 1:5 or 1:6 ratio of water to dilute it down for a full cup. Still has some excellent strawberry and vanilla notes but with an added gummy ring like sweetness.

Don't sleep on Yipao.

Roaster: Chuck's Roast

Bean Name: Colombia Finca Nogales

Single Origin / Blend: Single Origin

Origin: Huila, Colombia

Roast Date: 7/24/26

Process: Advanced Fermentation

Brew Method: Pour Over

Chuck Patton founded Bird Rock Coffee Roaster's in 2002 and started roasting at home before launching the first brick and mortar location in 2006. It wasn't until 2017 that Chuck sold a majority stake of the company and began roasting and consulting under Chuck's Roast. His roasting today is done at Coffee Cycle in Ocean Beach and he generally has a few different options available for purchase online. If you are one that is interested in very high quality coffee sourced from some of the best producers out there, you may need to give Chuck's coffee a try. He tends to keep his roasting profile on the lighter side to highlight the terroir of the coffee he is able to source. Also, if you are wanting to learn more information about his experiences in sourcing and much more, I would highly recommend reading some of the blog posts that are found on his website.

Since Chuck is getting the best of the best, it does come with a higher price tag. His roasts will usually range from $20-60 for 150g bags. I noticed he was recently having a flash sale on the last of his Colombia Finca Nogales coffee, so I pulled the trigger on a $10 bag to try out. To say that I was absolutely blown away by the quality of this coffee would be an understatement. First of all, this same coffee got a Coffee Review score of 95, so that's a pretty telling start. This was an Advanced Fermentation Java in which the process uses a small amount of pre-fermented yeast preserved from a previous fermentation of the same coffee.

I have to say that the whole beans had some of the most unique and expressive aromas that I have smelled to date. I was pulling out green candy, black pepper, and kiwi straight out of the bag. As the coffee aged a few weeks, it started to smell of key lime pie. The ground coffee seemed to take on many of these same aromas but with more punch and vibrancy. I brewed this on a variety of different drippers for pour over and landed on a grind size of 23 on the C40 and primarily used a double bloom technique . Every cup yielded very unique flavors with an incredible balance of acidity and mouthfeel. There was a subtle lemon & lime combo mixed with some spices that melded together very well. This roast was fairly juicy but with a rich mouthfeel that hung out for quite some time. This might have been the best value I have ever had in a bag of coffee and will easily fight for a top spot on my Best of 2026 list. Please do check out Chuck's coffee if you have the means. I know that he is planning on some fun Ethiopian releases in the coming weeks!

Memli Coffee never fails to disappoint. However, their coffee is certainly on the more expensive end of the spectrum. I had been eyeing their Tasting Set for a while as it seemed like a good way to test out a few different roasts and better understand what I might like from them in the future. It is also a great way to test five different origins which is fun in itself. The vials that come in the set have about 45-50g of coffee which allowed me to make about 5 different brews using smaller 8-10g doses on my Deep27 dripper. I was pleased with the packaging and details that come alongside the coffee. This would make for a great gift to any specialty coffee lover out there. Anyways, here is a short and review of the coffees that I tried from the set.

Tanzania - Acacia Hills

This one was sugary with aromas of apples that sit on the nose. More florals come out in the cup alongside some hints of lemon. I particularly enjoyed the sweetness of this roast.

Kenya - Karani AA
Very buttery and sweet on the tongue. I would say light on the florals, but mostly candy like sweetness that persisted as the cup cooled. One of my favorites in terms of the overall mouthfeel.

Pillcocaja - Anaerobic Ecuador
A very sweet, strawberry forward flavor with a touch of funk and light florals. Pleasantly long linger on the tongue. I always enjoy a good strawberry note in a roast like this.

Ethiopia - Banko Gotiti Natural
Red fruits, potent florals, and a creamy mouthfeel. Not as funky as I would expect out of a natural, almost drank more like a washed coffee to me. The strawberry is very forward as it cools as well.

Bolivia - Finca Mathias
Maple syrup is the highlight of the show here. Slight chocolates and red apple on the back end. This was a nice, sweet cup that is comforting and easy drinking. Balanced bitterness and acidity. Probably the most approachable roast for those who are less inclined to drink lighter roasted coffee.

I had a lot of fun trying out these different origins and would certainly recommend it to anyone wanting to try some side by side tastings. Has anyone else purchased any of these bags and enjoyed any one in particular? I feel like it is hard to go wrong with Memli coffee.

Roaster: Coffee Cycle Roasting

Bean Name: Guatemala Chq'Ul

Single Origin / Blend: Single Origin

Origin: Guatemala, Huehuetenango

Roast Date: 7/16/26

Process: Washed

Brew Method: Espresso, Pour Over

Most of you know of Coffee Cycle Roasting if you are familiar with the San Diego specialty coffee scene. If not, you can read the Roaster Highlight with Chris O'Brien from a little while back. I attended my first SD Coffee Club meetup back in July in which Chris so kindly hosted at the Ocean Beach Coffee Cycle location. We tried way too many nice coffees brewed in all sorts of ways and I ended up walking away with a bag of the Guatemalan washed coffee that Chris recommended to me.

I wanted something that would work well mainly for espresso but that would shine as pour over when I wanted to test that out. This roast was surprisingly light but did such an amazing job for both brew methods. As a pour over, it was very juicy on the palate with some hints of orange and dark chocolate. There was an acidity that was present but not overpowering. I felt like this one presented as a clean, washed profile that was thoroughly enjoyable on my Deep27 and Kalita combo. As espresso, I was getting some extremely well balanced shots using an Ikape Convex basket that were much sweeter than what I was getting in my pour overs. It seemed to bring out a bit more of the chocolatey notes and was super flavorful in a smaller milk drink. I could easy use this one as a daily driver and could see this as a roast that could help beginners to the specialty coffee world start to appreciate something roasted a bit lighter.

I'm curious where everyone lands here. Basically, who do you think offers the best value among San Diego coffee roasters?

To be clear, I'm not looking for "buy a 5 lb bag," "Costco has this..." or "join a monthly subscription". I'm more interested in the roasters whose regular pricing feels especially fair for the quality you're getting.

In other words, if you walk in and buy a normal bag off the shelf, which roasters consistently make you think, "This coffee should probably cost more than it does."

Off the top of my head, here are a few roasters that I feel fall within this category:

Torque Coffee: Vast majority of their roasts are $17-20 for a 12oz bag with exceptional quality

Jaunt Coffee: $20-22 for their 12oz bags with a good variety of roast styles

Zumbar: $19/12oz for their classic roasts that have maintained excellent quality for many years

Roaster: Ilustre Coffee

Bean Name: Gesha Carlos Cadena

Single Origin / Blend: Single Origin

Origin: Huehuetapan Farm, Veracruz, Mexico

Roast Date: 6/24/26

Process: Washed

Brew Method: Pour Over

I was in Escondido the other day and wanted to check out a new coffee shop. Since I had recently been to Manazanita, I settled on Ilustre Coffee. As a background, Ilustre is a Tijuana-born roaster that is highly regarded for their clean and expressive roasts that are primarily light to medium light. They focus on sourcing beans from Latin America (primarily Mexcio) and like to bring out clarity and sweetness in their roasts. They opened up this cafe in Escondido back in 2025 and in my opinion this is a hidden gem that doesnt seem to get talked about enough. Yes, the coffee is on the pricier side ($25/150g for this bag), but I don't think you will be disappointed assuming you like lighter roasted coffee. Ilustre does the majority of the roasting in Tijuana but also does some micro-lot roasts on a Stronghold that sits right in the middle of the cafe.

I was blown away by the smell of the whole beans. Punchy red fruits that had a bit of a boozy scent. After grinding, the aromas were sweet, fruity, and floral. In the cup, everything was red fruit forward. Red apple, strawberry. and plum. There were florals on the back end but this was mostly a sweet and juicy roast. When ground on my C40, the cup was complex and tasty with great flavor separation. I went with 23 clicks on the C40 and found the best results when brewing with 200-202f water. If you are ever in the Escondido area, this is a must stop for anyone wanting some unique Mexican roasts.

Roaster: Origen Coffee Roasters

Bean Name: Typica Pluma

Single Origin / Blend: Single Origin

Origin: Ozolotepec, Oaxaca, México

Roast Date: 6/24/26

Process: Washed

Brew Method: Espresso, Pour Over

Origen Coffee Roasters. Most of you have likely never heard of them. However, if you have had the pleasure of visiting this (somewhat hidden) cafe, you know that everyone else is missing out. Origen Coffee is a small coffee cart that is located outside in a quaint but peaceful business park directly across the street from the Carlsbad airport. Keep in mind that the coffee cart is only open on the weekdays from 8:15am-2pm. There is a beautiful pond with koi fish and plenty of outdoor tables to sit down and enjoy your coffee. What appears to be your run of the mill coffee cart is anything but ordinary. The owner, Ruben, is extremely friendly and will talk coffee all day long if he had the chance. His family has roots in Michocan, Mexico and you will always find a couple of Mexican roasts on the menu. Ruben sources and roasts a wide variety of unique single origin coffees. You will often find varieties like SL28, Bourbons, or funky natural processes. At the coffee cart, you will notice an extensive pour over menu (around $9/cup) that will allow you to try a roast before deciding to take home a bag. I love visiting Origen because I know that before I leave I will have learned something new about coffee. You can tell that Ruben's passion for specialty coffee is through the roof.

After trying a number of excellent pour over cups with some friends, I decided to leave with the washed Oaxacan roast ($29/12oz). I wanted something that could be more of a daily driver and work well on both espresso and pour over. Out of the bag, the aromas were mainly cacao, sugar cane, and a subtle orange. After grinding, I was able to detect dark chocolate notes alongside some sugary fruits.

As a pour over, this was very cozy with the chocolatey notes leading the way. On the back, I was able to taste some stone fruit that gave this cup an easy drinking sweetness. I would definitely classify this as a daily driver. The clean, washed profile was enjoyable and not overwhelming in any sense.

I really enjoyed this one on espresso. While I did not get as much chocolate coming through as I did on pour over, there was a nice mix of acidity and fruity sweetness. I could also pick up a bit of spices in the espresso that made this unique. I had consistently tasty shots as straight espresso as well as mixed into smaller milk drinks. While I am not able to make it over to Origen Coffee often due to their hours, I can't wait to get my hands on another bag. Let me know if you have had a similar experience with Origen or have brewed a roast from Ruben that really stood out.

Roaster: Zumbar Coffee

Bean Name: Hummingbird

Single Origin / Blend: Blend

Origin: 33% Latin, 25% Sumatra, 17% Ethiopia, 25% Brazil

Roast Date: 5/22/26

Process: Mixed

Brew Method: Espresso

The Hummingbird blend from Zumbar. A legend in its class. It doesn’t do anything extraordinary, but it hits every time and never fails to put a smile on your face when you want a punchy medium dark roast. At $19 for a 12oz bag, you are getting some excellent value for a bag that will be simple to dial in and maintain for a month or two on your shelf.

I’ll admit, this was my first time trying this roast. I knew I had to give it a shot after seeing it recommended for the 100th time on this subreddit. The cafe is tucked into a small little commercial center right off the freeway where the 5 meets the 805, almost hidden. They seem to roast fresh almost daily and the smell is intoxicating when you walk into the shop.

As many of you already know, Hummingbird is seen as a daily driver king. It has what most people want out of a dark-ish roast when pulled as espresso. The whole beans immediately hit you with rich chocolate and toasted almonds. As a ristretto (I was doing 18 in, 22 out), the shot was super buttery with nice bitterness and cocoa forward notes. As a longer 30g pull, I enjoyed the balance that came forward. Still ultra buttery but with a creamy chocolate and light nutty finish. This style shot had more of a rounded bitterness that I enjoyed a bit more. Extremely tasty as straight espresso or really any sort of milk drink. Just a warm hug in a glass. Easy drinking and one that is perfect for your guests who may not be into true specialty coffee and uniquely processed coffees.

This is the most recommended roast on this sub for a reason. It’s just good and doesn’t try to be anything crazy.

Thanks to everyone who voted on their favorite San Diego cafes and roasters. These winners will be added to the wiki:

Light Roast: Memli Coffee

Medium Roast: Torque Coffee

Dark Roast: Mostra Coffee

Espresso/Pour Over Experience: Little While

Vibes/Atmosphere: Baba Coffee

Work Spot: Jaunt Coffee Roasters

Newcomer: Cala Coffee

Most Underrated: Big Step Coffee

Some returning names as well as a few new ones that are worth checking out. Thanks for participating!

More to come for Q3

Roaster: Steady State

Bean Name: Agricola

Single Origin / Blend: Single Origin

Origin: Panama, Boquete

Roast Date: 6/5/26 (Maybe)

Process: Natural, Honey, & Washed

Brew Method: Pour Over, Espresso

It had been too long since I have purchased beans from trusty Steady State. For those who are not yet aware, they just opened up their second location in San Marcos which is next to their roasting facility, California Roasting Collective. I have not been to this spot yet, but San Marcos is getting quite the specialty coffee upgrade after getting Necessity's second location a few months back. I wanted a single origin that I knew I would use primarily for pour overs. Once I saw Pacamara, the multiple processing methods, and the marshmallow tasting note I was sold. I believe I paid $26 for the 10oz bag. I also uploaded a picture of their coffee shelf that talks about roast dates. It has been well documented on this page that Steady State does not like to add the roast date to the printed roast date section of their bags. You will see the signage mentioning that all coffee is roasted on Tuesday and Friday and that it is all fresh. While it is great to know that it is roasted often and that their product moves well, I still think this is lazy on their part. When I have 10 bags of coffee at home, I am often juggling my consumption based on evolving roast dates. Sure, I can guess which day the coffee was roasted but it is just a lot more comforting to see that date written on the bag. I will die on this grave.

Anyways, back to the coffee. Out of the bag, I was smelling sugar cane and citrus notes. After grinding on the handy 078s, it produced more nutty aromas with a slight hint of the citrus coming through.

Espresso: I'll be honest, I wasn't able to dial in a shot that was all that pleasing to me. I settled with a 1:2.5 ratio and was getting extremely punchy acidity with a touch of tangerine notes. I wasn't able to extract many nutty or marshmallow-like notes per the tasting notes. Instead, this was rather juicy and worked better with 4-6oz of milk to cut through the profile.

Pour Over: This is absolutely fantastic on pour over. I tried cups using a number of different drippers (Kalita Mino, Hario Switch, Deep27) and got great results throughout. The nutty notes were now very present and delicious. This was a well rounded cup that had cherry and apricot notes on the back of the cup that evolved as it cooled. I would reach for this one again if I had the chance.