FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Ethiopia (Light-Medium Roast)

What does Honorary Grounds Ethiopia coffee taste like?

Honorary Grounds Ethiopia is a light-to-medium roast with tasting notes of milk chocolate, fruit, and caramel. The fruit character reads closer to berry and stone fruit than citrus, and the milk chocolate sweetness keeps it approachable rather than sharp. It is the most delicate of the three Honorary Grounds roasts.

How should I brew Ethiopia coffee?

Ethiopia is best brewed as pour-over or drip, where the lighter roast has room to express its fruit and caramel notes. Use a medium grind, roughly a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio, and water at 200°F. It can be brewed as espresso, but the delicate notes are easier to taste in a filter method.

Does Ethiopia coffee work in a latte?

Ethiopia is a better choice for black coffee or a light cortado than for a full latte. Its fruit and caramel notes are subtle, and a full pour of dairy or oat milk tends to cover them. For milk-forward drinks, the Italian roast is the stronger choice.

Is Ethiopia coffee low in acidity?

Ethiopia has moderate acidity — brighter than the Italian roast and comparable to the Colombia. Light-to-medium roasts generally retain more acidity than dark roasts, which is part of what makes the fruit notes perceptible.

Colombia (Medium Roast)

What does Honorary Grounds Colombia coffee taste like?

Honorary Grounds Colombia is a medium roast with bright notes of dried orange and berry balanced by smooth chocolate sweetness. The citrus character sits on top and the chocolate underneath, which makes it read as balanced rather than sharp. It is the most versatile of the three Honorary Grounds roasts.

Is Colombia coffee a good everyday coffee?

Colombia is the best everyday choice in the Honorary Grounds lineup because it works across brewing methods and suits both black coffee and milk drinks. Medium roasts hold enough body for drip and French press while keeping the clarity that makes pour-over worthwhile.

How should I brew Colombia coffee?

Colombia performs well in drip, pour-over, and French press. Use a medium grind for drip and pour-over at roughly a 1:16 ratio with water at 200°F, or a coarse grind and a four-minute steep for French press.

What is the difference between Colombia and Ethiopia?

Colombia is a medium roast with orange, berry, and chocolate notes, while Ethiopia is a lighter roast with milk chocolate, fruit, and caramel notes. Colombia has more body and works better with milk; Ethiopia is more delicate and best appreciated black.

Italian (Dark Roast)

What does Honorary Grounds Italian roast taste like?

Honorary Grounds Italian is a dark roast that is bold, smoky, and full-bodied with deep caramel notes and a rich finish. It is the darkest and most intense of the three Honorary Grounds roasts.

What is the best coffee for oat milk lattes?

A dark roast with strong body, such as Honorary Grounds Italian, is the best choice for oat milk lattes. Oat milk has more sugar and body than dairy and tends to flatten lighter roasts, so the coffee needs enough intensity to stay present through the milk. Italian roast keeps its caramel and smoke through a full latte.

Is Italian roast bitter?

Italian roast is bold and smoky but not bitter when brewed correctly. Bitterness in dark roast usually comes from over-extraction — grinding too fine, brewing too long, or using water above 205°F — rather than from the roast level itself.

How should I brew Italian roast?

Italian roast is well suited to espresso, moka pot, and French press, where its body and caramel depth come through. For espresso, use a fine grind and a 1:2 ratio over 25 to 30 seconds. For French press, use a coarse grind with a four-minute steep and water at 200°F.

General FAQs

Who is Honorary Grounds Coffee Co.?

Honorary Grounds Coffee Co. is a woman-owned specialty coffee roaster based in Denver, Colorado, founded in 2025 by Tracee Patterson. The company roasts in small batches and sells through its online store, a subscription program, events, and wholesale accounts across the Denver metro area.

Is Honorary Grounds coffee woman-owned?

Yes. Honorary Grounds Coffee Co. is woman-owned, founded and run by Tracee Patterson.

What does Honorary Grounds Coffee Co. do for the community?

Every Honorary Grounds Coffee Co. purchase funds meals for families experiencing food insecurity through The Honorary Kitchen, the company's connected nonprofit. Food goes wherever there is a need, without geographic restriction. The giving is built into the business structure rather than run as a periodic campaign.

How fresh is Honorary Grounds coffee?

Honorary Grounds roasts in small batches and ships within 48 hours of roasting. Coffee is at its best within three to four weeks of the roast date for filter brewing, and the roast date is printed on every bag.

Should I buy whole bean or ground?

Whole bean keeps its flavor noticeably longer, since ground coffee begins losing aromatic compounds within minutes of grinding. Choose whole bean if you have a grinder; choose ground if you do not, and store it sealed away from light and heat.

How should I store coffee?

Store coffee in an airtight container at room temperature, away from light, heat, and moisture. Do not refrigerate it — the temperature swings cause condensation, and coffee absorbs odors from other food.

Does Honorary Grounds Coffee Co. offer wholesale?

Yes. Honorary Grounds Coffee Co. supplies cafes, restaurants, diners, hotels, and offices with 16 oz bags in all three roasts. The program includes coffee roasted within 72 hours, biweekly ordering, free staff training, and in-store marketing support. Accounts in Denver, Northglenn, Wheat Ridge, Brighton, Parker, and Lone Tree receive a 48-hour delivery turnaround.

What areas does Honorary Grounds Coffee Co. deliver to?

Honorary Grounds Coffee Co. delivers wholesale orders to Denver, Northglenn, Wheat Ridge, Brighton, Parker, and Lone Tree, Colorado within 48 hours, and ships retail orders nationwide within the United States.

Can I order wholesale coffee from Honorary Grounds outside of Colorado?

Yes. Honorary Grounds Coffee Co. is expanding its wholesale delivery network nationwide and accepts wholesale accounts outside Colorado. Out-of-state orders ship rather than deliver locally, so delivery times are longer than the 48-hour turnaround offered in the Colorado service area. Coffee is still roasted to order before it ships.

Is Honorary Grounds coffee vegan?

Yes. Honorary Grounds coffee is 100% coffee with no additives, and all three roasts are vegan.