SHOP
You choose the blend, the size, and how often you want it (monthly, every other week, or weekly). Pay per order automatically and cancel anytime. Order for yourself or as a gift! Use the button below to get started!
If you're ordering in the Iowa City area, you'll be able to select free delivery as a shipping option.)
Manage your subscription (change billing information, skip a delivery, etc.)
Brass Knuckle Blend
Molasses/Fig
A rich syrupy concoction made from coffees from all around the world. This blend makes a fantastic espresso, french press, or filter coffee that may remind you of the flavors or molasses and fig.
$13 for 12 oz.
$15.60 for 1 lb.
Wholesale pricing available (Contact us for pricing)
If you live in the Iowa City area (IC, Coralville, or North Liberty), use coupon code ICFREE to waive the shipping fee and get free local delivery (free deliveries are made on Fridays).
Colombia Huila Anaerobic Process
Peach/ Honeysuckle
"Abnormal Offerings for Coffee Lovers."
The Skeleton Key Series is a new set of small batch single origin offerings from Brass Ring Coffee. These are coffees that we find to be special or "abnormal" in some way or another. Some of these coffees may come from special farms, use experimental processing techniques, unique typicas, or just have an extremely special flavor or character. You can always count on a Skeleton Key coffee to transport you to somewhere special when you close your eyes to take the the first sip.
$16.75 for 12 oz.
$21 for 1 lb.
Wholesale pricing available (Contact us for pricing)
"Although growing coffee includes lot of science by default. Coffees like this are taking it to the next level.
This is a controlled fermentation natural processed coffee, done in sealed tanks – as opposed to just drying the cherries slowly outside, letting them ferment naturally. This allows farmers and processors to really dial in the natural processing.
Manos Juntas is a micromill in Sotara area of Colombia’s Cauca region, operated and managed by Banexport. The entire concept of this micromill is based on simplifying tasks and responsibilities, for both producers and Banexport.
This particular offering was first purchased in its cherry form when delivered by local producers on the day of harvest in Huila. Upon arrival, the Brix and pH were recorded, and the cherries are placed in large hermetic tanks for a five-day-long anaerobic fermentation and transferred to Cauca: Each tank is labeled with the name of the producer, to retain traceability. During this period, nitrogen gas is introduced into the tanks in order to stimulate the yeast. Brix and pH are measured constantly through this process and are used to determine the stopping point for fermentation; the coffee is then subjected to 20°C temperatures in order to cease fermentation and remove the yeast and other microorganisms.
Once dried, the coffee is cupped and the lots created.
Banexport believes that when it comes to a breakdown in factors that contribute to quality:
- 50% is determined by crop production (fertilization, pruning, and proper harvest of cherries)
- 50% is determined by post-harvest processing (fermentation, pulping, drying, and storage)
Based on this understanding, Banexport decided to establish Manos Juntas Micromill, in which they purchase cherries from producers and manage the processing, drying, and storage themselves. This model allows producers to focus on healthy production of specialty coffee, while the meticulous work of sorting, processing, drying, and storing is managed by Banexport’s team.
Key takeaways about this program:
- Producers deliver and sell coffee in cherry form to Banexport, by total weight. The riper the cherry, the heavier it is. This encourages better harvest practice that directly correlates to higher quality.
- Producers get paid upfront for their coffee, typically producers have to wait 35 to 40 days for coffee to dry before selling it.
- Banexport guarantees to pay producers a fixed price well above the market value for these cherries.
- Producers involved are from surrounding farms. This means they need only to travel a short distance to deliver coffee, as opposed to driving many kilometers into town.
- Coffee infrastructure, like drying beds, fermentation tanks, and depulpers, can be very expensive to purchase and maintain. With this model, farmers can forgo all of this hassle and focus on maintaining healthy trees.."
If you live in the Iowa City area (IC, Coralville, or North Liberty), use coupon code ICFREE to waive the shipping fee and get free local delivery on orders over $20 (free deliveries are made on Fridays).
Congo Katana Station Natural process
Peach/ Lime/ Cacao
"Abnormal Offerings for Coffee Lovers."
The Skeleton Key Series is a new set of small batch single origin offerings from Brass Ring Coffee. These are coffees that we find to be special or "abnormal" in some way or another. Some of these coffees may come from special farms, use experimental processing techniques, unique typicas, or just have an extremely special flavor or character. You can always count on a Skeleton Key coffee to transport you to somewhere special when you close your eyes to take the the first sip.
$16.75 for 12 oz.
$21 for 1 lb.
Wholesale pricing available (Contact us for pricing)
This is an organic certified, natural-processed, grade 3 lot from smallholder farmers in Kivu, a coffee region on the eastern edge of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This coffee was produced by Virunga Coffee Company, an Olam operation that operates 7 washing stations in Kivu on the outskirts of the Virunga National Park. The region has excellent conditions for specialty arabica production with plentiful rainfall, high altitude and highly fertile volcanic soils. A lovely, crisp, and clean, not overly fruity natural processed.
THE PRODUCERS
Virunga Coffee Company was established in 2011 by Schluter SA (now Olam Specialty Coffee Europe) with the vision to: “Change lives in DRC through commerce in a mutually profitable way by being a major coffee actor in Kivu.”
Virunga Coffee aims to achieve this vision by improving the quality and yields for farmers in North and South Kivu, primarily through:
– Developing and implementing field-based support activities
– Introducing Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
– Investing in processing infrastructure
– Organizing assured organic production in close collaboration with over 2,300 farmers (with a further 1,500 by June 2020)
– Bringing an innovative spirit to the development of new products
As well as providing a stable supply chain and specialty market access, Virunga is actively involved in a number of sustainability and social programs in farming communities. These include an extensive tree planting program, disease prevention outreach to tackle critical diseases such as Ebola and HIV, and equipment to help farmers improve their agronomic practices.
THE PROCESS
Ripe cherries are delivered to the washing station for sorting and flotation to select only the ripest for processing. The cherries are de-pulped using a Penagos eco-pulper, fermented for 18-24 hours and then washed in clean water grading channels. Once thoroughly washed the parchment coffee is dried in the sun on raised African beds for 12-18 days, depending on climatic conditions.
In the daytime the parchment needs to be raked and turned periodically to ensure a consistent drying process and prevent mold or over-fermentation. The coffee is also covered in the middle of the day to protect it from the hot sun, and at night to protect it from rainfall and condensation. Once the coffee has dried to the right level it is transported to Butembo for dry-milling, grading, sorting and handpicking (triage), before being bagged in GrainPro for export.
THE REGION
Hutwe village is located in the Kirumba region of Nord-Kivu (North of Lake Kivu), on the edge of Virunga National Park, bordered by Uganda to the east. The region has excellent conditions for specialty arabica production with plentiful rainfall, high altitude and highly fertile volcanic soils. The region is also very poverty-stricken and has had a severe lack of infrastructure which has made high quality arabica both difficult to produce and very challenging to export. Virunga Coffee Company has sought to overcome many of these problems through hands-on farmer education and investment in local infrastructure such as roads and bridges. This has allowed quality improvements every season and, in turn, higher premiums for farmers.
If you live in the Iowa City area (IC, Coralville, or North Liberty), use coupon code ICFREE to waive the shipping fee and get free local delivery on orders over $20 (free deliveries are made on Fridays).
Honduras MWP Decaf
Cocoa/ Fig / Tobacco
$16.25 for 12 oz.
$20.30 for 1 lb.
Wholesale pricing available (Contact us for pricing)
"Hondurans coffee really tend to shine with the decafs – smooth, rich and chocolaty while naturally being lower acidity. The water process: The green coffee is pre-soaked in water to expand the beans for caffeine extraction. The hydrated green coffee is then introduced to a unique solution of concentrated coffee solubles that draw out the caffeine while minimizing the loss of flavor compounds. Once the caffeine has been removed the green coffee is re-dried and re-bagged for transport, and the extract solution is filtered of its caffeine and recycled to be used again.."
If you live in the Iowa City area (IC, Coralville, or North Liberty), use coupon code ICFREE to waive the shipping fee and get free local delivery on orders over $20 (free deliveries are made on Fridays).
Brass Ring Sample Pack
(If you'd like specific roasts included, or would prefer all samples to be of the same roast, let us know in the comment section of your order.)
(For a perfect gift, try pairing with a handmade mug!)
If you live in the Iowa City area (IC, Coralville, or North Liberty), use coupon code ICFREE to waive the shipping fee and get free local delivery (free deliveries are made on Fridays).
Coffee & Mug gift Package
Sold out
Need a last minute gift? How about one of our new mugs, handmade by local Iowa City ceramicist Alea Mae Pottery, and throw in a 12 oz. bag of freshly roasted beans! We'll even wrap it up nice in a gift bag with a ceramic Brass Ring Coffee stamped ornament.
Handmade Ceramic Mug
Only a few left!
These beautiful one-of-a-kind mugs are handmade by local Iowa City ceramicist Alea Mae Pottery. Each one is slightly different, but they can hold between 10 and 14 oz. of hot fresh Brass Ring Coffee (or whatever you want to drink out of them!) Dishwasher and microwave safe.
Deluxe Resin Coffee Bean Mug
Only a few left!
More amazing hand made mugs from local artist Alea Mae Pottery.
These handmade mugs are a deluxe version of our classic mug, that feature a unique clear resin cast on the back that contains permanently preserved Brass Ring Coffee beans!
It's the perfect way to drink a delicious cup of Brass Ring Coffee and makes an outstanding gift.
Gift Card
Colombia Manos Juntas
Plum/ Cola
"Abnormal Offerings for Coffee Lovers."
The Skeleton Key Series is a new set of small batch single origin offerings from Brass Ring Coffee. These are coffees that we find to be special or "abnormal" in some way or another. Some of these coffees may come from special farms, use experimental processing techniques, unique typicas, or just have an extremely special flavor or character. You can always count on a Skeleton Key coffee to transport you to somewhere special when you close your eyes to take the the first sip.
$16.75 for 12 oz.
$21 for 1 lb.
Wholesale pricing available (Contact us for pricing)
"A very fruit forward and floral cup of coffee! A stellar example if you like the slow dried natural process. Although it is a Colombian coffee this is not for you traditional Colombian fans. Very unique tastes in this offering. If you enjoy coffees like Ethiopian Naturals, Indo Bali Kintamani, Zambia Natural, this will be right down your alley. One will see pretty two-toned roasting with it and very fruit forward winy/floral/fruity tones.
Manos Juntas is a micromill in Sotara area of Colombia’s Cauca region, operated and managed by Banexport. The entire concept of this micromill is based on simplifying tasks and responsibilities, for both producers and export companies.
This particular offering was first purchased in its cherry form when delivered to the mill by eight local producers, on the day of harvest. Upon arrival, the Brix and pH were recorded, and the cherries were placed in large hermetic tanks for a five-day-long anaerobic fermentation. After this, the cherries were taken to raised beds under a parabolic dryer to begin their 30-day process of slowly drying.
Processing coffee is half the battle for small scale farmers, which is why Banexport decided to establish Manos Juntas Micromill, in which they purchase cherries from producers and manage the processing, drying, and storage themselves. This model allows producers to focus on healthy production of specialty coffee, while the meticulous work of sorting, processing, drying, and storing is managed by Banexport’s team.."
If you live in the Iowa City area (IC, Coralville, or North Liberty), use coupon code ICFREE to waive the shipping fee and get free local delivery on orders over $20 (free deliveries are made on Fridays).
Indonesian Bali Kintamani Natural Process
Strawberry/Plum
$16.75 for 12 oz.
$21 for 1 lb.
Wholesale pricing available (Contact us for pricing)
If you live in the Iowa City area (IC, Coralville, or North Liberty), use coupon code ICFREE to waive the shipping fee and get free local delivery (free deliveries are made on Fridays).
About the coffee:
Bali Kintamani is 100% sundried on raised beds; It’s perhaps the first ever special prep natural Indonesian. Raised beds keep the cherry free of dirty flavor, and facilitate very quick drying in Bali’s high altitude sun and constant island breeze. This coffee is certified organic and also Rainforest Alliance (RFA) certified.
We've roasted it on the lighter side to show off its bright, fruit-forward flavor profile, with notes of strawberry and plum.
About the producers:
The farmers who grow Bali Kintamani belong to cooperative organizations known as Subak Abian (SA) founded on a Hindu philosophy known as “Tri Hita Karana” (the three causes of happiness). SA co-ops foster community in agricultural, social and religious activities, and have been certified Organic since 2008. Pesticides are never used on their coffee farms, and fertilizers are 100% organic.
SA farmers grow almost all heirloom Arabicas, Typica & Bourbon. They use trees such as Erythrina, Tangerine, and Orange to shade the coffee, which improves yield and cup quality and enhances wildlife habitat.
Please contact us for quotes on wholesale orders.