malachi wrote:Not excellence in freaking web sites.

For on-line purchases, the website is the first point of contact. If the website is a mess, one must conclude the operators do not [yet] have all their act together. What other aspects of their business are subpar? While a slick site is no guarantee of great coffee, descriptions of roast level, component coffees and blend method may give enough information to decide it's worth the risk.

Great coffee can be easily purchased from excellent sites like Red Bird, Counter Culture, Caffe Fresco, Intelli, ecco, Paradise and dozens of others. Why risk worm food from some fly-by-night operator?

Re the list: since Counter Culture's Apollo changes every few weeks, there probably isn't much point in including it here. People are usually quick to post their comments on each new version.

cafeIKE wrote:...is often a euphemism for "whatever origin flavors existed in this low quality coffee are roasted out"

H-B is an internet community committed to excellence. Rewarding mediocrity is counter productive.

I'd not make that assumption, myself, as I'd miss out on a really great SO. And I say that not being fond of SO's in particular. Jason is a conscientious roaster, He's traveled to the origins, and knows the farmers by name. He has also taken up the mantle of SW BGA rep. It isn't like he's some guy that goes out an buys a coupla hundred pounds of greens off the interwebs and roasts them in his popper in his basement.
Yeah, it's a trick on their website at the moment, I'll give you that. I'll make a coupla calls and suggest that things get rolling (point taken, you can leave any time you want, but you can never check-out...) and that maybe Jason oughta kick his IT guy in the tuckus. Remember, this is a roaster running three coffee shops in two cities, plus supplying all of his other clientele. Those customers need to be dealt with, and web-design skills might not be his strong point. But the phone does work.

On Cartel;

I get what is being said about the site, I doubt they are getting any internet orders, which I hope someone told them about. That being said just because they can't function a website properly doesn't mean they don't know how to operate a roaster.

I think it would say much more about H-B if a current Starbucks blend got the top nod winning out over something done by Peet's and Safeway. I know all their sites probably work well.

Thanks to the nominees list, I have discovered a skilled roaster in the state of Washington. I say, "Try Velton's!"