What’s the difference between your coffee beans
and those of other vendors?

The most important values for everything we do are quality, freshness, and service. Our focus on quality means that we only buy high-quality green beans from premium coffee estates around the world. We also import unique beans from our own coffee plantation in Guatemala. Our focus on freshness means that we roast new coffee several times every week to guarantee the best flavor. In contrast, many other roasters sell coffee that has been roasted weeks or months ago, so most of the great flavor has already disappeared. Our focus on service means that all our staff knows about the flavor and origin of every bean, and can make recommendations according to your preference. We also have a coffee hotline that you can call at 15618669291 to ask questions. And you're welcome to subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Weibo, Twitter and Facebook. Quality, freshness, and service – that’s what’s different about Café del Volcán.

Why does fresh coffee taste so much better?

Coffee is a very delicate natural product that quickly looses it’s special flavor after the beans have been roasted. Roasted coffee beans release a huge amount of oxygen, and with the oxygen they also loose their flavor. Nobody can prevent the oxygen and flavor from leaving the bean — if we would try to put the beans into an air-tight metal can, it would turn into a bomb because of all the pressure! That’s why freshness is so important to make good coffee: The sooner you use it, the better it tastes. We recommend that you use our coffee beans within 2 weeks after purchase. Of course, you can still drink it 4 weeks or even 8 weeks later, but the flavor will never be the same.

How should I store the coffee beans?

The best way to keep the coffee fresh is to store it at room temperature in a sealed glass container. Don’t put your coffee beans into a fridge or freezer, don’t put them into bright sunlight, and don’t let the beans get moist. Also, keep in mind that roasted coffee takes on other smells very quickly, so don’t store your coffee in a place that smells bad, or near any meat or cheese. That’s why keeping coffee in a fridge is not a good idea: With all the other food around, the beans quickly start tasting like your lunch.

Why do you recommend whole coffee beans
instead of ground coffee beans?

As explained above, as soon as the coffee beans are roasted, they start to loose some flavor. As long as the beans have not been ground, a lot of flavor remains inside. However, once the beans are ground into small pieces, the flavor is lost much more quickly. The finer you ground your beans, the more quickly the flavor is lost. That’s also the reason why we generally don’t grind very fine espresso for anyone: If we do that, most of the good flavor is lost after less than one hour! We strongly suggest buying a good grinder — you will immediately notice the difference when you make a cup of coffee from freshly ground beans!

What are the different flavors of your beans?

Every kind of coffee bean has a different flavor: Some countries produce beans that are very smooth and mellow, while other countries produce beans that are more fruity and bright. Some countries are known for beans that have a special earthy flavor. However, the style of roasting also influences how the coffee will taste like: Darker roasts create a smoother body with more sweetness, but also increase bitter notes. Lighter roasts emphasize fruitiness and create a brighter flavor. To decide which kind of beans you like best, please take a look at our product descriptions. If you are still unsure, simply try one bag or order two different kinds to compare. You can also chat with us, stop by our coffee shop at 80 Yongkang Road, or call us to ask for a recommendation. Most people really like our Guatemala Santa Rosa beans, so these are always a good choice to start.

Why is your coffee more expensive than
the beans I can buy form other vendors?

Many coffee companies buy cheap green coffee beans, then roast them in big factories, and store them in warehouses for a long time until everything has been sold. This makes the coffee cheaper, but the flavor is not very good, and it’s probably not very healthy either. At Café del Volcán, we only roast small amounts of beans several times every week to make sure the coffee we sell is as fresh as possible. We also buy only high-quality beans that are more expensive, but taste much better. If you don’t care how your coffee tastes like, you can buy the cheap beans. But if you want to enjoy a great cup of coffee, it’s better to spend some money on quality and freshness!

If I place my order now, how quickly will I get my coffee?

We always send your coffee as quickly as possible. If you place an order before 4pm, we usually send it out on the same day and you will receive it the next day. If we are very busy on weekends or the coffee you want is currently sold out, we may have to wait until the next day to process your order, and you will receive it on the following day.

Can I bargain for a cheaper price?

Sorry, no. To serve you this premium coffee, we have to buy and import high-quality beans from around the world, which is expensive and takes a lot of time. We hope that once you have tried our coffee, the outstanding flavor will convince you that our beans are worth paying a bit more for better quality. However, we do give special discounts every once in a while to all of our customers. If you want to know about these deals, please subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Weibo, Twitter and Facebook. Thanks for giving Café del Volcán a try!