A 13oz can of their organic Ethiopian retails for around $8.95 for They have a line of specialty and more commercial style coffees that come in sealed Nitrogen flushed cans to help with preservation. The label indicates that the coffee is fair trade certified, kosher and USDA organic. The beans are shade grown.
Lets pop off the lid and peal back the foil seal: The Arabica beans are medium roasted and my first impression was that the beans may have been over-roasted. The smaller size beans almost reflected light as it looked like the beans' oil had leached out all over the place. When I went to grind the beans, the ground coated the sides of my grinder's chamber. Ethiopian coffee has very fruity aromas. However, I smelled more of a burnt earthy scent when I opened the can. The leached oils seemed to dissipate a little bit over time. My initial impression was not super-positive.
The coffee was brewed in a french press and was allowed to steep for 5 minutes. The crema was not terribly impressive looking, thin and very dark in color. At this point, I continued to smell a dominant burnt scent than any fruity or floral aromas. The coffee taste wasn't great but it wasn't terrible. I could still detect some acidity but the burnt scent translated into bitterness. I also had trouble tasting any of the fruity notes that is typical of African beans. As I went through the can, this burnt taste seemed to subside and the resulting coffee was still not great but it was palatable.
I would rate this as slightly above average coffee at best and most likely, the beans are more second grade in quality, more than likely, this is why the price is nine dollars. Perhaps this coffee would have been better as a light roast to promote whatever fruity notes might be in these beans if the beans are actually of good quality Arabica. As it stands though, the bitter taste left something to be desired.
