I can tell you right now that the Black Cat Blend from Intelligentsia Coffee is one of the best normally available beans in the country. It made its name as an espresso bean, and is balanced enough to kick ass in regular drip & french press. Intelligentsia is a great company all around. I have been buying from them for the cigar shop I work at for over four years. If you want to get your brains worth, check out coffeegeek.com and home-barista.com.
If you are looking to improve your coffee experience - fresh, properly roasted beans is a must, of course. But as for hardware, I say get yourself a good burr grinder = NO BLADES! A consistent grind will improve any method of coffee making every time out.
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I can tell you right now that the Black Cat Blend from Intelligentsia Coffee is one of the best normally available beans in the country. It made its name as an espresso bean, and is balanced enough to kick ass in regular drip & french press. Intelligentsia is a great company all around. I have been buying from them for the cigar shop I work at for over four years. If you want to get your brains worth, check out coffeegeek.com and home-barista.com. If you are looking to improve your coffee experience - fresh, properly roasted beans is a must, of course. But as for hardware, I say get yourself a good burr grinder = NO BLADES! A consistent grind will improve any method of coffee making every time out.