[cbloom]

The best beans are generally something you can get close to home.

In Seattle, Cafe Vita is unbelievable.

In San Francisco, I like Philz or Ritual.

Trader Joe's has a big variety of beans for very cheap, some are good, some are not.

Never ever never ever buy beans from those bulk dispensers in grocery stores. Coffee beans go rancid very quickly because of their high oil content. Most grocery store beans are completely stale and rancid. Coffee beans should be stored vacuum packed. Once you break the seal they should be used within a week. If you don't use them that fast, then freeze them. You can grind them frozen and use them as normal (do not thaw).

When I went to Kona I bought a bunch of beans there, really delicious, and the plantation tour was fun. I never buy them normally cuz they cost 4X normal beans and it's not worth it.