Caffeine
100 varieties of coffee beans, the world’s largest selection, available to you unroasted or in your choice of six roasts.
Our café-roastery
Our café-roastery at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor has closed but our online business continues to offer Canada’s largest selection of coffee.
Equipment
Home roasters, coffee syphons, French presses, espresso machines, grinders and all the accessories you can imagine are found both in store and in our online catalog.
WHO WE ARE
Green Beanery has a mission, one that extends beyond the commercial (not that we aren’t proud to have become Canada's largest online retailer of coffee and coffee equipment, offering more varieties of coffee beans than any other retailer in the world and selling more coffee paraphernalia than any other Canadian retailer).
Green Beanery aims to reinvent the coffee shop of old. Until the 1920s, when big business began to take over the coffee industry, all coffee shops roasted their own. Green Beanery is helping to spur a renaissance in local roasting by supplying hundreds of micro-roasters and restaurants, and leading by example by roasting all of our own coffee, too, at our cafe-roastery at 565 Bloor St West in Toronto’s Annex district.
The renaissance includes returning coffee shops to the service of the community, providing a place to sip small luxuries in an atmosphere large with comforts for both mind and palate. You won’t find Wi-Fi in our cafe - our patrons place a premium on conversations and conviviality.
The renaissance also includes reviving the coffee shop as change agent. Coffee shops of old were known for great innovations and passionate discourse - this is where Lloyd’s of London launched the insurance industry, and where social revolutions were born. In that spirit, Green Beanery hosts Grounds for Thought for those who relish having their intellect provoked and entertained. Fittingly, Green Beanery is owned by Probe International, a Canadian charity known for out-of-the-box thinking, whose directors have included many of Canada’s most celebrated minds, among them Jane Jacobs, David Suzuki, Margaret Laurence and Thomas Berger.
Favourite Beans
Roasted - Bolivia Fair Trade Organic SHG EP
$17.56
About the bean
We have long wanted to try coffee from Bolivia and, finally, our ship(ment) has come in.
Referred to as the Tibet of the Americas, Bolivia is the most isolated of the Andean nations. Its diverse landscape ranges from high-altitude mountains to jungles teeming with wildlife. Visitors treasure Bolivia for its lively culture steeped in tradition, as well as its numerous attractions ranging from Inca trails to fossilized dinosaur footprints (the world's largest collection). Of special interest is the spectacular Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat (10,582 sq km) on earth, with a surface resembling mirrored glass when wet. Other "attractions" include the notorious Death Road - a 64km route, with a 3,500m descent, that draws thrill-seekers at their peril.
Bolivia isn't as well known for its coffee, yet; although the country certainly has what it takes to become a producer of note thanks to that magic bean combination of elevation, fertile soil and consistent rainfall. Driving the industry's momentum is a growing cooperative movement (and the broad benefits of more money in the hands of growers), and the country's move into specialty labelling (Fair Trade, organic and shade grown).
Discover this rare treat.
Quick Notes
Region: Pumiri
Source: Asociación Integral de Productores Ecológicos de Pumiri (AIPEP)
Process: Washed Arabica
Varieties: 30% Typica, 25% Caturra, 20% Catuai, 15% Castillo, 10% Mundo Novo
Altitude: 1300-1550 masl.
Certifications: Fair Trade and Organic - IMO Control since 2002
SHG: Strictly High Grown; same as Strictly Hard Bean/SHB. High grown, usually denser and higher quality than a Hard Bean (HB) or High Grown (HG). These beans are grown above 1,200 masl. (metres above sea level).
EP: (European Prep) Indicates the coffee has undergone rigorous sorting - usually by hand to ensure defective beans and foreign material have been removed.
Taste Test
At a light roast (American brewed in a V60 pour over), the Bolivia offers a pronounced sweetness. A smooth mouthfeel with a medium-light body, the cup delivers a range of chocolate flavour from milk to salty caramel.
At a darker roast just shy of Full City (brewed in a French press), the bean's chocolate character really hit the mark; light in the mouth but richly flavorful. This gave us our best impression - a very nuanced cup, strong in personality; an excellent combination.
As a latte at a Full City profile, the Bolivia produced a standout specialty brew - bold and tasty.
When we roasted darker (Vienna brewed as a pour over), the Bolivia's character changed quite a bit: a hard-to-miss licorice underlay that carried to a burnt finish.
Roast recommendation: Light for nuance and medium-dark for chocolate gold. Clearly, we were sold on the Full City profile. Home roasters tell us they really enjoyed a "velvety" result at a City roast. For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.
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Roasted - Brazil Natural
$11.85
About the bean
Our new lot of Brazil Natural is a collaboration between neighbouring farmers in the Sul de Minas region. Like our first Brazil Natural, coffee grower Danielle Fonseca is behind the current blend, co-created with fellow young-generation growers, Dario Botrel and Lucio Portugal. All three continue the family tradition of farming coffee to bring their legacy to new markets beyond Brazil, through sustainable practices and improved post-harvest methods combined with technological innovation.
Go, kids!
The Danielle-Dario-Lucio collaboration has created a coffee of outstanding balance and consistency they can reliably produce for a long time to come, so expect to see this Brazil Natural again and again.
Of this trio of producers who share a similar terroir, one farm provided the distinctive cacao base and the other two contributed a complex acidity to round out a cup we call our: sweet morning delight.
Salute the sun every day with our new chocolate-caramel Brazil Natural.
QUICK NOTES
Farm: Fazenda da Serra, Fazenda Matao & Fazenda Vargem Alegre
Producers: Danielle Fonseca, Dario Botrel & Lucio Portugal
Region: Sul de Minas
Sub-region: Santana da Vargem, Tres Pontas, Campos Gerais
Community: Serras de Minas Group
Process: Natural
Altitude: 900 masl.
Varietals: Mundo novo, red and yellow catuai, topazio
Screen Size: 15+
Drying Method: Sun-dried
Grain PRO: Yes
Direct Trade: Yes (bought directly from the farmer)
Cupping Notes: Cacao, caramel, orange, balanced acidity, dense.
Roasting recommendation: A solid base for espresso and espresso-based drinks, equally as good for drip brews. Sweet and creamy results in an Aeropress. Roasts well darker. Go lighter for nuance and citrus flavour. For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.
The Producers
Danielle Fonseca, Fazenda de Serra
Granddaughter and coffee farmer's daughter, Danielle began managing the family farm with her father in 2016. When her parents relocated to another city, and her sister moved to Canada, Danielle assumed sole management of the farm in 2018. In the years since, she has focused on sustainable practices and improving post-harvest methods to show what is most special about Fazenda da Serra's coffee. Traceability of all steps involved in harvesting are available for every lot produced by Fazenda da Serra.
Dario Botrel, Fazenda Matão
Dario's story starts with his mother, Maria Aparecida, who inherited Fazenda Matão from her father, Dário Botrel de Figueiredo. She faced many difficulties in this hard work without much encouragement, but she persevered and proved to be a great farmer over the years. The farm is close to the Serra de Três Pontas and features an excellent topography and altitude for coffee growing. Dario always wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, an agronomist, and from a young age he cultivated a love of the land and, of course, coffee. Taking over the farm operation came naturally to Dario, although it proved challenging at first. In his efforts to modernize and transition the farm to a more technological way of producing coffee, Dario had to break with many traditional paradigms. Gradually he brought Matão to a new level of sustainable quality.
Lucio Portugal, Fazenda Vargem Alegre
Lucio is a production engineer who grew up on his father's coffee farm in Campos Gerais, Minas Gerais. In 2016, Lucio decided to quit his job and help his father run the farm. Lucio's passion for specialty coffee inspired him to invest in the pursuit of better quality coffees. Aside from selling green beans, Lucio runs a small micro-roastery in Minas Gerais.
Roasted - Burundi "AB" Kayanza Gahahe Honey
$16.39
About the bean
From the introduction of the first arabica tree in the 1930s to the present time, coffee production in this small landlocked east-central African country has weathered a great deal of political strife, as well as the effects of turmoil in neighbouring Congo.
Currently free and liberalized, Burundi's specialty coffee community is taking root. Consider Burundi one to watch.
Coffee here grows on mountainside fincas (farms) at high altitudes. Typically fully washed and dried on raised beds, the primary coffee plant varietal is Bourbon. Coffees are often organic by default due to the cost of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
The Discovery
The Burundi Kayanza Gahahe Honey is an entirely new coffee to our selection. Sourced from the Gahahe washing station in the northern province of Kayanza, this is an area acclaimed for its coffee (and tea) production thanks to rich volcanic soils, high altitudes and hard-working coffee growers.
The Gahahe washing station is supplied by more than 1700 coffee producers farming the station's surrounding hillsides that rise 1800 meters above sea level. Coffee cherries are processed naturally and dried on raised beds for around three weeks to reach a moisture content of 12%. The coffee is then hand sorted once more at the station's dry mill to ensure quality - a post-harvest care that translates to the cup.
A delicate, floral offering, typical of coffees from Burundi. Delightfully rich with a lovely brightness. Stay light to preserve the joy here. One to savour.
COUNTRY: Burundi
REGION: Kayanza
SUB REGION: Hills of Bubezi, Karinzi, & Mihogo; Gahahe Washing Station
PROCESS: Honey
ALTITUDE: 1800m
VARIETAL: Red Bourbon
SOIL: Volcanic loam
DRYING METHOD: Sun-dried
CUPPING NOTES: Floral, sweet grape, caramel, medium body
Roast recommendation: Try light/er. For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.
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Roasted - Colombian Supremo SC 17/18
$11.72
About the bean
Do you like a medium to dark roast? Do you like espresso? Do you like a brew rich in flavour and bold in body? Yes? Then our new batch of Colombian Supremo SC 17/18 is for you! These beans are sourced from the central northwest of Colombia in the Antioquia region, the country's largest coffee producing region. Coffee here is mountain-grown by small farmers and large estates. The high altitude slows the pace of ripening and the result is a classic Colombian - rich, full bodied, and a toasted chocolate taste that cools to a cold brew perfection.
No surprises and that's OK because this coffee is super good. And the crema! Go espresso, go cold brew and get happy.
Taste Test
City roast, medium-fine grind, brewed in a Hario V60 pour over (30g of coffee to 500ml of water)
This combination produced a silky body and a sweet taste with a light acidity. Pleasant indeed with a smoky finish.
Vienna roast, medium grind, brewed in a French press (40g of coffee to 500ml of water)
Oh, yeah! We upped the ratio of coffee to enhance the body, which at this level was syrupy strong with a potent chocolate, almost brownie flavour. When the cup cooled, the flavour balance evened out, making this one a great pick for cold brew.
Our only regret? We didn't pull an espresso shot. And that's where this bean shines.
Roast recommendation: Medium to dark. Oh, Vienna! You were nice. For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.
Roasted - Costa Rica Red Honey
$21.85
About the bean
Our new crop of red honey from Costa Rica couldn't get here soon enough!
Not only are honey coffees from Costa Rica offerings we look forward to year after year, our current batch of happiness in a cup is produced by the wonderful Aquiares farm nestled in the mountainous heart of the country.
Enough good things cannot be said about Aquiares, which is known for its historic roots as a producer (dating back to 1890) and for its commitment to quality and to the quality of life of farm workers and the surrounding environment. Aquiares is Costa Rica's largest continuous farm and, thanks to visionary leadership and inclusive management, one of the country's trailblazers in sustainable agriculture and specialty coffee. Aquiares manages the entire enchilada, from seedling production to plant cultivation, harvesting and milling. All coffee here is picked by hand.
The taste of the past, present and future of one of the most beloved coffee regions in the world.
QUICK NOTES
COUNTRY: Costa Rica
REGION: Turrialba
PRODUCER/COOPERATIVE/FARMER(S): Aquiares (recognized as a carbon neutral estate in September 2017)
VARIETAL(S): Esperanza
ALTITUDE: 820 - 1400 masl.
PROCESS: Honey
CERTIFICATIONS: Rainforest Alliance
GRADE: SHG EP
WHAT TO EXPECT
A clean, complex and fancy coffee with a "so good" silky body that lifts the flavour balance, ensuring the offering's fruit notes remain in check. An excellent go-to for anyone aching to sample the honey method for the first time, or any time. Go here, folks!
CUPPING NOTES: Red fruits, wine, jam, grapes and dark chocolate. Malic acidity and lingering aftertaste.
ROAST RECOMMENDATION: Nicely flexible. We enjoyed this one as a V60 drip and French pressed brew. Absolutely delicious. Roast darker and the complexity will drop off but this one sustains a darker roast without becoming "burnt" or boring. For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.
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Roasted - Costa Rican Tarrazu La Pastora
$15.22
About the bean
When we're asked for recommendations for a good, classic coffee or a morning brew or a coffee that will suit most tastes, Costa Rica is the first suggestion out of our mouths. Why? Just like the consistent temperature of the country's climate (which only varies about ten degrees throughout the year), coffee from Costa Rica is reliably good: grown in ideal conditions at high altitude, hand-picked and processed with care - a law passed in 1989 actually prohibits the planting of low-quality beans in Costa Rica, making it illegal to produce any other type of coffee than Arabica. Although, some growing regions around the globe have been making great strides in Robusta coffee quality (but that's another bean story).
As per the name, this Costa Rican Tarrazu is from the country's oh-so-famous Tarrazu region, considered the best of the best from this sandy, sun-soaked coffee paradise. Expect a very well-balanced cup with a smooth body and just the right amount of sweetness.
Paradise in a cup.
Quick Notes
Species: Arabica
Category: Single Origin
Process: Washed and sun dried
Altitude: 1,500-1,800 masl.
Region: San Marcos de Tarrazu
Brand: La Pastora
Botanical variety: Caturra and Catuai
Harvest: December-February
Mill: Coope Tarrazú R.L.
Taste Test
We went from light to dark because we're relentlessly curious. An American roast brewed in a Hario V60 pour over gave us a coffee to wake up with: great balance, nice body and notes of apricot and peanut for an aromatic, tasty cup. A Full City roast brewed using the same method produced a flavorful mix of cocoa and nut for a classic Costa Rican (aromatically intense and sweet) - another morning hit. A City roast profile brewed in a French press gave us chocolate notes, good body and sweetness. To finish, we tried the Full City roast as a latte and the result was most enjoyable - a nutty cocoa with a caramel finish. Something about the approach of fall has turned us into latte lovers lately.
Consider this bean for cold brews (while there's still time to chill). The aftertaste should rock. Experiment by adding the cold brew to Perrier (or similar) over ice with a splash of milk (a refreshing and yum combination). This bean should also delight for baking and recipes that call for a teaspoon or two of coffee. Use for caffeinated syrups drizzled over desserts.
Roast recommendation: Lighter for complexity. Darker for a more intense coffee hit. For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.
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Roasted - Espresso Sweet Santa
$13.53
It doesn't get much sweeter than this! No sugar needed.
Green Espresso Sweet Santa (unroasted)
For an explanation of our different roast, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart View full product details
Roasted - Ethiopian Sidamo GR2
$15.61
About the bean
Sidamo is a popular coffee. A classic Sidamo offers notes of blueberry and dark chocolate and makes a pleasant and tasty brew - it's typically a reliable cup. In fact, Sidamo is a real coffee buddy - this bean suits a variety of brew methods and works as a standalone bean or mixed into a blend (Sidamo contributes flavour and brightness). It's also a good pick for cold brew and espresso.
Expect notes of red fruit and a silky body. Roast darker for a more bold cup.
Quick Notes
REGION: Aleta Wendo
PROCESS: Washed
WASHING STATION: Matebe Berson
ALTITUDE: 1700-1800 masl.
VARIETALS: Heirloom
SCREEN SIZE: 14+
DIRECT TRADE: Yes (bought directly from the farmer)
GRAIN PRO: Yes
CUPPING NOTES: Pear, guava, white chocolate, subtle floral notes, clean.
Roast recommendation: Light to medium-dark. For an explanation of our different roasts, see: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.
Roasted - Ethiopian Yirgacheffe GR2
$15.87
About the bean
A number of the major coffee-growing countries we source from may not know how great their product is. When the "good stuff" is exported elsewhere, local coffee can be a sub-par experience, roasted dark to hide defects and mixed with filler to increase volume. Happily, that isn't the case with Ethiopia, which consumes half of its annual coffee production and boasts a thriving domestic coffee culture (Google for examples of an Ethiopian coffee ceremony). The birthplace of coffee according to legend, Ethiopia is where Coffea arabica originated, which is said to be the first species of coffee ever cultivated; it remains the dominant species and accounts for more than 60 percent of the world's commercial coffee production. Given its genetic wealth and history, Ethiopia is a coffee region like none other and an unparalleled paradise of coffee flavour.
A delicious flavour combination and a must-try Yirgacheffe.
This wonderful batch of Yirgacheffe is from the Wonago district in Ethiopia's Gedeo zone, a region known for its Yirgacheffe production from farms run by local smallholder families.
Coffee cherries are sorted, depulped and then the beans, still covered in mucilage, are fermented for 36 to 48 hours before washing. The wet beans in parchment are placed on raised beds in thin layers and turned every 2 to 3 hours during the first few days of the drying process. Depending on the weather, the beans continue drying for 10 to 12 days until the moisture content reduces to 11.5 percent. The beans are then transported to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, to be milled and bagged prior to export.
Quick Notes
BEAN: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Wanago Surafel Burhanu GR2
REGION: Wonago
PROCESS: Washed
FERMENTATION: 36 to 48 hours
DRYING METHOD: Raised African beds
ALTITUDE: 1780 – 1850 masl.
VARIETALS: Heirloom
SCREEN SIZE: 14+
GRADE: GR2
DIRECT TRADE: Yes (bought directly from the farmer)
GRAIN PRO: Yes
CUPPING NOTES: Strawberry, rose, dried fruit, toffee, good acidity.
SPECIAL NOTE: This batch of Yirgacheffe is an entirely NEW entry to our inventory (a different supplier from our usual).
Roast recommendation: Typically, light to medium. For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.
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Roasted - Guatemala SHB EP
$12.11