Augie's Coffee Roasters

Wouldn’t it be nice if your daily cup supported a good cause? Take the Sacof Cooperative in Rwanda, which not only provides a much needed market for its network of small farmers, it also gives them the tools to help their farms thrive. With gifts of livestock and organic fertilizer, farmers are able to grow better coffee, ultimately bringing you a better cup. The increased income then affords the families funds for schooling and other necessities. Augie’s Coffee Roasters favors the country’s western Kivu region for varieties like this gentle and fruity brew: A delicate strawberry sweetness and buttery mouthfeel complement clean flavors of black tea and honey.

Like the geek in high school who went on to be hugely successful, this Ethiopian heirloom brew from the Guji Oromo producer group thrives on its differences. Local strains of coffee beans from the southern zone of the producers’ plot are wet-processed to reveal the nuances of flavors like black currant. Since the group has an export license, it sells direct trade to Augie’s of Redlands, CA, which pays at least 50 percent more than fair trade prices. All of these aspects add up in the mug: Bergamot aromas mature into a lively acidity with lemon, apricots, black tea and spices.