FAQ's
Welcome to our FAQ, we are so happy to have you here and as a valued customer.
We have tried to answer the most common questions.
Our Coffee
Check out some common questions about our coffee
Do you flavor your coffee?
We do not offer flavored coffees. However, specialty grade coffees are naturally characterized by a vast palette of flavors reflective of the coffee origin; including plant variety, soil, climate, elevation, and processing methods. Just like with wine, we have included tasting notes on the identification tags that accompany each coffee we offer to characterize each coffee’s unique natural flavors. These notes refer to the quality of the sweetness, acidity, and mouthfeel. Different brewing methods will also bring out different flavor notes in each coffee. For example, cold brewing will highlight chocolate notes while hot pour-over brewing will bring out the floral and citrus notes in a coffee. Experiment at home to find out how you like your favorite coffees to be brewed.
Is your coffee organic certified?
We do offer several organic certified coffees. These coffees are cultivated, roasted, and certified in accordance with USDA Organic standards. However, certification can be too expensive for many small farms and shareholders. Our farmer-direct partners use organic cultivation practices whenever possible, even if they are not certified. Our current selection of USDA Organic Certified coffees include: House Decaf, French Roast, Peru, & Sumatra.
Is your coffee fair-trade or direct-trade certified?
We purchase our green coffee supply at above-market pricing, and we purchase specialty-grade coffees exclusively. We also visit farms directly twice a year and maintain ongoing direct-trade relationships with those farms. We take strides to ensure our coffee is sourced as ethically as possible, currently we offer four coffee's that are Fair Trade Certified: House Decaf, French Roast, Peru, & Sumatra.
How much caffeine is in your coffee?
Caffeine content is reliant largely on bean variety, roast profile, and extraction method. The darker the roast, the less caffeine. The more water used per unit of coffee, the more caffeine is extracted. Roughly speaking, an 8-ounce cup of coffee will have somewhere between 85 and 105 mg of caffeine.
Do you have a light roast / dark roast?
Most of our coffees are roasted to a medium or light roast profile. This is to preserve the delicate flavor characteristics associated with the coffee’s origin and processing methods. In addition, we offer a few dark roasts, including French Roast and Dark Horse Espresso. Look for “dark” and “roasty” in the flavor notes if you prefer a darker roast profile.
How can I keep my coffee fresh?
We recommend buying your beans whole and grinding on demand. Click the “locations” link on our website for a list of our stores. Keep your beans in a cool, dry place away from light and humidity. Make sure to use an air-tight container for storage. Use your coffee within two weeks of opening the bag.
Our Cold Brew
Below are some common questions about our cold brew
What is Cold Brew?
Cold brew is a method of brewing coffee using cold or room temperature water. You can use any bean to make cold brew. We recommend a cold brew system such as a Mizudashi or Toddy for best results. Our preferred recipe extracts the coffee under continuous refrigeration for 18 hours at a 5:11 ratio by weight. We encourage home brewers to experiment with their time, ratio, and temperature to find their personal preferences.
What is Nitro Cold Brew?
“Nitro” cold brew is nitrogen-infused cold brewed coffee. We follow the same recipe as our traditional “still” cold brew, and then pressurize the keg with nitrogen to give the coffee a smooth effervescence that pours with a dense frothy head reminiscent of a Guinness draft beer. It is non-alcoholic and has about the same caffeine content as still cold brew.
How can I get Cold Brew?
We offer Cold Brew and Nitro Brew by the case on our website and you can find single cans for purchse at various retail stores. For information on Cold Brew/Nitro Brew cans & kegs, please contact your wholesale representative or our info line at info@greatlakescoffee.com.
Shipping
Check out some common questions about shipping
Where is my order?
It can take 24-48 hours to fill an order for delivery. We will send you tracking information as soon as your order is picked up by the carrier. Please be aware that weekends and holidays may affect delivery timing.
Do you ship internationally?
Please contact us directly as we do not have a standard system for international shipping. info@greatlakescoffee.com
Return Policy
We do not accept returns on coffee due to the perishable nature of coffee. However, we are quite willing to resolve problems as they arise. If you have any issues with your coffee, or if there are errors in your order, please contact us at 248.745.0000 within 2 days of receiving your order. We will do our best to ensure that you are satisfied.
What about returning merchandise?
Of course! We would like you to be satisfied with your purchase. All Returns or Exchanges on merchandise (non-coffee) items must be done within 30 days of the purchase date. Items purchased online can only be returned to our Roastery, they can’t be returned to our café locations. Please email your order number, name, reason for a Return/Exchange, and the item and quantity you wish to Return/Exchange to info@greatlakescoffee.com (or call us at 248.745.0000). We will contact you with information on how your return will be processed. We will not refund the price of shipping.
Where do I send my returns?
The Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Co.
Attn: Mail Order Return
389 Enterprise Ct.
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
Other
Questions about Shopping, Classes, Wholesale, and more
I don’t see the coffee I bought last time. Where is it?
Coffee is a seasonal crop. We can maintain our signature blends year-round, but many of our single origin coffees will change with the season. Use the search bar in our online store to look for keywords. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, please feel free to contact us to inquire about similar, freshly harvested options at info@greatlakescoffee.com.
Do you offer training classes or workshops?
We offer public classes on a variety of coffee related subjects. For more information please email info@greatlakescoffee.com and follow our social media for upcoming events!
Do you offer wholesale options?
We offer our products and services in scalable wholesale models. Please go HERE for details or to complete our online form to request additional wholesale information.