A mixed bag this month: one reliable performer, one disappointment from a hyped local roaster, and a Honduras that didn't quite land.
Minimum Wage Tin
Nicaragua · ★★★★☆
October 1, 2025
| Brew Method | Grind Setting |
|---|---|
| Espresso | varies |
| Pour Over | varies |
No tasting notes on this bag.
Pretty good. MWT always brings good solid South American beans. Always consistent.
Four stars. Sometimes the best compliment is consistency. Minimum Wage Tin doesn't surprise you—they just deliver a solid cup every time. That's worth a lot.
Mantos Juntas
B.K. Coffee · Colombian · ★★☆☆☆
October 8, 2025
| Brew Method | Grind Setting |
|---|---|
| Espresso | #12 |
| Pour Over | #20 |
Natural process. Valle D Cauca. Mantas Juntes Micromill.
Chocolate, kumquat, blackberry.
Got pour overs and a few espressos.
Espresso was straight ok, too much fruit.
Pour overs have been solid. Very fruit forward.
A lot of hype in the local MPLS coffee community about these folks opening their own shop. Katie and I went last week and it was underwhelming...
Cold vibe. Not welcoming. Coffee took a while and it wasn't that good.
Big time disappointed. Espresso at shop similar to the not-great pulls I got at home. Bummer—was looking forward to the new...
Two stars. The hype didn't match the reality, either at home or in their shop. Maybe they'll dial things in, but this wasn't it.
Finca La Guadalupe
Minimum Wage Tin · Honduras · ★★★☆☆
October 20, 2025
| Brew Method | Grind Setting |
|---|---|
| Pour Over | #18 |
Roasted on 10-8-25.
Tried on Monday morning. It's good. Solid but not blow you away. Could be my brew method. Ground coarse because the beans are huge. Usually this beans mean longer extraction.
Draw down was ~4 minutes. Katie gave it a "good". We can do better.
Working between 20-22 grind size, this makes an ok cup. Still a little bitter. Not sure I will go back to this again.
Didn't try espresso.
Three stars. Solid but unremarkable. When Katie gives it a "good" instead of enthusiasm, that tells you everything.
Next up: November 2025—a hyped local roaster that left me cold.