Roast level affects both flavor and body. Light roasts preserve more of the bean’s original character—often bright, floral, or citrusy. Medium roasts strike a balance between origin flavor and roast development, offering chocolate, nut, or fruit notes. Dark roasts emphasize roast flavor, with bold, smoky, or bittersweet tones and reduced acidity.
Choose based on both grind size and roast profile. For pour-over and drip, a medium grind and light to medium roast work well. For French press, use a coarse grind and medium to dark roast. Espresso typically requires a fine grind and benefits from medium or darker roasts for crema and body.
Single origin coffee comes from one geographic location—usually a specific farm, region, or cooperative. This allows unique flavors from that area to stand out, compared to blends that combine beans from multiple sources. All Black Point Coffee offerings are single origin.
We offer both. Whole bean coffee retains peak freshness and is recommended for customers who grind at home. We also grind to order based on your preferred brewing method—drip, pour-over, French press, or espresso.
We roast in small batches and ship within days of roasting. Most orders leave our facility within 24–48 hours to ensure freshness and full flavor.
Yes. Our coffee makes a thoughtful gift, and we offer smaller bags, gift cards, and custom labeling options for special events. Just include a note at checkout or reach out for custom orders.
Yes. We offer 4-ounce sample bags upon request. These are not listed in our online store due to their custom nature, but you can contact us directly to order them, especially for events or gift sets
Yes. You can select “In-Person Pickup” at checkout. If the option isn’t visible, contact us and we’ll arrange local delivery or pickup directly from our roasting location in Scarborough, Maine.
We ship throughout the United States. Orders usually arrive within 2–5 business days depending on your location. You’ll receive a tracking number when your order ships.
While we don’t offer automated subscriptions through the website at this time, we do fulfill recurring orders manually for regular customers. Contact us to set up a schedule that fits your needs
Store your coffee in an airtight container, away from light, heat, and moisture. A pantry or cupboard works well. Avoid the fridge or freezer, as temperature changes can cause condensation that damages the beans.
A general guideline is 1 to 2 tablespoons of coffee per 6 ounces of water. For precision, use a scale: the standard ratio is 1 gram of coffee per 16–18 grams of water. Adjust to taste.
For best flavor, grind your coffee just before brewing. Ground coffee begins to lose aroma and complexity within minutes of grinding. If convenience is a priority, choose fresh pre-ground coffee in small quantities and store it properly.
French press: Coarse grind (like sea salt)
Pour-over: Medium to medium-fine grind (like sand)
Espresso: Fine grind (like powdered sugar)
Drip machine: Medium grind (like table salt)
Using the right grind size helps extract flavor evenly and avoids bitterness or sourness.
Start with a 1:16 ratio—that’s about 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water. For example, 25 grams of coffee to 400 grams of water for a strong 12-ounce cup. Adjust based on your taste and brew method.
The recommended range is 195°F to 205°F. Boil water, then let it sit for 30 seconds before pouring. Water that’s too hot can over-extract and taste bitter; too cool and the coffee may taste flat or weak.
French press: 4 to 5 minutes
Pour-over: 2.5 to 4 minutes
Cold brew: 12 to 18 hours
AeroPress: 1 to 2 minutes
Steep time affects strength and flavor—too short and it’s weak, too long and it can become bitter.
Blooming releases carbon dioxide from fresh coffee, improving extraction. Pour a small amount of hot water (about twice the coffee weight) to wet the grounds, wait 30–45 seconds, then continue brewing. It helps create an even, flavorful cup.
Both use hot water and a filter, but pour-over is manual and gives more control over brew time and water flow, often yielding a cleaner, more nuanced cup. Drip coffee makers are automated and more consistent but may not extract as precisely.
Yes. Our single origin coffees make excellent cold brew and iced coffee. Use a coarse grind, steep in cold water for 12–18 hours, then strain. For iced coffee, brew double strength and pour over ice.
Processing refers to how the fruit is removed from the coffee bean after harvest.
- Washed (wet process): clean, nutty, and brown sugar-like flavor profiles
- Natural (dry process): fruit-forward and sweet
- Honey: a balance between washed and natural, often syrupy with layered sweetness
Each method influences sweetness, clarity, and body in the final cup.
We offer coffees that are certified organic or ethically sourced, depending on the origin. While not every farm we work with holds formal certifications, we prioritize transparency, traceability, and fair compensation to producers. We select beans based on both ethical standards and cup quality.
Shade-grown coffee is cultivated under a canopy of trees, which helps preserve biodiversity, prevent soil erosion, and maintain a stable microclimate. It often results in slower bean development, which can enhance flavor complexity. Many of our coffees come from shade-grown environments, especially in Central and South America.
Coffee grown at higher altitude and cooler temperatures tend to develop more slowly, resulting in denser beans with more complex sugars. These coffees often have cleaner profiles and more intense flavors. Coffees grown at lower altitude and at warmer temperatures are generally milder and more rounded in taste.
Single origin coffee allows the unique characteristics of a specific region or farm to come through. It offers traceability and a clearer expression of terroir, while blends are designed for consistency. We focus exclusively on single origin coffees.
- Arabica: smoother, more nuanced flavor, grown at higher altitudes
- Robusta: stronger, more bitter, and higher in caffeine
Black Point Coffee only sources Arabica beans for their flavor clarity and quality.
- Sour: Try grinding finer, increasing temperature, or extending brew time
- Bitter: Try grinding coarser, lowering temperature, or shortening brew time
Sourness comes from under-extraction, bitterness from over-extraction. Adjust one factor at a time for the best results.
The roast date tells you how fresh your coffee is. However, extremely fresh coffee—just 1 or 2 days out of the roaster—hasn't had time to release excess carbon dioxide. For best flavor, we recommend brewing coffee 5 to 14 days after roasting, depending on the roast level and storage. That’s the sweet spot for balanced extraction and full aroma.
Coffee begins losing its peak flavor within weeks of roasting. While expiration dates can be many months away, the roast date tells you when the coffee was actually roasted. Always check this date and aim to brew coffee within a few weeks for optimal freshness.
We partner with importers and producers who emphasize ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship, and quality. Many of our coffees come from cooperatives or small farms with long-term commitments to sustainability. Every selection is based on both transparency and taste.