Intelligentsia

Intelligentsia started roasting in Chicago in 1995 and still roasts every bag there. Its buyers travel through the year to visit growers, and its Direct Trade program now includes more than 50 partners in 14 countries, many of them working with the roaster for over a decade. Each year the team cups, grades and releases more than 50 single origins and blends, from the Black Cat espressos it has made since the start to small, seasonal lots from Ethiopia, Kenya and Colombia. For filter coffee, Intelligentsia suggests a 1:18 coffee to water ratio as a starting point.