Where can I buy fancy coffee beans in sample sizes in San Francisco?

November 25, 2013 6:00 PM

I'd like to give a person some coffee beans from San Francisco-based roasters, but instead of just buying one full-size 12-16 oz bag of one specific kind, I'd like to put together a set of multiple kinds - for example, 4 oz each of four types of beans. Do any of this city's fancy coffee shops sell small sizes or gift sets like that?

I'd like to find a place that I can visit in person; anywhere in the city is fine, but the Mission is convenient. I've looked at the websites for Verve, Sightglass, Blue Bottle, Ritual Roasters, and Four Barrel, and I couldn't find small sizes for sale. I haven't visited all of their physical locations recently, but I don't remember seeing anything like this in person at a local shop - maybe I missed something? Thanks!

posted by dreamyshade to Food & Drink (8 answers total)

Best answer: Philz Coffee. Best coffee in SF. They have locations in the Mission District and I think you can buy small sizes in-store.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 6:08 PM on November 25, 2013

It's worth asking at places that do their own roasting on the premises. Four Barrel especially is full of nice folks who have never batted an eye at some of my weird coffee questions, so they (or Sightglass or Ritual) might be willing to bag up a few small bags for you. They do offer subscriptions that include 2 4-oz. bags every two weeks, so it's not completely out of the question that they might be willing to do up some smaller bags, especially if you give them some advanced notice.

And Blue Bottle appears to be selling some of their fancier beans in 150-gram tins that look perfect for gifting, but no clue if they have those in the shops as well.
posted by rhiannonstone at 6:10 PM on November 25, 2013

Most of those places don't offer that small if a bag for retail sale, but if you ask nice and tip well they'll usually oblige if you're in person.

At least this has been the case at roasteries I've worked at.

You might also end up paying a bit more per oz too, but that's because packaging costs are static.
posted by furnace.heart at 6:13 PM on November 25, 2013

Call these guys. Graffeo Coffee is the best. You could probably convince them to set you up with a sample package.
posted by lakersfan1222 at 6:21 PM on November 25, 2013

Blue Bottle does have the tins for sale at farmers markets (so I would guess you can get them at the Ferry Building as well), but whoa are they expensive! (Like, $45/pound expensive.) Just fair warning. :)

In any case, agreed to go somewhere where you like the coffee at a non-busy time and just ask for a favor. :)
posted by rainbowbrite at 6:57 PM on November 25, 2013

It would be more work, but I think the best you could do is buy multiple large bags and bag them in smaller sample size or jars yourself.

But yes, your best bet is asking someone like Philz where they bag you the coffee in shop, as opposed to a shop that gets their beans shipped in, pre-packaged.
posted by OrangeDrink at 7:51 PM on November 25, 2013

Best answer: 4oz is a 1/4 lb, which doesn't sound tooo crazy to me. Go at a time that's less likely to be busy (maybe 2 or 3pm? but maybe not Thanksgiving week? and definitely not during morning or lunch rush time) and ask nicely for 4 1/4 lbs and see what they say.
posted by needs more cowbell at 9:51 PM on November 25, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks everyone! I went to Philz at a non-busy time, asked for four 1/4 pound bags, and the person didn't mind setting up the bags and filling them. Yay!
posted by dreamyshade at 12:41 AM on December 5, 2013