These are some of the questions we're most frequently asked about coffee.

What makes Peet's different from other coffees?
We differ from other coffee sellers in four main ways:
1. Our coffee buyers select only the finest green coffees from around the world.
2. We deep roast each coffee individually in single-batch roasters.
3. We ship fresh roasted coffee immediately to our stores and mail order customers.
4. In our stores, we brew fresh coffee every 30 minutes.

What's your darkest, richest coffee?
At Peet's, we specialize in deep roasted coffees. But "darkest" is not always "richest." French is our darkest roast, followed by Italian. These blends both have prominent smoky or "roasty" notes. All Peet's coffees are deep roasted. Many, such as Sumatra, are very full bodied, with rich and complex flavors.

Do you sell flavored coffees?
Peet's coffees have naturally occurring flavors. The nuances are subtle, but some coffees have distinctive chocolatey, fruity, or spicy tastes. We prefer these flavors to artificially flavored coffees. If you'd like a flavored coffee, you can easily add flavors such as cinnamon sticks and vanilla extract to brewed Peet's coffee.

Do you have any light roasts?
We don't sell light roast coffees, but some of our coffees are naturally milder than others, like Gaia Organic Blend and House Blend.

Do your deep roasted coffees contain more caffeine than other, lighter coffees?
Fine coffees at any degree of roast contain roughly the same amount of caffeine (about 100 mg per cup). A single shot of espresso, while it may taste "stronger,"contains less caffeine than a regular cup of coffee (only about 70 mg.) because it is made with less ground coffee.

What is the difference between water processed and direct contact decaffeination?
The water process uses warm water under pressure to extract caffeine. The direct contact method uses water, pressure and methylene chloride to remove caffeine. Direct contact produces a more flavorful cup than the water process, and has been proven non-toxic through clinical trials. Both methods remove 96 to 98 percent of a coffee's original caffeine content.

How should I store my coffee?
We recommend that you keep a week's worth of coffee in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer storage, keep it in the freezer. Packages of frozen coffee should be opened as infrequently as possible. Whole beans will keep up to four weeks, but ground coffee should be brewed within a week or two. Buying small amounts frequently and grinding your own beans is the best way to enjoy fresh coffee.

Why does Peet's recommend press pot brewing?
Since there are no paper filters involved, you get 100% of the coffee's flavor. For press pot brewing directions, please see our brewing instructions.

What are the most important things to know about brewing coffee?
1. Use enough coffee (2 Tbsp. ground coffee per 6 oz. of water).
2. Start with freshly drawn, filtered water that has sat for 30 seconds after boiling.
3. Stir your carafe of brewed coffee after all the liquid has passed through the filter, to homogenize the flavors.
4. Don't cook your coffee on a hot plate; put it in a thermos to keep it hot.

Is your coffee Kosher?
Peet's coffees, teas and Dutch cocoa are certified Kosher and Pareve by the Kosher Supervision of America (KSA). This means that a rabbi has overseen our production facility and can vouch for the purity of our coffees and teas, including the fact that our storage and production facilities meet with stringent requirements of cleanliness.

Do you sell organic coffee?
Peet's Gaia Organic Blend is a certified organic coffee. Other Peet's coffees - Sumatra, Sulawesi, Ethiopian Fancy and Arabian Mocha Sanani - are grown organically, but are not certified.

Do you sell any Fair Trade coffee?
Peet's Fair Trade Blend is a certified fair trade coffee. Not all of our growers are eligible for Fair Trade certification; in all cases, Peet's strives to maintain long-term, sustainable partnerships with our growers. Premium coffees such as the ones we use command prices well above the Fair Trade minimums, and we actively work with partners such as Coffee Kids and Global Education Partnership to improve the quality of life in coffee-growing communities.