Common Good Coffee is a small-batch specialty coffee roaster based in La Mesa, CA. We source ethically, roast intentionally, and deliver fresh-roasted coffee to homes and offices across San Diego and nationwide. This is coffee done for the common good.
Grown at 1,800–1,900 meters in Ethiopia's Sidama region, this naturally processed coffee is dried with the fruit intact for 16 days. The result is a round, deeply sweet cup layered with stone fruit, chocolate, nougat, and almond.
Country: Ethiopia
Region: Sidamo/Sidama
Varietal: Gute and Wamena
Process: Natural
Altitude: 1,800-1900 MASL
Tastng Notes: Dark chocolate, dates, plum, nougat, almond
This coffee comes from the Gute kebele, where coffee is cultivated above 1,800 meters. The washing station is managed by Yednekachew Selish and supports 480 local producers. After harvest, the coffee cherries are dried for 16 days to reach the desired moisture level.
This coffee performs exceptionally well as:
Drip Coffee
Pour Over
** All coffee is roasted on Thursdays and shipped on Fridays **
Not every coffee needs to be bright and fruity.
Some coffees earn their reputation through depth, richness, and complexity. Our June Coffee Feature comes from the volcanic highlands of Sumatra, Indonesia, where generations of farmers produce one of the world's most recognizable coffee profiles.
This Indonesia Mandheling delivers a rich, creamy body layered with notes of dark chocolate, cedar, sweet tobacco, and warm baking spice. The result is a coffee that feels substantial in the cup—smooth, comforting, and remarkably memorable.
Grown in the lush mountains surrounding the Leuser Range, one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on earth, this coffee is cultivated by smallholder farmers who have refined their craft for generations. The coffee is then processed using Indonesia's traditional wet-hulled method, known locally as "Giling Basah," creating the distinctive character that has made Sumatra famous among coffee lovers worldwide.
Dark Chocolate
Cedar
Sweet Tobacco
Baking Spice
Country: Indonesia
Region: Aceh, Sumatra
Elevation: 900–1,500 MASL
Process: Wet-Hulled (Giling Basah)
Grade: Triple Picked (TP) Organic
While many specialty coffees focus on bright fruit notes and acidity, this coffee highlights body, texture, and richness. It is the kind of coffee that invites you to slow down, settle into the moment, and enjoy every sip.
This coffee comes from the lush highlands of , near , a region known for rich biodiversity, steady rainfall, and beautifully expressive coffees.
Finca El Platanillo has been family-run since 1977. Today, it’s managed by Stuardo Coto, whose approach centers on balance — caring for the land, supporting the community, and continually improving coffee quality.
Sustainability here isn’t a trend or a checklist. Long before certifications became common, the farm was already prioritizing ecosystem health, water conservation, and long-term productivity. That mindset eventually led to decades of Rainforest Alliance certification and climate-focused farming leadership.
Beyond coffee, El Platanillo invests heavily in people. The farm provides access to fresh water, shared garden space, and educational opportunities for families living on and around the farm. A local school — built on donated farm land — now offers technology access and coffee-focused education programs, helping create long-term opportunity across generations.
This coffee is naturally processed, meaning the coffee cherries are dried with the fruit still intact. This allows natural sugars from the fruit to deeply influence the flavor, resulting in a richer, fruit-forward cup.
Expect a bold yet balanced profile with notes of cherry, plum, vanilla, and brownie, supported by a smooth sweetness and satisfying body. This coffee shines as espresso, but also performs beautifully as drip, pour-over, or full immersion.
Finca El Platanillo represents everything we value in specialty coffee — long-term thinking, stewardship of land, care for community, and a relentless pursuit of quality. Every cup reflects decades of intention and craftsmanship.
The Wind+Sea is our all-time best seller. With fresh berries and warm almond flavors up front, a smooth medium body, and citrus acidity that doesn’t overpower, the Wind + Sea is good for any time of day and for every type of coffee drinker.
Tastes Like: Dark Chocolate, Almond, Berry, and Tart
Roast: City (Medium)
Brew Methods: All manual brew methods and drip machines
** All coffee is roasted on Thursdays and shipped on Fridays **
Grown by E-Cafe Chiapas, this farm placed 5th in Mexico's 2018 Cup of Excellence—remarkable given E-Cafe didn't acquire the property until 2015. Beyond coffee, E-Cafe funds community programs including a boarding school for underprivileged children and affordable financing for local producers.
Processed with 10–14 hours of fermentation, washed, and dried on raised beds in a greenhouse (30–35°C), then color- and size-sorted for consistency.
Tastes Like: Honey • Black Tea • Sweet Citrus
Roast: City+ (Medium)
Brew Methods: All manual brew methods, drip machines, and especially good on an espresso machine and cold brewed.
** All coffee is roasted on Tuesdays & Thursdays and then shipped within 24 hours. **
This custom blend was crafted and approved by the firefighters at SDFD Station 7. If you tried the cold brew at Motors For Minds then grab a box of Station 7 to brew it at home.
Tastes Like: Dark Chocolate, Almond, Berry, and Tart
Roast: Full City (Dark)
Brew Methods: All manual brew methods, drip machines, and especially good on an espresso machine.
** All coffee is roasted on Thursdays and shipped within 24 hours. **
A few words from the importer —
Antioquia is the second largest coffee producing region in Colombia (behind Huila) and a leader in the industry. There are over 97,000 registered coffee growers in the department, who together farm area of 114,000 hectares. A total of 125 municipalities in Antioquia depend on coffee for their livelihood. The coffee that contributed to this lot was produced by smallholders growing on the slopes of Southwest Antioquia (Suroeste Antioqueño), on farms ranging from 1 to 4 hectares.
Tastes Like: Lime, Red Apple, Juicy
Roast: City (Medium)
Brew Methods: All manual brew methods and drip machines
** All coffee is roasted on Thursdays and shipped on Fridays **
Deep, Fruit-Forward & Sweet
Our October Featured Coffee comes from Sabino and Maria Jesus, a family farming at some of the highest altitudes in Jinotega, Nicaragua.
This washed microlot is light, juicy, and remarkably clean. It opens with pear and white peach, moves into apple and sweet lemon, and finishes like tea with honey.
Brew it as a pour over and let it cool a little. The fruit gets brighter with every sip.
Country: Nicaragua
Region: Jinotega
Producers: Sabino & Maria Jesus
Process: Washed
Importer: Gold Mountain Coffee Growers (direct trade)
Tastng Notes: Pear; White Peach; Star Fruit; Apple; Honey.
About the Farm
Sabino carries on the coffee work of his father, Don José, and grows coffee and vegetables alongside Maria Jesus. They dry their coffee on raised beds and sort out imperfect beans by hand. Their goal is to plant more, improve their methods, hire more workers, and renovate the farm.
Coffee & Cause
Gold Mountain Coffee Growers handles its own exporting, importing, and customs, so farmers can sell without middlemen. Its team stays on every member farm during picking to make sure only ripe cherries go into each lot.
Why We Selected It
Every month we look for a coffee with a story worth sharing and a cup you'll want every day. This one surprised us: it's approachable, it's delicious, and it may change what you think coffee can taste like.
Brewing Recommendations
This coffee performs exceptionally well on the following. Start with a 1:16 ratio: :
Drip Coffee
Pour Over
Chemex
** All coffee is roasted on Thursdays and shipped on Fridays **