FAQ

And you may ask yourself, well...

Frequently Asked Questions

What is coffee?

The Webster's Dictionary defines coffee as:

a: a beverage made by percolation, infusion, or decoction from the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee plant

b: any of several Old World tropical plants (genus Coffea and especially C. arabica and C. canephora) of the madder family that are widely cultivated in warm regions for their seeds from which coffee is prepared

c: coffee seeds especially roasted and often ground

What is the difference between Arabica and Robusta?

Taste:

The taste profile of the Robusta bean is generally described as "burnt tires or rubbery". One of the reasons is because Robusta has more caffeine, which carries a bitter taste.

Arabica has 60% more lipids and almost twice the concentration of sugar. This is the factor that has the biggest impact on why Arabica is preferred.

Physical attributes:

Arabica plants grow between 2.5-4.5 meters, while Robusta reach a height of 4.5-6 meters. Robusta beans are much more circular, whereas Arabica are more oval.

What are sustainable coffees?

Coffees that meet the following criteria: Certified organic. They may also carry certifications for Fair Trade, Bird Friendly, Rain Forest Alliance or Shade Grown.

Can you grind my coffee?

Absolutely! We recommend that you invest in a coffee grinder, if possible. It's best to grind right before you are about to brew. Once coffee is ground it starts losing its flavor. The longer it sits, it becomes less desirable. When you find the coffee you want, you can choose the quantity and your preferred grind method.

What grind should I select?

Click the link below for a nifty info graphic to help you determine the type of grind you should select for your preferred brewing method.

How should I store my coffee?

We recommend storing your coffee, whole bean, in an air tight container, out of the sunlight. Avoid freezing or refrigeration if possible. If you do freeze or refrigerate, remember to let the coffee come to room temperature before you attempt to brew.

How much coffee should I use when I brew at home?

The standard brewing dosage is to use 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 fluid ounces of water. This is a good place to start and then you can play scientist and find the right amount that meets your personal preference.

What happened to that coffee I love?

As awesome as coffee is, it is still just a crop and it can not always be available year round or year to year. Our blends are the most constant offerings. We do have some coffee varietals that will almost always be available and every once in a while we like to grab some bags of something else to mix it up. Those coffees will only be available for a limited time.

What is the difference between espresso beans and regular coffee?

Not much. The common myth/misunderstanding here is that there are even espresso beans. There is no such thing as an espresso plant, so it can't produce espresso beans.

Beans that you use to make espresso are the same as regular coffee beans.

Espresso is a method in which coffee is ground and brewed. We have several blends that we made with shots of espresso in mind, but any coffee can be used to make espresso. Some are more preferable than others.

What does Royal Water Processed mean?

This is one of the ways that coffee beans are decaffeinated. If you would like to learn more about this process, check out this website.

Orders

When I buy a bag of coffee how much am I getting?

A full pound! That's 16 ounces of coffee goodness. Did you know that most other coffee roasters sell their coffee in 12 ounce bags. Gotta keep your eye on the numbers, folks!

Do I get a discount for buying in bulk?

Bulk discounts are extended to wholesale customers. Wholesale customers must have a brick and mortar location and order a minimum of 15 lbs a month. If you have a cafe/restaurant, retail outlet or office and would like to start a wholesale account with us, please fill out this form.

Once I place my order, when will my coffee arrive?

If you place your order for shipment via the USPS, Monday through Friday, before 10 am it will be processed to leave our facility that day.
Any orders placed for shipment via the USPS after 10 am will be processed and shipped out the next business day.
Orders placed after 10 am Friday or over the weekend will be processed to leave our facility on Monday.
UPS orders are processed and leave our facility the next business day.
No orders ship out over the weekend.

I have all the items I want in my cart, but I can't proceed to check out. Why is that?

We have partnered with a company called Route. They offer shipping insurance for your order. The option for insurance functions as a widget that gets blocked by some ad blockers. If you turn off your ad blocker, you will be able to choose whether you would like the insurance or not. Once you have made your decision you will be able to advance to the checkout screen.

What is the Package Protection item in my cart?

We have partnered with a company called Route. They offer shipping insurance for your order.

We pack our orders to make sure that they are delivered to you in one piece. Unfortunately, occasionally there is an issue with shipments. Such as damaged, lost or stolen packages.

It costs $1.95 to insure orders under $100. Orders over $100 will be charged 3% of the subtotal of shippable items.

This service is entirely optional on your end. However, if you opt of the shipping insurance provided by Route, Zeke’s Coffee will not be liable for lost, damaged, or stolen items. You must opt out if you do not want to pay for this service.

This service is currently not available for subscription orders.

Subscriptions

I can't find the subscription service page, what happened?

We have decided to move to a more streamlined way of setting up subscriptions. Any coffee that we can confidently offer year-round, now has the option to make a one-time purchase or to sign up for a subscription.

Seasonal coffees, limited offerings, half caf coffees and some decaf coffees are not available for subscription.

When you sign up for a subscription your payment method will be charged upfront for the coffee and shipping costs.

Your subscription orders will now be processed as regular orders. This means that if you sign up for a subscription on a Wednesday night, your first pound will go out the next day, in this instance, Thursday. In this scenario, your remaining pounds will be shipped out on Thursdays going forward.

If you select Charm City for a subscription and want to receive two or more pounds in your delivery, you can simply adjust the quantity before adding to the cart.

If we unfortunately are unable to provide you with the coffee you selected for a subscription, we will contact you via email to offer a substitute, refund or offer to pause your subscription until we are able to source the coffee again.

Discount codes are not redeemable for subscriptions.