The Good Coffee Company

I took a trip downtown to checkout this place in particular. The moment I stepped in I had a smile on my face.
The smells of the roasted beans, to the giant Probat roaster, to the wall of burlap bags of green coffee, I knew I found a special place.
Then my initial impressions gave way to a less impressive place. Everything is covered w/​dusk. I was unsure of what was for sale and what was just vintage equipment for eyes only. The coffee counter had signs that were «45 years old». In other words, the coffee was fresh but the signs on the counter didn’t match the stock; to see the stock one must squint at the very small hand-​written piece of paper near the register.
I didn’t try the espresso shot, but I did get 1.5 lb of roasted coffee Ethiopian/​Kenyan and 2lb of green Columbian ($ 35 cash for 3.5lb of coffee, which is on the more expensive side of specialty coffee, but not nearly at the top). I have yet to roast the Columbian, but I did try both of my roasted coffee. My preferred method of brewing is the Chemex, and brewed nicely, but I definitely have had better. I’ll try additional cups/​recipes and update if my opinions change.
I asked the son about the roast level («Is it roasted to CityPlus») and he didn’t answer the Q (Note CityPlus is a very common term in roasting/​coffee circles) About 10 minutes after entering, the son left and the father took care of my purchase. This was another source of irritation. He was very hard of hearing which made some crucial Qs I had un-​askable (roast date, whether the coffee I was getting was Single Origin or a Blend, etc).
While after the fact, I realized this place is a roastery, but I’ve been to many small specialty coffee places, that roast/​brew/​sell equipment but in a much clearer/​modern/​friendlier/​more knowledgeable shops.
TL;DR I really wanted to enjoy this place, but was overall unsatisfied. Place wasn’t clean, dusk covered everything. Merch appeared old. Couldn’t taste the coffee I was buying except by espresso shot (which doesn’t highlight all of the subtle single origin flavors). Don’t expect to chat over freshly brewed/​roasted coffee. Despite this Id still recommend a quick look if in the area.

Tried the bean coffe. Excellent coffee and reasonable prices. You can buy half or whole pounds to go. The inside is basic and looks kind of rough. Well worth the trip to get the coffee.

Best espresso ever! Such a nice and quaint spot to get the best fresh beans and tea leaves. Always a favorite. You should also try their loose leaf teas.

Great vibe in this place, high quality, sought after product at much lower prices than elsewhere (even online) and extremely helpful service.

I like variety and Seattle certainly has an abundance of small roasters, so I buy lots of different beans. Still, for 15 years, GCC has been my go-​to roaster (they’ve been in business since the ‘70s). Their beans are incredibly rich and very freshly roasted. The shop and the owner are so old-​timey and wizard-​y that it’s like I walked into a shop in a Harry Potter movie. I always think when I walk out the door that if I turn around, I’ll see a blank wall. Of course, it’s cash or check only; none of that new-​fangled plastic! Given their low prices, it’s understandable. And if you ask nicely, they’ll even let you have one of the big burlap bags the unroasted beans arrive in – the logos are great!

It’s not very often you come across a coffee roaster with as much class as this. Off the beaten tourist path in downtown Seattle lye’s the Good Coffee Company. This is primarily a roaster as well as an Espresso machine sales shop. Upon walking into GCC I was blown away by the massive drum roaster as well as the various origin coffee bags on the floor, now this is my kinda place! If your looking for a latte this is the wrong place, but I highly recommend asking for an Americano or shot of Espresso while your in the shop. Absolutely amazing Espresso in fact this was the best espresso I’ve had to date. Stop in this little shop, and stock up on amazing roasted beans. I will be back again for sure to pick up some coffee the next time I’m in the Seattle area. If a better roaster in Seattle exists… I’d be amazed.

You can only get old school beans here. Very cool place and the taste is out of this world. I slow pour this.

If I could, I would rename this place «The Best Coffee Company» (in the world). The GCC is perhaps Seattle’s finest hidden treasure. They have been roasting some of the finest coffee blends in Seattle since the early 70’s and the quality shows in every cup. Yet without knowing of its existence many people pass by in search of inferior coffee from the big brand name stores or hip flashy coffee shops that litter Seattle’s streets.
I am most delighted on days when they roast coffee as I can smell the thick rich sent from blocks away calling to me. Stepping into the store a light fog of roasted coffee hits you like a warm blanket welcoming you in. My ears perk up to the delightful sound of the beans playing their familiar song as they fall from the roaster to the cooling bin. The dark full color of the finished beans swirl around the bin until they are ready to be transformed into a cup of pure goodness.
With the right approach Carl (the owner’s son) will pull you a shot of espresso on the vintage piston espresso machine that other coffee shops abandoned long ago. A single or a double shot will take your taste buds on a coffee adventure they have never had (at least not since my shot yesterday).
Purchasing a pound of coffee here will not break the bank here either. The GCC has many blends to choose from that run 3 – 4 dollars per pound less than other coffee shops around town. They will even grind the beans for you according to your need (i.e. Espresso or drip grind).
If you want a truly different coffee experience that will both educate and delight your coffee taste buds, a visit to the GCC is in order for you. I am going to go get a shot right now!

This is the greatest old-​school coffee bean/​equipment place in town!
They sell their own excellent roasts and well as green coffee beans. I have purchased many pounds of greens to roast at home. Yes, the beans are of highest quality, and sell for around $ 7/​lb.
I have bought espresso machines and grinders over the years from them. Joe services them. They have great prices on refurbished HX machines.
The collection of vintage and more modern equipment is like a free trip to the coffee museum in Venice.
Joe’s son Carl will gladly pull you an espresso. Yes, on a giant lever machine. No milk, just espresso.
And check out their Probat roaster while you’re there.

I have buying my beans from Joe for over twenty years; shipped to Idaho, Montana and wherever. His coffee is not too dark and not burned. The best roast in the country.

If you happen to stumble across the Good Coffee Company, be forewarned — this isn’t a place to get a latte or cappuccino. This is a place to get coffee and tea to take home.
Walking into the store, it is immediately clear that you are not in a Starbucks or Tully’s (or any of the smaller chains here in Seattle). You are in a place for people who love coffee, but not with all the pomp that often comes along with it.
Bags full of beans line the wall to your right for the first ten or twenty feet, with the roaster, constantly churning, immediately to your left. All sorts of different contraptions in which to make coffee fill shelves further down, and there are multiple grinders and scales for use by the proprietor, as well as espresso machines he’s working on, behind the counter on the left. At the counter, there’s a price list for the beans, handwritten on an accounting ledger, with nothing more than $ 10 per pound.
And then there’s the roasted beans, right there for you to view. Multiple roasted options. Further down, at least a dozen different types of tea.
Nothing fancy in the presentation, but absolutely fabulous in the aroma and taste.
I’ve had the luck of having been able to drink drip coffee from TGCC every day at work for the last couple years (we switched from Tully’s), and I can honestly say I am beyond pleased. The flavor is full bodied, not overly acidic, and not too strong, but not too weak, either. And believe me, I understand that how you prepare the coffee (grounds to water ratio) is important, but the roasting is just as important. These beans are expertly roasted.
I also use these beans for my espresso machine at home, and always get an absolutely fabulous cup in the mornings… it really is quite helpful in getting out of bed.
To add to all of it, the aroma from the beans sticks around (we buy five pounds at a time at work) in the break room for days, and occasionally seeps out, down the hall, and into my office. Very pleasant, to say the least.
What makes everything better is that the pricing is not outrageous for such quality. $ 8.45 per pound for most beans, and he’ll either grind them there, or you can take them home.
All in all a great place to get your grind for your morning brew, without all the sass of the hip baristas. Only a coffee lover sharing his wares.