Intelligentsia Coffee vs Stumptown Coffee Roasters


Intelligentsia Coffee and Stumptown Coffee Roasters, compared on every specification their makers publish.
Who each one suits
Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word
Anybody who wants a roast date on the bag and a named trade relationship behind it
What each one costs
| Price | Not publicly stated | Not publicly stated |
Where they differ
Every specification the two makers publish differently. Everything they match on is in the full table below.
| Intelligentsia Coffee | Stumptown Coffee Roasters | |
|---|---|---|
| Based in | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Best for | Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word | Anybody who wants a roast date on the bag and a named trade relationship behind it |
| What sets it apart | One of the American roasters that invented direct trade, with the paperwork to show for it | A Direct Trade programme with published principles, and both a roasted-on and a best-by date, which almost nothing at this price prints |
| Coffees Reviewed | 19 | 4 |
| Flavoured Line | None | No |
| Format | Ground, Whole bean | — |
| Gift Sets Reviewed | 2 | 0 |
| Origin | Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Kenya, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia | Central America, South America, Latin America, Indonesia, Africa, East Africa |
| Price per Kg Range | 42.55 to 126.26 | — |
| Price per kg | 42.55 USD | — |
| Processing Method | — | Washed |
| Roast Date Printed | ✕ | — |
| Roast Levels | Medium-light, Medium, Medium-dark | Medium, Dark |
| Roaster City | Chicago, Illinois | Portland, Oregon |
| Ships to | US, worldwide | US, CA, UK |
| Ships to Note | Ships internationally as well as within the US. The roaster does not publish a country list, and import duties fall to the buyer. | Ships to the US, and single shipments to Canada, Japan and the UK; international subscriptions are not offered. |
| Subscription Available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tasting Notes | Caramel & toffee, Chocolate, Stone fruit | Chocolate, Citrus, Berry, Creamy, Spice, Malt & bread |
Pros and cons
From each full review, written from the same published facts as the scores above.
- +Nineteen coffees reviewed, the deepest range on this site, plus two gift sets
- +Twelve origins named including Brazil, Ethiopia, Kenya, Costa Rica and Guatemala
- +Three roast levels from medium-light to medium-dark, in ground and whole bean, with a subscription
- +A published price per kilo from $42.55, so the range can be compared
- −No roast date is printed, which is unusual for a specialty roaster at this level
- −$42.55 to $126.26 a kilo is a wide spread with little to explain it on the listings
- −Six of its instant and single-origin coffees publish no tasting notes at all
- +A roast date and a best by date printed on the bag, which is the single most useful thing a roaster can print
- +A Direct Trade programme published on three named principles, and B Corp since 2018
- +Six origins named across the range, with washed processing published
- +Stumptown publishes 90 days unopened freshness and guidance for after opening
- −Four coffees reviewed
- −Organic on two of the four blends rather than the whole range
- −No farm or cooperative is named within the origins
Every specification, side by side
| Intelligentsia Coffee | Stumptown Coffee Roasters | |
|---|---|---|
| The maker | ||
| Based in | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Who it suits | ||
| Best for | Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word | Anybody who wants a roast date on the bag and a named trade relationship behind it |
| What sets it apart | One of the American roasters that invented direct trade, with the paperwork to show for it | A Direct Trade programme with published principles, and both a roasted-on and a best-by date, which almost nothing at this price prints |
| Specifications | ||
| Coffees Reviewed | 19 | 4 |
| Flavoured Line | None | No |
| Format | Ground, Whole bean | — |
| Gift Sets Reviewed | 2 | 0 |
| Origin | Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Kenya, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia | Central America, South America, Latin America, Indonesia, Africa, East Africa |
| Price per Kg Range | 42.55 to 126.26 | — |
| Price per kg | 42.55 USD | — |
| Processing Method | — | Washed |
| Roast Date Printed | ✕ | — |
| Roast Levels | Medium-light, Medium, Medium-dark | Medium, Dark |
| Roaster City | Chicago, Illinois | Portland, Oregon |
| Roaster Country | United States | United States |
| Roaster Country Code | US | US |
| Ships to | US, worldwide | US, CA, UK |
| Ships to Note | Ships internationally as well as within the US. The roaster does not publish a country list, and import duties fall to the buyer. | Ships to the US, and single shipments to Canada, Japan and the UK; international subscriptions are not offered. |
| Subscription Available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tasting Notes | Caramel & toffee, Chocolate, Stone fruit | Chocolate, Citrus, Berry, Creamy, Spice, Malt & bread |
Intelligentsia Coffee vs Stumptown Coffee Roasters: common questions
Is Intelligentsia Coffee or Stumptown Coffee Roasters cheaper?
Intelligentsia Coffee starts at Not publicly stated, and Stumptown Coffee Roasters at Not publicly stated.
Who is Intelligentsia Coffee for?
Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word
Who is Stumptown Coffee Roasters for?
Anybody who wants a roast date on the bag and a named trade relationship behind it











