BrewSoul — Coffee Intelligence
BrewSoul is Tony Greenberg's curated coffee intelligence platform — a comprehensive database of 107 specialty coffees and 100 coffee chain rankings, scored across cupping quality, flavor complexity, mold testing, farmer transparency, and value. Every entry includes Tony's personal connoisseur note.
Full JSON: https://tonygreenberg.com/brewsoul/catalog.json
Plain Text: https://tonygreenberg.com/brewsoul/catalog.txt
These static files are accessible without JavaScript — use curl, fetch(), or any HTTP client.
About BrewSoul
BrewSoul covers the full spectrum of coffee — from the world's rarest microlots (Hacienda La Esmeralda Gesha at $200/200g, scoring 95/100) to the most shameful commodity frauds. Each coffee entry includes:
- Cupping Score — SCA-certified or roaster-internal score (0–100)
- Flavor Profile — Acidity, body, sweetness, complexity, fruitiness, chocolate (each 0–10)
- Tasting Notes — Specific descriptors (e.g., "Jasmine, Bergamot, Peach, Raw honey")
- Mold Test Status — Verified (third-party lab), Claims (roaster self-reported), or Untested
- Farmer Transparency Grade — A through F, based on published sourcing data
- Farmer Share % — What percentage of the retail price reaches the farmer
- Wow Proxy — Tony's composite "worth-it" score (0–100)
- Tony's Connoisseur Note — Personal editorial commentary on each coffee
Top Specialty Coffees — Selected Highlights
Showing 20 of 107 catalog entries. Download the full catalog as JSON or plain text.
| Name / Producer | Origin | Variety | Process | Score | Tasting Notes | Price | Wow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finca Deborah Aurora Finca Deborah |
Panama, Boquete | Gesha | Anaerobic Natural | 93 | Tropical fruit, Champagne, Rose water, Mango, Vanilla | $120/150g | 98/100 |
| Hacienda La Esmeralda Gesha Private Collection Hacienda La Esmeralda |
Panama, Boquete | Gesha | Washed | 95 | Jasmine, Bergamot, Peach nectar, Honey, Lemongrass | $200/200g | 99/100 |
| Gesha Village Lot 74 Gesha Village Coffee Estate |
Ethiopia, Bench Maji | Gesha 1931 | Washed | 94.5 | Jasmine, Bergamot, Peach, Raw honey, White tea | $85/200g | 95/100 |
| Yemen Haraaz Red Luna Coffee |
Yemen, Haraaz Mountains | Yemeni Heirloom (Udaini) | Natural | 93 | Dried fig, Cardamom, Dark cherry, Cacao nib, Port wine | $95/150g | 95/100 |
| Kemgin Lot W2 Ninety Plus |
Ethiopia, Bench Maji | Wild Ethiopian | Proprietary Controlled Fermentation | 94 | Mango, Papaya, Vanilla cream, Jasmine, Honey, Cinnamon | $150/120g | 92/100 |
| Raspberry Candy ONA Coffee |
Ethiopia, Guji Shakiso | Heirloom Ethiopian | Carbonic Maceration Natural | 92 | Raspberry, Candy, Watermelon, Rose, Cream soda | $45/200g | 90/100 |
| La Palma y El Tucán Sidra SEY Coffee |
Colombia, Cundinamarca | Sidra | Lactic Anaerobic | 91.5 | Lychee, Cider apple, Cream, Floral honey, Spice | $38/250g | 82/100 |
| Kenya AA Kiambu Proud Mary |
Kenya, Kiambu County | SL28/SL34 | Washed | 90 | Blackcurrant, Grapefruit, Tomato, Brown sugar, Sparkling | $28/250g | 78/100 |
| Elida Estate Catuaí Natural Elida Estate |
Panama, Boquete | Catuaí | Natural | 91 | Cherry, Rum raisin, Cacao, Tropical fruit, Caramel | $55/200g | 78/100 |
| Black Forager Natural Onyx Coffee Lab |
Ethiopia, Guji | Heirloom Ethiopian | Natural | 91 | Blueberry, Dark chocolate, Strawberry jam, Wine | $32/284g | 75/100 |
| Mamuto AA George Howell Coffee |
Kenya, Kirinyaga | SL28 | Washed | 92 | Raspberry, Red currant, Dark chocolate, Tamarind, Floral | $35/340g | 80/100 |
| Colombia Pink Bourbon Washed DAK Coffee Roasters |
Colombia, Huila | Pink Bourbon | Washed | 90 | Rosewater, Peach, Vanilla, Mandarin, Silky | $20/250g | 72/100 |
| Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere Manhattan Coffee Roasters |
Ethiopia, Yirgacheffe | Heirloom Ethiopian | Washed | 90 | Lemon, Jasmine, Earl Grey, Apricot, Honey | $18/250g | 65/100 |
| The Natural Ethiopia Black & White Coffee |
Ethiopia, Sidamo | Heirloom Ethiopian | Natural | 89 | Strawberry, Blueberry, Grape, Chocolate, Tropical | $24/284g | 65/100 |
| Burundi Kibira Honey Passenger Coffee |
Burundi, Kayanza | Red Bourbon | Honey | 89 | Peach, Brown sugar, Vanilla, Plum, Almond | $22/284g | 60/100 |
| Finca Tamana Castillo Tim Wendelboe |
Colombia, Huila | Castillo | Washed | 89 | Caramel, Orange, Milk chocolate, Toffee, Clean | $22/250g | 55/100 |
| Rwanda Buf Café Bourbon Koppi Roasters |
Rwanda, Nyamasheke | Red Bourbon | Washed | 88 | Red grape, Plum, Floral, Caramel, Tea-like | $17/250g | 55/100 |
| Guatemala Huehuetenango Pacamara Regalia Coffee |
Guatemala, Huehuetenango | Pacamara | Washed | 88 | Plum, Dark chocolate, Almond, Citrus zest, Creamy | $25/340g | 58/100 |
| Sumatra Gayo Wet-Hulled Brandywine Coffee Roasters |
Indonesia, Aceh Gayo Highlands | Catimor/Typica | Wet-Hulled (Giling Basah) | 86 | Cedar, Dark chocolate, Tobacco, Earth, Mushroom, Herbs | $19/340g | 45/100 |
| Brazil Mogiana Natural Orfeo Coffee |
Brazil, Mogiana São Paulo | Yellow Bourbon | Natural | 85 | Peanut butter, Dark chocolate, Caramel, Dried fruit | $14/340g | 25/100 |
Coffee Chain Rankings — Top 10 of 100
BrewSoul ranks 100 coffee chains from S-tier specialty roasters to F-tier commodity chains. Scoring formula: Coffee Quality (30%) + Value (25%) + Sourcing Ethics (20%) + Experience (15%) + Consistency (10%).
| Rank | Name | HQ | Tier | Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Counter Culture Coffee | Durham, NC | S | 90/100 | The gold standard. Full transparency report every year. Best $15/bag in America. |
| #2 | Onyx Coffee Lab | Rogers, AR | S | 89/100 | Most exciting roaster in America. Competition-winning quality at every price point. |
| #3 | Intelligentsia Coffee | Chicago, IL | S | 86/100 | Invented the third wave. Direct trade pioneer. Still among the best. |
| #4 | Blue Bottle Coffee | Oakland, CA | S | 84/100 | Elevated the café experience. Exceptional pour-overs, beautiful spaces. |
| #5 | Stumptown Coffee Roasters | Portland, OR | A | 80/100 | Bridged specialty and mainstream. Hair Bender blend is iconic. |
| #6 | La Colombe Coffee Roasters | Philadelphia, PA | A | 77/100 | Draft latte innovators. Strong sourcing ethics, beautiful cafés. |
| #7 | Verve Coffee Roasters | Santa Cruz, CA | A | 76/100 | Exceptional single origins. Surf-culture aesthetic meets serious coffee. |
| #8 | Equator Coffees | San Rafael, CA | A | 75/100 | First B Corp coffee company. Sourcing ethics are unmatched. |
| #9 | Peet's Coffee | Emeryville, CA | B | 65/100 | The original specialty roaster. Darker roasts than ideal, but consistent. |
| #10 | Starbucks | Seattle, WA | C | 48/100 | Ubiquitous but mediocre. Over-roasted, over-sugared, over-priced. |
See all 100 chain rankings in catalog.json →
Scoring Methodology
Coffee Scoring
- Cupping Score — SCA Q-Grader certified or roaster internal (85+ = specialty grade)
- Mold Test — Third-party mycotoxin testing (Verified > Claims > Untested)
- Transparency Grade — Based on published farm data, farmer pay, and sourcing audits
- Scarcity Proxy — How rare/limited the lot is (affects availability and collectibility)
- Weirdness Score — How far outside conventional coffee flavor profiles (0 = classic, 10 = avant-garde)
- Wow Proxy — Composite score weighting cupping score, rarity, flavor complexity, and value
Chain Scoring
- Coffee Quality (30%) — Actual cup quality, roast skill, freshness
- Value (25%) — Quality relative to price (QPR)
- Sourcing Ethics (20%) — Transparency, farmer equity, sustainability certifications
- Experience (15%) — Ambiance, service, café design
- Consistency (10%) — Same quality across locations
Origins Covered
The BrewSoul catalog covers coffees from: Ethiopia (Yirgacheffe, Guji, Bench Maji, Sidamo, Harrar), Kenya (Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri), Panama (Boquete, Chiriquí), Colombia (Huila, Cundinamarca, Nariño), Yemen (Haraaz Mountains), Indonesia (Aceh Gayo, Sulawesi), Guatemala (Huehuetenango, Antigua), Costa Rica (Tarrazú, Tres Ríos), Rwanda (Nyamasheke, Kayanza), Burundi (Kayanza), Brazil (Mogiana, Sul de Minas), and more.
Varieties Covered
Gesha/Geisha, SL28, SL34, Heirloom Ethiopian, Sidra, Pink Bourbon, Pacamara, Catuaí, Yellow Bourbon, Red Bourbon, Castillo, Catimor, Typica, Caturra, Yemeni Heirloom (Udaini), Wild Ethiopian, and more.
Processing Methods
Washed (Wet), Natural (Dry), Honey (Red, Yellow, Black), Anaerobic Natural, Anaerobic Washed, Lactic Anaerobic, Carbonic Maceration, Wet-Hulled (Giling Basah), Proprietary Controlled Fermentation.
Explore BrewSoul →