Our Return Policy
We stand by our products. If you have an issue with an order, please notify us within 3 days of receipt of your order if something is wrong. If you are not 100% satisfied, we will do our best to quickly and efficiently fix, replace or refund your order. To initiate a return/replacement/refund please email us at orders@44northcoffee.com.
When can I expect my coffee?
We aim to ship you the freshest roasted coffee possible. We roast and fulfill orders Mondays-Thursdays. We aim to send you coffee on the same day it is roasted. Orders placed on Fridays and over the weekend will be fulfilled upon our return to the roastery on Mondays. A little fun fact, coffee needs to de-gas CO2 for 3-5 days immediately after being freshly roasted which often means it lands on your doorstep at peak flavor.
How much is shipping?
We offer flat rate shipping by region at this time. This varies from $7-$15 depending on the weight of the order and how far it has to travel from Maine. The flat rate shipping cost often covers from 1/2 lb all the way up to 5 lbs. We recommend purchasing a larger volume of product to get the most value for your shipping rate.
Why is shipping so expensive, sometimes more than the product?
We do not pad the shipping costs and we do not charge a handling fee. What we pay is what you pay for shipping via USPS and UPS. We live on a small island in Maine and unfortunately that means higher shipping costs. For the most accurate shipping rates, please add the product to your cart and enter your shipping information. If you need expedited shipping or other shipping options email us at orders@44northcoffee.com.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. Expect higher shipping costs and likely delays. Our international customers may need to pay for duty/taxes when they receive their shipment.
Why am I getting a "Shipping not available" error when trying to place my order online?
If you are trying to place an online order over $250 you will get this error that says that we cannot ship to your shipping address, even though the address is valid. There is a security cap in place for orders over $250. Please contact us directly at orders@44northcoffee.com so we can place orders of this size for you.
How can I give 44 North Coffee as a gift?
We have many coffee gift options! You can send an individual bag of coffee to anyone. We also offer Gift Cards which are redeemable in person or over the phone 207.348.3008 only, not online. We also have great gift box options under the Gear page. Or gift coffee monthly with one of our 3, 6, or 12 month Coffee Subscriptions.
How do I order some of your custom blends, I don't see them on your website?
We offer seasonal blends throughout the year so be on the lookout of those, we typically announce them on our social media accounts.
We also make custom blends for a number of our wholesale accounts such as The Lost Kitchen, Aragosta, The Island Agency, Roaring Lion Farm and Compass Rose Books. If you would like to purchase these proprietary blends we recommend connecting with the businesses first. If you would like to purchase a different volume from us or to start a subscription for one of these blends please contact us at orders@44northcoffee.com.
If I have a Coffee Subscription am I able to skip a shipment if I need?
Yes! Login into your recurring monthly subscription with the email you used to set it up and skip or pause your subscription via the Account button on any page of our website. If you paid for your subscription up front you will need to contact us: orders@44northcoffee.com.
Do you sell ground coffee?
We're all about keeping our coffee fresh to give you the best cuppa. So, we sell whole bean coffee unless you specify otherwise in the "Special Instructions" box on the Cart page or via email. We highly encourage you grind per brew as this is the best way to truly taste fresh coffee. Coffee grinders are reasonably priced today and we think are a great investment. We have some for sale under the Gear page.
What kind of packaging do you use?
Our coffee comes in brown paper bags that are lined with a thin "plastic" film called PLA, which is a polylactic acid biomass plant derived material, typically made from corn or sugar beet pulp. This PLA lining is necessary to act as a barrier because of the oils in the beans. Both the brown bag and the PLA liner are made in the USA. We recommend burning these bags in your woodstove as firestarter. Each bag is lovingly hand stamped and hand written. This bag is not airtight so we do recommend transferring the beans into a airtight container. We have researched many packaging materials and bag options and because this material is nationally sourced and has low environmental impact as a single use product we have steered away from other options.
What is the best way to store coffee?
We do not recommend our brown bags for long term storage of our freshly roasted coffee. We suggest an airtight container, like a Ball jar with a lid, or even the handy Airscape containers we sell under the Gear page.
Do you sell decaf coffee?
Yes, we always have decaf option available. While our decaf offering does not offer as much variety throughout the year, we often rotate seasonally between decafs.
Both of our decaf offerings are water processed decafs meaning you aren't getting any weird chemicals in your cup of decaf.
Learn more about the decaffeination process here.
Do you sell larger quantity coffee?
For retail size bags we offer bulk 5 lb. bags. You can order these from the Beans page under each bean origin.
For wholesale or specialty, such as weddings, holiday gifts, etc., inquires please contact us: orders@44northcoffee.com
If you are trying to place an order online for over $250 you will get an address error notification, please contact us directly to place larger orders over $250. orders@44northcoffee.com
What challenges does the coffee industry face?
The coffee industry faces a huge number of problems, from negatively impacting the environment to impoverished farmers. While the coffee industry is a $83.5 billion industry, unfortunately very little of that makes it back to the people who are growing and processing the coffee. Here at 44 North Coffee our goal is to spread the profit margin from your cup or bag of coffee back to the farmers and everyone in between. This begins at our choice of who we work with as a green bean coffee supplier. Learn more about being Cooperative Coffee Members here.
Why is the Stonington Café open only in the summer?
Our Stonington Café is our seasonal café and gathering space open May to October. This is because of a number of factors: the decreased island tourism traffic, lack of heat in the building, and a decrease in seasonal staff availability.
Why don't you offer espresso beverages?
We believe coffee should be simple, delicious and easily made anywhere, therefore we have chosen to offer brew methods that are approachable for all to purchase and brew at home, at the campsite, even on a boat. It's not that we don't enjoy espresso personally, it's just not our 'cup of coffee.' To learn more about our approach check out our Café Menu page.
How much coffee should I use to brew a cup?
How we brew our manual coffees in our cafes:
Make sure to check our Brew Guide Videos.
For a pour-over 12 oz. cup of coffee, we suggest 25 grams (~3 Tablespoons) of medium grind coffee with 205 F degree 12 oz of water.
For Aeropress 19 grams of finely ground coffee.
For French 3 cup use 21 grams of coarsely ground coffee. For 8 cups 53 grams of coarsely ground coffee.
For the real coffee nerds out there:
The Golden Ratio
A brew ratio is simply a guide to help you figure out how much water and coffee you should use for brewing. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when chatting with coffee nerds about brew ratios:
- Since coffee is 99% water, the larger number in the ratio is always water. We say this because folks will say 18:1 or 1:18 without clarifying which is which, and this can be confusing at first. (Plus, when you get into ratios for espresso, it gets more confusing with more concentrated ratios like 1:3).
- Another key piece of information is remembering that for water, milliliters = grams. So if someone says they are using 20 grams of coffee to 100 millilitres of water, the ratio is 20:100 = 1:5.
- The average cup in America is 8-12 oz, and 1 oz is approximately 30ml. So for an 8-12 oz cup, you’re looking at 240-360 ml water.
SCAA, the Specialty Coffee Association of America, has come out with their golden ratio, which is approximately. 1:18. So, therefore they recommend 55 grams of coffee for 1000 ml (grams) of water.
Obviously this golden ratio depends on your brew method, type of coffee, and personal taste preference.
Privacy Policy
All of your information is securely and privately stored.
Subscription Policy
Once activated, you can access your account via the Customer Portal, which is accessible via the Account link in the upper right-hand corner on any page on our website. If you have questions or concerns with your Subscription, pre-paid or recurring, please contact us at orders@44northcoffee.com.
Where can I buy 44 North Coffee?
We have many wonderful wholesale partners across the state of Maine and a few other states across the East Coast. Please click here for a detailed list.
How can I stay in touch and learn what's new?
For the most recent updates we recommend you visit our postings on social media via Instagram or Facebook. We also send out quarterly newsletters and would love to add you to our list. Please email us here if you would like to add your email - coffee@44northcoffee.com.