Coffee from Colombia to USA

Bill Turley (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 18, 2008, 13:42:

miamimike says on Aug 18, 2008, 13:45:

I buy my Colombian Coffee beans on Ebay and have 'em delivered to my door. Cheaper and just as good without the Hassle.Yo can buy Green or roasted and if you buy green, its no big deal to roast them.

Check it out:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37.l1313&sa...

On Sept 17, 2008: Senator John McCain said, as he had many times before, that he believed the fundamentals of the economy were "strong."Hours later he backpedaled, explaining that he had meant that American workers were Strong.

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Aug 18, 2008, 14:01:

You **might** have a problem with green (unroasted) coffee in large quantities. You're allowed to bring $800 worth of stuff into the US duty free, but green coffee could have bugs or a plant virus. (Anyone know if green coffee is a viable seed?) That's a big no-no with the US Dept of Agriculture inspectors. I'd spend some time on their website before I risked too much money or aching muscles.

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Timba says on Aug 18, 2008, 14:10:

Holy crap........I see tourists taking coffee back to the U.S. all the time BUT the best Colombian coffee is already in the U.S. In fact there is probably more roasted Colombian coffee available in the U.S. than there is in Colombia. The quality is also much higher in the U.S. as all the chit is kept for the locals.

That said, gree coffee is duty free....but as an individual, you have to get by the biohazard inspection they now have.

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GregYohn says on Aug 18, 2008, 16:04:

Hola!

Bemoka ROCKS!

Ever hear a person say. buy more coffee after their first cup? That is what someone having my Bemoka said! It costs 6200 pesos for 500 grams! It is the choice of people in Cali without the Juan Valdez price.

I will ship it from here in the USA and plan to purchase 50 kilos my next trip this month to Cali!

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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tomtom33 says on Aug 18, 2008, 16:28:

A couple of years ago I watched while checking through the Cartagena airport as they punctured a bag of coffee in the luggage of a woman in front of me. She turned to me and said, "That's the last time I bring coffee with me."

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miamimike says on Aug 18, 2008, 16:31:

TT--Right On!
========================

Holy crap........I see tourists taking coffee back to the U.S. all the time BUT the best Colombian coffee is already in the U.S. In fact there is probably more roasted Colombian coffee available in the U.S. than there is in Colombia. The quality is also much higher in the U.S. as all the chit is kept for the locals.

=========================
Bingo!

On Sept 17, 2008: Senator John McCain said, as he had many times before, that he believed the fundamentals of the economy were "strong."Hours later he backpedaled, explaining that he had meant that American workers were Strong.

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Bill Turley (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 19, 2008, 06:31:

scumbuster says on Aug 19, 2008, 06:39:

The reason I am looking to bring back coffee is, already roasted coffee starts to loose its flavor after roasting. The biggest problem with the coffee that is already in the US is that it could have been roasted months ago. It’s recommended or at least I have read that it’s best to use roasted coffee within a week of roasting, and after you grind it within 12 hours for the best flavor. Although what is already in the US is probably some of the best coffee from Colombia in many cases it has degraded to average or below from the time in shipping, setting in warehouses and on the shelf in the stores. Green coffee can keep for up to a year without significant degradation of flavor and roasted and ground fresh as needed.

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scumbuster says on Aug 19, 2008, 06:58:

Greg
I may be interested in trying some of that Bemoka coffee. When I get low again I will send you a message. I will not be in Colombia again until October and will need some to hold me off.

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Timba says on Aug 19, 2008, 07:19:

You need to do more work. You can buy as much green coffee in the U.S. as you want. You have more freakin' coffee warehoused in Miami than you can count. If you are going to bring that much coffee and try to keep the flavour, you have to keep it odour free and at proper temperature and moisture.

FYI Roasted coffee is at peak for a few weeks. Flavour may not in fact peak until a few days after roasting. 12 hours after grinding ? try 20 minutes.

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miamimike says on Aug 19, 2008, 10:16:

Scumbuster, The Flavor of a roasted coffee bean isn't released until the moment of Grinding and then its best if brewed and drank within 15 minutes of brewing and taken off of a Hot burner Immediatelt after brewing and stored in a insulated Carafe. The Coffee Oils start to evaporate quickly, usually as poster Timba wrote, within 15-20 minutes. If the Roasted Beans are hermatically sealed correctly, they do NOT loose their flavor after roasting. That nice coffee aroma you smell in the Aisles in many Colombian supermarkets are poorly sealed bags of alrady ground coffee improperly sealed. And people think this is good,,,LOL

On Sept 17, 2008: Senator John McCain said, as he had many times before, that he believed the fundamentals of the economy were "strong."Hours later he backpedaled, explaining that he had meant that American workers were Strong.

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GregYohn says on Aug 19, 2008, 13:13:

Hola!

I have 250 gram bags of Bemoka. Then, you can let your friends sample their own bag!

I had people just want Bemoka beans, but they are not sold at the grocery stores too often. I plan to go to their wharehouse in Cali, so I expect to get it as well as their decaf version also.

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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adrienne79 says on Aug 19, 2008, 13:43:

Last september I had a suitcase with about 15 bags of coffee and immigration gave me a very hard time about it all. They punctured some of teh bags and planned to do all of them untill I made them realize that since they were not going to pay for he bags they were damaging, they shouldn´t be doing that tactic on them. Their solution was to throw a piece of tape on the bags. Now they told me if I had had the reciept with me they would not have punctured any of them but who knows if that is true since I did not have the receipt.

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dwmte7 says on Aug 19, 2008, 14:53:

correction on the above..............there is NO shortage of coffee in colombia. high in the andes mtns. is the largest cold storage warehouse in the world...according to the col. govt. which houses more than a ten year supply of coffee beans. so when starbucks tells you that because of the coffee shortage the prices are being forced up, just know that that's a bunch of b.s. being forced on you and me.

dwmte

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guacharaca says on Aug 19, 2008, 20:24:

I put coffee in my checked bag and customs put a hole in it while doing their hidden checks. Coffee in the carry-on was just checked carefully.

Colombianos: Las armas os han dado independencia, las leyes os daran libertad. (Santander)

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GregYohn says on Aug 19, 2008, 20:56:

Hola!

When leaving from Cali, but going to Bogota before flying out of Colombia the check in baggage are not touched until the USA.

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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Chapin says on Aug 20, 2008, 03:14:

Maybe you should get some of these coffee beans!!!
http://www.cupofexcellence.org/NewsandCalendar/PressReleases/tabid/146...

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dwmte7 says on Aug 20, 2008, 10:04:

all these holes in the coffee bags...must be a poke for coke.

dwmte

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GregYohn says on Aug 20, 2008, 11:46:

Hola!

I guess a vacuum packed bag makes no difference to custom agents!

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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dwmte7 says on Aug 20, 2008, 12:50:

you gotta be kidding greg.

dwmte

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Timba says on Aug 20, 2008, 19:32:

Old info on cup of excellence. The highest price is for Panamanian Esmeralda at about $130 per pound.

Bemoka is just a brand. Coffee is a crop, it changes every year. If you are going to get the same taste out of different crops ......well, you have to eliminate anything outstanding and head down the ladder toward mediocrity and market like hell.

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Timba says on Aug 20, 2008, 19:35:

I was in Bogota airport when they came and got an american guy and took him to be searched. They searched him and his carryon. When I saw him again, he said that they even pulled his luggage off the plane and went through it in front of him.

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dwmte7 says on Aug 21, 2008, 04:54:

for coffee?

dwmte

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Timba says on Aug 21, 2008, 08:48:

Don't know what it was about. I guess he looked suspicious, but yes, he did have lots of coffee.

I was talking to him in the lounge waiting for the flight when they pulled him. After they pulled him, they made a few passes with dogs. In the end, nothing.

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scumbuster says on Aug 21, 2008, 10:07:

Greg, you said your bringing back 50 kilos your next trip to Cali. How will you bring back the coffee? Isn’t it a little pricey to fly it back with you? Especially now with the extra luggage fees.

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GregYohn says on Aug 21, 2008, 10:28:

Hola!

I guess you haven't flown with Avianca recently? They also give 10 kilos more per check in bag when you are a member of their GOLD frequent flier program.

I may not bring it all at one time back with me, but I can purchase it in bulk by getting it wholesale and not at the local grocery store.

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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scumbuster says on Aug 21, 2008, 11:18:

Unfortunately I am not a frequent flyer on any one specific airline. I usually take 2 or 3 flights a year but I shop around and it seems I usually am on a different airline every time I fly. Last October when we went to Bogota I think it was United. In February we went to Costa Rica and it was Continental and this October it will be Spirit. Unfortunately flying out of Pittsburgh I don’t have many of the flight options of someone flying out of JFK or Miami. This trip in October may cure me of the discount airlines. I will see how it goes, but although we will visit family in Ft. Lauderdale, I don’t like having to spend a night in FLL each way when we go down this time. The flight times just didn’t mesh well so we played it safe and opted to stay in FLL one night each way. But that’s 2 days less in Bogota.

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GregYohn says on Aug 21, 2008, 13:49:

Hola!

Avianca is even cheaper flying out of IAD, Dulles, DC than JFK!.

Bemoka coffee is not sold in Bogota also!

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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dwmte7 says on Aug 21, 2008, 14:56:

what is 'bemoka' coffee, greg...never heard of it. is it so good that the customs officials poke holes in every bag...just kidding. no, tell me about it.

dwmte

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GregYohn says on Aug 21, 2008, 15:59:

Hola!

Bemoka is a regional brand of coffee around Cali, They have a national brand called Aguilar Rojo, I think. I spoke with the daughter of the owner on my MIA - CLO flight who lives in Florida and she explained more about the brands. I told them how much the people I know like it!

The flavor beats Folgers, but is not super strong like a Starbucks. It is not the cheapest, but about priced above basic Colombian brands. They may sell it in other places than Cali, but I don't know!

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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dwmte7 says on Aug 21, 2008, 17:50:

if i'm not wrong, one can get auilar rojo at arcoiris in margate. a phone call would answer that. however....the price in florida, is a light year from the minorista price at the source.

dwmte

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GregYohn says on Aug 21, 2008, 19:31:

Hola!

Bemoka is not available all over Colombia!

I don't know of the other brand, although both are available in Cali! I was told Bemoka was the best

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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Timba says on Aug 22, 2008, 06:36:

The joke about blends is that they put in enough good coffee to hide the taste of the bad coffee.

How much are you paying for the coffee ? I want to know compared what you could buy it for in the U.S.

FYI
If you drink 7 cups of coffee a day you will use up a pound of coffee in a week. 52 lbs or about 25 kilos will get you through the year.

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GregYohn says on Aug 22, 2008, 08:33:

Hola!

I paid 3100 pesos for 250 grams in April.

I drink 4 tablespoons of coffee a day. That gives me 4 cups or 2 mugs.

At the office, I used to drink many more a day! This is more intense!

I have some Decaf when I want coffee after 7pm.

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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Timba says on Aug 22, 2008, 09:03:

Not too bad for roasted coffee. The suggested quantity for coffee is 2 tablespoons per 6 ounces of water. Otherwise you overextract and get bitterness in the coffee.

I thought you were buying green beans ? Price varies greating depending on wholesale or retail but the wholesale (volume) price is about $1.50 per pound for green coffee, plus cost of getting it to the U.S.

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GregYohn says on Aug 23, 2008, 11:21:

Hola!

I should have said I use 4 tablespoons of coffee to make 4 cups of coffee a day. I read on a coffee can years ago to use that amount per cup. I have a scoop that I use that holds 4 tablespoons, so I have it easy!

Bemoka is sold in expresso grind, so maybe it releases more flavor, but I just use a drip coffee pot usually.

I think I will use my EXPRESSO Pot and make some now! I just added Hershey syrup to the expresso! Yummy!

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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