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Weekly Newsletter: 15th January, 2016

Ocean PicCosta Rican Tarrazu Don Oscar

Happy 2016 to all of you! I know, the month is already half over, but our email newsletter is just starting up again. Christmas and New Years both fell on a Friday, and then last week Trace and I were out of town. We spent a rainy weekend at the coast and it was completely relaxing. There’s nothing like the sound and sight of the ocean for instilling calm–for me anyway.

At the store all the decorations are put away, the stacks of holiday items are gone, and we’re back to business as usual. We even served our last eggnog latte this week–if that’s your favorite, there’s only nine and a half more months until November. 2015 was a great year, and we appreciate all of you who helped it to be joyful and prosperous for us. Thank you.

This week we have a micro lot Costa Rican Tarrazu for you to sample. Tarrazu is famous for specialty coffees with a complex aroma and a full body. It has perfect high altitude volcanic soil that grows high density, low yield coffee. Coffee drives the economy in Tarrazu, although the scenic area helps tourism too.

This Costa Rican comes from the El Pedregal farm, which means large stones, or scree. Since coffee grows well in rocky, volcanic soil, the name makes sense. The farm is owned by Alejandro Solis, and his family, and they have built a mill, Don Oscar, where their coffee is processed. That way they control the quality from the seed to the sack.

You first notice the aroma of this coffee, before you ever sip it. It smells sweet and nutty and draws you in. The taste does not disappoint: it is as creamy and full-bodied as the scent. I could drink this all day, and it would be especially good paired with a chocolate dessert.

You can sample a cup of this Costa Rican on us this week with the code grey ocean*. I hope that you are all enjoying this new year, open to possibility. May it surpass your expectations and may you find good coffee to drink. Enjoy!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Costa Rican Tarrazu Don Oscar. Code expires on 1.21.16. Limit one free cup per customer please. Valid only at Carolines Coffee Roasters, 128 S. Auburn Street, Grass Valley, CA. Code/Offer has no cash value.

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$50 Gift Card Giveaway

gift card pic cropped

Edit:: The randomly chosen winner is Lucinda Porter.  Thanks for playing along everyone.  Reading your memories was cheering to us.

We’re wrapping up our 12 days of Christmas with a final giveaway.  In case you’re the kind of person who likes everything in our store, you can make your own choice of what you want to purchase with this gift card.

Today is Christmas Eve, and as we look forward to tomorrow, all of us here at Carolines Coffee Roasters would like to wish you a Merry Christmas.  However or whatever you celebrate, may it be a day full of joy and peace.  Thank you for celebrating the season with us this year.

Would you like to win this $50 Carolines gift card?  Leave a comment telling us a favorite holiday memory.  Winner will be drawn and notified on next Monday, December 28th, 2015*

*No purchase necessary to enter or to win. Giveaway is limited to residents of the United States. Entrants must be 18 years old or older. Winners will be chosen at random and notified via e-mail on Monday, December 28, 2015. Prize must be collected by January 15th, 2016 for Nevada County residents, or a shipping address must be provided by that date if winner is out of county.
Posted in Giveaway, Holidays | Tagged , | 47 Comments


Diner Mug Giveaway

Diner Mug with Paper

Edit:: The randomly chosen winners are Lew Stark, Bernie, and Kevin Marshall.  Thanks for playing along everyone.  Reading your thankful thoughts brought us a spirit of gratitude today.

Have I mentioned lately that we love our customers?  We’re pretty sure that you all are the best in the world.  Today Brittany at The Bookseller brought us homemade cookies, and several days ago it was a sweet card from Classic Tattoo, and strawberries from Buckley at Budget Blinds.  There are so many more who have shared with us–thank you all.

In appreciation, we’re having yet another giveaway.  We’ll be giving away three of these diner mugs today as part of our 12 days of Christmas countdown.  To win leave a comment telling us something for which you are thankful.  Winner will be drawn and notified on Thursday, December 24th, 2015*

*No purchase necessary to enter or to win. Giveaway is limited to residents of the United States. Entrants must be 18 years old or older. Winners will be chosen at random and notified via e-mail on December 24, 2015. Prize must be collected by January 15th, 2016 for Nevada County residents, or a shipping address must be provided by that date if winner is out of county.
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Sweatshirt Giveaway

Sweatshirt Collage

Edit:: The randomly chosen winner is Teresa Feezell.  Thanks for playing along everyone: we loved reading your comments.

All this rain just cries out for cozy clothing.  We love our Carolines sweatshirts, and we know you will too.  In the spirit of holiday giving, we’re continuing our 12 days of Christmas countdown by giving one away today.

Would you like to win this sweatshirt?  Leave a comment telling us what size you need and where you would wear it on a dream day for your entry.  Winner will be drawn and notified on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015*

*No purchase necessary to enter or to win. Giveaway is limited to residents of the United States. Entrants must be 18 years old or older. Winners will be chosen at random and notified via e-mail on December 23, 2015. Prize must be collected by January 15th, 2016 for Nevada County residents, or a shipping address must be provided by that date if winner is out of county.
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Mug Giveaway

Mug Collage

Edit:: The randomly chosen winner is Joan Kremmer.  And we decided to give away a second mug to Katherine Lee for the best comment: we loved your poem!  Thanks for playing along everyone.

Yep, we’re doing it again.  We love this mug, and we thought that you might too.  This is our 12 ounce stainless steel mug in matte black.  Perfect to keep your coffee hot when you’re on the go.

Would you like to win this mug?  Leave a comment telling us what you would put in it for your entry.  Winner will be drawn and notified on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2015*

*No purchase necessary to enter or to win. Giveaway is limited to residents of the United States. Entrants must be 18 years old or older. Winners will be chosen at random and notified via e-mail on December 22, 2015. Prize must be collected by January 15th, 2016 for Nevada County residents, or a shipping address must be provided by that date if winner is out of county.
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Weekly Newsletter: 18th December, 2015

peppermintsDay 6: A Premium Giveaway

I had the fun today of watching my children march in the annual Donation Day parade. This Grass Valley tradition has been going on for more than 130 years, and provides food for those in need. It was the inspiration of Caroline Meade Hansen in 1883, who saw the school children walking to school and thought of the difference they could make in hard times. The Ladies Relief Society took up the call to help, and they continue today.

It’s a good reminder of the caring that can happen in this season. My week has been full between practices for the Nutcracker and busy days at work. I needed the reminder that looking out for others can change our perspective. Helping and caring for people is a good way to spend the holidays. We all have our ups and downs, and sometimes we need a helping hand, and sometimes we are the helping hand. And sometimes both in the same day.

Roastmasters Premium CollectionI hope that each of you are finding the peace of this season: the moments that bring you joy. I will be spending time with my family this week, which is one of my favorite things. I get to see my daughter in the Nutcracker, and the joy on her face as she twirls onstage.

Today is day six of our twelve days of Christmas deals, and we are stepping away from our daily sales to bring you a Christmas treat. We have put together a box of our Roastmaster’s Premium Coffees, valued at $140, and we’re giving it away to you. This is the gift box that every coffee connoisseur wants to win.

The box contains five of our most unique and exceptional coffees: Nicaragua Maragogype, Panama Geisha, Kona Fancy, Christmas Coffee, and our Jamaican Blue Mountain. These are all stellar coffees, and anyone would be lucky to win them.

You can enter by leaving a comment on our blog here.  We will draw the winner on Christmas Eve, so you have a few days to enter. We will also have four other giveaways between now and Christmas, so watch for those emails, or follow along on social media.

Our twelve days of Christmas countdown will continue until Christmas Eve. If you still need a gift, we can still ship with 1-3 day delivery times. And of course you can stop in and buy a gift package or a pound of coffee to take care of your guests.

Next Friday is Christmas Day. We will be closed to celebrate with family and friends. I know that it is a hard day for some of you, so my wish for all of you is that there will be peace in your day, somewhere. Maybe in a smile, maybe in a cup of coffee, maybe in the beauty of the sunrise or the geese calling overhead. But I hope that you find it no matter how fleeting. Merry Christmas from all of us at Carolines.
–Holly Fike

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Coffee Giveaway

12 Days of Christmas Deals

Edit:: The randomly chosen winner is Karen, comment #33.  Thanks for playing along everyone: we loved reading your comments.  What fun holiday traditions you all have!

If you receive our email newsletter, you know that we’ve been celebrating the final twelve days before Christmas with a deal or giveaway a day.  So far we’ve spread cheer with:

1- $5 off our large Around the World sampler

2- Buy one, get one drink half off

3- All gift packages 10% off

4- All coffeemakers 10% off

5- All tea items 10% off

Roastmasters Premium CollectionToday instead of a sale we thought we’d do a giveaway.  In the spirit of celebration, we’ve put together the most awesome pack of coffees that we offer.

This is the Roastmasters Premium Collection Box.  It is valued at $140 and has five of our most unique coffees in it.  It contains our Jamaican Blue Mountain, sourced from happy beans grown at elevation on this tropical island, our Kona Fancy, from a Hawaiian run farm, our Nicaragua Maragogype, or elephant bean, our Panama Geisha, a varietal to itself, and our limited edition 2015 Christmas Coffee.

Don’t those coffees sound amazing?  I think that I’ve tried each of them, and I wouldn’t be able to choose a favorite.  They’re each different and each wonderful.  We’d love to share them with you.

To be entered to win this collection, leave a comment telling us a favorite holiday tradition.  We will draw a winner on Christmas Eve.  For another chance to enter, share this blog post on your Facebook page, or on Instagram or Twitter and tag us (@CarolinesCoffee) for an additional entry.*

The next half of our countdown will continue in the following fashion:

7- All logo mugs 10% off

8- $2 off the bulk coffee of your choice

9- Black stainless mug giveaway

10- Carolines sweatshirt giveaway

11- Diner Mug Giveaway

12- $50 Gift Card Giveaway

Check your email for all the details on these deals, or for how to win.  We’d love to share the cheer with you this season.

*All the details: no purchase necessary to enter or to win. Giveaway is limited to residents of the United States. Entrants must be 18 years old or older. Winners will be chosen at random and notified via e-mail on December 24, 2015. Prize must be collected by January 15th, 2016 for Nevada County residents, or a shipping address must be provided by that date if winner is out of county.

Posted in Giveaway, Holidays | 69 Comments


Weekly Newsletter: 11th December, 2015

Coffee Pic HeaderJamaican Blue Mountain

It’s starting to feel like December around here. With only two weeks to Christmas Day, the shopping has increased, and our gift packages have been flying out the door. We appreciate all of you who have included us in your holiday gift giving. And I’ve seen that our peppermint mochas and eggnog lattes are fueling many of you through your days. The kids and I have added afternoon hot chocolate to our rainy days this week, complete with mini marshmallows.

Jack snowflakeIn our home, we have a tradition of drinking Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee on Christmas morning. This is our most expensive coffee, so this week we wanted to extend a special offer to you. Our Jamaican Blue Mountain is $10 off a pound this week–or $5 off a half pound.

People often ask why Jamaican is so expensive. Some part of the price is supply and demand: there is only a certain amount grown, and even less of that makes it to the United States. But even more than that, this is a tremendous coffee and great care is taken with it.

As an example, most of you know that our coffee comes in burlap sacks, which are shipped to the nearest port (in our case, San Francisco). Not Jamaican, however. Jamaican Blue Mountain comes packaged in a wooden barrel, and it is shipped via air. It is the queen of coffees, and it is treated as such.

Our Jamaican is 100% Blue Mountain coffee. The cherries are hand picked only when they are fully ripe, which means over multiple days as different parts of the plant ripen sooner or later. It is a washed process, and then the beans are dried on raised patios in the sun. Years ago I read an interview from one of our farmers who said that the reason it’s so good is that it’s happy. Happy beans make good coffee.

I forgot to tell you last week about an epic giveaway going on over at the Outside Inn blog right now. Our community is so great that over 60 different merchants donated to this crate of goodies. Isn’t that amazing? You can read more about it and leave a comment to enter here. Also, we are continuing to spread Christmas cheer with twelve days of Christmas Deals. They will be featured in a short email starting this Sunday and on our social media. Watch for those–some will be a giveaway.

We’ll be here tonight until 9 pm if you’re in the mood for drink while you walk around Cornish Christmas. And through the end of today our gift packages are still 10% off. Have a wonderful December and drink good coffee.
–Holly Fike

 

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Weekly Newsletter: 4th December, 2015

hollyGift Package Sale

At our house the mantle is decorated with holly (but of course), the stockings are hung, and the Christmas tree is decorated. It seemed rather sparse on ornaments this year, and I finally realized that’s because my kids each have a tree in their own rooms. They are of the Charlie Brown variety, but the kids love them–and they put all their ornaments on their own trees. In the evenings we have started our annual tradition of reading Christmas stories aloud. The festivities have begun.

The Chocolate Lover Box is also 10% off this week.

The Chocolate Lover Box is also 10% off this week.

Being in a busy retail world at this time of year means that I have to seek out the things that bring me cheer. Snuggles with my kids in front of the tree when it’s still dark outside, hot chocolate on a rainy day, family game nights. I crave quiet moments, even if they must be stolen before everyone gets up.

As a business, we want to be the sort of place that spreads joy. That’s our goal this holiday season. We strive to take some of your stress away, whether with a smile, a kind word, or helpfulness. To continue the cheer, we decided this week to put all of our gift packages 10% off.

You can find all the options online here, and if you enter the code CHEER10 at checkout, you’ll get 10% off gift packages online too. This year we have a number of new options, including a sampler of six different coffees from around the world (see here) and a travel set complete with coffee, a mug, and an Aerobie AeroPress coffeemaker (here).

This week we do also have a new coffee for you to sample. This is our Organic Congo Kivu, and I don’t believe that we’ve ever carried a coffee from the Democratic Republic of Congo before. On the far east of the DRC, this coffee comes from family owned farms who are supported by Virunga Coffee Co. Virunga provides training to the farmers to increase the quality of the beans and to help them receive certification. They also run washing stations and help with the shipping–all logistics that can be overwhelming without help.

We roasted this Congo light, and it tastes of melon and sweet citrus tones. It has a medium body and high acidity. You can try a cup on us this week (it’s in the #3 pump pot) with the code quiet moments*. I hope that you find whatever brings you cheer this season. We are open until 9 pm for Cornish Christmas again tonight. Enjoy your week!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Organic Congo Kivu. Code expires on 12.10.15. Limit one free cup per customer please. Valid only at Carolines Coffee Roasters, 128 S. Auburn Street, Grass Valley, CA. Code/Offer has no cash value.

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Weekly Newsletter: 27th November 2015

Frost Header 22015 Christmas Coffee

Yesterday morning dawned bright, clear, and frosty cold. I know that those of you from colder climes wouldn’t think much of our temperatures, but we were well bundled for the Turkey Trot. Fortunately it quickly warmed up, and we were stripping off layers while we ran. It was a nice way to start a day of gratitude. It reminded me of how thankful I am for good health and the blessing of a body that can run.

Starting the day at the MEB2 Turkey Trot

Starting the day at the MEB2 Turkey Trot

The rest of the day was all about preparing for the evening meal. This year the kids each took a dish and designed it from scratch. Jack made an appetizer of a sliced baguette, goat cheese, and honey grapes. Caroline made a vegetable dish: rounds of potatoes with sliced glazed carrots on top. I bet she chopped carrots for an hour to have enough. It was fun to have them participate in the cooking.

The kids also created a menu for the day, complete with adjectives describing the food. Thus we had Holly’s Dining Dinner Stuffing, Caroline’s Creamy Carrots, Jack’s Grapes Galore and Ellen’s Elegant Salad. They even cut out brown paper leaves, carefully traced from the real deal, for each of us to write a list of thankful things. That was my favorite part of the day: listening to each person around the table share their gratitude.

Today debuts our 2015 Christmas Coffee. This year we have a particularly intricate blend for you. It consists of
• Fair Trade Organic Rwanda = for great blending and brightness
• Kenya AA = for intense flavor
• Organic Natural Ethiopian = for blueberry fruit
• Kona Fancy = for aroma and sweetness
• Organic Mexican Altura = for nutty-ness
• Celebes Kalossi = for earthy tones
• French Roast = for a smoky sweet finish
The result is a wonderfully layered coffee with lots of depth and a long lingering finish. The initial taste is nutty with a dark chocolate undertone. It’s delicious.

Starting today, this Christmas Coffee will be brewed as our #2 pump pot. So from now to Christmas, instead of featuring a coffee a week, we will be sending you specials and hosting giveaways. Watch for those for the month of December. You can try a cup of this year’s Christmas Coffee on us with the code vintage Santa* (that’s the label this year). Come on in this week as the month rolls into December. We are ready for the holidays.

Tonight is the first Cornish Christmas, and we’ll be open until 9 pm. It’s a good opportunity to sample the Christmas Coffee and warm up for a minute before enjoying the entertainment up the street. Whatever your Thanksgiving weekend tradition, enjoy. Oh, and drink good coffee.
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of 2015 Christmas Coffee. Code expires on 12.3.15. Limit one free cup per customer please. Valid only at Carolines Coffee Roasters, 128 S. Auburn Street, Grass Valley, CA. Code/Offer has no cash value.

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Weekly Newsletter: 20th November, 2015

fall leaves 15Nicaragua Maragogype AAA

This was quite a week. We were closed on Monday while they dug up the sidewalk outside the building to replace some ancient plumbing. We love the character and history of our space–it’s been a retail location since the 1940’s–but some things are not better older. On the bright side, the project was finished on time, in one day, and that section at least should be good for another seventy-five years.

Watching a dump truck on the day we were closed.

Watching a dump truck on the day we were closed.

I have been enjoying the fall colors outside, in the moments when I get to leave my desk. We do live and work in a beautiful area. For me the epitome of autumn will occur next week, with the Thanksgiving holiday. All the harvest food and decorations will be on the table, with family and friends gathered around. We will start our day at the Michael Bratton II Turkey Trot–come join us!

After that, to the great delight of my daughter (who has been singing Christmas carols for a month), our focus will change from fall to Christmas. We are in retail, so it can be a crazy season, but it is also a time of great joy. In our family we pull out our collection of Christmas stories and read one together every night. It’s a tradition that the kids love. They also have the fun of an advent calendar that counts down the days.

This year we have some special coffees for you. As I mentioned last week, we got our Jamaican Blue Mountain in again. We also have Kona Fancy and several other new beans that we will be featuring soon (like Organic Congo! We’ve never had coffee from the Congo before). Next week our 2015 Christmas Coffee will debut. In the meantime, we have a coffee that we are looking forward to letting you taste. It is our Nicaragua Maragogype AAA.

Maragogype is also known as the elephant bean. Unlike the way a peaberry is hand sorted out of the regular crop, the large maragogype beans are a genetic mutation of the Typica plant, first discovered in Brazil. The entire plant is larger, leaves and berries included, and generally produces fewer cherries than a regular plant. These Maragogype beans come from a new mill in the northwest of Nicaragua, Beneficio La Estrella.

The larger beans of the Maragogype roast at a different speed than a typical Nicaraguan coffee. It’s truly unique. If you have a chance to come try it this week, ask to see the bulk coffee–it’s double the size of most beans. This is a light roast, and has a nice brightness in the cup, with notes of fruit and chocolate and a medium body.

You can try a cup of this Nicaragua Maragogype AAA on us this week with the code elephant bean*. I hope that you each have a lovely Thanksgiving, however you celebrate. Safe travels to those of you on the move. Oh, and next Friday is the first Cornish Christmas, so we’ll be open until 9 pm. Come grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the crafts and entertainment up the street. We have a chance of snow in the next few days, so it looks to be perfect coffee weather. Cheers!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Nicaragua Maragogype. Code expires on 11.26.15. Limit one free cup per customer please. Valid only at Carolines Coffee Roasters, 128 S. Auburn Street, Grass Valley, CA. Code/Offer has no cash value.
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Weekly Newsletter: 13th November, 2015

1955 wedding photoOrganic Wild Forest Java

This week we have family in town to celebrate the two youngsters in the header picture: Chuck and Caroline Fike. As of last week, they have been married for 60 years. Caroline started Carolines Coffee Roasters in 1982, but that is only one of many adventures that she and Chuck have experienced. They were high school sweethearts, who met and married in Porterville, California. In the last 60 years they’ve lived all over this state, before settling in Nevada County 40 years ago.

Stop in tomorrow for a chance to win this Around the World Sampler

They raised four boys, who will all be around to toast them tomorrow. There are 15 grandchildren and five great grandchildren, so their legacy continues. These two are an inspiration to all of us who know them. Despite all they have been through, including starting their marriage in backcountry ranger stations, and moving countless times with the Forest Service, their romance has endured. They treat one another with respect and demonstrate a love we can all only hope to achieve.

I am proud to be their daughter-in-law and their friend. Congratulations Chuck and Caroline! We all look forward to feasting with you tomorrow.

As we prepare for a party, our day will begin with good coffee, another legacy from this remarkable couple. Good coffee was always a priority of theirs, even if they were traveling through the wilderness on mules, or stationed at the first helitack camp. This week we have an Organic Java for you to try.

This is Rainforest Alliance certified, which you can read more about here. That means that it is grown in the shade of other trees and crops. It is from Taman Dadar, a name given by the local farmers that means “flower garden.” Coffee grown in a flower garden sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Coffee bushes have a white flower with a beautiful aroma that would certainly add to the landscape.

Java is an Indonesian island where coffee was first cultivated by the Dutch in the 1600’s. Most of the older stock has been wiped out by coffee leaf rust, but quality coffee has been replanted, and it thrives in the Java climate. These beans come from the eastern part of the island, on the Ijen Plateau. We’ve roasted them light, and you can taste the typical Indonesian flavors: earthy, nutty, with a medium to full body.

You can try a cup of this Organic Java on us this week with the code 60 years. Tomorrow is the Downtown Holiday Open House from 10 am – 5 pm, and there will be holiday festivities and giveways all over Grass Valley. We will be giving away one of our new Around the World samplers (stop in to enter). This is a gift box with six different coffees, and you can read more about it on our website here. Whatever you do this weekend, and especially if it rains again, drink good coffee. Cheers!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Organic Wild Forest Java. Code expires on 11.19.15. Limit one free cup per customer please. Valid only at Carolines Coffee Roasters, 128 S. Auburn Street, Grass Valley, CA. Code/Offer has no cash value.

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128 S. Auburn St.
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