Some of our coffees are grown using organic practices, but we do not source based on certification alone.

Organic certification can be expensive, bureaucratic, and inaccessible for many small producers—especially those already farming responsibly. Rather than chase a label, we prioritize how the coffee is grown, what inputs are used, and whether the farmer is paid enough to keep farming well.

Organic is a tool. It’s not the finish line.

No — and intentionally so.

Fair Trade certification sets a minimum price, but that price is often below the true cost of high-quality specialty coffee production. It can also funnel money toward certification systems instead of directly to farmers.

We focus on paying well above commodity prices, working with transparent partners, and supporting long-term relationships rather than relying on a single certification to stand in for ethics.

It depends on the farm, region, and year.

Some producers use no synthetic pesticides, some use minimal targeted treatments, and others must intervene occasionally due to disease pressure (like coffee leaf rust). Blanket “pesticide-free” claims often ignore agricultural reality.

What matters most to us is:

• Responsible, limited use when necessary
• Farmer health and environmental care
• Transparency about inputs
  
  There is no ethical coffee without honest agriculture.

Yes — through importer and supply-chain testing.

Green coffee is regularly tested for safety and compliance before export and import. Heavy metal contamination in coffee is extremely rare, and when it occurs, it is typically caught long before roasting or retail.

Coffee is widely considered a low-risk food product when sourced and handled properly.

Yes — through our supply chain and through our own quality control.

Green coffee is routinely evaluated by exporters and importers before it ever reaches us. This includes moisture content, water activity, and visual inspection, which are the primary risk factors for mold development. Coffee that falls outside safe ranges is rejected long before roasting.

On our end, we cup everything. Moldy or musty coffees are immediately obvious in sensory evaluation — they show up as dull, musty, basement-like flavors that cannot be hidden or roasted away. Those coffees never make it into our lineup.

Practically speaking, the risk of mold in specialty coffee like we source is extremely low. The coffees we buy are carefully processed and dried, stored and shipped under controlled conditions, moved quickly through the supply chain, and roasted and sold fresh.

Coffee quality and coffee safety go hand in hand. The same practices that produce clean, vibrant flavor also dramatically reduce mold risk.

Caffeine varies by:

• Coffee variety
• Brew method
• Dose and serving size

On average:

• Brewed coffee: 80–120 mg per 8 oz
• Espresso (single shot): 60–75 mg
  

Caffeine is a natural compound in coffee, but it’s only one part of the experience—not the goal.

Yes — but not the way most people think.

By weight, light roasts usually contain slightly more caffeine than dark roasts because dark roasting burns off more mass.
By volume (scoops), the difference is minimal.

Perceived “strength” comes from flavor, not caffeine.

Roast level determines what part of the coffee you taste most.

• Light roasts: brighter acidity, fruit, floral notes, origin character
• Medium roasts: balance of sweetness, acidity, and body
• Dark roasts: chocolate, smoke, bitterness, roast character

There is no “better” roast — only better alignment between the coffee, the roast, and how you like to drink it.

Single origin coffees come from one place (farm, region, or cooperative) and showcase unique characteristics tied to geography and processing.

Blends combine multiple coffees to achieve:

• Consistency
• Balance
• A specific flavor goal (especially for espresso)

Blends are not inferior — they are designed, not diluted.

Coffee is best after it has rested.

General guidelines:

• Filter coffee: best around 5–21 days off roast
• Espresso: often best 7–28 days off roast

Fresh doesn’t mean “right away.” Coffee needs time to degas and settle so flavors can open up properly. (James Hoffmann has explained this well in both writing and video.)

Once the coffee bag is open, keep your coffee as sealed and airtight as possible. Coffee de-gasses and loses its freshness around 30-60 days after opening. If possible, we suggest that you only grind it as needed for maximum freshness.

We are always studying the science behind coffee roasting and attempting to improve our craft. We attend roasting guilds, take classes, and assist in training at expo events. We focus heavily on a well-developed coffee which maintains its sugar compounds and acid compounds. Though many of our coffees are light to medium, we do have a darker roast that maintains its sweetness and acidity, despite having that rich, roasty flavor.

Our primary goal in all our roasting and brewing techniques is balance. Acidity without body, or sweetness without brightness, does not produce a balanced cup. We seek to ensure our roasting style always reflects a balanced cup.

Our name comes from the incredible novel “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas. In the story, Edmond Dantès was ready to give up and die in prison. Just then, the "Mad Priest" (or Abbe Faria) came on the scene and gave him a reason to hope again, along with the practical skills he needed to win at life. So the Mad Priest is a fictional character that embodies the fight for justice, freedom, and opportunity.

And as a company, we are striving to do just that. Instead of wrongly-accused fictional Frenchmen, we champion real-life people displaced by war, disaster, tragedy, gentrification, and incarceration. We are righteously indignant about racism & inequality in our country as well as the current unprecedented global refugee crisis. #GetMad 

Like, seriously? Someone sees an ad, or dislikes one concept we have discussed, and automatically begins to label people? Isn't that what 'they' don't like about the left? We are genuinely confused. We, as a company, represent many beliefs, opinions and flavors. We have some folks who are religious. Some not. We have people that have voted both sides or the aisle, and to this day still are willing to see nuance and view other humans as, well, human, instead of demonizing everyone who disagrees with us. So we are many things. We are on an evolutionary path, as people, and as company, to grow and learn more about our complex world, which *GASP* means we may even change our minds every once and awhile (Mind blowing, we know). We care about people. We care about community. We care about the working class (sorry Bezos). We care about conversation and allowing out perceptions to be changed, no matter what we may believe or see about another. Coffee is just the medium at which we do this.

"Our perceptions work in large part by expectation. It takes less cognitive effort to make sense of the world using preconceived images updated with a small amount of new sensory information then do constantly form entirely new perceptions from scratch. It is our preconceptions that create the blind spots in which magicians do their work. What's astonishing is the gulf between what we expect to find and what we find when we actually look." Entangled Life, Merlin Sheldrake

Because we believe humor is a useful tool. Also, we're all about a little self-deprecation around here. Do we hate Christians? No, of course not. We've known many amazing folks from many different denominations, communions and religions, from as far as Japan all the way back to the West Coast. The Church (whatever that really means) has done a lot of good, but also a lot of harm (Shout out Graham Nash and Cathedral, what a beautiful song) -- and we like the idea of being a little crass to open the door to difficult conversations. We'd rather be transparent, honest, and authentic, even if we're a little over the top sometimes. We honor ancient Christianity, while we also honor other ancient religious traditions. (TBH, it's the newer evangelical churches and mega hot shot pastors we really can dig on)

Also, for what it's worth, the original character of the Mad Priest was a Goan Catholic Monk named Abbe Faria (A real person, not just in TCMC) -- he helped invent modern hypnotism!

People. Humans. Community. Working Class. The poor. The voiceless. And to truly live this out, though we are imperfect at it frequently, and unlike the far left OR right tend to do, requires true human interaction, compassion (feeling), empathy (action) -- regardless of ones views of position in life. We stand for restoring true community and shared spaces. We stand for the constitution and the beauty that America was and still is (we'll see). And ultimately, we stand for damn good coffee (as well as actually paying a living wage to producers).

And? Must we believe in 100% of something or someone we buy from or interact with? As a company and people dedicated to education, growth and evolution (of the mind duh, c'mon Bryan...) -- we ourselves can change an opinion or stance as we are always evaluating things. That's where YOU come in! We've adjusted partnerships or removed content after thorough discussion with patrons in the past. We see ourselves, and our patrons as a community of people. Dynamic. Living. We're not here to "tell" you what to believe, we're here to learn things and question things, and just do it openly and allow you to join us in doing that. 

And guess what, it's still okay to buy from us if you still disagree with somthing... sorta like how you can still be friends with someone if you disagree with them on something... right?

Regardless, we're always open for discussion. curious@madpriestcoffee.com

Our production roast days are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. All orders are processed respectively when they are received, roasted on one of these days, and shipped within 24 hours. For example, an order on Sunday evening would be roasted on Monday and shipped on Tuesday.

All web orders are shipped via USPS or UPS. While you’re shopping on our website, keep in mind that all orders over $75 ship for free, and all our subscription plans are 10% off the retail price! International shipping is available through UPS with several options.

You can track your package with the confirmation email you should receive with the shipping information. If you have issues with your package arriving, you can email us at info@madpriestcoffee.com and we'll do our best to solve the issue. Keep in mind, our carriers have experienced delayed shipping times. We apologize for this possibility. 

You can choose local pick up at our 1200 McCallie Ave location during operating hours. This is not currently available for subscription services.

Yep, even we can make mistakes, and we do our best to fix any problem ASAP (and do the proper penance of course). Did you receive the wrong item? Do you have an issue with your order? Shoot us a message with your name, order number and issue(s) to info@madpriestcoffee.com and we'll get it squared away!

We offer subscriptions of any and all of our coffees. You can choose coffee, size, and frequency! Change or cancel anytime.

If you need to access your account, change/cancel, or create an account, please visit: https://madpriestcoffee.com/account/login

We roast on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. As long as your subscription (or online order) is received by the morning of the roast day, it will be roasted and shipped within 24 hours. If your subscription falls on a Thursday afternoon for example, your order won't process until Monday and ship Tuesday. But you can control the days/time of your subscription in the portal (we suggest setting it for Sunday night or Wednesday night). And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Coming soon!