Meet Greg Berkowitz, founder and head roaster of Berk's Beans Coffee. Learn about his journey from garage hobbyist to specialty coffee roaster, his approach to ethical sourcing, and what makes small-batch roasting different.
Berk’s Beans Coffee is a Northern California coffee roaster based in Concord, CA, roasting small-batch specialty coffee to order and shipping it fresh throughout NorCal and nationwide. If you want coffee that arrives at its flavor peak rather than long past it, you’re in the right place. Fresh, no matter…
Looking for a coffee roaster in Contra Costa County? Berk’s Beans Coffee is right here in Concord — the county’s own family-owned specialty roastery, roasting fresh coffee to order for neighbors across the county and shipping nationwide. Your county neighbor, not a distant brand Being local to Contra Costa isn’t…
If you want a Bay Area coffee roaster whose coffee tastes noticeably fresher than what’s on the shelf, Berk’s Beans Coffee is worth knowing. We’re a family-owned specialty roastery in Concord, California, roasting small-batch coffee to order and shipping it across the entire San Francisco Bay Area. You can taste…
If you’ve ever wondered why one cup of coffee tastes smooth and fruity while another hits you with bold, earthy intensity—you’re not alone. The secret lies in the type of coffee bean used. At Berk’s Beans Coffee, we believe that understanding your beans is the first step to elevating your…
The best coffee scale for pour over reads to 0.1–1 gram, responds fast, has a built-in timer, and resists splashes. Because pour over lives and dies by your coffee-to-water ratio and timing, a good scale is the single tool that makes your brew repeatable. Here’s what to look for and…
The best coffee beans for an espresso machine are fresh, medium-dark to dark roast beans with a chocolatey, full body — usually 100% Arabica, sometimes with a little Robusta for extra crema. The beans matter more than the machine: they drive flavor, crema, aroma, and strength. Here’s how to choose…
You can grind coffee beans without a grinder using a mortar and pestle, rolling pin, blender, food processor, or even the flat side of a knife. Each gets you close to a usable grind for your brewer — here’s which tool makes which grind, and how to use it. Why…
The best single-origin coffee beans come from one region, farm, or lot — so each cup reflects a distinct sense of place, from fruity Ethiopian Yirgacheffe to earthy Sumatra Mandheling. Unlike blends, single origins showcase the flavors that soil, altitude, and climate create. Here’s what to expect, which regions stand…
To descale a Keurig with vinegar, fill the reservoir with a 1:1 mix of white vinegar and water, run pod-free brew cycles until nearly empty, let it sit ~30 minutes, then run 4–6 water-only cycles to rinse. It’s a cheap, effective way to clear the mineral scale that slows brewing…
The best coffee thermos for work is vacuum-insulated stainless steel with a leak-proof lid, sized 12–20 oz to fit cup holders and bags, and easy to clean. It keeps your coffee hot for hours with no reheating or café runs. Here’s what to look for and how to get the…
