FAQ

We always send you an order confirmation by email. It is therefore essential to check your purchase confirmation when you receive it (contact details, your coffee choices, quantities, and grind sizes). If you find an error, please email us immediately to let us know, and we will correct it right away.

If this is our mistake, please contact us so we can rectify the situation or compensate you. Note that evidence may be required.

However, if it is your mistake, we cannot take back the coffee and give it to another customer. This is completely against our values, as we distinguish ourselves from other roasters by the freshness of our coffee. Therefore, we cannot take back the same coffee and give it to another customer. Furthermore, we cannot afford to take responsibility for all the mistakes made by our customers, as the associated costs (handling, losses) would be too high.

If so, your transaction is not yet complete. Return to cafe-vrac.com and check if the selected products are still in your cart, located near the main menu on the right.

Click on View Cart , review your order, choose a delivery method, and then click on Proceed to Checkout . Make sure you complete all the required fields , and then click on Pay Now . Wait for the window to finish loading before closing it.

There you go! You should have received an order confirmation.

For order confirmation, check your spam folder. Otherwise, verify the email address you used to log in: there may have been a typo.

Otherwise, refer to point "
What should I do if I placed an order but haven't received a confirmation?

Simply write to us by email:

info@northern-coffee.ca

Simply enter it in the designated field during the payment process. That's where you can add it and take advantage of it.

No. We do not accept returns because we offer food products and must adhere to strict hygiene standards. Furthermore, we value the freshness of our products and cannot do anything with these grains.

Unfortunately, we no longer offer these options because we are not in front of our phone or computer at all times of the day, which can delay the order by 24 to 48 hours.

• Go to the My Account page. Log in if you are not already logged in (username and password).
• In the left-hand menu, click on Commands
• Click the View button for the command in question.
• Scroll down the page and click the Order button again.
  

Once in your shopping cart, you can modify or complete your orde

Yes, you can order for someone who lives in Canada. Simply enter the recipient's Canadian address in the billing address field and your own address and phone number in the Order Notes section on the checkout page. If it's a gift, we can also add a personalized message.

Unfortunately, we only ship within Canada. Perhaps one day we will cross the ocean or go through US customs, but that's not on the cards right now.

Unfortunately, we cannot compete with the big companies that roast in huge roasters and can cook several hundred kg of coffee at a time in about ten minutes.

Also, with the quality of coffee we offer—that is, quality beans, artisanal roasting for each of our coffees ( guaranteed freshness ), and our operating costs (permits, shipping, website, etc.)—you won't find a comparable quality/price ratio , delivered directly to your door . If you're happy with the potentially lower-quality coffee from another company and its price, you have two options:

• Discover our coffees and savor the difference
• Continue with the other company
  
  

We accept Visa and MasterCard credit cards. We also accept PayPal payments.

We removed this option by changing our website because it did not ensure good follow-up with our customers.

If you have any special requests, write to us at info@northern-coffee.ca and we will be happy to help you.

We did it for a long time, but unfortunately we no longer sell green coffee because it requires more complex logistics and we wanted to focus on roasted coffee.

There are no beans specifically made for espresso, so all beans will work. It's mostly a matter of taste. At Café-Vrac, we make sure to provide high-quality beans.

Note that dark roast (or black) beans are oily and most machine manufacturers do not recommend using them in an espresso machine.

To answer your question, it's important to know that our roasting process is artisanal , so it's not a precise measurement. Furthermore, it depends on the coffee—for example, Blue Java, Decaf, or Monsoon, to name a few—as they have a specific color to begin with. It's also worth noting that our dark roast coffees are never roasted to an extreme degree ; otherwise, the distinctive qualities of the coffees are lost, and the different aromas become unappealing.

We therefore limit ourselves to 3 roasting methods:

- Brown/Pale: the grains are lightly cooked and stopped before they caramelize too much

-Medium/semi-dark: the aim is to caramelize the grains, but without burning them.

-Black/Dark: The grains are cooked until they reach the 2nd crack.

In fact, many people ask us the same question, which is understandable since we have a wide variety of coffees. Without knowing your preferences or how you plan to drink your coffee, it's difficult for us to suggest a specific one. However, we do have product filters and brief descriptions to help guide your coffee choices.

We also have Discovery Sets containing 3 or 10 small bags of our best-selling coffees, presented in a reusable bag. This way, depending on your preferences, we can more easily guide you towards coffees that are likely to appeal to you on your next purchase.

Finally, just like wine, coffee can be divided into three main regions, each with a different flavor profile. Perhaps this will help you:

The Americas

• Soft and delicate
• Frank and balanced
• Often fruity, with a spicy note

Africa/Saudi Arabia

• Hot, spicy and wild
• The most acidic, but less bitter
• Often with a fruity and moderately sweet note

The Pacific Islands

• Pronounced cinnamon and chocolate aromas
• Smoky and intense flavor, with a hint of nuttiness
• Thick, almost syrupy texture

In fact, there are several different machines on the market; even we get easily confused! It goes without saying that, ideally, you should consult the place where you purchased your machine to ensure you get the perfect grind! Here are the most popular ones:

• Breville Manual: #4
• Breville ROMA double-walled: #4.5 *
• Paper filter coffee maker: Paper Filter ( #5 )
• Metal filter coffee maker (reusable): permanent filter ( #6 )
• Vacuum coffee maker: between permanent filter ( #6 ) and Bodum ( #7 )
• Delonghi pressurized filter: #4.5
• Delonghi automatic or non-pressurized filter: #3
• Keurig : Permanent Filter ( #6 )
• Saeco Aroma : #3
• Trudeau brand Bodum : between filter ( #5 ) and permanent filter ( #6 )
• French Press or Bodum Coffee Maker: #7
• Aeropress Type: #5
• Moka pot, Italian or Bialetti coffee maker: #4

* Breville ROMA (double-walled) = Note that non-pressurized cups are available for this model. Using these, you could use #3 grind coffee (espresso) for an intensified flavor!

Can't find the grind you're looking for? Write to us at info@northern-coffee.ca and we'll be happy to help.

For filter coffee, an amount of 14 grams of coffee per cup, or one heaped tablespoon for each 210 ml cup, should be used.

For espresso, a ratio of 1:2 is optimal; more precisely, we recommend using 20g of ground coffee for 40ml of liquid extracted in the final cup.

The water should not be boiling, but just simmering when brewing. Above 96°C, the water temperature begins to deteriorate the taste of your coffee.

Opt for fresh, pure water rather than tap water. The essential oils in coffee are affected by chlorinated water. The taste of the water greatly influences the taste of the coffee.

Hard water containing an excess of minerals can also leave calcium oxide deposits in your coffee maker.

If you notice a buildup of calcium, simply rinse your device with a solution of water and vinegar.

Getting a grinder is an excellent idea! Your whole bean coffee will keep twice as long as ground coffee, about 4 to 5 weeks without too much loss of aroma.

When it comes to grinder brands, it's easy to get lost in the options. They're available in every price range. But make sure you get a burr grinder, not a blade grinder. The latter is much less precise and doesn't always give the desired result. However, for grinding filter coffee, a blade grinder can do the job.

For burr grinders, you have the choice between flat or conical burrs. Again, conical burrs are preferable since they last longer and the ground coffee will overheat much less. This helps preserve the coffee's aromas. However, they are more expensive.

Indeed, mills and automatic machines don't like oily beans (dark roast). Because these, due to the slightly darker roast (we never push it to the extreme), become a little oily over time and could clog the mill.

However, many of our customers still prefer to use dark roast coffee, even at the risk of potentially clogging the grinder. But like anything else, a grinder needs to be cleaned, and in this case, much more frequently.

We therefore suggest medium-dark or ½-½ roasted coffees.

It's important to know that during the coffee harvest on the plantations, an initial inspection is carried out, followed by rinsing to remove leaves, green cherries, pebbles, grains of sand, and other impurities. The beans are then washed, dried usually in the sun (sometimes on drying racks, on the ground, on large wire mesh screens, or on tarpaulins), and finally packaged in jute bags. An inspection is performed at every stage . Nevertheless, it's quite possible that a small piece of debris could have slipped inside the jute bag initially and, unfortunately, gone unnoticed by the handlers, and then by us.

Indeed, despite our very rigorous inspection , sometimes a small pest might find its way into the batch. Usually, a final visual inspection before bagging the coffee beans allows us to ensure there are no unwanted particles. But you never know! That's why it's always best, and your responsibility, to always check the beans before putting them in the machine to avoid any mishaps that could damage your appliance, as we cannot be held liable .

Freshly roasted coffee produces up to 6 liters of roasting gas per kilogram, which can cause packaging to swell or even explode. That's why we use bags with valves. For your enjoyment, the coffee is hermetically sealed in our bags a few minutes after roasting, once it has cooled slightly. These bags allow the gases to escape while preventing oxygen from entering, thus preventing premature oxidation and preserving the coffee's quality and aroma. If you wish, you can gently squeeze the bag to help release the gas. However, it will do so on its own unless the valve is faulty.

Simply put them in their bag. Since they have a one-way valve for releasing air or gas, we recommend using an airtight container with a rubber seal, stored in a cool, dark place.

We do not recommend freezing coffee beans, as the cold damages the coffee's natural oils and it may absorb the flavors of your food. Also, every time you take the container out to make coffee, condensation occurs when it comes into contact with the warm air. When you put it back in the freezer, the sudden temperature change causes the moisture to crystallize within the beans.

In an ideal world, coffee should ALWAYS be freshly ground to extract all the flavors/aromas, but most people do not own a grinder or coffee maker that grinds and brews at the same time.

That's why we offer our customers whole bean or ground coffee, according to their preference. And even if the coffee is ground before shipping, it will always be fresher than coffee sold in supermarkets, which, by the way, most of the time doesn't have a roasting date.

Unfortunately, K-cups go against the principles of Café-Vrac. They are a real scourge for the environment.

However, you should know that there are several permanent (metal) filters available for Keurig machines. With this filter, you can use your preferred coffee and control the amount of coffee used, allowing you to brew a stronger or milder cup. Freshly roasted and ground coffee, if desired, delivered to your door, less expensive than pods and better for the environment. What more could you ask for!

Absolutely! You can create your own blends by purchasing the coffees you wish to mix, with a minimum of one pound of each. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination!

Unfortunately, we don't have and won't have flavored coffee, because the most popular method for flavoring coffee is using a spray containing flavoring chemicals. These are usually highly concentrated artificial essences added to pre-roasted coffee. Having made it myself, I know you have to wear a mask and gloves. Even your clothes (after washing) still smell!

In our opinion, it's best to flavor your own coffee with almond or vanilla extract. You can also, before pouring the water into the filter coffee maker, add a vanilla bean, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds, anise seeds, or even sprinkle the hot coffee with ground cinnamon or nutmeg.

100% pure coffees, like our Arabica beans, do not contain gluten. Those that do contain gluten are flavored coffees, grain coffees, instant coffee, or any coffee substitutes.

Furthermore, all our coffees – green or roasted – are completely free of nuts, as we do not sell them. A subtle nutty flavor is naturally present in some coffees, and we guarantee that no artificial flavoring has been added. That said, we can never be 100% certain that green coffee has NEVER been in contact with nuts at the green coffee producer. However, since we have been working with almost the same producers/exporters for many years and have never had any issues in this regard, we trust them completely.

Actually, it depends on your region. Because you have two delivery options: * Purolator or Canada Post .

Usually, with the exception of the Far North and remote provinces, the delivery times are:

• Purolator : 1 to 2 business days (*where the service is available and accessible)
• Canada Post : 1 to 6 business days, and up to 13 days for remote areas

We reserve the right to change your delivery method at any time if it is unsuitable for your region. Please note that there may sometimes be additional and uncontrollable delays due to the holiday season and/or road conditions, or additional charges may apply for remote areas.

No, you do not have to be home for delivery, but please note that parcel thefts are becoming increasingly common and we cannot be held responsible if anything happens to your parcel once it has been delivered .

If you do not want the carrier to leave the package at your door, please let us know by email at info@northern-coffee.ca .

We usually send you an email called "Note added to your order" which contains your tracking number and the delivery timeframe if you chose Canada Post . This guarantees the number of business days it will take to receive your package.

We therefore advise you to visit their website ( Canada Post or Purolator ) to enter your tracking number and check the delivery status. If there is a problem, we advise you to contact us, and also to contact them to file a complaint if necessary.

Sometimes the carrier will indicate that the package has been delivered, but it hasn't. Wait at least 24 hours to be certain that the package hasn't been delivered. Also, don't forget to check your local mailbox if it's a Canada Post package; it's often there.

If you have checked your local mailbox, waited 24 hours and still haven't received your coffee, please email us at info@northern-coffee.ca specifying your name and order number so we can contact the carrier and compensate you.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delivery method used. However, please note that we usually follow your preference, or at least the one indicated on your invoice.

It is always best to check your order confirmations and notify us as soon as possible if there is any error whatsoever. This will allow us to correct any problems and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for you.

So, for your future orders, make sure you have selected the correct delivery method and check your order confirmation immediately, because if you don't choose, the system will choose for you!

As we do not have a storefront, and are therefore not equipped to receive people, you unfortunately cannot come to our workshop.

Absolutely! We would be happy to serve you, but please note that we only sell grain: we do not rent/sell machines, do not refill them, and do not maintain them.

We sell in 5LBS or larger formats for businesses and companies.

It would also be best to get in touch to discuss your specific needs and how we can meet them. You can contact us at info@northern-coffee.ca .