Sure, we fell in love with some exquisite teas while we were in Portland, but make no mistake: It’s also a world-class coffee town. Portlandians take their brew very seriously (and we’re not talking about beer, though they certainly do worship at the alter of hops as well). And now, we can’t get enough of Water Avenue Coffee.

Open just about 15 months, Water Avenue Coffee is a boutique roaster is helmed by Matt Milletto, director of the American Barista and Coffee School, and former Stumptown roaster Brandon Smyth. Right out of the gate, they were producing critically acclaimed coffees.

The dedication to working with fair-trade coffees and dealing in small batches pays off in freshness; all their beans are roasted within a few months of harvest for maximum freshness. And unlike a certain coffee megabrand from the north that we shan’t name, Water Avenue takes a light hand with the roasting. Instead of glossy and black, the beans have an almost dun luster, with a hint of green still peeking through in the crack.

While in town we enjoyed the Ethiopian Yirgecheffe, but we’ve been treasuring a small bag of Guatemala La Candelaria, pictured above. It’s incredibly smooth with an almost caramel-like natural sweetness. It’s a breeze to drink black, requiring nothing to temper the usual bitter edge of stronger coffees. But we also like it over ice with a splash of milk on our Indian summer days here.