In Olympia, we know there’s more to coffee than just morning pick-me-up magic. Within the Coffea family, there are 6,000+ tropical trees and shrubs and up to 100 species of coffee plants alone. These globally produced and universally appreciated beans come in a variety of flavors and nuances specific to their growing region, roast and brew. At the Dancing Goats Coffee Tasting Room in downtown Olympia, engage all five senses with some today.
Dancing Goats Coffee: A Treat for The Senses
For more than 30 years, Dancing Goats Coffee has been a staple of Olympia’s lifeblood. Their low-impact, sustainable practices showcase high-impact coffees with powerful farm-to-cup stories and a passion for the community. This can be seen in the welcome visitors receive when they visit the Tasting Room, adjacent to the Olympia Farmers Market.
Krista Bentow, western retail operations manager, explains that every visit is a mini-tour of the coffee-growing world. “On any given day, we have three to five different coffees available, which will include a lineup of a lighter roast, a medium roast single origin or blend, a dark roast single origin or blend and a decaf,” says Bentow. “These can be coffees from Central America, Africa, Indonesia or are a blend of those places. For example, if you visit on the weekend, we’ll have five coffees and the lineup could look like this: Ethiopia Guji, Organic Guatemala El Volcan, Organic Whirling Dervish Blend, Organic French Roast and our Dancing Goats Decaf Blend.”
Coffee Tasting in Olympia at the Dancing Goats Coffee Tasting Room
Unlike other coffee shop locations, the Tasting Room is special and welcomes taking your time, sampling blends or asking for bean-themed advice. “The concept for the Tasting Room comes from the success seen in how vineyards have hosted wine tastings over the years,” says Bentow. “We wanted to create a space that was specifically designed with just coffee in mind and without the hustle and bustle of a typical cafe where folks might feel less inclined to ask questions and engage with staff about what we do.”
She explains that they designed the space around the two things Dancing Goats Coffee is most passionate about: coffee and community engagement. “It allows us to take our time and really feel like we’re able to answer any questions folks might have whether it’s looking for the perfect blend for espresso or helping them dial in a new grinder they just purchased,” Bentow says.
And on Wednesday and Thursday, dial it up a notch by watching the roasting team in action via their large viewing window. This is a great way to experience coffee culture on a deeper, more organic level, and a popular destination for tourists during the warm summer months. Between the Farmers Market, Dancing Goats Coffee and Port Plaza waterfront, it’s iconic Olympia.
The Dancing Goats Coffee Tasting Room Sells More than Just Coffee Beans
If a particular blend or roast catches your fancy, Tasting Room staff can happily walk you through equipment and processes for the perfect cup. Bentow says they work hard to keep the storefront well-stocked with retail items including brewing equipment with items such as the AeroPress, Chemex, Kalita Wave and Bonavita along with our complete lineup of branded apparel, such as t-shirts, hats and sweatshirts. They also have a full collection of branded drinkware with cups and travel mugs from brands such as Miir, Keep Cup and Planetary Design. Have a tea drinker in the family? No worry! They also have a selection of teas from Numi Tea and Ajiri Tea.
This the only Dancing Goats Coffee location that has authentic coffee burlap sacks available for a small donation. All proceeds from their sale go to Grounds for Health, a nonprofit dedicated to building the bridge to globally inclusive health care through the prevention of cervical cancer in underserved coffee communities. Tasting Room staff can also arrange tours, cuppings and informational classes for interested groups and organizations.
Bring in your own mug or coffee bean container – bag, bin or jar – for a $0.25 discount and sign up for the Toast Loyalty Program and earn points towards future bean purchases. For visitors or guests, pick a favorite blend then enroll in a subscription plan with discounts and auto-shipped coffee so you’ll never run out. Otherwise, all of their beans and products are available on the Dancing Goats Coffee website for shipment to your home or as the best gift your friends and loved ones will ever receive.
We equate the Pacific Northwest with coffee but believe it or not, when their doors opened, the Dancing Goats Coffee Tasting Room was the first of its kind in our area. Even today, it’s an ideal meeting place, especially during the warmer months when they place outdoor seating well within the yummy smells zone of the roastery. Sign up for their newsletter or find the latest additions and drink specials on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Or, better yet, head on down and taste some for yourself.
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