No. Six Depot Roastery & Cafe — Restaurant in West Stockbridge

This is a review for their online ordering of their coffee beans ONLY.

If you order fresh coffee beans like me to grind and roast at home, DON'T EXPECT FRESHLY ROASTED COFFEE BEANS.

On the website, it states: "We roast and ship 5 days a week so you only get the freshest coffee." Well this is clearly a lie.

I ordered a 5lb bag of their Profundo (french roast) coffee beans. When the coffee arrived, it showed that the beans had been roasted two weeks prior to when I had placed my order. Most roasteries in Massachusetts that I have ordered from, the coffee beans arrive roasted at most the same week, but usually arrive a few days after the coffee beans have been roasted.

So I reached out through email asking why the roast date was two weeks prior and the response I got was that:

"As much as we’d love to roast 12 oz bags to specific order, it’d be impossible to execute perfectly as most small commercial roasters roast 25-50 Lb batches. We do always make sure to send coffees towards the very beginning of peak flavor, assuming that a 12 oz bag will be consumed within 1-2 weeks so that your drinking experience is within that range and at it’s best."

Alright, first off, I did not order a 12oz bag, I ordered a 5lb bag. Sure, I wouldn't mind as much if I was ordering a 12oz bag, but for someone who drinks a lot of coffee, a 12oz bag just isn't economical to me since you save money per pound ordering in bulk. If your website is saying you roast and ship 5 days a week, there is no excuse to receive coffee that's already 2 weeks old. I am well aware that it takes time for coffee to degas after the roasting process, but for someone who orders ahead of time to let it degas so that I can control when I want to use, this is unacceptable.

I didn't get an answer as to why this was the case for my shipment, all they did was offer a refund. Refund isn't going to solve the issue here, nor did I want one.

Your experience may vary of course, but...

No. 6 Depot seems to be in the tough transitional spot of being a former local lunch spot that is trying to remake itself as a full-fledged specialty coffee shop. Unfortunately, it seems that about 50% of potential customers still go in looking for lunch and then walk out disappointed and empty-handed, as the cafe no longer serves sandwiches or anything heavier than pastries.

It also seems that the wholesale and roasting side of the business is their priority over the cafe experience (which in this Covid/post-Covid era is totally understandable).

Don’t get me wrong, the space is super lovely and pleasant, the historical building is so cool and the staff are very kind and friendly, but I had to withhold a star because many of the folks who work the bar don’t seem to know much about the coffee they’re serving, and the preparation is… so-so. They do not currently offer pour overs, and in the few times I have been there neither the batch brew or espresso has been really dialed in.

This shop is totally worth a visit if you’re in the area, and is still probably some of the best coffee in the Berkshires, but I am eager for the time when they find their way out of this transitional phase, and I hope that investing in some barista training and education are part of that...

My favorite coffee within an hour's drive of where I live - The owner and his staff are all amazingly friendly, knowledgeable, and quick with service. The place is beautiful and spacious, and the coffee is researched, roasted, and served with incredible precision and consistency. Plus they frequently innovate on their offerings in coffee, and host events such as coffee tastings and other classes.

There's a gallery in the back, a new ice cream contingent next door, and long communal seating in the front. They sell their own coffee at the site, as well as a small menu of food items - Baked goods are a bit limited and a mixed bag - the croissant is excellent, and the tortilla (spanish style - eggs, bacon, potato) is a great value - though I wish it were served warm and hot sauce was easier to come by. I've had a few of the salads and soups and they were really good, and their breakfast waffles come piled with generously with fruit

I live about 40 minutes from here and still come weekly. It's definitely...