FAQs

We are a bitcoin only store. We do not accept fiat nor any other coins. However, you do have an option to pay with either the Lightning network or with an on-chain transaction using our privately hosted BTCPay Server. This doesn’t require any identification other than a name or nym, any email, and a shipping address.

YES! We now offer a Loyalty Program and reward you for spending sats with us. You can receive up to 21% back in sats at the highest tier, which more than offsets the price of shipping. Essentially you tell us which beans, how many, and how often and we send a unified bitcoin invoice. If you need beans, simply pay on-chain or on Lightning and we ship. If you don’t need beans, don’t pay. If you need changes, let us know.

Over time, your spend with us on beans accumulates and you reach specific tiers. The more you spend, the higher percentage back you can get. Once you redeem the refund, your historical spend resets to zero.

Learn more and sign up on our Loyalty Club page.

The Lightning Network is a layer-2 (L2) scaling solution built on top of the Bitcoin blockchain. You can make instant, low-cost, and private transactions between two parties without the need to broadcast them to the entire network on the blockchain.

Transactions on the Lightning Network happen off-chain. This means they are not recorded on the Bitcoin blockchain until a payment channel is closed and settled.

Lightning payments are typically confirmed in seconds, making them much faster than traditional payment methods like credit cards or bank transfers. Additionally, Lightning transactions can be much cheaper than on-chain Bitcoin transactions. This makes small transactions, like buying a bag of coffee beans feasible.

To start using bitcoin on the Lightning Network to purchase beans or anything else, you’ll need to set up a Lightning wallet that supports bitcoin. A few of our favorite wallets are Zeus, mutiny, muun, Strike, Breez, and Phoenix. Once you have a Lightning wallet set up, you can fund it with bitcoin and start making Lightning payments at participating merchants like ours.

Many of these wallets support both on-chain and Lightning payments, so make sure you select the right QR code when checking out. Our checkout defaults to Lightning and you can switch to on-chain if desired. If you make a mistake, the payment should still go through, provided you have enough funds in your wallet.

This comes down to personal preference but there are several reasons to spend your sats in addition to saving long term.

1) Practical Use: Bitcoin is a digital currency designed to be used as a medium of exchange. By using bitcoin to purchase goods and services, you are using it for its intended purpose and demonstrating its practical use in the real world. This provides long-term value as a currency.

2) Supporting Adoption: When you use bitcoin to purchase goods and services, you are supporting the adoption and growth of the Bitcoin network. As more people use bitcoin for everyday purchases, it becomes more widely accepted and even more recognized as a legitimate form of currency.

3) Gresham’s Law: This is a monetary principle that essentially says “good money drives out bad”. Holding onto bitcoin long term as a store of value can be a great strategy to protect against bad fiat money. However, spending fiat currency can be a better option to avoid the risk of devaluation of fiat over time as well.

What if you could spend your fiat AND purchase our coffee with bitcoin at the same time? You can, with Strike thanks to Jack Mallers and the team! What difference does it make to you as the consumer if you are spending fiat on coffee at the supermarket, or instantly converting your fiat into sats and buying our coffee? In the long run, that fiat is eventually going out of circulation. However, bitcoin’s velocity is increasing within its own circular economy.

4) Enjoyment of High-Quality Goods: Spending Bitcoin on things you enjoy, such as fresh roasted coffee beans, can be a more satisfying use of the currency than simply holding onto it. It allows you to enjoy the benefits of your investment in a tangible way. Even after several years, sending a bitcoin transaction is still fun and magical!

5) You’re on the Bitcoin Standard: The “bitcoin standard” is a fantastic book and refers to the idea that bitcoin, rather than any fiat currency or commodity, should serve as the primary unit of account, store of value, and medium of exchange in the global economy. Bitcoin’s globally-recognized, immutability, self-sovereign, 21 million, hard-capped, limited supply, decentralized nature, and mathematically-verifiable properties make it an ideal candidate for replacing government-controlled fiat currencies. Fiat currencies are prone to inflation and other forms of manipulation.

6) Improve Your Privacy: We offer Payjoin functionality when checking out on-chain using a Payjoin enabled wallet. With Payjoin, you can scale Bitcoin, save fees, and preserve privacy all at once. A payjoin is a bitcoin transaction where the sender and receiver collaboratively construct a transaction, which breaks some of the chain analysis heuristics.

In the US, when bitcoin is used to purchase goods or services, it is considered a taxable event and must be reported on your taxes as per IRS guidelines. However if you use the Strike app to pay us using dollars, they instantaneously convert your fiat currency into bitcoin and immediately send the bitcoin, so there is no taxable event for the buyer. Using bitcoin on-chain is a bit different, and with any tax question, you should definitely ask your accountant and DYOR!

The best brewing method definitely uses our beans! There are a hundred ways to answer this question and most of it depends on the amount of effort you want to use.

Most importantly, you should use great water and great coffee. Water comprises over 90% of your beverage and the rest is coffee, so make sure you use the best you can find. For water, we sell a water additive which can be dissolved in a gallon of distilled water to make delicious, coffee shop-like water.

As a rule of thumb, use around a 1:16 ratio, which means 1 part coffee to 16 parts water. For example, if you’re using a drip coffee maker and want to make 8 cups of coffee, you would use 8 scoops (or tablespoons) of coffee and 128 ounces (or cups) of water. This ratio results in a well-balanced cup of coffee that is neither too weak nor too strong. Feel free to adjust with more coffee for a stronger cup and less for a weaker brew.

Brewing Methods

French Press: French press coffee is rich and full-bodied, with a strong flavor that is popular among coffee lovers. To make French press coffee, you need a French press, coarsely ground coffee beans, and hot water. Simply pour the coffee grounds into the press, add hot water, and steep for a few minutes before pressing down the plunger and serving.

Drip Coffee: Drip coffee is the most common method of making coffee, and it’s relatively simple. To make drip coffee, you’ll need a coffee maker, a paper filter, and medium ground coffee. Measure out the coffee grounds and place them in the filter, then add water to the coffee maker and turn it on.

Pour-Over: Pour-over coffee is a more artisanal way to make coffee. To make pour-over coffee, you’ll need a pour-over cone, a paper filter, a kettle, and medium ground coffee. Boil water in the kettle and place the cone on top of your coffee mug, then add the filter and coffee grounds. Slowly pour hot water over the grounds, allowing them to bloom and release their flavors.

Aeropress: The Aeropress is a popular and versatile method for brewing coffee that can produce a rich, flavorful cup. There is the traditional method and the inverted method, which we use everyday. For more details on this method and a TON of recipes, head over to the Aeropress website.

Cold Brew: Cold brew coffee is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water for several hours, which results in a smoother, less acidic coffee. To make cold brew coffee, you’ll need a large container, coarsely ground coffee, and cold water. Combine the coffee grounds and water in the container and let it steep in the fridge for 12-24 hours, then strain out the grounds and enjoy.

There are so many other ways to brew coffee, but regardless, remember to use the best water and best coffee for the best results!