Tandem Coffee Roasters: Ex-Blue Bottle Craft Behind Portland, Maine's Fruit-Driven Single Origins
Tandem Coffee Roasters was founded in 2012 by Will and Kathleen Pratt alongside Vien Dobui, three Blue Bottle Coffee alumni who left San Francisco for the Maine coast after a tandem-bicycle ride around Portland convinced them to put down roots there. Will brought roasting experience from Blue Bottle, Kathleen had managed one of its flagship cafes and led its New York expansion, and Vien had headed up training and research — a pedigree that shows in the precision of Tandem's roasting and sourcing. The pair's tandem bike gave the company its name and, fittingly, its collaborative spirit.
From that start, Tandem has built a single-origin-focused catalog anchored in Colombia, with additional lots from Ethiopia and Ecuador, alongside a small run of espresso-leaning blends. The house style favors distinctive, high-clarity varieties and washed and honey processing that let tropical fruit and floral character shine. CoffeeByMe's AI recommendation engine can help match your palate to Tandem's more unusual varietal offerings versus its more familiar, chocolate-forward blends.
Single Origins
| Name | Roast | Tasting Notes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Piramide - Colombia | Medium | Sugar CaneCacaoRed Apple | $24.00 |
| Chelbesa - Ethiopia | Medium Light | White TeaPeachGrapefruitMelon | $26.00 |
| Fausto Romo Honey - Ecuador | Medium | Raspberry Sorbetresinous floralitysweet applecreamy raspberryDried ApplePink Peppercorn | $26.00 |
Blends
| Name | Roast | Tasting Notes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Lamp Decaf | Medium Light | tropicalgraham crackergrape jellygreen grapebutterscotchmarshmallow | $25.00 |
| Stoker | Medium Dark | CherryDark ChocolateBurnt HoneyMisty Mountain Hop | $19.00 |
| West End Blues | Medium | baking spicesteaFruityzestychocolate | $20.00 |
Roast Profile & Flavor Range
Tandem sits squarely in the medium range: nearly the entire catalog is roasted at levels two through four, without the light-roast extremes or true dark-roast character found at some other specialty roasters. That consistency lets the coffee's inherent sweetness and fruit character come through without being masked by heavy roast development. Cup notes lean tropical and floral — pineapple, passionfruit, mango, rose, tamarind — with black tea and stone fruit rounding out the Ethiopian offerings. Acidity runs bright to moderate, body light to medium. Pricing spans roughly $18 to $29 across 8oz and 12oz bags, with the brand's rarer Colombian varietal lots commanding the top of that range.
Why Buy Tandem Coffee
Blue Bottle-trained precision: Founded by three Blue Bottle alumni, Tandem brings big-roastery rigor to a small, Portland, Maine-based operation.
Distinctive Colombian varietals: Tandem's Colombian lineup leans into unusual, high-clarity varieties that deliver tropical fruit and floral complexity beyond typical washed Colombian coffee.
Consistently medium roast: With almost the entire catalog roasted at levels two through four, Tandem is a reliable choice if you want balanced sweetness without light-roast acidity or dark-roast smokiness.
Guided discovery: CoffeeByMe's AI recommendations help you navigate Tandem's tropical, floral, and tea-like cup notes to find the lot that matches your taste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Tandem Coffee located?
Tandem Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster based in Portland, ME.
What does Tandem Coffee specialize in?
Tandem sits squarely in the medium range: nearly the entire catalog is roasted at levels two through four, without the light-roast extremes or true dark-roast character found at some other specialty roasters.
Where can I buy Tandem Coffee coffee?
You can browse Tandem Coffee's coffees on CoffeeByMe and click through to buy directly from the roaster, or visit Tandem Coffee's own website.
