FAQ for Home
Some Basics about Dilworth
Where do you get your coffee?
The short answer - all the places good beans are grown. So whether you’re looking for a big-bodied Sumatra coffee, the flavor diversity in beans from Africa, or a more mild Latin American bean, we’ve got you covered.
Do you roast your own coffee?
Of course. And we take great pride in roasting small batches - just enough for a day or two - to ensure the proper roast by bean and guaranteed freshness. That is what makes Dilworth, Dilworth after all.
What are coffee blends?
Blends are pairings of different coffee beans. By combining unique characteristics from single origin coffees like body, acidity and flavor, we create flavorful blends that pair well with different tastes, dayparts and occasions. It ensures our lineup is fresh and exciting.
How do you make flavored coffee?
Many roasters use less expensive beans and cover them with flavor to mask the lower quality. For us, flavored coffees are a specialty. We use high quality beans and add flavoring extracts after roasting to create delicious, interesting, and memorable flavors time and again.
What is Dilworth's Allergy Statement?
The ingredients for our coffees are 100% specialty grade Arabica beans, natural and artificial flavors.
Our flavored coffees do not contain any added sugars and are allergen free per the flavoring manufacturer’s label.
How Much Caffeine is in a Cup of Dilworth Coffee?
Is this a trick question? Caffeine content can depend on how the coffee is roasted, how it is brewed, and even the varietal of the coffee.
Roast level is an often misunderstood variable when it comes to caffeine content. Some say dark roast should have more caffeine because it tastes stronger, while others claim light roast must have the highest content since it is roasted less and therefore has lost less of its original green bean weight in the roaster.
The first thing to know is that caffeine is a very stable molecule that does not easily break down during the roasting process. We also know that dark roasts lose more of their original green bean weight during roasting. Since caffeine is stable and is not part of what is lost, that caffeine will make up a greater percentage of the post roast weight of that bean. Therefore, dark roasts will have more caffeine per bean. Not by much though and in fact, few coffee drinkers are likely to perceive the difference.
A factor that can be more perceivable is the type of brewing method involved, specifically the brewing time. For example, an 8oz americano will have less caffeine than an 8oz cup of batch brew. That is because the americano (2oz espresso shot diluted with 6oz of water) will have been brewed for a relatively short amount of time (generally around 30 sec per shot) and is then diluted with 6oz of water. A batch brew will take much longer (generally 4-6 mins per batch). Since we know that the longer we steep a particle of ground coffee, the more of its soluble molecules will be dissolved (including caffeine), we can accurately say that more caffeine will be present in the final cup of batch brew.
Temperature also plays an important role. Even though cold brew is steeped for 18-24 hours, it will end up with caffeine content generally in line with batch brewed. This is because the extraction of caffeine is inhibited by the lack of kinetic energy in the “colder” brewing water.
Another factor can be the species of coffee in question. The Robusta species has roughly twice the caffeine content of Arabica coffees. Caffeine is a bitter tasting alkaloid which typically causes Robusta to present with a much more bitter cup profile that most coffee lovers dislike. (Disclaimer: We currently do not offer any Robusta coffees at Dilworth Coffee.)
With all this said, a cup of Arabica batch brew (or cold brew) should have somewhere between 95-175mg of caffeine per 8oz cup depending on the variables described here. The americano should have around half the caffeine per 8oz cup.
Whichever brew you choose, fill it how you feel it.
- D
Making the perfect cup of coffee at home
How much coffee and water should I use in my coffee machine?
Although there is a science to making a great cup of coffee, it’s not rocket science. For tips to getting things right at home, visit the “learn” page and enjoy.
How long can coffee stay fresh?
Whole bean coffee can stay fresh for six weeks to two months. Ground coffee stays fresh for about three to four weeks. But like almost everything else, “fresher is better.”
What's the bestway to store coffee?
Extreme temperatures and exposure to air are the enemies of good-tasting coffee. Store your coffee at room temperature, sealed in the bag it came in or in an air tight container.
Whole bean or ground coffee?
We recommend whole bean coffee, just because it stays fresher longer. But it’s really a matter of freshness and convenience. That said, when ordering flavored coffee, you might want to have us grind it, otherwise your home grinder might permanently hold on to that flavor.
How do I know when I've ground the coffee enough?
For regular drip coffee makers and most pour overs ,you should grind the coffee to a fine consistency like table salt to get the most flavor. Other courser grinds are best for other brewing techniques, like a French Press.
Can I use regular coffee to make iced coffee or cold brew?
It’s really up to you. You can use any coffee to make a cold version, but we have specially developed On the Rocks iced coffee and Cold Brew filter packs to help get the best tasting cold coffee.
Questions about ordering and delivery for home
How can I order coffee online at Dilworth Coffee?
I want nothing to stand between you and some of my brew. You can order retail coffee online through the website by visiting www.DilworthCoffee.com.
You may also purchase coffee at any of our Dilworth Coffee storefronts. Web offers, promotions, and some products may not be available at these Dilworth Coffee storefronts. These are independently owned and licensed stores.
Wholesale business orders may also be placed by our online business ordering portal, telephone or email during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm ET). All orders NOT placed by telephone will be confirmed prior to being fulfilled.
Toll-free phone – (800) 835-5943
Local phone – (919) 881-8271
Email – orders@dilworthcoffee.com
Can I modify my order after it has been placed?
If you have an issue, please give us a call at (800) 835-5943 or email us at orders@dilworthcoffee.com as soon as possible, and we will help to resolve the issue.
How long will it take to receive my coffee?
It can take as long as a week for us to roast and fulfill your order, and for it to arrive at your door. If you have any questions please call us at (800) 835-5943 or email us at orders@dilworthcoffee.com.
How do I setup an account?
For online web retail orders, you may set up an account during checkout process. Once setup, you can maintain your billing, shipping, and payment information to safe you some time in future web orders.
For wholesale orders, please call a Customer Care Associate at (800) 835-5943 to set up a wholesale business account.
How will my order be shipped?
For online orders, you can select your shipping method at checkout. We prefer to use FedEx Ground, UPS, or USPS and they might need 2-7 days to do their thing. We’ll send an email with tracking information at time of shipping if you provide us your email.
Can I pick my order up?
Sure. We’d love to hand-over your order in-person if you stop by our HQ at 4320 Delta Lake Drive, Raleigh, NC 27612 from 9am-3pm any weekday. Just give us a couple of business days to roast and package your coffee for pickup, and a team member will notify you by email or text message that your order is ready for pickup.
What are my payment options?
Plastic works, we accept Visa, MasterCard Discover, and American Express.
How do I report a missing or damaged shipment?
There are few things more disappointing in life than waiting by the door for some Dilworth deliciousness to arrive, and then have an issue. Alas, things happen. But rest assured, we’ll do all we can to make it right. Just contact us at (800) 835-5943 or by email at orders@dilworthcoffee.com to report the situation so we can get the issue corrected quickly to your full satisfaction.
What is your return policy?
We cannot accept returns on coffee as, it’s perishable. However, if you have any issues with your coffee or problems with your order, please contact us at orders@dilworthcoffee.com within 7 days of receiving your order so we can fix any issues.
Is your coffee gluten free and nut free?
Our coffee is naturally nut-free and gluten-free, and we do not process any other food products in our Raleigh, NC roasting facilities
Is your coffee Kosher
All coffee shipped from our Raleigh, NC roasting facility is Kosher-certified by AKC.