Lake Missoula Tea Company - Missoula, Montana - lakemissoulateacompany.com

I was eager to get in touch with Lake Missoula Tea Company when I found out they were located in one of my favorite cities. I travel to Montana every year and the fact there’s such a great tea company up there and I haven’t been to it is astonishing to me. I fully plan to remedy this problem the next time I’m in the neighborhood. In the meantime, I would like to tell you how much I enjoyed trying their teas. When I pick a tea that’s just right, I want it to have several layers to it and smell so good that I’m excited to drink it.

Each bag of tea from Lake Missoula Tea Company was better than the last. After opening several bags, I thought I reached the end of their selection. I was surprised when I looked on their website and found they have dozens of other fantastic varieties.  I talked with someone from Lake Missoula Tea Company about something called purple tea. I didn’t even know that purple tea was a thing. I want companies like that in my rolodex, not the companies who take the weakness of my taste and encourage and enforce it.

I recently had a cold and I tried their Beat the Snot Out of You allergy blend. As I drank it, I was reminded of the tea my mother used to make me when I was younger and feeling under the weather. I looked forward to this tea every time I got sick because I knew that it would boost my mood at least for a little while. I feel the same way about this tea now. I’m currently hoarding the small amount of this tea I have left. I dread the idea of running out.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not enlightened when it comes to tea. I started this project as someone who was all on board with coffee and unreasonably opposed to tea. I couldn’t pinpoint the reason why I stayed as far away from tea as I could. Usually, if I have negative feelings, it’s based in some sort of undesirable experience. I had the hardest time figuring out why I avoided tea. Anytime this has happened I’ve determined that these irrational feelings are more the result of a lack of understanding than sound reason and logic.

I appreciate companies like Lake Missoula Tea Company for enhancing my appreciation of tea while also broadening my knowledge of the various types that are out there. This review encompasses a small section of the teas they offer. I like to tell the whole story of a company instead of taking some of their products and using them as a means of interpreting what the entire organization does. I get that it probably seems redundant to review one type of tea after another. I prefer to approach things differently than all the other coffee and tea reviewing blogs. I want to invest my time and talents and treat these companies as well as I feel like they need to be treated.

There doesn’t seem to be a magic bullet when it comes to covering a company the right way. My goal here is to have reviews that propel companies into the stratosphere because each one of them deserves that status. I do not have that power yet, but I would like to have it one day. I have received many messages that question the way I review coffees and teas and that’s fine. I am neither a specialty taster, nor someone who has all the information about everything that’s brought to my intention. The arrogance that comes with both of those ways of thinking is appalling. That’s why I love Lake Missoula Tea Company.

Missoula is a city that’s not large or small. It’s more in the middle. You won’t have a hard time finding something happening in this city. Occasionally you will run across some crowds, but they’re not as intimidating as the ones you find in bigger cities. I’m well aware of the fact that not everyone will have the opportunity to get to this part of Montana. If you want to know what Missoula is like, order a few packages of tea from Lake Missoula Tea Company. Their tea will transport you onto the humble streets of Missoula and sit you in a cozy little shop on Main Street. 

Here's a link to Lake Missoula Tea Company's website for your consideration

Montana Coffee Traders - Whitefish, Montana - coffeetraders.com

Montana Coffee Traders is one of those companies I’ve had my eye on for a while. I am fond of those coffee places that try to make themselves into a one stop shop. They stock their shelves with every type of coffee imaginable, leaving their customers no choice other than to shop with them. I am disappointed that I have yet to hear from them despite numerous attempts to make contact. Normally I don’t get bent out of shape about such things, but Montana Coffee Traders is different. I want them to contact me and I want us to be friends.

My fondness for Montana is nothing new. I mentioned that in a previous review for another roaster located in that great state. I have not had the opportunity to try as many types of Montana coffee as I would like. Don’t quote me on that though. I make friends in the coffee world all the time and chances are a few of these contacts are from Montana. I’m not satisfied until I have bonds with Montana coffee companies on which I can depend. I want to be a part of what’s going on up there.

Back to Montana Coffee Traders. Outside of their large product selection, I admired the reasonable prices they charge for most of their coffees. Anyone who loves specialty coffee can tell you that it doesn’t come cheap. For a company to have reasonable prices on their coffees, it sets the bar for entry much lower and allows people to get into a world that's sure to turn their perceptions of coffee on their head. Some of their coffees run the price of your average brick of the good stuff; however, you will find that a majority of their inventory does not pack a wallop on your wallet.

As I attempted to get a better sense of what Montana Coffee Traders was all about, I checked out their Facebook page and read their reviews. I was impressed with how many people sang their praises. The lukewarm reviews that were there seemed to come from people with an ax to grind rather than anyone with a legitimate grievance. I like it when the loyalty a company has for its customers is reflected in what its customers have to say about it.

I hope to hear from Montana Coffee Traders soon and we can set something up. I am a big fan before I have ever even tried their coffee. 

Treeline Coffee Roasters - Bozeman, Montana - treelinecoffee.com

I have always had a special place in my heart for Montana. A lot of my family comes from there and I visit on an annual basis. When I had the opportunity to try the coffee from Treeline Coffee Roasters, two of my life’s great loves had a chance to intertwine. As with everyone from Montana with whom I have communicated, the people behind Treeline Coffee Roasters were nothing but cordial. I was hoping I would hear from them in timely manner and, to my surprise, I did.

Have you ever had a cup of coffee that makes you long for the place from which it came? That's precisely the feeling I got when I poured my first cup of coffee from Treeline Coffee Roasters. I have never been to Bozeman, which is where Treeline Coffee Roasters is located, but if I am ever in the neighborhood, I would love to pay them a visit if they would have me.

Treeline Coffee Roasters does some things I don’t see many other roasters doing.

First, their Roasters Choice option allows customers to put the decision making process in their hands. They lean on their expansive amount of expertise to select the type of coffee that's just right for you. This kind of option is something that many of their competitors would be wise to pick up on. Normally, you have to pick through a company’s sizeable product inventory before you find one product that seems interesting. This process is one that a lot of us have to deal with, but it doesn’t always produce the best results. Being able to rest easy knowing that you will get a great cup of coffee is a tremendous relief.

Second, their sampler pack allows you to choose several types of coffee without having to invest in large bags of each one. Each of their samples is enough for 6-7 cups of coffee. Finally, their GEO option is intriguing because it gives the average coffee drinker the ability to have great coffee from Treeline Coffee Roasters wherever they go.

I applaud Treeline Coffee Roasters for their creativity. They are willing to pull out all the stops to get their customers the product they know they will love. You can’t go wrong with a company that's so dedicated.