Merit is obsessed with quality. They are fiercely focused on the art and science behind an excellent cup of coffee.
This obsessive tendency led them to renovate a 2,400 sq. ft. old warehouse on San Antonio’s Southside, creating a premium coffee roasting facility. From that humble beginning in 2014, they have prospered and grown, recently moving into a new, much larger, freshly renovated 9,000 sq. ft. warehouse along Loop 410.
They personally source many of the batches of beans they roast, traveling to the growers to sample their coffee, negotiate a fair price, and arrange shipment to San Antonio. Many of their specialty beans come from a single farm or even from a specific area on the farm (micro-terroir), making them limited in quantity and superior in quality. They work to establish strong, long-term relationships based on good coffee and fair prices.
Once the beans reach their facility, they roast test batches, cup, taste, adjust, test some more, and finally establish the perfect roast profile for the beans. They package the whole beans fresh from the roaster – rich, aromatic, and at the peak of perfection.
Orders need to be placed by Monday at 11 AM CST to be fulfilled the following Wednesday. Orders placed after will be fulfilled the following week. All coffees come in 3/4 lb.
Current Offerings Descriptions
Butterscotch • Sweet Grapefruit • Ganache
Another favorite coffee is returning! Hola Templo from Huehuetenango, Guatemala, brings delightful notes of butterscotch, sweet grapefruit, and ganache to your cup. This coffee celebrates the rich beauty, history, and culture of Huehuetenango and its Mayan archeological site, Zaculeu.
Huehuetenango is renowned for its unique climate, stunning landscapes, and deep-rooted history. The coffee-growing families here cultivate their crops amidst majestic mountains and pristine blue lakes. Hola Templo is sourced from ten small-scale producers, with each farm averaging 3.48 hectares and producing around 1,600 kg of cherries per hectare.
Lilac • Lychee • Lingering Chocolate
Chelbesa is back for another year! This exceptional Ethiopian coffee, often marketed as "Yirgacheffe," delivers crisp flavors of blood orange and earl grey tea to your morning cup, complemented by notes of lilac, lychee, and lingering chocolate. This washed process coffee is sourced from over 450 small producers in the Chelbesa village, nestled in Ethiopia's southern Gedeo zone.
The Gedeo zone is renowned for the "Yirgacheffe" profile, a classic Ethiopian coffee style celebrated for its candy-like peach and earl grey tea notes. SNAP, a respected Ethiopian exporter, strategically established a buying station in the small hamlet of Danche to specifically purchase from farmers in nearby Chelbesa, thereby preserving the microregion's unique flavor profile.
Lemon Zest • Dried Apricot • Sweet Basil
This coffee is grown in the Dumerso village, located in the Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia, which is one of the most renowned coffee-producing areas in the world. You'll notice bright notes of lemon zest, a touch of dried apricot sweetness, and a hint of sweet basil, creating a well-balanced and refreshing cup.
This coffee is a result of the hard work and dedication of the farmers at Dumerso, who take pride in their sustainable and meticulous farming practices. Each cup of Dumerso Reserve tells a story of the land and its people, offering a genuine and enjoyable coffee experience. Enjoy this exceptional brew and appreciate the journey from farm to cup.
Strawberry Preserves • Nutmeg • Cantaloupe
Check out our newest coffee from Sidamo, Ethiopia. It's grown in the Bensa village by a seasoned farmer, Niguse Nara. We’re talking varieties like 74110, 74112, and Heirloom that deliver a unique combo of flavors — look for notes of elderberry, citra hops, and blackberry jam. It's definitely a coffee worth exploring.
Cherry Cobbler • Caramel • Brown Sugar
Perfect for espresso – plus it tastes amazing on drip as well. It’s a single origin Colombian that packs a bold punch. Wildcatter? It’s what they called the folks who gambled on finding oil in no-man’s land. Well, we kinda did the coffee version of that and nailed it. Check it out.
Born solely out of our love for the deeper flavors in coffee that not only pair well with milk but enhance it, the Cielo Andino Espresso, in our humble opinion, is some of our greatest work yet.
A mix of three coffees that on their own work brilliantly as espresso but when blended create a classic, approachable espresso blend formulated for milk-based drinks.
Using our flagship Andino Leal as a foundation for body, acidity, and complexity, we added a natural Brazil from the Mogiana Region for balance, crema and sweetness, and a Peru from Amazonas for clarity and aroma.
From a Cortado to a Mocha, Cielo Andino’s balanced profile of chocolate, toffee, and Warm Spice is sure to be a tasty and reliable workhorse.
South Presa:
South Presa takes two reliable yet distinct elements together for a harmonious, approachable coffee.
The South Presa Home Blend comes entirely from very small-scale farmers. Though many are not certified organic, their traditional practices eliminate many of the pitfalls of industrial agriculture. It honors those who take the most risk to create the delicious coffees we drink every day.
Our foundation at Merit is built on the pursuit of perfection across three different areas: roasting, sourcing and brewing. I see all of our work as a study. An exploration into the next great thing, the next great micro-lot, the next great growing region, the next great tasting experience. Every coffee we work with brings us closer to that goal, and every day we are learning.
Just like Merit, our coffees need a foundation. Something steady and reliable that can stand on its own while highlighting the complexities of our single origins you’ve come to know us by and love.
As with all our greatest Ideas, it started with a question. “What would it look like if Merit created an everyday drinking blend that represents our relentless obsession with quality?” A year of healthy debate, a lot of cupping, and multiple roasting trials later we are honored to present to you what we would consider our favorite every day blend on the market. Always sweet, always reliable, and always created with good energy.
Even with our decaf offering, we take our passion for transparency and flavor seriously. We find that the ethyl acetate decaf process produces coffees with a warm, cozy feel and a distinct berry note.
Our Roasters Blend was engineered for cold brew: focusing on balance, sweetness and body. Aligned with Merit’s ethics of source, roast and brew – we applied the same energy towards the creation of this blend. Although a select few of the ingredients may rotate, the Latin American base provides consistency and balance, and our cupping table dictates the mixture.
One of our most versatile coffees, this all-around star is at once chocolatey, fruity, and grounded. "Leal" means loyal, marking our refreshed commitment to the producers of Andino. We've built a core group to 25 farmers and committed to a fixed price in local currency, no matter how the market moves.
