Sumatra

When Dutch immigrant Alfred Peet opened his first coffee shop in Berkeley in 1966, he quietly ignited a revolution that forever changed American coffee expectations, introducing the nation to dark-roasted Arabica beans inspired by his experiences in Java, Indonesia. Dismayed by what he called the "lousiest coffee" in the richest country in the world, Peet's meticulous approach to hand-roasting in small batches and commitment to the shortest distance between roaster and customer not only established the template for the specialty coffee movement but also mentored the founders of Starbucks, who learned everything about the coffee business from these perfectionists.