- General
- Subscriptions
- Mobile Ordering
- Coffee
- Sourcing
- Drive Thru
General
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Where are you located?
Our roastery is located at 451 Ottawa St. in the friendly town of Almonte, Ontario. We also have multiple cafés in Ottawa. Click here for locations and hours.
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Can I take a tour of the roastery?
Yes, we have roastery tours. Please email baristatrainer@equator.ca to inquire for a tour.
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Where can I buy your coffee for at home?
Coffee can be purchased directly from our website, and shipped to your home. We also welcome you to our cafes to pick up a bag of coffee across the city of Ottawa. To find a cafe near you, please visit locations.
Subscriptions
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How long will my subscription continue? Do I have to reactivate it annually?
We’ve made it easy for you to never forget to buy coffee again. Your recurring order will continue to be billed and shipped until you cancel it - no need to renew your subscription.
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How can I manage my subscription?
You can login to your account from the confirmation email we sent you when you signed up or from www.equator.ca - just click the account icon in the top right corner and enter your login information. From there click on Manage Subscriptions.
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Can I Skip My Subscription?
Headed out on vacation and want to pause your subscription?
No problem! Log in to your account, and click on Manage Subscriptions.
Click Skip, and confirm it by clicking on Yes, skip this order.
Please note: You will need to make this change at least two days before your next shipment. -
Single Origin of the Month - The Fine Print
This is a great way to enjoy a wide variety of coffee and access to our latest releases. Each month we release a new single origin that varies from roasting levels, regions, processing methods, and varietials. With the Single Origin of the Month subscription, you will receive the most recent release from the series. Our Microlot coffees are not included in this subscription, but can be added on a la cart.
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I received a subscription as a gift, how do I continue it?
Awesome! We’re glad you enjoyed the service so much that you wish to continue. You’ll have to start your own subscription. Just head over to our subscription page here.
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I forgot my password. How do I manage my subscription?
Click on the account avatar in the top right corner, or click herefor the login page. Click on Forgot Password? and we will send you a link to reset your password.
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When do recurring orders ship?
Your first order will ship within 4 days of the date you subscribe and then again 2-weeks or one month after that date (depending on your selected frequency). So if you placed your first order on a Monday, your order will ship (ie leave our warehouse) no later than Thursday. Then the courier should have it to you within 3-5 business days.
Mobile Ordering
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How does it work?
To place an order for our cafes, go to the mobile ordering site here and choose the location you going to - add items to your cart, select a pick up time, and check out. Drop by the cafe at your selected pick up time and your order will be ready! Simple, contact-free, and convenient!
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How long does it take?
Your order can be ready in as little as 10 minutes. You can order in advance for pick up any time within our opening hours.
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What can I order?
You can order anything we have in the café - from brewed coffee to bags of beans, as well as sweets and sandwiches.
Coffee
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How is coffee roasted?
Roasting coffee is a cross between science and art. During the roasting process, the time and temperature for each batch is measured and recorded by the roastmaster on computer software. This is to determine the "roast curve" (think of it as a recipe) for whichever origin he might be roasting. We roast each origin differently, depending on its flavour profile, its moisture content, the density of bean, and other aspects of its composition. It's up to the roastmaster to determine what the optimal conditions are (temperature, time, airflow, etc) for each coffee, hence the name "master". Establishing a roast curve allows us to guarantee consistency and quality, time after time. Many of the roast curves for our classic blends date back to when Craig first got started on his 10kg Toper. But two roaster upgrades and over twenty up-and-down years later, we’ve made a lot of changes and improvements.
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Which type of grinder should I buy?
There are grinders for every budget, and every level of coffee lover. Ideally, you would go with a burr grinder, hand or electric. Burr grinders do a much better job at grinding coffee consistently (i.e. same size particles which means same level of extraction which means smoother coffee). A blade (the zip-zip ones that beat the beans around until they pulverized) grinder will do in a pinch but doesn’t do as well on the consistency front. Learn more about our top picks for coffee grinders here.
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What is naturally decaffeinated coffee?
There are two forms of decaffeination that are natural (as in no nasty chemicals) and acceptable to organic certification: the well-known “Swiss Water Process” and the less well known but just as natural Carbon Dioxide Process. Equator’s decaf coffee is processed almost 100% in the CO2 process. We prefer this to Swiss Water because we have found that it helps preserve the flavour of the coffee better than the Swiss Water process where the flavour components are often removed and then put back in again at the end of the process..
The way the CO2 process works is that the green coffee beans (the raw, pre-roasted product) are soaked in compressed carbon dioxide, which acts more like a liquid than a gas in that state. Carbon dioxide, when compressed, combines with caffeine so that when the CO2 is filtered, the caffeine is actually removed. Because carbon dioxide is what we humans produce and what plants need to survive, it’s obviously a natural and harmless product thereby making this process of decaffeination natural and harmless!
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What Are Tasting Notes?
“Tasting notes” are a term the coffee industry uses to describe the natural flavours that are detectable in the taste of the coffee. These are naturally occurring flavours; nothing is added to the coffee.
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What are the ingredients?
100% organic, fair trade coffee. Nothing has been added to the coffee.
Sourcing
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What is Fair Trade coffee?
Make no mistake: “Fair Trade” is a loaded term. But at its basic core, it’s an alternative way of doing business with the goal of improving life for the producer who has historically gotten the short end of the stick to put it mildly. Improving life can mean a variety of things but better trading conditions, higher wages, and improved social and environmental standards are a good place to start. Fairtrade Certification is the international system that uses Learn more here
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Where does Equator coffee come from?
We purchase coffee from over 20 different producer groups located in a wide range of coffees located on or around the equator (hint hint!). From Mexico to Colombia, Ethiopia to Indonesia, our warehouse is filled with fair trade organic coffee that has traveled thousands of kilometers and passed through countless hardworking hands. For specifics (producer profiles, contracts, invoices, shipping docs), please visit www.fairtradeproof.org.
Drive Thru
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Can I order food in the Drive Thru?
Yes, you can order food in the drive thru. You can also order food from our mobile ordering siteto pick up from the the café and the drive thru!
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Can I walk through the Drive Thru?
No. The Drive Thru is made for cars and it is unsafe to have folks walking in a driving lane.
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Can I buy a bag of beans from the Drive Thru?
Yes! You can order a bag of beans at the menu board along with your order!