LifeSpring serves and sells the following varieties of coffee roasted by Alterra, a small Milwaukee company that still takes the time to roast small batches of beans to perfection.

Alterra's Mocha Java

A new twist on an old classic. Alterra combines traditional Yemen Mocha with Java Estate and adds a bit of specially roasted Ethiopian Harar Horse to give this blend even more complexity. The bittersweet chocolate of the Yemen and the broad, smooth flavor of the Java combine with the rich, fruity undertones of the Harar for a taste experience that you'll savor.

Organic Blue Heeler

Named after Mina, Alterra’s Australian Blue Heeler mascot, this coffee stays true cup after cup. By combining regular-and dark-roasted certified Organic Sumatran Gayo Mountain , Alterra creates a blend worthy of Mina’s namesake, featuring a floral, earthy aroma with a full body and a spicy, smoky flavor.

Organic Campesino (Fair Trade)

Around the world, millions of small-scale farmers (campesinos in Spanish) dedicate their lives to growing, harvesting and processing high-quality coffee. In their honor, Alterra combines three organic single origins – produced by fair trade-certified cooperatives in Guatemala , Nicaragua and Sumatra – for this great tasting blend. It possesses a rich chocolate flavor with a medium to full body, low acidity and a hint of spice.

Costa Rican La Magnolia

La Magnolia comes from one of the central mountain ranges in the Costa Rican growing region known as the Tres Rios and is grown at or above a very high and very sunny altitude of 5,000 feet. It features sweet, pronounced acidity that cuts through its smooth buttery body giving this coffee great balance to compliment its great flavor.

Decaf Colombian Supremo

Developed for the late-night "pie and coffee" industry, Decaf Colombian is a welcome companion to our cookies and muffins from the Baker’s House. Alterra’s new roast emphasizes complexity and acidity.

Decaf Viennese Blend

A decaf coffee in the true Viennese style. Alterra mixes Decaf Colombian Supremo, Decaf Sumatran Mandheling and Decaf Espresso to create something special that will take you back to the little café on Kärtnerstrasse

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe

Steven says the “Yirgy,” a famous coffee from the country where coffee originated, is brassy in a good way. It is processed by the wet method, making it stand in contrast to the bulk of Africa ’s production, which is dry processed. This gives Yirgy a clean, balanced, complex flavor without a hint of earthiness, but with a nice acidity and a light to medium body with interesting floral, fruit and subdued spice notes.

George’s Burly Blend

Attention, fans of strong and dark brews: This blend will challenge your taste buds like no other coffee has. Created by and named after one of Alterra's roasters, George’s Burly Blend starts with Brazil Natural Dry and uses a secret component to give it an extra punch.

Georgia Pecan

This coffee captures the spirit of the South and serves as a perfect accompaniment to any pie or pastry, from peach cobbler to pecan pie.

Guatemalan Oriflama Estate (Rainforest Alliance Certified)

Through a special arrangement with Betty Hannstein Adams, the owner of Finca Oriflama in southwestern Guatemala , Alterra sources this excellent, high-grown coffee every year. It's grown under a canopy of trees using ecologically sound farming practices and is certified by the environmental group Rainforest Alliance. Oriflama is the ideal Central American coffee, featuring classic chocolate notes and a smooth, buttery body, coupled with hints of vanilla and honey and a sweet, snappy acidity.

Kenya AA Nyeri Jungle

Steven says this is incredible coffee. Just south of the Equator, between the Aberdare range and the Mt. Kenya , lies the Jungle Estate in the Kenyan coffee-growing region known as Nyeri. The 40 families that live on the high-altitude estate produce well-balanced coffee with sweet, wine-like acidity, smooth body and hints of ripe berries, pomegranate and milk chocolate.

Kona Blend

Hawaiian Kona is embraced worldwide as a symbol of the islands’ dedication to excellence. Alterra blends Kona with two Central American coffees to highlight the best of its mild, full-bodied taste.

Luna Negra

This is one of Jen’s favorite – tall, dark and handsome with a hint of romance. Alterra blends just enough dark roasted Sumatran and dark roasted Colombian with New Guinea to awaken the dormant “Black Moon” that is Luna Negra. The result is a perfectly balanced coffee with a subtle, peppery aroma and delicate, fruity flavor.

Organic Nicaraguan Miraflor (Fair Trade Certified)

Steven says this is Alterra’s best light roast. In the mountainous Estelí region of northern Nicaragua , 39 farmers belonging to two cooperatives produce this special coffee as their principal cash crop. The organization PRODECOOP then helps them sell the coffee through the Fair Trade market, which allows them to receive higher prices. Enjoy its delightful aroma, substantial body and pleasing acidity.

Sulawesi (Celebes) Toraja

Located in the Malay Archipelago , the Indonesian island of Celebes (now named Sulawesi ) produces only 70,000 bags of coffee each year. Local growers pool their small harvests, exporting a coffee with earthy overtones, well-balanced acidity and a heavy body. Alterra roasts it a bit darker than our other coffees to bring out its full flavor. 

Dark Organic Sumatran Gayo Mountain (Fair Trade Certified)

This coffee is “awesome,” according to Steven. Alterra has roasted the Organic Sumatran Gayo Mountain darker to give some complexity to the coffee’s earthy flavor and full body. It’s produced by the Gayo Organic Coffee Farmers Association, a Fair Trade Certified cooperative from the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra . Certified organic by the Dutch agency SKAL.

Voltaire’s Passion

Steven says this coffee is ELECTRIC. According to legend, the French philosopher and author Voltaire drank fifty cups of coffee per day. Had he tasted this satisfying blend of three East Indies coffees, he would have needed only twenty. Three single origins – Organic Sumatran, Celebes/Sulawesi, and New Guinea – and four roasts deliver a rich and spicy cup with incredible body. Low acidity and a delightful, lingering aftertaste.

Vanilla Supreme

Although it may seem plain and uninteresting compared to today’s more exotic tastes, vanilla’s purity and simplicity make it a timeless classic.

About Alterra

Alterra applies the right amount of heat, over the right amount of time, in a uniform manner to achieve the desired flavor for each type of coffee bean. As soon as a batch has realized the desired temperature, Alterra removes the heat and cools the coffee very rapidly.

Alterra aims to not only please the palate, but also the conscience. By developing close relationships with importers and farmers, the roasters learn the story and farming practice behind every coffee.

The company is also a strong supporter of fair trade and shade-grown methods. Coffee trees grown under shade receive plentiful nutrients from the trees, bushes and grasses that surround them which reduces the need for the fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides prevalent on sun-grown farms. Not having to buy these agricultural chemicals lowers the costs to farmers, as well as eliminating the worry of day to day exposure. The vast majority of shade-grown coffee is grown by family farmers on small plots. Buying coffee from these farmers means keeping alive a traditional form of indigenous agro-forestry.