About Us

Good Stuff to Know About Ancora

Is Ancora a chain?

No. Ancora is owned by founders George and Sue Krug, who live in Madison, Wisconsin.

Where do Ancora coffee beans come from?

All over the world! Ancora works closely with coffee importers to find and source coffee beans grown on sustainable farms and estates in the Pacific Islands, Central and South America and Africa.

Why aren't all Ancora coffees organic and/or fair trade?

Ancora maintains strict standards for the coffee we purchase. Number one: we look for beans with the classic and desirable 'taste of place'. Our experience has taught us to focus on coffees that meet these selection criteria:

• Grown from Arabica coffee’s heirloom plant types, Bourbon and Typica
• Produced by family estates and co-operatives of small farms in the highest-altitude growing regions
• Milled to meet extra-rigorous 'Estate grown' grading standards

In the coffee world, only beans grown by cooperatives can earn fair trade certification. That means that many family farms and regional mills producing high quality, sustainably-grown heirloom coffees are not eligible for fair trade certification - simply becase they're not members of a cooperative. Because Ancora seeks to purchase only the best representation of the highest quality coffees, we are often able to purchase from these independent farmers. We are proud to support their efforts. Our relationship with independent farmers helps us to maintain our standards set for the selection of our coffees and to allow us to support the efforts of these conscientious farmers.

Where did the name 'Ancora' come from?

George and Sue wanted to create a company name that would pay homage to Italy since that’s the heart of the espresso culture. Ancora is an Italian word that can mean both "Again" or "More". We hope you’ll enjoy our delicious coffee again and again!

Why doesn't my Ancora coffee taste as good at home as it does in the cafe?

Is your water hot enough? Check out our page detailing the fundamentals of brewing great coffee.

I don’t like strong coffee, what should I do?

Brew your coffee using correct proportions of 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 ounces of water. Dilute the brewed coffee with hot water until it matches your desired taste.

Why doesn't moka java taste like chocolate?

Moka is a reference to a historical, vibrant African port (Al Mukah) located in the Arabian Sea. Traditionally, the coffees shipped out of this port were transported across the Pacific Ocean, many of them landing on the island of Java. The coffee that was taken on this journey often posessed a strong chocolatey taste. When blended with the beans that were grown on this Indonesian island, the blend became known as Moka Java.

My Home espresso machine won't steam my milk like it is at your cafe. What is wrong?

Home espresso machines do not possess the amount of steam pressure that a commercial espresso machine is able to provide. Ancora uses La Marzocco machines to extract quality espresso and texture perfect milk.

I don't live anywhere near Madison. Where can I try Ancora in my community?

There are many independent coffeehouses and restaurants serving Ancora coffee around the country. Look here to see if there’s one near you, if not, let us know so we can discuss ways to receive our coffee.

What are the most popular coffee drinks in your coffeehouses?

The most popular brewed coffee is Ancora d’Oro, our house blend. As far as espresso drinks, everyone loves our Ancora Espresso and anything with mocha, i.e. mocha latte. Ancora’s signature 'sweet' drink is called a White Zombie - a rich and nutty latte prepared with our exclusive Cafe Bianco or White Coffee and your favorite flavoring. A favorite of many people is a hazlenut or caramel White Zombie. Try one next time you stop by an Ancora Cafe.