71Washed lot with Chocolate Brownies and Tamarindo in the cup.
Wahgi Valley, PG · Washed
MediumChocolateTamarind
Well-reviewed roaster
$2.30/oz
Roaster
Mother Tongue Coffee
Oakland, CAmothertonguecoffee.com ↗
- Coffees in catalog
- 7
- Also available
- 1
- Avg Cherry's Index (limited data)
- 69.6
- Reddit sentiment
- 75/100
OriginsPGETPEMXBO
How Cherry’s Index is calculatedavg coverage 33% · limited data
Coverage is below 50%. Most of this roaster’s lots are scored off roaster-level signals (Reddit + YouTube) without per-lot SCA grades, Coffee Review entries, or published buyer reviews. With limited signal, scores are also pulled toward a neutral 50 baseline by the Cherry’s Index methodology, so lots can read flatter than the actual cup quality differences between them. The avg Cherry’s Index reflects general reputation more than per-lot quality.
Roaster signals
Apply to every lot from this roaster.
- Reddit75/100weight 18%
- YouTube90/100weight 10%
Per-lot signals (averaged)
Vary across lots; averaged over 7 in-stock lots.
- SCA gradenot on file · weight 25%
- Coffee Reviewnot on file · weight 20%
- Buyer reviewsnot on file · weight 12%
- Cherrybook reader ratingsnot on file · weight 5%
- Transparency40.7/1007/7 lots · weight 5%
Bonuses earned (per lot)
- stale decay6/7
Base components are renormalized over whatever signals are available for each lot. SCA + Coffee Review are capped at 40% combined to keep the cupping story from dominating. Bonuses (accolades, awards, editorial coverage) and freshness decay are applied on top.
Community reputation · Reddit
Well-regarded· sentiment 75/100
Mother Tongue Coffee is recognized by enthusiasts as a solid, reliable roaster often grouped alongside other respected specialty coffee brands. Community members appreciate their accessible price points and aesthetic branding. While they are not the subject of extensive, deep-dive discussions, they are consistently mentioned as a go-to option for quality beans.
accessible price pointswell-regarded specialty roasterappealing bag designconsistent quality
Threads cited (7)
- r/espresso · ↑ · Got beans from Italy, how do I pull it to taste just like the ones you drink there (long s
- r/espresso · ↑ · Oakland Breakfast
- r/Coffee · ↑ · Most important standard works on coffee in various languages
- r/pourover · ↑ · Recommendations for roasters specializing in the more developed end of light?
- r/espresso · ↑ · Please your opinion about nanopresso
- r/espresso · ↑ · Help me with espresso compass
- r/espresso · ↑ · Looking for help with my first try at some beans from El Salvador.
On YouTube
3 videos · 12k combined views
Outside coverage highlights Mother Tongue Coffee through the expertise of its founder, Jen Apodaca. Reviewers recognize her as a highly accomplished industry figure, specifically noting her background as a Cup Tasting Champion. The roaster is associated with professional-grade coffee knowledge and a commitment to industry advocacy through initiatives like #shestheroaster.
Founder expertise as a Cup Tasting ChampionStrong ties to industry advocacy initiativesFocus on high-quality single origin offeringsReputation for technical coffee knowledge
Flagship cafe
Retail location
Oakland, CA
Open in maps →Seed-city fallback applied (Oakland, CA); the website didn't expose a specific flagship address. LLM-finder notes: The website lists many wholesale partners where their coffee is served, but does not identify a flagship cafe or retail location owned/operated by Mother Tongue Coffee.
The catalog
7 in stock · 2 archived
71
71Expect Black Currants and Almond Toffee from this natural.
Guji, ET · Natural
LightBlack CurrantToffeeNutty
Well-reviewed roaster
$2.30/oz
71Chocolate Malted Ice Cream on a washed build.
Cajamarca, PE · Washed
MediumChocolateMalt
Well-reviewed roaster
$2.30/oz
71Natural lot with Strawberry Candies in the cup.
Veracruz, MX · Natural
Medium-LightStrawberryCandy
Well-reviewed roaster
$2.30/oz
69Washed lot with Jasmine, Lemon Candy, and Chocolate in the cup.
Washed
Medium-LightJasmineLemonChocolate
Well-reviewed roaster
$2.21/oz
69Expect Caramel, Dark Chocolate, and Sweet Caramelized Sugar from this washed.
Washed
Medium-DarkCaramelizedDark Chocolate
Well-reviewed roaster
$2.21/oz
66Think Berries and Dark Chocolate.
LightBerryChocolate
Well-reviewed roaster
$2.21/oz
Also available · subscriptions, sample packs, gear
71Not much signal yet; the detail page has what we know.
Dark
Well-reviewed roaster
$2.21/oz
For roasters
Cherrybook runs a monthly Roaster Spotlight Series featuring one roaster with an editorial piece and a giveaway. Interested in being featured? See the format or email josh@cherrybookcoffee.com.