Java Mountain Roasters

Amazing drip coffee! They roast their own beans in a antique 35 year old roaster you can see in the back of the shop. Building was built in 1872 and it has a really cool, open western Saloon feel. They let us bring our little doggy in. Didn’t try their espresso there was no espresso machine front-​and-​center, so I figured they were a drip-​coffee kind of place.

Burnt, very burnt. Both my americano and my fiancé’s latte had such a bad burnt taste we couldn’t finish them. My fiancé barely drank any of hers. The only reason I’m giving them 2 stars is because the muffin we had was decent.

Went in for an espresso. It was one of the worst I have ever had.
In watching the «barista» prepare the coffee was that she awkwardly knocked out the spent puck from the last pull into a trash bin she had to bring over to the machine. What kind if an espresso joint doesn’t have a knock box?
I ordered a double. It seemed to be an awful lot of volume for a double. I certainly didn’t order the shot to be long. The crema appeared weak. It tasted bitter, very under-​extracted with an accompanying burnt flavor. I know what has to go wrong to get a bitter, under-​extracted pull but I don’t know where the burnt flavor comes from.
I took two sips and put it down. My companion ordered a latte and despite the ability of milk to mask a poor shot it was still unpalatable.
Maybe other items on the menu are okay (I don’t know as I didn’t try them) but the espresso (at least under the individual working that day at the helm) was truly awful.

So, here’s the thing. I work in craft coffee. It’s my career. When I go into the mountains, I don’t expect much when it comes to coffee joints, and especially those who claim to roast themselves… let’s just say it’s usually far worse than if they had left the roasting to somebody else.
But then there’s JMR. They roast their own, and you can even wander past their small batch roaster in the rear of the house. As for their espresso, it’s not as awesome and complex of a flavor as you’ll find at true craft coffee houses, but it’s going to be good, and you will be happy. Their espresso is roasted a little bit dark for my taste, but dang… it was well balanced, not bitter, and went down easy.
The barista behind the counter in this airy, comfortable café was friendly, efficient, and even threw in a little latte art. She actually knew how to make microfoam, which always gets me going in small towns.
We will be back the next time we’re in town. Nicely done, JMR. Nicely done.

Cool coffee place in a cool town. Would be a 4-​star except the live piano player kind of ruined the experience. He was very talented but his song choice was a bit offensive. The décor and ambience was spot on. Loved the historic feel of the place!

Friendly staff, great coffee. Old town feel starting with the furniture and the hospitality of my grandma’s house. The sound of the grinder freshly grinding the espresso makes me happy. The way coffee should be prepared and taste! Great place. Definitely stop by when you are waiting for your rafting time or just when nearby!

Probably one of the best smoothies I have ever had made for me.
I actually got this last year back when I was a crazy Vegan fool and the owner was so nice! She really took some time and custom made a smoothie that wouldn’t have milk or animal products in it.
I keep my eye out for it whenever I’m up in Idaho Springs. It’s a great little place.

I went here on a Wednesday morning. After taking 3 or 4 minutes to decide what we wanted to order we had still not seen an employee. We waited 3 more minutes and still had not seen anyone else. The only other man in the shop was not drinking coffee and had not been served either. We left and walked around and decided to return before leaving and try once more to have a cup of this «great roasters» coffee. Unfortunately, after waiting 5 more minutes, ringing the employees bell by the register and walking around and looking if anyone was in the back, we left. If the employee isn’t in the back of the store or anywhere to help a customer why not turn of the open sign and lock the door? Never had an experience in a local business such as this one. very disappointing. I hate Starbucks but this one time i said, «Why didn’t we just go to starbucks?»

Try to envision the perfect little Colorado mountain town. Let’s say it is one street long, has old buildings dating from the 1800s abound and the people that live and work here are generally in good spirits. And why wouldn’t they be, if there is a gorgeous mountain right out of their front window.
Java Mountain Roasters is the epitomy of small town charm. When we walked in we were greeted by a note that said the owner ‘went to the bank’ and ‘would be right back’. If the note had said ‘gone fishin’ I might have just died. We helped ourself to some coffee and watched as other patrons prepared their own bagels behind the counter, hanging around patiently to pay for the goods. Coming from where I am from, it is awesome to see that the ‘honor system’ is still in place (at least in Idaho Springs it is).
If I were to live in the area I could undoubtedly see myself visiting here on the regular. The coffee and drinks are good, the menu is not overwhelmingly large, and everything on it can be iced.
What really got me is the homey, non commercial feel (I am looking at you, large commercialized coffee giants) and aura that the shop has. There is a wooden piano located on one of the walls, and a large bookshelf filled with books graces another. Some awards are displayed on one of the tables, including one that shows they’ve won ‘Best place to people watch’. Amen to that.
Grab yourself a drink, sit back with a loaner book or crisp newspaper, enjoy the mountain/​country/​folk music coming from the speakers and submerge yourself with the locals (of whom you’re a teensy jealous of for living in such an unspoiled, beautiful town).

This is a regular stop for us in Idaho Springs, whether we’re visiting the town or just passing by on our way to or from somewhere else. A very cool, funky shop. Service has never been anything but excellent. Get there early enough and you’ll find a small but fresh and tasty selection of muffins, scones and bagels. It seems to be popular among the locals. A very good sign considering there are a number of options for coffee nearby. You’ll even occasionally find a pair of canine greeters.

I pop in for a mocha anytime I’m in Idaho Springs. The drinks are consistently delicious and the staff is warm and friendly. The place itself is kind of quirky; definitely large enough to accommodate a lot of people. If I lived in the area, I could see myself popping in daily, and that’s for sure.

This was my second time here and while I enjoyed the first experience, the second was less pleasant. I asked the barista if she could make an 8 oz latte instead of a 12, which she did, although she charged me the same price as the larger size. Overall, she seemed more interested in smoking her cigarettes than serving her customers. Reasonable coffee and nice surroundings, although the service leaves a lot to be desired.

Two words: Grey Wolf.
What’s that, you might ask? Well is a caffeinated elixir so strong that you have to wait 3 days before writing a review because your hands would tapdance off the keyboard something that interests you? How can you make a large mocha better? 4 s-​s-​shots of espresso will do, for sure.
And the woman who helped us was nice. Service could be a little slow, but no one was in a huge rush and that’s what you’d expect when you’ve only got one person working. And to her credit, manning all the drink-​making while simultaneously shipping up breakfast sammiches is no easy task. But I didn’t have time to worry as I was busily wrestling the Grey Wolf for control of my soul.
Tasty eats, homey atmosphere, and nice folks. I’d come back anytime.

I’m a local who doesn’t miss a day of freshly roasted JMR coffee! Try their specially blended Gold Miner’s Brew, or Velvet Antler. They also have great breakfast sandwiches. If you are lucky, the roastmaster will be roasting! Take some home! Mail order too!

Anyone who has ever done the drive to Summit County from the Front Range knows that sometimes you just can’t make it without stopping for gas or a bit to eat in Idaho Springs. Anyone who has ever done the drive to Summit County from the Front Range knows that sometimes you just can’t make it without stopping for gas or a bit to eat in Idaho Springs. Java Mountain Roasters is hands down the best place to stop for coffee and a quick lunch in the Springs. There is another coffee shop a few stores down, but every time I have been in there, the service has been horrible and the coffee is terrible too!
JMR has a great atmosphere, friendly baristas, and $ 1 refills with your own mug. They have great locally made baked goods for sale and the cookies are amazing. Plenty of seating and free wi-​fi.
I absolutely love the old piano they have to play, and I frequently get lost in there playing songs for other customers, they provide a decent collection of song books, too.
Love the local artwork on the walls, I am trying to get my photography up there, hopefully soon!

This place has great coffee. Really funky global traveler type of vibe.
Their assortment of flavorings are incredibly diverse, toasted marshmallow?!? Goes down smooth…
The space is spacious and has a real rustic mountain feel perfect for being in Idaho Springs. Definitely s spot to check out if your up that way or just passing through.

Well I guess if I weren’t in a hurry for my java jolt and if I liked getting grumped at on a sunday morning then this would be my joint. However, since I rarely like getting nasty grams (especially before I have had my coffee) my stop with the girls on sunday will probably be my last. Don’t get me wrong, the coffee shop is cute, love the creaky wood floors, collection of papers to read and big sunny windows to curl up and read a book by-​however the coffee was only ok and it took so long (20 minutes in line for 5 people) that I am not sure quite would entice me to go back. Oh, I almost forgot to mention the female barista (owner maybe, older woman?) that pointed at a hidden sign that said CC purchases were only for $ 3 or more (I was 25 cents under) I said ok, well make it bigger then, she actually said no at first and was just going to charge me for the larger size because she didn’t want to waste a cup (ok I understand conservation), however, I am a paying customer and I don’t necessarily feel like paying more morning to the grumpster barista and not receiving anything in return. There are more café’s/coffee shops in Idaho Springs… guess I’ll just have to mosey on down the street a little more…

I love funky cool independently owned coffe shops!
Java Mountain Roasters in Idaho Springs is a great place to get your morning caffeine or chai fix before heading west to hit the slopes. Free internet, mountain west décor, an awesome staff, and the best double shot vanilla lattes in the area.
Save the vente for those other guys, and give JMR a try. Reasonable prices, too!

Probably the best coffee I have ever drank. They roast they’re own beans in the back so along with the amazing taste the smell is heavenly. The coffee is smooth and flavorful, not bitter like the crap sold at most commercial coffee shops. If you’re ever driving down the 70 through Colorado definitely make a stop here.

Stop and drink a Grey Wolf (Triple Espresso with cinnamon and chocolate).
Give me a JMR coffee and the year’s first snow on the wild west streets of Idaho Springs, and I would start to believe that I shot Billy the Kid.