Tinker Coffee

Great coffee coming out of this place. Excited to try one of their cupping classes and learn more about the process, but not looking forward to the waiting list it has. Trying to book 2+ month is in advance is kinda tough. I hope they start offering more time slots. I also wish they served coffee on site so You can taste what you are buying. I have enjoyed the Ethiopian yirgacheffe and their Columbia offerings, but the Brazilian takes the cake for my personal tastes.

First of all, I am a complete newbie to coffee world, so my opinion is probably not well developed or representative enough. Bear with me :-P
There are reasons why every review is 5-​star here. I agreed that it is more of a roaster than a coffee shop. They provide coffee beans to some of the best cafes here in Indy. Please check them out on their website if you want to try. Like other reviews mentioned that almost every variety of coffee from them is great. Just simply GREAT!
One thing I really appreciate is that they usually medium roast their beans which make the flavor more distinctive and satisfying that you can Actually Really taste them.
I just came back from their cupping class which is $ 15. Totally worth it even beyond. The schedule is pretty packed currently though, so plan ahead if you want to participate.
Another thing is they have $ 5 sample size which is great because I collected probably 4 – 5 of them and just snacking the beans straight from the bag. It may sound a little crazy but coffee beans is probably my current favorite «nuts» as a snack. Again, because they are all just medium roasted, so not that bitter at all.
Definitely check them out and the owner Steve is always really helpful!
Best wishes!

Outstanding! I attended the cupping class here last week with my family. I learned so much about coffee and now know that I am doing it all wrong.
First we walked in and had a cup of the Brazilian roast while we learned about the production process. Then we went through the cupping process with their NEW Columbian, Ethiopian, and Nicaraguan roasts. You learn everything from the way the coffee beans are different, to the smell, to the taste. I felt SUPER Elite because they did not even have tasting notes for the Columbian yet. They provide pastries from Milktooth during the cupping class as well.
Overall, I learned so much including how to store coffee and when to grind the beans for the best flavor. I will definitely be back to pick up some Columbian coffee. Any coffee caffeine addict– this is a MUST try! The two brother-​in-​law owners are very informative.
Additionally, you can try their coffee at Milktooth too!

We signed up and attended the cupping class! I learned so much about the science behind roasting and enjoying coffee. I have not tried all of their coffee, but the ones I have had, have all been very uniquely full-​bodied. The class was excellent because we had the opportunity to observe through smell and then taste. I enjoyed taking notes and taking the time to go through the cupping process. The sessions are two hours, and worth every penny. I usually take my coffee with cream and sometimes honey, but since trying Tinker Coffee, I drink my coffee black because of all of the flavors that are present. I have enjoyed Tinker Coffee at home with family, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with for sale over the coming months. What a great addition to the neighborhood!

Every coffee I have had from here has been delicious. Can’t wait to try the cupping class they offer!

First off, this is Not an actual coffee shop. It Is primarily a coffee roaster. They do Not sell coffee drinks. (Don’t tell anyone else, but they might brew you up a «sample» cup if you ask them to). They Do sell coffee beans. They Are open, so you can walk in there. They Don’t look open but just look for the lit light bulb and the guy hunched over his laptop.
If you are looking for a coffee experience rather than just a drink, do yourself a favor and stop in here. Steve and Jeff will be more than glad to tell you all about it. We stopped in here looking for a drink of some sort. Walk in the door and we see Steve hunched over his laptop. He looks up and asks if we’re looking for coffee. Umm, yeah if you want to make us some. So he makes us «samples», aka a regular pour-​over. Meanwhile he’s telling us all about their business and their coffee. Then he want to show us the Probat roaster and the computer program they use to monitor the roast. That turns out to be quite interesting since I never get to see that part of the coffee process.
We finish the «nerd out» experience as he calls it, and pay for our coffee and merchandise via a card reader and payment program he has hooked up to his iPhone.
The bad news is; I tasted the coffee too soon and burned my tongue. The good news is; the coffee was so ridiculously, amazingly, unusually tasty that it didn’t even matter. A couple miles down the road, aromas of toasted marshmallow drift up through my nose and onto my tongue as I take a contemplative sip. Following are notes of cherry and orange marmalade.
This truly was about the best coffee (Guatemala El Quiche by the way) I have ever had. Simply incredible. You’re welcome, Steve, and Jeff.

Tinker Coffee just saved my life.
That’s virtually my thought every morning I take a sip of one of Tinker’s roasts. With the Columbia/​Los Naranjos blend, I get that preferred bitter, acidic sip that leaves a dry yet bright feeling on the back of my tongue. Plus, I taste some fruity grapefruit notes, making me thankful that I’m not having to spoon out said citrus (aka struggling through the process and accidentally launching it across the room). Tinker knows mornings are hard enough.
I recently checked out Tinker’s storefront after being lured in with a «Come in and cool off with a cold brew» sign. I was sweating in the June humidity like a pro and desperately needed caffeinated refreshment. I trudged in looking for a hero, and Tinker helped me fight off the sweat bullets with a coffee shandy, a blend of their iced coffee and lemonade. One second you think you’re drinking plain olé lemonade, but then that familiar dry, bright sensation reminds the back of your tongue that coffee is strong and relentless. Day saved, thanks to Super Tinker…
…which makes me wonder: where would I be without this roastery? I imagine something along the lines of a sweat-​soaked morning zombie with a killer caffeine headache. Another reason we all should be eternally grateful for the lionhearted masterminds of Tinker Coffee.

Talk about an incredible experience. You can really take your coffee knowledge to the next level with these guys. We all know Indy’s brewery scene has blossomed over the last few years but what hasn’t been noticed as much is the growing coffee roastery scene. From barista latte art throwdowns to coffee cupping classes, Tinker Coffee is right in the middle of it all.
Passion is contagious and my coffee cupping experience at Tinker is a perfect example of this. How can you not fall in love with coffee after spending three hours with two of the biggest coffee nerds in the Circle City? ;)
And if passion and trends don’t do it for you, their beans and beautiful roasting space will. Tinker offers coffee cupping classes for the community to learn about the different stages of the bean roasting and at-​home brewing all accompanied by baked sweets from Milktooth (note Milktooth exclusively uses Tinker Coffee). The next time you’re looking to learn something new or to show off to your out-​of-​town visitors, take them to Tinker Coffee for a one-​of-​a-​kind experience.

Great coffee, great people. Steve and Jeff have done something truly special on 16^th St. They’ve taken their abundant energy, intelligence, and sophistication and poured it into their coffee. They’re just getting started and what they’ve put together is already awesome. If you can stop in and pick up a beans, do yourself that favor.

Tinker is doing speciality coffee with the best of them. These guys are not only awesome roasters, but super nice guys bringing Indianapolis 3^rd wave coffee to the next level. Can’t wait to see it grow.
Stop in for a cupping and grab one of their specialty bags.

If someone asks you to attend a coffee cupping, you should say yes first and ask questions later.
Tinker Coffee Company is a coffee roasting company located on 16^th street, formerly known as Tinker Street. Packaging and selling 5 different varieties of coffee (Columbia, Ethiopia, Mexico, Guatemalan and Kenya), this new Indianapolis business is buzzing with new partnerships and is brewing their way into local café houses.
I was invited over for a coffee cupping, aka tasting, where I smelled and tasted my way through 3 of their coffees. This 1 – 2 hour learning experience enlightened me into the world of coffee: an interesting array of history, geography, smells and flavors, brewing methods and more. You start by smelling whole beans, then the fine ground beans, followed by smelling and tasting the brewed coffee. It’s a unique process involving spoons, slurping and note-​taking. If you want to learn about coffee, Tinker Coffee Company will walk you through the process.
Now that I know more about coffee, I appreciate the work that goes into acquiring, roasting and marketing an intricate craft. I highly suggest signing up through their website for a cupping tasting, offered on Thursdays and Sundays at this moment.