Howdy, Iowa Light Roast
Siguatepeque, Comayagua, Honduras
This light-roasted coffee features fruity brightness reminiscent of apple juice and navel orange with a peanut brittle nuttiness and brown sugar sweetness.
Original roaster or listing source US Brand Directory
Mount Vernon, Iowa, Iowa · Specialty Coffee Brand Deep Dive
Little Scratch Coffee Roasters
IndependentRoasts its own coffeeSourcing: Limited public info
Visit Little Scratch Coffee Roasters's site Little Scratch Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster and cafe located in the historic Shepley’s Pharmacy Building in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Founded by industry veterans Joel and Katrina Anderson, the shop serves as both a production roastery and a community space that offers a walk-up 'coffee hatch' and an espresso bar. The brand emphasizes a slow-paced, educational approach to coffee, encouraging customers to refine their home brewing rituals.
Ownership
Little Scratch Coffee Roasters is an independent, family-owned business founded and operated by Joel and Katrina Anderson.
Founded
2015
Roasting
Reported to roast in-house.
What it's known for
The brand is known for its community-focused approach, small-batch roasting, and its 'brew lab' concept which emphasizes coffee education for home brewers.
Farm-level sourcing
The brand sources coffee from various growing regions worldwide, focusing on conscientious growers. They do not currently publish specific farm or producer names on their public-facing website.
Notable coffees
- — Pinhook Premium
Documented coffee offerings
Coffees researched from Little Scratch Coffee Roasters
These are examples recorded during editorial research. They are not a live product feed. The coffee, lot, price, and availability may have changed. We have not necessarily brewed these coffees ourselves.
Earth Signs Medium Roast
Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea · Washed
A medium roast with subtle notes of dragon fruit, tomato, and yogurt, featuring a herbaceous complexity and a chocolate finish.
Original roaster or listing sourceStoic Farmer Dark Roast
Amazonas, San Martín, and Cajamarca regions, Peru
This dark roast offers orange juice brightness, almond nuttiness, caramel sweetness, and a milk chocolate finish.
Original roaster or listing sourcePinhook Premium
Rodríguez de Mendoza province, Peru
A medium-roasted omniroast with notes of juicy red apple, mellow orange, peanut butter nuttiness, malt depth, and a milk chocolate finish.
Original roaster or listing sourceChilltop Uncaffeinated
Chiapas and Oaxaca, Mexico · Swiss Water Processed
A full city medium-to-dark roast featuring notes of honey, molasses syrup, and pineapple.
Original roaster or listing sourceExternal customer, cafe, marketplace, and class ratings are not comparable measures of the quality of an individual coffee. We do not convert them into original tasting scores or brand-wide star ratings. Our independent reviews are published separately after a coffee has actually been brewed and evaluated.
Verify original product sources
Retailer information: Little Scratch Coffee Roasters
Documented physical retailers
Historical source note (not live inventory): The brand operates a physical cafe and roastery in Mount Vernon, Iowa, where they sell bags of coffee and brewed drinks.
Physical
Historical source note (not live inventory): The brand participates as a vendor at this farmers market in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Physical
Historical source note (not live inventory): Little Scratch Coffee Roasters is the official coffee provider for Bon Appetit at Cornell College.
Physical
Documented online sources
Historical source note (not live inventory): The brand sells whole bean coffee, bulk coffee, and subscription memberships directly through their website.
Website
I was able to verify the brand's own physical cafe, their online store, their presence at the Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market, and their partnership with Cornell College; while press reports mention they are sold at other area retailers, specific names of those third-party shops were not provided in the available documentation.
These references come from public store locators, retailer listings and brand materials. Last checked Oct 15, 2026. They are research links, not proof of current stock or a buying recommendation. Verify availability, price and location directly with the source.
Sources used in this deep dive
- https://www.littlescratchcoffee.com/shop
- https://www.littlescratchcoffee.com/shop-index
- https://joe.coffee/locations/ia/mt-vernon/little-scratch-coffee-roasters-mt-vernon
- https://www.littlescratchcoffee.com/about-us
- https://marketspread.com/vendor/65370/little-scratch-coffee-roasters
- https://www.thegazette.com/lifestyles/food-drink/new-cafe-opening-in-mount-vernon/article_d9f0c9cf-4f23-52b0-beae-12ad5a5a8720.html
- https://www.littlescratchcoffee.com/products
- https://www.littlescratchcoffee.com/
- https://littlevillagemag.com/the-minds-behind-wake-up-iowa-coffee-hope-their-new-mt-vernon-brew-lab-is-up-to-scratch
- https://www.thegazette.com/lifestyles/food-drink/little-scratch-coffee-opens-new-brew-lab-cafe-in-mount-vernon/article_99dd3a64-05a8-57d4-a966-be1a5209cf44.html
- https://visitmvl.com/places/little-scratch-coffee-roasters
Research disclosure — this profile was compiled from public online sources on 2026-09-30. This company overview is not a tasting review. Original tasting reviews are labeled separately when they exist. Ownership, roasting and sourcing details are attributed to documented sources. I could not verify specific philanthropic programs or a detailed list of sourcing countries, as the brand's website does not provide a public list of charitable partnerships or a comprehensive origin map.