We all love coffee, and I absolutely love trying different coffee brands. I hate the usual, mass-produced brands and just feel that finding the perfect coffee brings about a different level of fun to your morning brewing. But, what’s really cool are the coffee brands that you never heard of before. We searched for those Cool Coffee Brands that are a bit off the beaten path.
If you’re looking for something truly unique, you might want to try one of the many small-batch coffee roasters that are popping up around the country. These roasters take pride in sourcing the best beans from around the world and roasting them to perfection, resulting in coffee that has a depth of flavor and complexity that you won’t find in mass-produced brands. No matter what your coffee preferences are, there’s a cool coffee brand out there that will suit your taste. Whether you prefer bold, intense flavors or more subtle, complex ones, there are plenty of options to choose from. So why not step out of your comfort zone and try something new? You might just find your new favorite coffee brand.
Why search for something main stream when you can find a cool, coffee brand that is unique and different.
Hole in the Wall, an Australian-inspired coffee shop based in New York City, offers a unique gift idea for the coffee lover in your life: a prepaid coffee subscription box. The subscription boxes offer a variety of coffee blends and roasts, from Sumatra to Ethiopian, and can be delivered nationwide. Subscriptions range from $18 to $54 and include free shipping.
What sets Hole in the Wall apart is their commitment to sustainability. Their coffee beans are sourced from environmentally-friendly green farmers, ensuring that your morning cup of joe is not only delicious, but also guilt-free. Subscribers can choose from weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly deliveries, and can select their preferred grind type, whether it be for a French press or espresso machine.
As someone who values health and wellness, I was excited to try out the coffee offerings from ForWellness.com. I started with their Antioxidant Coffee, which is fair trade certified, organic, and ethically sourced from small farmers around the world. The beans are carefully selected to provide a pleasant, lasting taste with mellow acidity, and I have to say, the final product did not disappoint. The coffee had a rich, full-bodied flavor that was smooth and satisfying. It was the perfect way to start my day, and I appreciate that it was made with high-quality, sustainably-sourced ingredients.
In addition to the Antioxidant Coffee, I also tried the Good Stuff and the Superfood Energy Bites. The Good Stuff is a powder blend of MCT oil powder, Ceylon Cinnamon, collagen, L-theanine, and Himalayan Pink Salt that is designed to be added to your morning coffee, smoothie, or shake. I found that it added a nice, subtle flavor to my coffee, and the added benefits of the various ingredients were a nice bonus. The Superfood Energy Bites, on the other hand, were a great snack to have on hand when I needed a quick pick-me-up. They tasted like moist chocolate brownies (with a hint of coffee!) and were made with nutritious, whole ingredients like almonds, honey, cacao butter, and lion’s mane mushroom.
Overall, I am extremely happy with the products that I tried from ForWellness.com. The coffee was top-quality and delicious, and the Good Stuff and Superfood Energy Bites were great additions to my daily routine. I appreciate that the brand values health and wellness, and I will definitely be purchasing from them again in the future.
Ezra Coffee
Ezra coffee has a unique take for the holidays, Candied Yams. Talk about a cool coffee to have at Thanksgiving that’s so much more unique than just regular coffee. Plus, if you’re placing an order and you’re worried about trying something new, they have King Malcolm which is their “mainstream” coffee. Plus, to make their coffee even cooler…they use the funds to also fund a scholarship! How is that for supporting a coffee brand as well as a kid’s education?
Kahwa Coffee
Kahwa Coffee has a nice holiday three-pack of their three best-selling coffees—Winter Wonderland, Sirocco, and Cubano. All are in the holiday decor. I like that this is free shipping and for the price point you’re getting it cheaper and of higher quality than what you’ll pick up in the supermarket. They also have this Cold Brew that you’ll see right on the bottom of the shot that you can buy as an add-on.
Red Rooster Coffee
Red Rooster Coffee has a subscription box called The Fix. It’s all extremely rare coffees which you see a mix of here. They are based out of Virginia, but take their cool coffees from anywhere in the world that will fit your fix. In this case, they have a regular Breakfast Blend and jump right to the Funky Chicken. This is a wonderful way to try various other coffees and see what particularly strikes your fancy.
Nguyen Coffee Supply
Nguyen Coffee Supply‘s beans come straight from Vietnam. First of all, I learned that Vietnam is the second-largest producer of coffee in the world but that’s not necessarily the point. What you see in this photo is the Phin Drip Coffee Set which includes a Phin Filter and Stackable Glass Mug, as well as a bag of the Loyalty coffee (sold separately). I’ve never had coffee using a Phin Filter before but yet here we are.
Roasty Buds
Roasty Buds comes from one of the coolest cities in the world I know, Austin, Texas. They have a regular Colombian roast, which is absolutely delightful. If you’re buying for somebody who likes spicy, they have a range from kind of spicy to insanely spicy. You definitely have to really like spicy coffee to like this, but if you have a friend who’s into spicy coffee, this might be a very good fit. Maybe I’m not cool enough to have a spicy coffee but to each their own.
Cartel Coffee
Cartel Roasting Company started from a simple coffee cart. It has now grown to 12 locations in the Southwest. You’ll see two of their blends here, they are Blend Forty-Eight and their Give Back Blend. What I love about the Give Back Blend is it donates a portion of every bag to a charity such as Skate After School. How cool is that!
But I absolutely love the fact that this coffee company is such a “rags to riches” type of story, having grown from a coffee cart to a full facility.
Social Brew Conscious Coffee
Social Brew makes wonderful Hawaiian coffee with a mission. Fifty percent of the profits go straight to stopping human trafficking. Yes, you read that right! That’s probably more efficient than most non-profits out there! Simone runs a wonderful company and she’s made it her mission to make coffee with a social mission. She certainly puts her money where her mouth is. The Oahu-based organization is Honolulu-based and one of the organizations fighting against human trafficking. Plus, for what you’re getting with high-end coffee, this is really an amazingly good deal.
Brewpoint Coffee
This is such a wonderful story. Brewpoint coffee started out by looking for an espresso machine and then buying a coffee shop. The first thing I love is that the coffee brands are based on a concept a bit. Like, The Acrobat is a wonderful blend and honestly, tells me more than some country of origin. I’m a mom and don’t have time to determine what the heck aromatic this and this means. Aromatic tells me the story! If you’re also ever near Chicago, feel free to jump by the Elmhurst store. I’d love to go and just breathe it in!
Big Island Coffee
The first reason that I love Big Island Coffee is that it’s 100% Kona Peaberry coffee. The second reason is the quality. This is vacuum sealed as you can see, but once we opened it, the smell. Oh my! The smell. You could imagine that this coffee would hit you. And if you don’t want to open the big bag, you even have the small pouches, which is certainly a wonderful thing for a quick hit of Kona.
There is no coffee that’s cooler than Kona!
Hugo Coffee Roasters
Hugo Coffee Roasters makes great coffee. It’s a perfect way to start up the day. Roasted in Utah, it is a great way to support a small business while having amazing coffee. But what makes this even more awesome is their love and support of animals. When you buy coffee from here, you’re supporting some wonderful dog charities, like Paws for Life. And this is probably one of the coolest mugs that I’ve seen!
Volcanica Coffee Company
Volcanica Coffee Company labels each bag with the bean origin and provides tasting notes. They focus on single-origin coffees and carry over 150 varieties. Volcanica carries various products at different prices, with Kopi Luwak at $400 a pound. Although they focus on single-origin products, they also carry flavored coffee such as creme brulee and southern pecan.
Amor Perfecto
What you see here is the Taste of Colombia collection. Have you ever had your coffee and wondered what gives Sofia Vergara all of her energy? It’s because they have the best darn coffee in the world. But what’s awesome about this collection is that with it you can sample and taste the different examples of Colombian coffee. Between Samuel Bermudez, Elias Roa, and Nariño Single Origin, you can really compare and contrast each of the styles of coffee.
Match Made Coffee
You might have heard of wine pairings, but have you ever heard of cookie/coffee pairings? That’s the goal of Match Made Coffee which matches the right cookie with the right coffee. You’ll see here their Costa Rican Tarrazu and it’s matched with the cookie just there. Of course, now we’ll be fighting over the right cookies, but it’s one of the most unique combos I’ve seen in terms of pairings.
Kona Earth
I went to Hawaii years ago and was all concerned when I read the back of a “Kona coffee” bag and it turns out it wasn’t real Kona. It was roasted in Hawaii but not real Kona. This is the real deal. How real? You can point to the single origin farm. They only sell whole beans because that’s how into quality they are. Why dilute the taste?
And if you’ve never had Kona, this is the real deal. This is a totally different and more unique taste which brings it to another place.
Joe 2.0
Everything is 2.0 lately, but this coffee is basically coffee mixed with other stuff to make it a bit better. They’ve added natural herbs and adaptogens which help reduce stress and help with the jitters. Between those two alone this makes the perfect coffee for your mid-afternoon pick-me-up. I found that I need that second cup, so having something that reduces the jitters could make a world of difference.
Volcanica Coffee Company
And the award for the best-looking coffee container in the world goes to Volcanica coffee. Look at that barrel, it contains Jamaica blue mountain coffee! This is now the combination of the best-looking container I’ve seen with one of the best-quality coffees that I’ve ever seen. If you need a coffee gift for a coffee lover, this is for you.
Berres Brothers
Berres Brothers has some of the best-decorated bags and the most unique flavored coffee flavors. I used to just mix up all of my ground coffee, but this is like each one deserves its own special place. Sea Salt Caramel is unreal, and I’m addicted to the awesome design of Highlander Grogg. Okay, maybe I’m in love with a great brand, but this looks awesome.
Spirit Infused
Fire Department Coffee has a wonderfully infused coffee, especially for St. Patrick’s Day. What you see in this photo are their vanilla bean bourbon and their Irish whiskey. Just from the smell, you can tell that this is certainly the real deal. It really has a wonderfully attractive aroma and it’s certainly going to be a highlight of any Saint Patrick’s Day party.
Caribbrew
Caribbrew is black-owned, woman-owned, and has a social impact. This is a coffee that will make you feel good that you’re doing the right thing by supporting the right business. Of course, this coffee smells good but it feels good in my heart as I drink it. You’ll also see in the above picture they have a golden tea latte, which is a wonderful afternoon drink made with Haitian turmeric and spicy ginger. But isn’t it wonderful to buy coffee from a business that has a social impact?
Oren’s Coffee
Oren Bloostein has run Oren’s Coffee on the Upper East Side of Manhattan since 1986. It’s so well known that my elitist uncle on 92nd street only drinks Oren’s Coffee. But that tells you the dedication to his coffee. You’ll see Oren’s Special Blend which I feel is the star of the show. Yes, the Costa Rica is amazing, but I love the idea of the blend that’s dear to Mr. Bloostein’s heart. If you don’t live in NYC, here’s your chance to pick up the coffee yourself and get it delivered straight to your house from a real New Yorker!
Blue Spruce Decaf Coffee
File this under ideas I wish I knew existed before! They make decaf coffees, just decaf coffees! They use a special technique to make them decaf without chemicals, which in and of itself is awesome. These are absolutely delicious. We popped them in our Jura and the smell throughout the house was incredible. I’ve always shied away from decaf coffees because they were so weak, but these are just delightful.
Partners Coffee Roasters
Partners is a small batch roaster in New York City with an eye toward sustainability. They have their own cafes and an online subscription program. They have locations in Williamsburg and Greenwich Village so they’re filled with hipsters. However, if you’re not a New York local, they have a subscription model for deliveries straight to your door. And may I say, I love the classic look of these bags as well as the quality.
Folly Coffee
We covered our friends at Folly in the past, loved them then, and love them now. First of all, I love their quality and styles of coffee. In particular, I love their Winery flavor for some reason. But maybe that’s because I have a wine-drinking issue. But even better, they have a Folly Coffee Hot Sauce which is one of the most unique hot sauces I’ve had, so this combo is awesome.
Liberty Beans
These guys make good coffee, because…America! Ben Franklin loved coffee, so why the heck shouldn’t you? America! I mean they have Freedom Blend and Liberty Blend. Doesn’t that tell you all you need to know right there? But in all seriousness, I love two things here: 1) They do have a mission to fundraise, and 2) this makes an awesome gift for anybody who is passionate about the politics of this time.
I love the idea of this as it’s patriotic but not divisive. Just like coffee should be!
Bearded Man Coffee
With a partnership between Extract Labs and Bearded Man Coffee, we now have coffee with CBD. This is one of those products that at first made me doubtful but now, the more I look, the more I recognize its brilliance. Coffee always gives me the jitters but now the CBD has that counteracting balance to it.
On top of this, these are whole beans and high-quality coffee so they’re certainly nothing to mess around with. They’re high-quality beans and taste incredible.
Death Wish Coffee
Death Wish Coffee makes what they call the world’s strongest coffee. You’ll see there the coffee pods as well as their ground coffee. If you have a man who loves strong coffee, then this is for him. Was it the strongest coffee that I tasted? Wow, is all I’m going to say. It hits you like a ton of bricks! My man was floored and he loves dark coffee.
African Coffee Club
Look just under that name and it says it all: “living wage certified.” African Coffee Club is single-sourced whole bean coffee with a subscription, from a black-owned business. There are so many things that I love about this beyond the coffee. The living wage certified statement is so powerful when it comes to coffee. Too often, the laborers are the ones losing out. But in addition, I love their packages/pricing which are really beyond reasonable for what you’re getting. If you are buying for a friend who wants to support Black Owned Businesses, then this is definitely a great option to consider.
Devocion
With a roasting facility right in New York City, this is New York. What I found fascinating about this coffee is that they fly the beans straight via FedEx from Bogota to NYC. This is straight and direct from the source and the fact that they’re basically coming off the plane and getting roasted in New York City makes it quite an interesting coffee. Plus, they have three cafes right here in New York City, so maybe you’ll want to try the coffee firsthand yourself.
Apricitas Coffee
Apricitas Coffee sells same-day roasted coffee but what stands out is that they have this unique sample pack that I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere. In what appears to be a regular bag of coffee, is a sample pack with a mix of 6 Bean Espresso, Cowboy Blend, Breakfast Blend, Peru, Mexico, and Bali. Plus, they donate $1 from each bag purchased to Autism Speaks.
Mokaflor
Mokaflor is an Italian roaster that follows a roasting tradition that goes back to 1950. They have a variety of blends, including their Bernini Black Blend which has a low acidity and has light hints of chocolate, and their Red Blend which is more robust and intense. Mokaflor also produces a variety of organic coffees. They use high-end blends, traditional roasting techniques, and it’s Italian. Everybody knows Italians don’t mess around with their coffee. They have a rigorous selection process for picking their coffees, especially their Caffee Lab (which is more of their high-end version). The Caffee Lab project even helps support female charities, which is so amazing.
Biscayne
Coffee with a mission is always a good thing. Biscayne coffee donates straight to the Biscayne Bay Foundation. You’ll see in this photo their cute little mug but also their dark and light roast. Now, personally, I loved the Dark Roast, but to each, his own, and choices are a good thing. But all I wish is that they allowed volunteers to help them go to Key Biscayne to make the coffee. I would lovingly sacrifice myself.
Cool Coffee Clique
Maybe it’s the cool 1950s-esque pink design, but something attracted me to Cool Coffee Clique. They certainly sell more than coffee which makes them a bit of one-stop shopping for me. Their coffee was certainly strong AF…whatever AF means. I am an innocent girl and have no idea! But that said, their hot cocoa and tea were show stoppers for me. Specifically, their multi-fruit dried blend was really a treat for the afternoon. Then, sipping that in their happy mug…well, they have you covered, morning, noon, and night.
Cafecita
There are two things that I like about Cafecita coffee. The first is that it is entirely about fair trade. Everything is single origin and you can tell exactly where coffee is coming from. Secondly, I love that they list the roasted date and a best buy date. I just feel like when you’re seeing coffee that is roasted days or weeks ago, there was something quite satisfactory about it. And lastly, speaking of the label, I also find it quite interesting that the tasting notes are right on the carpet. It will say vanilla/maple or whatever flavors go with it. And sure, the coffee tastes incredible too!
The Coffee Apothecary
The Coffee Apothecary has a wonderful tribute to a local burger joint in Taos owned by the coffee owner’s grandparents. It’s a nice espresso blend and I loved how it has this nice logo and look. But more importantly, I loved how this espresso blend tastes. Just pour this over some ice and a little bit of milk and you have one of the best darn iced coffees in a while.
Green Roads Coffee
Green Roads Coffee mixes that wonderful taste of coffee with the even more calming effect of CBD. Did you ever want to wake up and yet don’t need to feel the nervous jitters? This has .44 mg of CBD and .65 mg of THC in each serving. Enough to knock you out? No, probably not, but enough to give you a bit of a balance.
Honey & Rose Coffee Co.
Honey & Rose Coffee Co. is a high-end provider of coffee blends that are sustainably sourced and grown on a family farm. I love the names of all the coffees, especially “Sip Happens” and “Brewed Awakening”. The label provides tasting notes which demonstrate high seriously they take their coffee.
