Since 2013, our editors have published a list of the year's Top 30 Coffees, ranking the most exciting coffees from the thousands we cupped over the course of the year. Each year, we rank the 30 most exciting coffees and espressos based on quality (represented by overall Coffee Review rating); value (affordability relative to other similar quality coffees); and other factors that include
Introducing Tea Review
In 1997, Coffee Review pioneered the first-ever 100-point, wine-style reviews in the specialty coffee industry. More than two decades later, Tea Review, a long overdue offshoot of Coffee Review, is introducing 100-point reviews to the tea industry. In addition to his existing role with Coffee Review, Ron Walters will lead Tea Review's efforts to roll out tea reviews in the specialty tea market.
New Shopping Options
It may be interesting to read about highly rated coffees, but it’s also exciting to purchase and enjoy them. To that end, Coffee Review is always looking for ways to advance its mission “to help consumers identify and purchase superior quality coffees and, in the process, help drive demand and increase prices to reward farmers and roasters who invest time, passion, and capital in producing high
Top Coffees by Category – 2018
In 2015, we began the practice of recognizing top coffees by category to focus attention on fine coffees that may not have earned a place on our Top 30 Coffees list. The coffees below may not have attracted the highest scores of the year but they merit recognition for their excellence nonetheless. For more information, visit our expanded rankings post from 2015. We tip our hat to our 2018 top
Best Value Coffees of 2018
Some readers seek coffees with highest scores regardless of price. Others look for great value, that is highly rated coffees that are also affordable relative to other similar quality coffees. The coffees below were singled out on our 2018 list of Top Coffees by Category as the best values in 2018. As of November 29, 2018, all of these fine coffees are available for sale on the roasters'
Shop the Top 30
Coffee Review's mission is to help consumers identify and purchase superior quality coffees and, in the process, help drive demand and increase prices to reward farmers and roasters who invest time, passion, and capital in producing high quality coffee beans. Many of our readers seek out highly rated coffees for their own enjoyment or as thoughtful gifts for coffee lovers. Coffees that appear
Top 30 Kicks Off November 23
On Friday, November 23, Coffee Review began revealing its list of the Top 30. As we have done for the past five years, our editors rank the most exciting coffees from the thousands we cupped over the course of the past year. We will select and rank these 30 exciting coffees and espressos based on quality (represented by overall rating), value (reflected by most affordable price per pound), and
Top Value Coffees of 2017
Some readers seek coffees with the highest scores. Others look for great value. What if you want both? The coffees below were singled out on our 2017 list of Top Coffees by Category as the best value in 2017. As December 15, 2017, all six of these fine coffees are available for sale on the roasters' websites. Best Values - Espressos No. 13 Red Rooster Coffee Roaster, Flight Seasonal
Shop the 2017 Top 30
Coffee Review's mission is to help consumers identify and purchase superior quality coffees and, in the process, help drive demand and increase prices to reward farmers and roasters who invest time, passion, and capital in producing high quality coffee beans. Many of our readers seek out highly rated coffees for their own enjoyment or as thoughtful gifts for coffee lovers. Coffees that appear
Top Coffees by Category – 2017
In the past, our Top 30 Coffees lists tended to favor high-scoring coffees produced from botanical varieties of Arabica with striking sensory properties such as Geshas, coffees from the distinctive traditional Ethiopian varieties, Kenyan coffees, and so on. In 2015, we began the practice of recognizing coffees by category to focus attention on fine coffees from other parts of the world and/or
Reader Survey Complete
In late December 2016 and early January 2017, nearly 600 Coffee Review readers completed a survey about their coffee preferences and habits. One lucky survey participant, Skip K, was randomly chosen as the winner of our January 15 drawing for $250. Congratulations, Skip! We are compiling and analyzing the survey results and will share them later in the month.
Category Rankings – 2016
In the past, our Top 30 Coffees lists tended to favor high-scoring coffees produced from botanical varieties of Arabica with striking sensory properties such as Geshas, coffees from the distinctive traditional Ethiopian varieties, Kenyan coffees, and so on. Last year, we began the practice of recognizing coffees by category to focus attention on fine coffees from other parts of the world and/or
One Million Readers Strong
When Coffee Review launched the world’s first-ever 100-point coffee ratings in February 1997, we posted them on the Internet, a novel idea at the time. We didn't bother emailing a newsletter because, well, most of our potential readers didn't have email addresses. To make sure a least a handful of people read those early tasting reports and reviews, we printed and mailed paper copies to a hundred
Category Rankings
Over the past couple years, Coffee Review's annual “Top 30” ranking of the year's most noteworthy coffees has attracted considerable attention. As many readers have noted, our rankings tended to favor high-scoring coffees produced from botanical varieties of Arabica with striking sensory properties: coffees of the Gesha/Geisha variety, coffees from the distinctive traditional Ethiopian varieties,
Best Value Coffees in Top 30
Our list of the Top 30 coffees of the year recognizes the skill and hard work of the growers and roasters who produce these fine coffees. However, as a consumer, it's only an academic exercise unless you can actually buy and enjoy the coffees on the list. And, the coffees on the list are often expensive, at least compared to ordinary everyday coffees. Enjoy this list of the best value coffees in
Expanded Rankings in 2015
Our annual “Top 30” ranking of the thirty most noteworthy coffees of the year has attracted considerable attention over the past two years. As several readers have pointed out, however, our rankings have tended to favor high-scoring coffees produced from botanical varieties of Arabica with striking sensory properties: coffees of the Gesha/Geisha variety, coffees from the distinctive traditional
Peet’s Buys Stake in Intelligentsia
On the heels of its acquisition of Portland's Stumptown Coffee Roasters, California-based Peet's Coffee & Tea has bought a majority stake in Intelligentsia Coffee. Read more coverage at Fortune.com. Coffee Review has rated 40 Intelligentsia coffees over the years, starting with their famous Black Cat Blend in way back in 1998. The average rating for Intelligentsia's coffees is an excellent
Crimson Cup, Propeller Named Roasters of the Year
Crimson Cup Coffee and Propeller Coffee Co. were awarded Roaster of the Year honors by Roast magazine, an industry publication for coffee roasters. According to Roast, Roaster of the Year awards "recognize companies that roast coffees of superior quality, exemplify a dedication to sustainability, promote employee and community education, and demonstrate a strong commitment to the coffee
Zimbabwe Coffee: Once Flourishing, Now Rare
We just rated a sample from Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) for the first time since 2008. The Zimbabwe AAA from New Year's Gift Estate from Green Dragon Coffee earned a respectable 88 points (see review). In the early years of Coffee Review, coffees from Zimbabwe were certainly not common but they were not unheard of either. In fact, a coffee from Zimbabwe was included in our second tasting
Peet’s Acquires Stumptown
According to Business Wire, Peet’s Coffee & Tea and Stumptown Coffee Roasters have announced an agreement in which Peet’s will acquire ownership of Stumptown from its existing shareholders, which include majority-owner TSG Consumer Partners LLC. Stumptown, founded in Portland, Oregon in 1999, will continue to operate independently while having full access to Peet’s resources and scale. Peet’s
