Starbucks coffee is possibly the most loved and hated coffee on the planet at the same time.
I can definitely enjoy a Starbucks drink from time to time, and I think that overall Starbucks makes some pretty good drinks.
Itβs not the best maybe, but far from being the worst! I have worked there before, after all.
And in all honesty, I really enjoy many of their beans to purchase and brew at home.
They have a lot of good coffees that I think are pretty competitive with even the most elite, βperfectβ and ridiculously expensive hipster coffee!
So I wanted to hopefully help you out and tell you what I think are the best Starbucks coffee beans for brewing at home.
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I also happen to think that Starbucks brewed coffee is much better when I make it at home myself! I might be a bit biased. Maybe.
But seriously, itβs really nice to enjoy my favorite beans, as strong as I like them. And yes, when I say as strong as I likeβ¦ I like my coffee strong!
Itβs also nice that I can brew more flavors than just Pike Place, the βbrewing all day longβ flavor if you just buy a good old cup of joe at Starbucks.
Pike Place is a pretty ok roast, but itβs definitely not on my list of favorites!
So without further ado, here are my top 4 Starbucks coffees, starting with number 4:
Number 4: Sumatra
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Thatβs one bold coffee right there. It really packs a punch. My friend used to joke with me and say that if someone says a coffee tastes βearthyβ, itβs just a fancy way of saying it tastes like dirt.
Sumatra is definitely an earthy coffee. It has such a good flavor, and the βearthinessβ is something so delicious about this roast.
The earthy flavor, to me, gives Sumatra such an organic, natural taste. When I drink Sumatra, I feel like Iβm drinking a pure, rustic, very natural brew.
It also has a nice spicy flavor thatβs subtle enough to where you really have to have your taste bud antennas out to notice, but pronounced enough to where this coffee really stands out.
For such a dark, bold roast, it is surprisingly smooth. Sometimes dark roast coffee can seem burnt, bitter, and just plain feel like you have a mouthful of heavy sour liquid on your tongue. But not so with Sumatra.
Itβs smooth enough and easy to drink.
The smoothness and the contrasting earthy richness of this coffee makes it go down nicely, also making it my 4th favorite flavor of Starbucks coffee!
Number 3: Kenya
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We could say that Kenya is just a blessed nation when it comes to coffee.
Iβm pretty sure that if you find any brandβs Kenya coffee, you canβt go wrong!
And since 3 out of 4 coffees on this list are dark roasts, itβs probably good that I have a lighter roast on here too!
Kenya is a medium roast coffee, and its flavor really shines. It has a wonderful medium body as well.
And for those who donβt understand the concept of body, itβs basically how light or heavy the coffee feels in your mouth and the texture of it.
It has a sweet and fruity flavor. Basically, itβs an all around good coffee. The combination of medium roast, medium body with a sweet flavor is an excellent match!
Kenya is basically the perfect coffee if youβre in the mood for a lighter coffee on a beautiful crisp morning sitting outside on a porch enjoying the sun.
Number 2: Caffe Verona
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Back to the dark roasts⦠Verona has been a favorite of mine for a long time.
The smell, the taste⦠it almost makes me wish I could eat it!
Verona is roasty, smoky, chocolaty and slightly sharp. And itβs perfect for when you want a more full-bodied coffee thatβs maybe more βfillingβ than any medium or light roast. And a lot of the other dark roasts, for that matter. It almost has a buttery note to it.
Verona is a coffee that doesnβt get old. I could probably drink it every day and not get tired of it any time soon. It pairs well with a croissant or chocolate.
Iβm not sure what more to say about Verona, and I think itβs a coffee that speaks for itself! If you havenβt tried it, you really should.
Number 1: Komodo Dragon Blend
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I think this is the best Starbucks coffee, hands down! Komodo Dragon is bursting with flavor. Itβs rich, smooth, floral, and just perfectly balanced.
Balance is something that is so important to me in coffee.
Itβs hard for me to appreciate, for example, a light roast coffee with light body and subtle flavor. Or a dark roast coffee with a full body that has a strong flavor.
Yes, I have tried many coffees that I would call unbalanced.
Komodo Dragon has a brilliant flavor, with an amazing combination of earthy, floral and slightly spicy.
Itβs a wonderful flavor bouquet, and so refreshing.
And it being a dark roast with a fresh, floral flavor combination and its medium body, it all hits the palate so invigoratingly. This one is also my parentβs favorite!
Another thing I love about this coffee is that it can pair well with so many things, and itβs nice for so many settings.
Itβs refreshing in the morning on the porch enjoying that beautiful sunrise (like Kenya), nice after lunch when you need that pick me up but you know that you donβt want your afternoon coffee to be anything bland or boring.
In my opinion, you can never go wrong with Komodo.
Itβs not the most popular coffee from Starbucks, and they donβt seem to brew it in the machines in store, but this is definitely the hidden gem of Starbucksβ many options for beans.
Itβs just so delicious! If you havenβt had Komodo Dragon, Iβd say itβs a must!
Different Coffee Strokes For Different Coffee Folks
There are some runners-up for this list as well.
Italian Roast is a very fine coffee thatβs hard not to give a place on here; itβs a delicious classic.
Of course, as weβve already seen, most of the coffee on my list are dark roasts.
I think dark roast coffee is great for brewing at home, because with many light roasts, it seems somehow difficult to not make them weak.
And let it be known, I HATE weak coffee!
But when I say weak coffee, I mean coffee thatβs brewed with too much water and not enough coffee grounds.
So it comes out thin or weak, tasting more like water with a hint of coffee.
I like light roast coffee yes, as long as itβs brewed with enough coffee in the mix.
I also think that Starbucks generally does excellent dark roasts.
When it comes down to it, no one can really say what the best coffee from Starbucks is.
This is just my list, and itβs totally my opinion!
But I hope that if you havenβt tried one or more of these, especially Komodo Dragon, that youβll give it a try and maybe enjoy it as much as I do!
And if youβre in the market for a new coffee table to provide a great ambiance to go with your delicious coffee, then feel free to check out my article loaded with great recommendations!
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So, what do you think? Is there a coffee that should have been on this list? Or one that shouldnβt have? Should the list be reversed??? You can let me know what you think in the comments. Coffee cheers!
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Comments
Lou
Thanks for this. Any suggestions for a homemade blend of Starbucks beans to compare with Gold Coast? Also, is Starbucks Expresso Roast similar to Komodo Dragon Expresso?
Danny
Hi Lou, thanks for the comment! Wow thatβs a good questionβ¦ since Gold Coast is a pretty strong and rich coffee, you could try blending something pretty strong like Sumatra or French Roast with a medium roast thatβs not too fruity or acidic, like House Blend or Guatamala. If you try it, Iβd love to hear how it goes! As far as espresso compared to Komodo Dragon, theyβre both on the darker side of coffee but the flavor profiles are kind of different. Espresso has more of a straight up βdark roastβ taste while Komodo Dragon has a more wide flavor profile. I hope this answers your questions!
Kevin
I agree Komodo dragon is the best