I tried 11 coffees from Counter Culture, the accessible small-batch roaster converting coffee slobs to snobs

I’m an empathetic girl, except when it comes to anyone who despises the taste of coffee.

Having perfected my at-home cup, I can’t fathom anyone disliking the warming flavors that incentivize me to leave my bed every morning. In fact, I’m convinced I could convert tea loyalists and energy drink lovers into coffee connoisseurs if they set aside their Folgers and tried quality beans.

My journey to finding my favorite coffee started with the Starbucks Veranda blend I drank growing up. Then, one day, while browsing my local Whole Foods, I discovered Counter Culture Coffee, an independent specialty coffee brand. I was immediately hooked on its smooth, fresh blends that tasted like the iced coffees I would usually order from my favorite pricey cafes.

I never leave home without my trusty, leakproof Owala coffee mug

Quality aside, I appreciated that Counter Culture was a convenient, reliable option. Often on sale for $12-$16, I found it an accessible way to join the ranks of coffee snobs. While many coffee experts recommend purchasing from a local roaster, I often opt for the convenience of grabbing beans at the grocery store or online. They also offer two subscription options, delivering two bags to your doorstep for under $40 a month.

There’s a reason that specialty coffees often taste better than commercial blends. According to Dr Eric Brenner of Texas A&M’s agricultural department, specialty brands often roast beans light or medium to preserve their flavor profile, which is influenced by origin, elevation and soil.

“Think of a steak. If you buy a really good cut of steak, but you cook it well done, you’re basically cooking the flavor out of that steak. The same thing with coffee. Anything that was very nuanced from that coffee, where it’s from, if you roast too long, then all those characteristics disappear,” he said.

Light roasts have a higher caffeine content than most dark roasts. The roast type also affects your coffee’s flavor. Light roasts have higher acidity, while staying true to a bean’s flavor profile. Meanwhile, dark roasts often have a bolder, intense taste. And how you take your coffee may affect the roast you select: “Typically, most cafes would suggest that a slightly darker roast would be better suited to milk drinks because the acidity is lower in dark coffee, so the chance of splitting the milk is reduced,” Christopher Hendon, a professor of chemistry at the University of Oregon and the co-author of Water for Coffee, said.

a package of counter culture even keel coffee next to a cup of coffee and surrounded by coffee beans

I was sent samples of six of Counter Culture’s year-round blends, four single-origin bags and one limited-edition option. Over the past few months, I’ve used them to make iced coffee and hot drinks in my tried-and-true moka pot. I tried each without milk, ranking the flavor on a very scientific scale of one to five (I’m partial to light and medium roasts).

Below is my buying guide to Counter Culture’s coffee, including a bag ideal for the evenings and one that may have changed my mind about dark roast.

Single-origin and limited-edition

Single-origin coffees are sourced from one location (country, region or farm). A few of the bags I tried (La Goldrina, Mountain Harvest and Mpemba) are currently unavailable, as these rotate based on the season. “We’re basically taking some of the best coffees from that particular supply chain from that season, buying whatever volume we can get our hands on without overbuying, and then having that on the menu and having that be kind of a set period where you can get those coffees. And then when we sell out, it’s gone,” said Kyle Tush, one of Counter Culture’s coffee buyers.

A bag of Counter Culture coffee cold hearted blend

A bag of Counter Culture coffee finca la hermosa blend

Year-round blends

A bag of Counter Culture coffee Forty-Six blend

A bag of Counter Culture coffee Even Keel (half-caff) blend

A bag of Counter Culture coffee Slow Motion blend

A bag of Counter Culture coffee Apollo blend

Three packages of counter culture coffee surrounding a cup of coffee

Does whole bean coffee expire?

Yes. Unopened, a bag of whole bean coffee lasts between six and 12 months. Coffee roasters such as Counter Culture recommend finishing an opened bag within two weeks for the freshest brew.

What is the difference between a single origin and a blend?

A blend contains a mix of beans sourced from different locations. Meanwhile, a single origin comes from one place. For example, Counter Culture’s single-origin coffees all come from one region, cooperative or farm. Often priced higher than a blend, they are “the next step up in quality”, said Tush, the coffee buyer from Counter Culture.

What bean grinder should I buy?

The two common grinders are burr and blade. The former is widely considered the best of the two for its ability to evenly grind the beans without heating them as much as a blade model – which can affect flavor. In our guide to brewing better drip coffee, a former US barista champion also recommended a stainless steel burr grinder (we like this model, recommended by our colleagues in the UK).

If you aren’t ready to splurge on a burr option, I like this one – although it is quite noisy.