Give the Gift of ‘Rise and Grind’ With These Super Strong (and Delicious) Coffee Brands

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So, you're shopping for a gift for a caffeine fiend, and you've decided that instead of a little tchotchke to clog up their counter space, or yet another mug for their collection, you want to get them something that they can actually use, without taking up much room. The great thing about giving the gift of coffee is that just a little bag goes a long way.

But just what brands can you trust to deliver a good buzz, great flavor, and a consistent quality? We've rounded up brands that are great for coffee connoisseurs, fans of every kind of roast, and even those who are just dipping their metaphorical toes into the wide world of java varieties.

Of course, it helps to know which type of coffee they prefer, as well as more practical matters such as which style works best with their coffee maker. For example, if you're purchasing coffee that comes as whole beans as opposed to grounds, make sure they have a reliable coffee grinder at home (or if not, get them one as a gift!). But whether you're looking for something you know fits into their usual flavor profile, or trying to introduce them to something new, any of these unique and flavorful coffee brands will work out brilliantly.

How We Chose

Coffee can come in many forms, and many flavor profiles, so we tried to cover that spectrum as best as possible. That means we've highlighted specific offerings from these brands in a number of forms, from whole-bean and grounds to pre-made canned coffees for those who might prefer their caffeine cold. We tried to consider everything a coffee fan might prioritize, from the flavors and composition to the practices of the companies behind them. Overall, we scoured the internet for well-reviewed, diverse, and reliable brands that deliver top-quality coffee with every cup.

From tried-and-true household names to a brand that claims to make the world's absolute strongest brew, here are the most delicious, versatile, and top-rated coffee brands to cultivate their coffee collection.

Best Everyday Coffee

You might be familiar with one of La Colombe's brick-and-mortar cafés across the country — or even their canned Draft Latte line — but we bet you didn’t realize that you can purchase their full line of coffee beans online. What started as a flagship café and bakery in Philadelphia is now an award-winning nationwide coffee brand, and we think La Colombe's Corsica Blend is the best expression of the brand's deliciousness. This blend is made from a mix of beans ethically sourced from Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico, and it's named after the ancient Mediterranean island.

The Corsica blend has deep, dark, chocolatey notes and a robust flavor, making it a bold roast that many love to drink first thing in the morning. Many reviewers specifically note that this is their “go-to morning blend” since it’s both strong and versatile. The cocoa notes in this blend make it pair especially nicely with milk or cream, although it can certainly stand alone and be sipped black.

With consistently positive reviews, a bold, yet balanced flavor, and a smooth chocolatey finish that will leave them wanting another sip, La Colombe’s Corsica blend gets our vote for best everyday coffee, and a safe gifting bet for any recipient.

Best Flavor

A coffee that blooms beautifully as it steeps, this Hair Bender blend from Portland cult-favorite brand Stumptown has an impressive depth of flavor and is wild, rich, and smooth. A blend of coffee from Indonesia, Latin America, and Africa, Hair Bender gets its name from the shuttered beauty parlor that formerly housed the brand's first location.

With notes of citrus and dark chocolate, this is the brand's most popular, best-selling blend, and we think it's the best-tasting coffee on this list.

Best Dark Roast

Is your giftee often lamenting that no coffee is strong enough? Call their bluff.

Death Wish Coffee — an upstate New York-based brand that claims to make the world’s strongest coffee — makes one mean, dark-roast whole-bean coffee (their signature blend).

Using sustainably sourced, perfectly roasted coffee beans to produce a bold, highly caffeinated coffee blend, Death Wish's signature coffee has double the caffeine of an average cup of java, without being too acidic or harsh. We think they nailed it!

Made with a blend of ethically sourced beans, Death Wish Coffee is both fair-trade and USDA-certified organic. Described as a “high-octane” coffee with a high caffeine concentration, the brand swears this coffee will “bring you back from the nights you thought you’d never wake up from,” and reviewers seem to unanimously agree.

Beyond being incredibly potent and highly caffeinated, this dark roast is well-balanced and flavorful, with sweet, nutty, chocolatey notes and a surprisingly smooth finish. We feel a disclaimer is in order here: This is not a blend for those who are sensitive to caffeine, but if they’re always on the hunt for a dark roast that will wake them up, they need look no further.

Best Medium-Roast Coffee

Many attribute Alfred Peet and his small coffee shop established in Berkeley, California in 1966 as the beginning of the craft-coffee movement in the United States. Peet’s Big Bang was introduced in 2016 as a special blend to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the coffee shop, but it has since garnered quite a loyal following and has become one of the brand's most popular varieties.

This blend is crafted from fair-trade, USDA-certified organic Latin American and East African beans and gets a bright, fruity lift from Ethiopian Super Natural coffee beans that are added to the mix. Many reviewers call out lush, sweet, citrusy notes in this blend’s flavor and aroma.

Best Mild Roast

Beloved and best-selling Italian brand Lavazza gets our vote for Best Mild Roast, thanks to their velvety Super Crema Espresso blend.

A mix of Arabica beans from Brazil and Colombia, and India and robusta beans from Indonesia and Vietnam, this blend is mild, creamy, and medium- to light-bodied. According to the brand's 2016 Sustainability Report, the beans that Lavazza uses are all ethically sourced, USDA-certified organic, and Rainforest Alliance-certified.

Many reviewers pick up notes of honey, almonds, and dried fruit in the flavor profile with zero bitterness and low acidity. Ideally, this blend would be finely ground, brewed as a traditional espresso, and served in a smaller format, but many reviewers coarse-grind this blend and brew it using their drip coffee maker or French press with great success. Most reviewers actually claim that they've switched to Lavazza for their everyday morning coffee from other more well-known American brands.

Whether they’re brewing espresso or traditional drip coffee, Lavazza’s Super Crema makes for a versatile, mild, and velvety-smooth roast.

Best Coffee With a Cause

“Every cup helps a pup” is the adorable tagline of Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co. which donates 20% of their profits to animal rescue and welfare organizations. This starter kit includes three bags of the brand’s most popular ground blends: Morning Walk Breakfast Blend, Paper & Slippers Medium Roast, and Alpha Blend Dark Roast. There’s a little something for everyone in this mix, so we think it makes a really cute gift. (These blends also come in a whole-bean variety, if that’s more their style.)

A Coffee Brand That Gives Back

We love coffee brands that have an admirable mission, and Durham, North Carolina-based Counter Culture is known for its commitment to coffee education and sustainability. Also noteworthy: Counter Culture launched a new coffee club with NPR, providing a portion of proceeds to support NPR’s programming.

Now, that's all well and good, but what about the taste? Well, this sustainably-sourced coffee is delicious and, to use a cliche, truly good to the last drop. This Big Trouble whole-bean coffee has notes of caramel and is superbly rich and nutty, making it a delicious, flavorful everyday coffee.

Best Fair-Trade Coffee

This smooth and well-balanced medium-roast blend from Equal Exchange is sustainably grown by small farming co-ops based in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Fair Trade-certified and USDA organic-certified, Equal Exchange's Mind, Body & Soul blend is a coffee they can genuinely feel good about sipping. Plus, it's ridiculously delicious.

Reviewers rave about the malty flavor of this blend, picking up notes of almonds and chocolate without any bitterness or unpleasant acidity.

A Strong Black-Owned Brand

What began as a small, Black-owned indie coffee company started by two friends from Gary, Indiana has turned into a powerhouse brand that appears everywhere from the NBA court to the kingdom of Wakanda, and over 7,000 retailers including Amazon and Target. You don't get that big without beans and grounds that brew into some great cups of coffee.

But while you can’t go wrong with the brewable offerings from BLK & Bold, if you’re shopping for somebody who likes a no-fuss strong buzz in the morning, we recommend their line of canned Nitro Cold Brew. Made from their delicious “Smoove Operator” dark roast blend, with a hint of caramel, this canned cold brew contains only 17 calories, zero sugar, and most crucially, 150 mg of caffeine per can.

For the Coffee Skeptic

So, what about somebody who isn’t quite a coffee aficionado, but is looking to start? Or, more specifically, is being told that they should start, since their current “sugary energy drink” habit isn’t the best for their health. Well, they can’t be expected to quit cold turkey, but there’s middle ground that can give them the best of both worlds, without having to fumble with any coffee grounds, either.

Sure, the more sophisticated coffee fan will scoff at this turducken of taurine, caffeine, and “coffee done the Monster way.” But we believe there’s a coffee brand out there for every type of drinker. And while some prefer an artisanal blend of beans to calmly sip on a Sunday morning, envisioning themselves on a veranda outside a cafe in Paris, others just wanna crack open a can of salted caramel flavor and 200 mg of caffeine on the commute to their 9-to-5. If your giftee counts themselves among this latter group, welcome them to the wide world of coffee with this undeniably unique combination.

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