I used to really enjoy Kings Coast. Great value for the money, solid quality, and the way they roast coffee makes the beans have excellent subtle flavor notes, which I really appreciated.
Unfortunately if you’re not in the US or Canada, you’re out of luck, because in 2021 they stopped shipping internationally completely
I use it, but I don’t think I’m on the level of a lot of the posters in this community so take my opinion with a grain of salt
I like it, the bags are smallish for the cost 17-25 dollars per order. But it varies the type of coffee I drink and it has led to me discovering new brands that I go back to.
I’m on my second year or 3rd year of Trade and have been happy enough.
Everything I’ve gotten has been good, but I’m not enthused with their recommendations. I’ll look at what they pick for me, but I end up picking my own thing more than half the time.
It’s let me learn what I do like though, by having access to a good number of things in one spot. I could go to the specific roasters and likely get it for the same price or a buck cheaper, but this lets me search in one spot.
I try to make the most of it by skipping blends, and doing light to medium roast single origins only, unless there’s a special seasonal blend or something. It lets me get whatever overall vibe I want for that order more closely: extra fruity/chocolate and nut/wine-like/warm and comforting flavors/etc.
I’ve never gotten the same thing twice, but I do feel I’ve hit up most of their suppliers at least once. Each supplier gets new runs of different things, so even though their regular coffees will be the same each month, keep an eye out for their seasonal or special runs.
Once you get a hang of what you like, supplement with outside vendors or bounce around on your own.
In short, it’s convenient, you know what the price will be, and there’s a good variety to pick from, and it tastes fresh. It’s not infinite options, but it should be more than enough.
I like the organic coffee that I can source from Galaxy Girl Coffee. If I am in a pinch and can’t wait days for a roast on site; I go for Peets, Caribou Coffee, or if I am feeling particularly odd, Starbucks. I only buy whole bean as I have a coffee grinder and my French Press needs a great coarse grind to work its magic.
Driftaway Coffee. I think they’re based in Brooklyn, but I have their subscription shipped to the west coast. They roast and ship on the same day, so I always get freshly roasted beans within a couple days of getting the shipment notification. They focus on sustainability, appear to pay their growers way more than the average, and many of the farms they buy from are women-owned and operated. Been super happy with the quality, and they provide little info-cards with each bag giving details about the region, growers, and tasting notes, so I’ve built up a cool little history/collection so I can always look back and remember a bean I particularly liked.
Ooh, they ship all over Sweden it seems, at least to here in Gothenburg anyway. Gonna try out the “the big coffee trip” thing, different coffee every month. Thanks for the recommendation!!
I’m on the trip as well, it’s excellent. I have a vague preference for flavour in coffee, but what I crave most of all is variety. This subscription gives me that. The only downside is that it’s just barely less than the amount of coffee I usually drink in any given month at home, so sometimes I have to supplement my subscription with an extra bag.
There are worse problems to have though in this world, to be fair.