When I was flying Hornets in the Marine Corps, coffee fueled long flights, early briefs and late nights in the squadron. Most of what we drank was average. If average is all you've had, I understand why you'd say you don't like coffee.
But a lot of people who say that will happily order a caramel latte. They like the sweet, creamy side of coffee more than a sharp, bitter cup. So start with what you already like. Here are three bags on the Hornet shelf that lean smooth and sweet. I'm quoting each bag's own description, so you're getting the roaster's words, not mine.
Cozy Casa Medium Roast, Everette's Fresh Roast Coffee (Addison, Illinois)
Rob and John Everette started out roasting on a modified popcorn popper in their kitchen. Now they roast at their own roastery in Addison, Illinois. They call Cozy Casa their "crowd pleasing medium roast coffee," and the bag describes "an everyday balanced blend with a flavor profile bursting with mild citrus, toffee, almond, and dark chocolate." Toffee and almond in a medium roast make it an easy first bag.
Barrel Aged Coffee, Kings Peak Coffee Roasters (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Kings Peak roasts in Salt Lake City and says its goal is "to make great coffee accessible to everyone." This bag is a little different. In the roaster's words: "We aged these green beans in barrels from local distilleries. This limited series is aged in a Salt Flats Bourbon Barrel." The tasting notes read "cocoa, dried fruits and toffee that blend perfectly with the rich vanilla flavor from the barrel." If you order lattes for the vanilla, start here.
Vanilla Hazelnut, Iron Bean Coffee Company (Perrysburg, Ohio)
Want the flavor already in the bag? Iron Bean is a veteran-owned roaster in Perrysburg, Ohio, and their Vanilla Hazelnut is a flavored medium roast that "combines smooth coffee flavor with the perfect balance of sweet vanilla and warmed hazelnuts." Add milk if you like it that way. That's allowed here.
A few easy ways in
- Milk and sugar are fine. Nobody's grading your cup. Drink it the way you'll actually enjoy it.
- Start medium, not dark. Cozy Casa and Vanilla Hazelnut are both medium roasts.
- Match the grind to your brewer. If you buy ground coffee, pick the grind on the product page. All three bags come in a drip grind, and Barrel Aged is also sold ground for French press and pour-over.
- Make what you'll drink now. A fresh cup tastes better than the last of a pot that's been sitting.
Let Flight Concierge pick for you
The Hornet shelf carries hundreds of coffees from small roasters. That's a lot to dig through when you're not even sure you like coffee, so let Flight Concierge do the digging. Type what you like in plain words, something like "I like caramel lattes but I'm not really a coffee person. French press," and it matches you with three bags. No quiz, no app, no account needed.
Semper Fi,
Trevor Hull, founder, Hornet Coffee Company
Keep reading
Ready for a black cup? Start with low-acid, chocolatey coffee for your drip machine.
If you end up liking it, explore bright, fruity coffee for pour-over.
FAQ
What coffee is good for people who don't like coffee?
Smooth medium roasts and flavored coffees like vanilla hazelnut are the gentlest way in. Tell Flight Concierge what you already like to drink and it picks three bags. Ask Flight Concierge.
Which coffee tastes the least bitter?
Medium roasts brewed a little weaker, or with milk, usually taste least bitter. Flight Concierge can find one that suits your drink. Ask Flight Concierge.
Do I need to take a coffee quiz?
No. Flight Concierge isn't a quiz and needs no account: you type how you drink coffee in plain words and it picks from hundreds of coffees. Ask Flight Concierge.