A Curated Guide to Coffee Beans Worth Brewing at Home
A selection of coffee beans chosen by our editors for their flavor, consistency, and cult followings. From New York classics to West Coast staples, these are the bags worth brewing at home.
A Curated Guide to Coffee Beans by Outpost Journal | Source: Ric’s Cottesloe
Making coffee at home has become one of our favorite daily habits. For consistency, we brew on a Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine, but what matters most are the beans themselves. This is a curated guide, handpicked by our editors, to the roasters and blends we believe are worth brewing at home.
Rook Coffee: New Orleans Style
Rook Coffee: New Orleans Style | Source: Rook Coffee
Price: $19.25 | Size: 12 oz
Tasting Notes: Smooth, chocolaty, roasted chicory (*Note: due to the addition of ground chicory, New Orleans Style is not available whole bean (your grinder will thank you!).*
Origin: Uganda, blended with chicory
Rook is famous for its New Orleans style blend, a dark roast with chicory that has developed a loyal following. The chicory adds earthy sweetness and smoky depth, creating a cup that is bold, smooth, and unforgettable.
It remains one of Rook’s most popular offerings because it captures the essence of New Orleans coffee culture in an approachable way. Fans love it for its richness and its connection to a style of coffee not often found in mainstream roasting.
The Coffee Movement: House Blend
The Coffee Movement: House Blend | Source: The Coffee Movement
Price: $20.00 | Size: 10 oz
Tasting Notes: Chocolate malt, shortbread cookie, ripe cherry
Origin: Santa Barbara, Honduras
The Coffee Movement’s house blend is balanced and layered, with chocolate malt and shortbread cookie notes softened by ripe cherry. It is indulgent yet approachable, sweet without being overwhelming.
This blend comes from one of San Francisco’s most popular cafés, where the atmosphere is as inviting as the coffee. Visitors and locals alike line up for it, and the house blend has become a symbol of the shop’s reputation for precision and friendliness.
% Arabica: Arabica Blend
% Arabica: Arabica Blend | Source: % Arabica
Price: $17.00 | Size: 8 oz
Tasting Notes: Dark chocolate, nuts, caramel, low acidity (Café’s preferred roast for % Blend is Level 6)
Origin: Multi-origin
The Arabica Blend is the signature roast of % Arabica, a brand that has become internationally recognized. Its flavor leans chocolate and caramel, with a nutty smoothness and low acidity that makes it easy to enjoy daily.
People return to it because it is reliable and consistent, the kind of blend that always delivers a clean, approachable espresso. It is also a reflection of % Arabica’s global appeal, offering a flavor profile that is both familiar and refined.
Oslo Coffee Roasters: Odin Espresso
Price: $15.99 | Size: 12 oz
Tasting Notes: Black cherry, chocolate, orange zest
Origin: Brazil, Sumatra, Guatemala, Kenya
Odin is Oslo Coffee’s flagship espresso, known for its chocolate-heavy base layered with ripe berry and citrus notes. It is dark but never flat, strong with a touch of brightness.
As one of Brooklyn’s long-standing roasters, Oslo has built a reputation for neighborhood loyalty, and Odin is central to that. It is a favorite for those who want an espresso that is both bold and versatile, especially in milk drinks.
Devoción: Honey
Price: $23.75 | Size: 12 oz
Tasting Notes: Honey, orange blossom, caramel, eucalyptus
Origin: Colombia
Devoción’s Honey is a floral and fragrant coffee, sourced directly from Colombia and roasted in Brooklyn with an emphasis on freshness. Its profile is sweet and perfumed, with notes of honey and orange blossom balanced by caramel smoothness.
It is popular because Devoción delivers beans faster than almost any other roaster, often roasted within days of arrival. Fans love Honey for its vibrant character and for the sense that every cup is alive with freshness.
Blue Bottle: Hayes Valley Espresso
Price: $18.00 | Size: 12 oz
Tasting Notes: Baking chocolate, orange zest, brown sugar
Origin: Brazil and Guatemala
Hayes Valley is Blue Bottle’s darkest espresso, a syrupy, chocolate-forward blend that has anchored their cafés for years. It is dense and satisfying, with a crema that lingers.
As one of California’s most recognizable coffee brands, Blue Bottle made this blend a staple. People return to it because it offers a consistent, traditional espresso profile that works beautifully at home as well as in cafés.
MUD Coffee: Mudtrucker
Price: $19.00 | Size: 12 oz
Tasting Notes: Dark fruit, rich cacao, full-bodied (Medium Dark Roast)
Origin: South America, Central America, Africa
MUDTRUCKER is the signature blend from Mud Coffee, the East Village institution that started as a bright orange truck. The coffee is bold and cacao-rich, with dark fruit adding just enough intrigue.
Its popularity comes from its identity as a New York staple. It is strong, full-bodied, and straightforward, the kind of blend that feels like part of the city itself. For many, it is the taste of downtown mornings.
Stumptown Coffee: Holler Mountain
Price: $20.00 | Size: 12 oz
Tasting Notes: Citrus, berry jam, caramel
Origin: Central and South America, East Africa
Holler Mountain is Stumptown’s certified organic house blend, with chocolate and caramel sweetness lifted by citrus and berry jam. The result is a balanced, approachable cup that feels layered without being fussy.
It has remained a bestseller because it works for nearly everyone. Fans love its versatility, equally good as espresso or filter, and its consistency, which makes it a dependable choice in Stumptown’s lineup.
Coffee is as much about discovery as it is about ritual, and these are the beans our editors return to again and again. If you have a favorite roaster or blend we should try next, let us know in the comments, we are always looking for new recommendations to add to the list!