Have you ever been accused of coffee snobbery? We can assure you, it’s a real condition that involves an unwillingness to settle for less-than-amazing coffee.
There’s nothing wrong with other coffees, but once you’ve tasted the good stuff, there’s no going back. The problem is, it’s tough to find high-quality beans at your local grocery store.
Crema Coffee subscription seeks to satisfy the coffee snob in you with their carefully cultivated list of American-based micro-roasters that offer some of the tastiest high-quality coffee.
Crema Coffee Subscription Overview
Crema.co
Looking for the perfect cup of coffee? Look no further than Crema Co Coffee! Our hand-crafted blends are expertly roasted to bring out the rich, full-bodied flavors of our premium coffee beans. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or just looking for a delicious pick-me-up, Crema Co Coffee has something to offer. Try us today and taste the difference!
Based in Portland, Oregon, Crema.co launched in 2015 as a market for artisan coffee lovers. Their cool, eclectic vibe fits with the feel of their home base and the entire coffee-drinking industry.
This company wants to change the way we view coffee. They put a lot of effort into cultivating an eclectic list of roasters, but also seek to educate the coffee-drinking community.
Crema.co’s website is loaded with information about coffee, from different roasts to processing methods. You can even download the information from their Coffee Handbook.
About the Roasters
Crema.co works with a selection of artisan micro-roasters from across the United States. Every roaster Crema.co works with commits to ethical relations at every stage of the coffee process.
At our last peek, Crema.co had more than sixty roasters listed on their site. Though there are several West Coast roasteries, there are many roasters from the Plains, Midwestern, and East Coast states.
What You Get
You can actually pick from any of the roasters listed on Crema.co’s site and add it to your “Brew Queue,” which is essentially what you have selected to get sent to you based on your subscription frequency.
If you’re not sure what you like, you can always let Crema.co choose for you based on a preference quiz you take at the start of signing up for a subscription.
Reviewing Crema Coffee Subscription
We got to try out a selection of coffee that Crema.co sent us, as well as test out the Brew Queue using provided site credit, where we got to choose the next three that would get sent to us.
Creation Coffee
Creation Coffee
This anaerobic natural processed coffee is a wild fruit bomb! Berries and tropical fruit intermingle with a bright layered complexity and a juicy sweet finish. A favorite offering that we carry year after year!
The bag of Creation Coffee was Crema.co’s pick to send to us, which was the Ethiopia Worka Sakaro, an anaerobic natural processed coffee that comes from the region Yirgacheffe and producer Mijane Woresa. It’s grown at an elevation of 2,200, roasted in Midland, MI, and is said to have a more modern flavor profile.
Creation Coffee responsibly sources only high-quality and sustainable coffee that they then carefully roast to perfection. This coffee in particular is one that has tasting notes of berries, pineapple, and guava, leaving a brew that has a bright layered complexity and a juicy sweet finish.
Upon brewing, the aroma was very sweet, citrusy, and inviting. The cup tasted light, bright, sweet, and only slightly acidic. The fruity flavors really mingled well together to create a satisfying sip.
Junto Coffee
Junto Coffee
An intensely complex and floral coffee. We recommend giving this coffee time to age as we find the floral notes really become more pronounced with time.
One of the first coffees we added to our own Brew Queue was Junto Coffee. The Hada Molecha Lot 1 comes from Ethiopia, in the region of Yirgacheffe. It’s an intensely complex and floral coffee that’s washed processed and features unique tasting notes of jasmine, cherry blossom, and juniper berries.
The coffee company has made it its mission to build long-lasting relationships with regions that are underrepresented, giving all producers a better chance at selling their coffees. Junto recommends giving the Hada Molecha Lot 1 a good time to age so that the floral notes can become more pronounced.
The aroma of this coffee was rather interesting, as it was full of sweet floral notes. Overall, the taste was a nice subtle, sweet, and delicious blend of florals. It wasn’t too much or too little, but rather a well-balanced and tasty combination.
Ritual Coffee
Ritual Coffee
This lot of Caturra from Los Anonos was grown at elevations around 1750 MASL. The coffee is carefully harvested by hand, with excellent attention being paid to ripeness. The fruit is then brought to Helsar to be processed. It is mechanically washed using an aquapulper before being laid out to dry on covered raised beds.
Another one of our Brew Queue picks, Ritual Coffee’s Los Anonos comes from West Valley, Costa Rica. It’s a light-medium roast single-origin that’s made for drip coffee brewing, has a complex and sweet body, and features a vibrant acidity.
It’s carefully hand-harvested, honey processed, mechanically washed with an aqua pulper, and dried on covered raised beds. Tasting notes for this coffee include champagne gummies, fuji apples, and green tea.
Upon brewing up a cup, the aroma was very sweet and inviting with a very interesting smell. The taste truly showcased a good combination of unique flavors, giving it a sweet and delicious flavor that’s all-around amazing.
Square One Coffee
Square One Coffee
This natural “black diamond” coffee is grown and processed at the Las Lajas micro-mill in Costa Rica We had the privilege of meeting Francisca when she visited us a few years ago with the Legendary Coffee Producer Tour, hosted by Cafe Imports.
The last coffee from Crema.co was actually the very first added to our Brew Queue. After troubles with delivery, customer service from the company quickly and kindly solved it and had the bag of Square One Coffee properly sent.
Costa Rica Las Lajas – Black Diamond Natural, is a light roast single-origin coffee that’s naturally processed and grown at an elevation of 1,500 masl. It comes from the Finca los Pinitos farm in the region of Cirri Sur, Naranjo, West Valley.
The beautiful aroma of this coffee is sweet, fruity, and floral. It tasted very bright and sweet with a touch of acidity. The flavor notes really come together to create a delicious, floral, fruity, and sweet candy brew.
Features & Benefits of a Crema Coffee Subscription
Crema.co
Looking for the perfect cup of coffee? Look no further than Crema Co Coffee! Our hand-crafted blends are expertly roasted to bring out the rich, full-bodied flavors of our premium coffee beans. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or just looking for a delicious pick-me-up, Crema Co Coffee has something to offer. Try us today and taste the difference!
There are many great things that come with a Crema.co subscription and the company itself offers some features that can work for different subscriber needs.
Brew Queue
Crema.co uses a coffee playlist called a Brew Queue to cultivate your coffee list. Simply browse the catalog of coffees and add the ones you like to your custom playlist.
Though there are dozens of coffees to choose from, you can narrow your search by size, grind, roaster, certification, roast, and tasting notes. You can spend a lot of time searching through available coffee options because there is so much variety.
Once you create a list, it’s easy to move things around with a simple drag-and-drop feature. The playlist even tells you when to expect your next delivery.
Flexibility
Have you ever joined a subscription service that’s impossible to change? Crema.co doesn’t just offer a lot of options, they make it easy to change your frequency, or even pause your subscription.
Simply log in to your account and click on “manage subscription” under your account. Your playlist appears on the screen, and you can get to work. Pause your playlist or change the frequency of delivery.
Also, we mentioned that some of the coffees are a little pricier. Since you have complete control over your playlist, you can avoid coffees that don’t fit with your budget. Crema.co doesn’t surprise you, but they also don’t send you coffees you don’t want.
Selection of Coffees
As we noted above, it can be overwhelming to get started. Each coffee lists the price, roaster, type of roast, and flavor profile. We narrowed the list to whole bean medium-dark and dark roasts, but there were still more than fifty coffees to peruse.
The coffee menu is easy to navigate. Crema.co includes pictures for each coffee to identify the primary flavor notes. They range from fruits to sweet treats, and there are plenty of unique blends. For example, Ladro Roasting’s Queen Anne Blend has flavor notes of clementine, fig, and hazelnut.
While some users note that they don’t have the variety found with other subscription companies, we felt that there were more than enough options available. They also have a selection of grinding options in case you don’t have access to a grinder.
The Brew Log
The Brew Log is another cool feature that Crema.co offers to customers. After you rate your third bag of coffee, you unlock this feature.
By rating the coffees, you can explore your preferences and learn more about the characteristics of coffee that appeal most to you. Who knows, you may be surprised by what you discover!
Coffee Education
Crema.co is so committed to helping people love coffee that they provide educational information and instructions on alternative brewing methods. You can even download their Coffee Handbook from the site.
From water quality to brew time, they break down the steps to a perfect cup of coffee. There are even step-by-step instructions with crystal clear photos.
If you’re ready to stray from your traditional drip coffee maker, check out their how-to pages. They provide tips and tricks for making the perfect cup with a French press, portable pour-over dripper, or Chemex.
Give the Gift of Coffee
You have four options for gifting Crema.co coffee – coffee, rare coffee, brewing kits, or site credit. Since Crema.co is all about personal choice and control over coffee drinking, they extend the freedom of choice to your giftee.
Everything is handled digitally, so you don’t have to worry about a card getting lost in the mail or misplaced. The gift goes directly to your recipient’s email, and everything transfers electronically from that point.
Workplace Coffee
Do you have an office full of coffee drinkers? If you’re frustrated with trying to keep all of your coffee drinkers happy, Crema.co may have the answer to your problem.
Simply create a business profile, then set your budget and delivery frequency. You can even adjust which coffees your team sees. For example, you could filter out all light roasts or all coffees over a certain price.
Once you set your company up with Crema.co, invite your team to join the fun. They can rate coffees and make suggestions for upcoming shipments. Your office receives shipments from the roasters within three to five days after roasting.
Things We Like
- They have an excellent selection of blends to choose from, including single-origin and fair-trade certified options.
- With their playlist features, you select the coffees that appeal to you, so you’re in complete control over what you receive.
- Flexible delivery schedules mean you can pick the frequency that’s right for you and pause your subscription if you need to.
- You can choose a home subscription or sign on your whole office through their workplace subscriptions.
- They pay a great deal of attention to the efficiency of their customer service, providing a great experience for every subscriber.
Room for Improvement
- It’s a little overwhelming to start your playlist, even if you narrow your choices by the roast. It would help to have a little more guidance at the start.
- Prices vary by roaster and blend, and some can be quite high for a 12-ounce bag.
- Pre-ground options depend on the roaster, so not every coffee is compatible with everyone’s needs.
Things to Consider Before Starting a Coffee Subscription
Casual coffee drinkers are not likely to subscribe to coffee service, so if you’re considering one, you must love your beans. That said, even the most discerning coffee enthusiast should do their homework before starting a coffee subscription.
Selection of Blends
Some people join a coffee subscription service to sample a variety of blends. If this is your goal, make sure the service you join can supply plenty of variety.
Think about what’s important to you. Do you only want single-origin or fair-trade certified blends? There are plenty of subscription coffee services that specialize in certified coffees. Make sure you choose one that has plenty of those options.
Frequency of Deliveries
Another big reason for joining is establishing a regular supply of coffee you love. You may want to make sure you have control over your deliveries and an option to alter your frequency.
Is the Price Right?
You’ve come this far, so you’re probably not a run-of-the-mill coffee drinker. Remember that certified coffees and small-batch blends cost more than your average pound of coffee. However, your coffee habit needs to be affordable.
Shipping Methods
Speaking of costs, be wary of shipping charges. Some options may come with free shipping but less convenience, but you don’t want to pay more in shipping than you spend on the coffee.
Crema.co
Looking for the perfect cup of coffee? Look no further than Crema Co Coffee! Our hand-crafted blends are expertly roasted to bring out the rich, full-bodied flavors of our premium coffee beans. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or just looking for a delicious pick-me-up, Crema Co Coffee has something to offer. Try us today and taste the difference!
The Bottom Line
Crema.co is still relatively new, but they’ve grown a lot over the past several years. They have a lot to offer and continue to address critiques, like expanding their options from whole beans to a few different grind options.
This coffee subscription is easy to use, customizable, and loaded with interesting blends. Crema.co definitely has something special to offer coffee snobs across the United States. Plus, if you ever have any trouble, their customer service is outstanding!
Happy Caffeinating!
Crema Coffee Subscription Review: Blend and Roast Selections
A review of the Crema Coffee subscription, what they offer, and why it might be right for you.
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