Stella Blue is a new brand of coffee that was launched by Dan Katz, also known as Barstool Big Cat, a popular blogger and podcast host. The coffee is ethically and sustainably sourced from Central America, and it comes in three varieties: light roast, medium roast, and dark roast. You can buy it as whole beans or fresh ground coffee online.
But is Stella Blue coffee good? How does it compare to other ethical coffee brands? And how should you brew it? In my Stella Blue Coffee Review, I will answer these questions and more.
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In this blog post we will look at the following:
What is Stella Blue Coffee?
Stella Blue Coffee is named after a song by the Grateful Dead, one of Dan Katz’s favorite bands. The coffee is roasted by Regal Coffee Roasters, a family-owned business in New Jersey that has been roasting coffee since 1984. The coffee beans are 100% Arabica and certified organic by the USDA.
They are also fair trade certified, which means that the farmers who grow them are paid a fair price and have decent working conditions. The coffee is shade-grown, which means that it is grown under the canopy of trees that provide habitat for birds and other wildlife.
Stella Blue coffee claims to be smooth, balanced, and flavorful. The light roast has notes of citrus and caramel, the medium roast has notes of chocolate and nuts, and the dark roast has notes of smoke and spice.
The coffee is packaged in resealable bags with colorful artwork that features a cat wearing sunglasses and a bandana. Let’s get deeper into that in the next section of this Stella Blue Coffee Review.
Is Stella Blue Coffee Good?
So, let us get to the taste. Is Stella Blue Coffee good? Or more importantly, will YOU find it to be good? To find the answer to that, you really need to order it and try it yourself. But I will try to explain it.
You can get a 3-pack that includes one 12-ounce bag of each roast. Try to brew it using a French press, or any of the other ways I mention under. But French press or Aeropress is some of my preferred methods of making coffee at home these days.
See my guide on Aeropress original vs go here. Here are my impressions of each roast:
- Light roast: This might be my favorite of the three roasts. It has a bright and fruity aroma, a light body, and a bit of crisp acidity. It tastes sweet and refreshing, with hints of lemon and caramel. It is smooth and easy to drink, without any bitterness or harshness.
- Medium roast: This is my second favorite of the three roasts. It had a rich and nutty aroma, a medium body, and a balanced acidity. It tasted smooth and chocolatey, with notes of almond and hazelnut. It is satisfying and flavorful, without being too strong or overpowering.
- Dark roast: This was my least favorite of the three roasts. It had a smoky and spicy aroma, a full body, and a low acidity. It tastes bold and intense, with notes of pepper and clove. It is bitter and slightly acidic, which makes it harder to enjoy. But for the right moments, right…
Overall, I think Stella Blue coffee is good, especially if you like light or medium roasts. The coffee is smooth, balanced, and flavorful, as advertised.
However, if you prefer dark roasts, you might find Stella Blue coffee too bitter or acidic for your taste.
Should you add salt to coffee? Read my article and find out.
How Does Stella Blue Coffee Compare to Other Ethical Coffee Brands?
There are many ethical coffee brands on the market today that offer fair trade, organic, shade-grown, and delicious coffee. You can read more about ethical coffee in my blog post from a few days back.
Stella Blue coffee is one of the more and more ethical coffee brands that offer fair trade, organic, shade-grown, and delicious coffee. However, how does it compare to other ethical coffee brands in terms of certifications, taste, quality, and diversity?
- Certifications: Stella Blue Coffee has fair trade and organic certifications, which means that it meets high standards of quality, sustainability, and social responsibility. However, it does not have other certifications like shade-grown, rainforest alliance, or bird-friendly, which some other ethical coffee brands have. These certifications indicate that the coffee is grown in ways that conserve natural resources and protect the rights and welfare of workers and local communities.
- Taste: Stella Blue coffee has a smooth, balanced, and flavorful taste, as advertised. However, it does not have a very complex or distinctive flavor, which some other ethical coffee brands have. Some other ethical coffee brands have more diverse or exotic origins, varieties, or processes that result in more complex or distinctive flavors.
- Quality: Stella Blue coffee has good quality, as it uses 100% Arabica beans that are certified organic and roasted by a reputable and experienced roaster. However, it does not have a very high quality, as it uses a common and standard origin, variety, and process that do not offer any unique or exotic characteristics.
- Diversity: Stella Blue Coffee has three simple roasts: light, medium, and dark. These roasts appeal to many coffee drinkers who prefer different levels of strength and boldness. However, it does not have much diversity, as it does not offer any blends or single origins that vary in origin, composition, and flavor. Some other ethical coffee brands have more diverse or exotic blends and single origins that appeal to coffee connoisseurs who seek more variety and uniqueness.
I am not stopping here. My Stella Blue Coffee Review will even offer a specific example to compare with:
How Does Stella Blue Coffee Compare to Danesi Caffe Italian?
Stella Blue Coffee and Danesi Caffe Italian are both ethical coffee brands that use the same roaster, the same type of beans, and the same organic certification. They both have smooth, balanced, and flavorful coffee that appeals to many espresso lovers.
However, Stella Blue coffee has fair trade certification, which means that it supports the social and environmental well-being of the coffee farmers. Danesi Caffe Italian does not have fair trade certification, which means that it does not ensure a fair price and decent working conditions for the coffee farmers.
Stella Blue Coffee has three simple roasts: light, medium, and dark. Danesi Caffe Italian has several blends and single origins that vary in origin, composition, and flavor.
So there you have it, a few things to keep in mind to compare. If you want to learn more about Danesi Caffe Italian, you can read my detailed review here: Danesi Caffe Italian Review.
What Can You Use Stella Blue Coffee For?
Stella Blue coffee can be used for various types of brewing methods and drinks. You can buy it as whole beans or fresh ground coffee online here. If you buy it as whole beans, as I recommend, you can grind it yourself to suit your preferred brewing method.
If you buy it as fresh ground coffee, you can choose between fine grind or coarse grind. Fine grind is suitable for espresso machines or moka pots, while coarse grind is suitable for French presses or cold brews.
Here are some examples of how you can use Stella Blue coffee for different types of brewing methods and drinks:
- Espresso: Espresso is a concentrated shot of coffee that is made by forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee under high pressure.
To make espresso with Stella Blue coffee, you need an espresso machine or a moka pot. You also need to buy Stella Blue coffee as whole beans or fine ground coffee.
You can use any of the three roasts for espresso, but the dark roast will give you a stronger and bolder flavor. You find a great example in my Breville Touch Espresso Machine Review. - Drip Coffee: Drip coffee is a common and simple way of making coffee that involves pouring hot water over ground coffee in a filter.
To make drip coffee with Stella Blue coffee, you need a drip coffee maker or a pour-over device. You also need to buy Stella Blue coffee as whole beans or fine ground coffee.
You can use any of the three roasts for drip coffee, but the light roast will give you a brighter and fruitier flavor. Amaste drip coffee maker is a great alternative you can read more about in this post of mine.
- French Press: French press is a manual and easy way of making coffee that involves steeping ground coffee in hot water and then pressing down a plunger to separate the grounds from the liquid. To make French press with Stella Blue coffee, you need a French press device. You also need to buy Stella Blue coffee as whole beans or coarse ground coffee. You can use any of the three roasts for French press, but the medium roast will give you a balanced and chocolatey flavor.
- Stella Blue Cold Brew: Cold brew is a refreshing and smooth way of making coffee that involves steeping ground coffee in cold water for several hours or overnight. To make cold brew with Stella Blue coffee, you need a cold brew device, like the Toddy Cold Brew System, or a jar with a lid. You also need to buy Stella Blue coffee as whole beans or coarse ground coffee. You can use any of the three roasts for cold brew, but the light roast will give you a crisp and sweet flavor.
Conclusion – Stella Blue Coffee Review
I hope you liked my Stella Blue Coffee Review and found you should give it a try too. Stella Blue is a new brand of coffee that was launched by Dan Katz, also known as Barstool Big Cat.
The coffee is ethically and sustainably sourced from Central America, and it comes in three varieties: light roast, medium roast, and dark roast. You can buy it as whole beans or fresh ground coffee online here. I think you get a good, ethical coffee for a good prize.
Happy drinking!