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About Driftaway Coffee
Driftaway Coffee is an important, transparent coffee company that ethically sources its roasts from independent growers around the world. Each coffee’s page describes its process from soil to roast, highlighting the growers and providing background on the region—you’ll even get to see who roasted it!
To say the brand is celebrated is an understatement. Driftaway has been the name on every big publication’s feature page since it came to be, landing mentions in Vogue, GMA, and Town & Country for its subscription plan, coffee, and the way it connects coffee fanatics to the wonderful folks who grew their favorite roasts.
Want to connect more with your coffee? Keep reading this Driftaway Coffee review.
In it, we’ll dive deep into information about the brand and its best-selling brews, provide customer feedback, answer important FAQs, and more. By the end, we hope you’ll be better informed about Driftaway and feel confident in your final decision.
Overview of Driftaway Coffee
Coffee is a drink with a complicated past. One of the highest traded commodities in the world, farmers are, more often than not, paid unfairly for the coveted bean that’s served up in over 35k coffee shops across the US.
For such a highly valued beverage, we know very little about where our favorite energy kick actually comes from, how it’s produced, and who is actually growing it. To shake things up, Driftaway not only gives you not just a peek behind the curtain but pulls down the entire thing, exposing every working piece.
The coffee company started as a “passion project” of Anu Menon and Suyog Mody, a couple who met while studying at Georgia Tech. The two began their journey roasting beans in their own Brooklyn apartment after landing on the business idea.
With the desire to be not just a piece, but the entire puzzle, Menon and Mody set out to establish their own connections with growers. The duo chose to work with small farms that have big hearts.
The NYC-based brand sells its coffee online only and roasts the beans itself, two of the many things that set it apart from others.
Now that you know a little more about where this brand came from, this Driftaway Coffee review will fill you in on some highlights.
Highlights
- New coffee available every month from all over the world
- Works with small farms
- Price transparency
- Ethically-sourced
- Pushes for sustainability in every respect
- Detailed information on the region, farm, and workers
- Helps you feel connected with your coffee
- Ships internationally
Sparing no detail, the information Driftaway provides on each coffee it carries is incredible. While the brand offers just 9 types of beans per month, you’ll also find all the tools you need to make a delectable cup, like grinders, droppers, and timers, nestled in among its Coffee Gear section.
You’ll have the option of purchasing single bags, but if you’re a coffee lover through-and-though, you may want to consider the subscription. USA Today ranked the brand as one of its Best Monthly Subscription Boxes not just for its coffee, but what comes with it. You can read more about the subscription a little further down in this Driftaway Coffee review.
In the next section, we’ll take you on an adventure through five of the brand’s most popular selections.
Driftaway Coffee Single Bag Coffee Review
If you prefer single purchases over a subscription, we’ve rounded up the brand’s bestsellers to give you an idea of what kinds of coffee it carries. Offered in 12 oz, 1 lb, 2 lb, and 5 lb bags, choose from whole beans or have it ground to your liking.
Driftaway Coffee Kenya Bungoma Rift Valley Review
Dripping with notes of sticky honey and indulgent caramel, the Driftaway Coffee Kenya Bungoma Rift Valley is a light roast with undercurrents of banana. This batch was grown on the other side of the well-known coffee-growing location, Mt. Elgon.
Bungoma coffee is celebrated for its unique flavor that is totally different from other varieties grown in locations nearby. With a cupping score of 85.75/100, this light and fruity roast is $19-$68.
Driftaway Coffee Guatemala Zacapa Le Guerrera Review
The Driftaway Coffee Guatemala Zacapa Le Guerrera is a specially chosen coffee that not only has a chocolatey, sweet, nutty quality but holds importance to the lives of women farmers in Eastern Guatemala.
Grown at an altitude of 1,200 – 1,500 meters, this rich coffee represents the small region of La Guerrera and the women who run the farm. It features a cupping score of 85/100.
Try out this balanced roast for $19-$68.
Driftaway Coffee Ethiopia Layyoo and Kenya Rift Valley Review
Finding the perfect cold brew can be tricky. The cold temperature of the coffee accentuates flavors differently than warmth does, so finding the right balance of sweet, acid, and smokiness is key.
The Driftaway Coffee Ethiopia Layyoo and Kenya Rift Valley is tropical and light, tasting of sweet fruits accented by the complexity of honey and luscious caramel. With a cupping score of 87.25/100, this is a blend of two different African coffees, you’ll experience the tastes of Ethiopia and Kenya in your morning sip.
Grab a bag for $19-$68.
Driftaway Coffee Mexico Las Milagros and Burundi Kamira Review
Another summer favorite pick, the Driftaway Coffee Mexico Las Milagros and Burundi Kamira is a cold brew revelation with its sticky caramel and juicy strawberry notes.
Accentuated with the depth of vanilla, this light to medium roast blends coffee from Mexico and Burundi to create a smooth and balanced brew.
A push and pull between sugary and bright, this blend has a cupping score of 86.5/100 and is $19-$68.
Driftaway Coffee Single Origin Decaf Review
Decaf has a rep for being a little less flavorful than its buzz-worthy alter ego, but it doesn’t have to be. A successful decaf coffee retains its flavor and shines through with personality despite the caffeine-stripping process.
The Driftaway Coffee Single Origin Decaf comes from Mustafa Estate, Colombia which uses modern farming practices to produce a delightful, surprising brew. With the deep, complex flavors of molasses and brown sugar, and the concentrated tartness of raisins, the Single Origin Decaf goes beyond the watery, plain tastes of traditional decaf coffee.
Get great taste without the rush for $19-$68.
Driftaway Coffee Gear Review
The right gear is equally as important as the right coffee, if not more so. The wrong grind or pour method can ruin your morning brew, so it pays to have the quality tools around to get the job done right.
This section of our Driftaway Coffee review will feature the brand’s best-selling gear, along with some important information about the Explorer Kit and Subscription service.
Driftaway AeroPress Coffee Maker Review
If single-serve is your thing, the Driftaway AeroPress Coffee Maker is a smart choice. Keurig coffee machines are useful, but they’re not made for exceptional coffee, they’re made for convenience.
This easy-to-clean coffee maker blends immersion and pour-over methods to create a fantastic tasting cup of coffee. It’s made from sturdy BPA-free plastic but that also means cleaning it is super simple.
See what you’ve been missing with this effortless coffee maker for $35.
Driftaway Porlex Mini Burr Grinder Review
With sturdy construction, the Driftway Porlex Mini Burr Grinder slowly grinds your coffee beans into the perfect tasting, ready-to-brew material.
If you didn’t know, the slower beans are ground, the better they end up tasting. It has something to do with the heat applied, but all you really need to know is that your Porlex Mini has got what it takes to do the job right.
With it, you can select which grind setting suits your brew method and the conical burrs will get to work. It’s compact, so you can even take this grinder with you on vacation to that remote location so that you’ll always have freshly ground coffee.
Taste the difference with the Porlex Mini Burr Grinder for $58.
Driftaway Coffee Explorer Kit Review
If you choose to subscribe, this will be your first-ever delivery. The purpose of the Driftaway Coffee Explorer Kit is to figure out what you like.
Featuring 4 single-origin coffees with unique flavor profiles, you’ll get to rate each one to let the company know what types of coffees to send your way throughout your subscription.
We’ll give you a quick rundown of the 4 profiles here:
- Fruity: light roast from countries like Ethiopia and Kenya
- Classic: medium roast sourced mainly from South America
- Balanced: light/medium roast from places like Guatemala
- Bold: dark roast, origin varies
Your Explorer Kit can be sent in 1, 2, 3, or 4 lb quantities, with each coffee divided up into equal shares among the weight. Start your coffee journey with this kit for $32.
Driftaway Coffee Subscription Review
Subscriptions really take the hassle out of everything. They’re a convenient way to receive something you truly enjoy every month.
When you first sign up for the Driftaway Coffee Subscription, you’ll be sent an Explorer Kit (the one we just covered above). After you’ve chosen your preferred roast, Driftaway will pick a monthly coffee based on your preferences and ship it to you each month.
You’ll get to pick whether you prefer whole beans or ground, the latter of which you can specify based on the brew method, of which you’ll see your options below:
- Chemex
- Drip
- Espresso
- French Press
- Pour Over
Throughout your experience with your Driftaway Coffee Subscription, you’ll need to rate the ones you try so that the brand can continue to hone in on your unique tastes. Subscribers will also get invited to a virtual tasting with World Brewer’s Champion James McCarthy, along with a beautiful, informative postcard with each order.
Shipping is always included.
Who Is Driftaway Coffee For?
Connecting customers with growers and choosing special farms like Le Guererra, we’ve come to view Driftaway as a brand of much importance. If you want to get more out of your coffee drinking experience or to support small, family-run farms, this company may be a good choice.
Since the brand operates by subscription, you will get coffee delivered to your door monthly, so it’s probably a good idea for those who drink a lot of coffee at home. The company offers whole and ground beans in many formats, meaning that you’ll be able to enjoy its roasts no matter how you like to brew them.
Driftaway Coffee Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
Publications like Forbes and Vogue have already had some fantastic things to say about this brand, but still, we feel like we need to take a closer look at feedback. In this section of our Driftaway Coffee review, we’ll do a little digging around the web in search of helpful testimonials that will shed some light on the quality, taste, and experience of the brand’s coffee.
Because rarely does Amazon let us down when it comes to customer feedback, we hit up the online store to see what shoppers thought of the Explorer Kit.
Out of the 150 reviews, the kit got a 4.6/5 star rating, and the majority wrote of “really good coffee.”
A more in-depth Driftaway Coffee review read, “Definitely tastes better than your standard cup of joe. What I liked was how smooth and low acidic it was.” We love the idea of a tasting kit, and sample kits in general, because you get to experience the brand’s variety without paying full price for each bag.
The 1 lb tasting kit bags will give you about 4 cups of coffee, so you’ll be stocked up for about a month’s worth of weekdays, giving you room on Friday to hit up your favorite cafe.
To get a view of the brand from a distance, we turned to a Driftaway Coffee review on Coffee Affection that objectively remarked on the overall experience when ordering.
Perhaps the most noteworthy takeaway from the review was the part that said, “Thoughtful touches like personalized coffee bags, incredibly detailed origin notes, and the ability to contact your coffee farmer directly make Driftaway.”
It appears that this is something coffee drinkers really appreciate about the brand and is probably the reason why it has gotten so much attention.
Aside from the personal touches, the review also mentioned “fresh, flavorful coffee,” a “simple, useful member portal,” and the option to subscribe to cold brew coffee only.
Overall, the Driftaway Coffee review on Coffee Addition gave the brand a 4.9/5 star rating, and only found one issue with the brand, its price. Which truly, considering the ethical and thorough practices of this brand, we’re not too upset with.
There are a ton of independent reviews about the brand, all of which speak of delicious, explorative coffee flavors and the enjoyment the brand’s special details bring them.
Is Driftaway Coffee Worth It?
The coffees that Driftaway carries all have a high cupping score over 85. Customers speak of quality, fresh flavors, and it doesn’t seem like there’s much to complain about with this brand.
We love the transparency of this brand and think that all of the information provided about each product really would make us feel connected to the coffee.
If you’re on the fence about things, try an Explorer Kit. You’ll get to try a selection of coffees without committing to a full bag.
Driftaway Coffee Promotions & Discounts
We’re thrilled to find that Driftaway Coffee is offering its 2023 Black Friday deals. These include a 20% discount on all annual gift subscriptions with code “BF20“, 10% off all other gift subscriptions with code “BF10“, 20% off 12-month prepaid subscriptions with code “PREPAID20“, and 10% off 6-month prepaid subscriptions with code “PREPAID10“, all with complimentary shipping.
Additionally, Driftaway Coffee provides ongoing promotions and discounts, such as free shipping and a 5% discount sitewide with the code “HBR5,” the opportunity to earn 1 point for every $10 spent through the Driftaway Perks Loyalty Program, and a referral program where both you and your friend benefit.
Where to Buy Driftaway Coffee
This company operates on a direct-to-consumer model, so you can only buy its brews from Driftaway.Coffee. We did come across tasting kits on Amazon, but those may be through a reseller. We recommend sticking with the company’s website.
FAQ
Where is Driftaway Coffee from?
Driftaway sources its coffee from all around the world. Some beans are grown in LA, while others are produced in Africa.
To find out more about its coffee, simply head to the product page of the one you’re interested in. You’ll find a bounty of information about the growing process, location, and faces behind who grew and roasted the beans.
What is Driftaway Coffee’s Shipping Policy?
Driftaway Coffee ships around the world. No matter where you live, shipping is included in the cost of the coffee, but just keep in mind, prices for those who live outside of the US will be higher to account for delivery fees.
US customers will get their coffee in about 1-4 business days, but if you want faster shipping, you can opt for Priority delivery with FedEx or UPS.
Coffee is shipped every Monday and Friday. If you’d like to pay now and have your order delivered at a future date, you totally can, just select what date you’d like to receive it.
What is Driftaway Coffee’s Return Policy?
For all coffees, due to the nature of the product, Driftaway does not accept returns. If there is a quality issue with your order, shoot the brand an email at [email protected] and let them know what’s up.
Coffee gear can be returned up to 30 days after the delivery date. To start a return, email the same address listed above.
How to Contact Driftaway Coffee
We hope you found all of the information you needed in this Driftaway Coffee review. If you still have questions, feel free to reach out to the brand by using any of these methods:
- Phone: (347)762-8576
- Email: [email protected]
- Live Chat
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