Black Rifle Coffee Company is a unique story. The company was founded in 2014 by Evan Hafer, a former Green Beret. Hafer produced just one coffee blend when he first started, it was the Freedom Roast coffee, and it sold so well, that the rest is history. Black Rifle coffee is now known not only for it’s high quality coffee products, but for it’s pervasive marketing and advertising campaigns. They have a reputation as a patriot coffee company because they donate a portion of their sales to military, local police and first responders.
Let’s see if the coffee can hold it’s own with this review, or if it’s just another over-hyped caffeine crazed social media experiment.
Let me just start this by saying, I lost another coffee friend yesterday. We had been friends for only about 5 years, but it was a really special relationship, because he was always there when I needed him. He will be missed, just like the other 4 coffee cups that have shattered into thousands of pieces by someone, who shall remain nameless, but knows who she is and how serious this is starting to become in our house.
Since we are down another coffee cup and I’m going to have to start doing spare jobs on the side to afford to buy new one’s, I decided we would go simple today and review one of the most popular Black Rifle Coffee products, the Freedom Blend K Cup.
It’s easy to make with the Keuring Coffee Maker and if the coffee is as good as it’s been touted online, then I should be happy. I’m not a big fan of K Cups, but I’m always willing to test, and retest and keep an open mind. The same way I’m keeping an open mind that some magically fairy princess will swoop down and one day wave a magic wand and instantly make all my broken coffee cups come back to life.
COFFEE CHARACTERISTICS
The Freedom Blend K Cups are surprisingly good. I’m ashamed to admit, this coffee is much better than I thought it would be. The Keurig machine has done a great job this morning.
COFFEE ROAST
The coffee roast is a medium roast coffee. They make coffee bean and ground coffee products for this roast called the Freedom Roast. Don’t confuse this blend with the Black Rifle Freedom Fuel blend, which is a dark roast coffee.
COFFEE AROMA
The coffee aroma is deep and hearty, and isn’t weak, it’s got some legs to it and is a little more intense than I thought it would be for a K Cup.
COFFEE BODY
The body is medium it’s not too heavy, it’s got a pleasant lightness about it but not too light, the roast is balanced and fine.
COFFEE SWEETNESS
Hints of cocoa, a little touch of caramel, maybe a smidge of toffee, it’s all there in this coffee.
COFFEE ACIDITY
I love the low acidity in this coffee, it’s got a really nice balance and it’s incredibly smooth for a K Cup coffee. Much better than most I’ve tried in the past.
COFFEE MOUTHFEEL
The feel is slightly rich with a hint of crispness but balanced and smooth
COFFEE FINISH
The finish is nice and smooth. I get a little chocolate on the back of it, but it’s not a heavy chocolate flavor. The roast is balanced and has the refined flavor of the better quality medium roast coffees.
THE COFFEE GOOD STUFF
- True medium roast coffee
- Balanced roast, and excellent acidity and flavor
- Rich finish but not heavy
THE COFFEE BAD STUFF
There isn’t much to say in terms of negativity about this coffee. It’s a solid coffee and one of the better one’s I’ve had from the K Cup products. The Black Rifle website says the brew methods for this coffee are Espresso, Pour Over, Cold Brew, Drip, and Press. I’d like to review the French Press version to see the difference in taste and I may do that in a future coffee review, so stay tuned.
SUMMARY
I will be the first to admit I was pleasantly surprised with the ability of this coffee to deliver in a K Cup. The coffee itself is very good and the taste and flavor are among the higher class medium roast coffee products on the market today. This coffee is definitely worth a try if you are a regular K Cup user and want to expand your horizons and try something different.
