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Author:
Jessica Simms
Bold, smooth, balanced, intensely flavorful, and with an aroma that turns your kitchen into heaven each morning. 35% of all American coffee drinkers are hooked on the vibrant mouthfeel that black coffee provides.
If you, too, like your Joe rich and strong (still talking about coffee, guys!), then we’ve hand-picked the very best coffee brands for you. No need for milk and cream with these mouthwatering Java types. We dare you to try them all!
If you are a Keurig coffee lover, then you will definitely find your palate’s soulmate in this fantastic variety pack. With 60 K-cup pods and 20 best-selling coffee varieties, this tasty Keurig pod collection truly reigns supreme.
Whether you like your roast light, dark, or medium, your coffee intense, bright, or smooth, our best choice has something for every taste. Green Mountain, Donut Shop, Kahlua, Cinnabon, Laughingman Newman’s own are just a slither of what’s inside. The best tasting coffee to truly enjoy black!
For all the Nespresso owners and espresso lovers out there, here come the ultimate dark capsules for a deeply satisfying cup of intense and devilishly delightful coffee.
With an intensity level of 8, full-body, and a velvety finish, there is no doubt that our premium pick will please your bold taste. Made and roasted in Italy, Lavazza just never seems to disappoint.
With a taste of toasted cereals and deliciously deep caramel notes, this unique blend offers one rounded, delicious cup of black coffee.
Fan of McCafé coffee? You can have the real deal in the comfort of your own home! With our best value on this list, you get to enjoy light, bright, but incredibly pleasing caffeinated cuppa every morning.
These ground Arabica beans taste like sunshine on your tongue. Vibrant but smooth and subtle, this blend is perfect for those who wish to start their day in a deliciously gentle way. And the best part? This mouthwatering coffee is a fit for any budget.
Cocoa and nuts complement Java beans in this medium-roasted coffee blend. Balanced, smooth, and incredibly rich, these k-cup pods offer a well-rounded and extremely delicious cup of Joe.
Sweet, chocolate-flavored, and roasted to medium, this blend is a definite match for any palate.
No matter what Keurig brewer you own, this coffee brings the enjoyable Starbucks taste straight to your kitchen.
And if you have a green thumb, you’ll love the fact that you can simply peel the pods, empty (or compost!) the grounds, and recycle the cups.
If K-cup pods are what you’re after and you are hooked on the deep notes that dark roasts bring to your tongue, then this Green Mountain coffee is your ultimate match.
Intense and bold coffee with a strong kick of fruity and chocolate notes, this Green Mountain roast is for the experienced coffee drinkers only.
Compatible with all Keurig K-cup makers, this deep and rich blend brings irresistible taste and convenience wrapped in one.
If you’re craving the taste of black coffee but not in the mood for the energizing caffeine punch, then we highly suggest you try this fantastic coffee.
This decaf blend is roasted to dark perfection but offers a smoky yet surprisingly bright and balanced mouthfeel.
Single-serve K-cup decaf pods that taste like the real thing without the pick-me-up kick! Feel free to indulge in guiltless refills!
For those that enjoy both varieties – Hawaiian Kona coffee and regular Latin American Java – here is a blend that guarantees pleased taste buds with every black sip.
Smooth mouthfeel, delicate body, and tasty finish all spiced up with delicious tropical hints, is what these Arabica beans will bring to your cup.
And thanks to the convenient pod packaging, you get to enjoy your Joe even on the busiest of mornings.
A full-bodied medium roast that offers a deep and rich taste, irresistible aroma, and sweet and winey finish.
Coming from the Colombian Peaks, these 100% Arabica beans packed in K-Cup pods will never fail to please.
Kosher and oh-so-tasty, this Eight O’Clock blend is perfect for drinking it black.
This high-octane, artisan and incredibly delicious coffee brings an enjoyable kick that is best when consumed black.
Super-strong, intense, but incredibly smooth at the same time, this Valhalla Java blend offers one robust and tasty punch.
Organic, fairtrade, and 100% sustainable, give these grounds a try and see why this Java is called the true nectar of the Gods.
If you are looking for a strong caffeine kick to go with your morning cuppa, then the name of this brand alone should be enough to convince you to make this blend your choice.
But the intense wake-me-up punch is not the only thing to love about this Java. This dark roast, besides its strong kick and smoky body, brings a sweet flavor and tasting notes that you will not be able to resist. Dark chocolate, brown sugar, cacao nibs, and roasted nuts join their forces in the creation of this mouthwatering coffee.
The fact that it is shade-grown, organic, fairtrade, and kosher, only seals the deal.
If you belong in the bold coffee drinker category that enjoys strong, rich, and full-bodied sips, then this whole-bean coffee is definitely something you should try.
Deep and intense but smooth and balanced at the same time, Koffee Kult’s dark roast offers a clean taste, free of bitter afternotes. With the ideal level of acidity and cinnamon/cocoa notes to go alongside the irresistible taste, there’s a lot to love about this delicious blend.
Cannot make up your mind between medium and dark roast? Have them both! With this medium-dark roast with low-acidity, incredible depth of flavor, rich body, and cocoa notes, satisfaction in your morning black cuppa is guaranteed.
Organic and Honduras-cultivated, Café Don Pablo really means business with this blend. Subtle, sweet, and with the perfect roast degree, this Java will win you over after the very first sip.
Dark roasted coffee for a deep and super bold flavor! Made by the largest coffee cultivator in Hawaii, these Kauai pods bring heaps of flavor and aroma with them.
Smooth, velvety, but with an intense kick that wakes up your senses almost instantly, these premium Arabica beans are best taken without any add-ins.
Less plastic and sustainable practices make these pods super friendly to the environment, as well.
Grown on high elevations in Colombia and Guatemala, this bulletproof ground coffee offers the golden balance that all tastes will find satisfying.
Roasted to medium, clean, and with a smooth and sweet touch on the palate, there is no doubt that this premium-quality blend offers a pleasing taste when consumed black.
But you’re so wrong if you think that the delicious taste is its best feature. What we love the most about this blend is its certified clean body, free of toxins. Optimized production and sustainable practices guarantee quality in the healthiest way possible.
In need of a decent Java for your cold brew maker? We’ve found you the winner! Engineered for the cold brew coffee-making process, Bizzy’s ground coffee offers you cold black sips to savor each morning.
Roasted to medium but with a dark and deep flavor, these grounds will energize you in an instant. Thanks to its sweet, nutty, and caramel note wrapped together in a complex body, you will take deep pleasure in each cold cuppa.
And for the ethically-concerned bunch – this coffee is 100% organic.
Besides the coffee’s quality, the degree to which the Java beans are roasted determines what the taste of the cuppa will be like. In general, we can divide the roasts into four categories:
Light Roasts – Bright in color, light in body, and without oil on the surface, these beans reach a temperature of 356-401 degrees F. This roasting stops as soon as the first crack of the roasting happens.
Medium Roasts – Medium-brown, more bodied, and with a balanced flavor and acidity, the medium roasts reach a temperature of 410-428 degrees F. The medium roasting happens after the first crack, right before the second one.
Medium-Dark Roasts –Richer, darker, slightly oily, and with a temperature of 437-446 degrees F, this spicy roast happens at the moment of the second crack.
Dark Roasts – Chocolate-brown in color, shiny surface, and with a smoky taste, the dark roast happens at the end of the second crack and reaches a temperature of 565-482 degrees F.
Although they may all look the same to you, coffee actually comes in different types. But while we would love to dive deeply into the exploration of the coffee species, there are two main Java types to be concerned with: Arabica and Robusta.
Arabica Beans – The majority of the commercial coffee (60% of it, to be exact) are Arabica beans. Arabica is more complex, flavorful, and brighter in color, which is why it is the preferred and most popular type of coffee.
Robusta Beans – This is the more intense type that is usually mixed with the Arabica beans for the creation of more caffeinated blends. They withstand climate conditions better than their Arabica siblings; however, their hardiness makes them not a good fit for most tastes.
Black coffee may be your preferred choice of a morning pick-me-up, but there is more to it than a pleasant taste and energizing kick.
Whether you’re doing it for the sake of ditching sugar or simply so you can taste the rawness and real flavor of your beans, consuming black Java is always a good choice. But as good as it sounds, this may be quite challenging if your palate is addicted to the creamy and sweet add-ins that enter your cup.
If you want to learn how to enjoy your black cuppa truly, stick to these tips:
Take It Fresh – Coffee tastes a lot better when it is still crisp, so make sure not to brew stale beans.
Ground Your Own Beans – To ensure a fresh cup, grind your beans just before brewing
Listen To Your Tummy – Some of us have an upset stomach, so take that into account when choosing your blend. If acids are not that friendly to your tummy, stick to coffee with low acidity.
Give Your Sugar and Cream Up, Gradually – If you cannot go cold turkey, try gradually decreasing the add-ins, giving your tongue time to adjust to the new taste of your brew slowly.
Ready to take the plunge and go black? Your palate’s best friend hides between our top 15 tasting brands. Our advice is to try them all and pick a favorite. We would love to hear all about your black coffee drinking experience!
