It seems like the whole world is going organic for whatever reason. And to catch up with the trend, coffee lovers are not stepping back either. The sale of organic coffee has skyrocketed ever since people took work from home seriously. At first glance, the entire organic thing might look like hype only. But trust us, it is here to stay.
What draws the line between regular coffee and organic coffee is anything but the taste. The term organic points more towards a set of certifications rather than a magical difference in flavors or aroma. If so, why is there such a significant price gap between the two?
The answer lies again in the certification process, as the standards for getting an organic label are very high. Producers must follow the hard and fast rules set by organizations like the USDA. For example, they have to fulfill proper farming conditions, avoid toxication, ensure fair labor, and more.
Needless to say, all that cost will eventually translate into an expensive price tag. And while paying those extra bucks, you must be wondering which product is worth it. Hence, this article. You’ll find all the nitty-gritty details about organic coffee here, with the best organic coffee reviews 2022.
Contents
- 1 Our Picks
- 1.1 Lavazza Organic Whole Bean Coffee Blend
- 1.2 Cafe Don Pablo Subtle Earth Organic Coffee
- 1.3 Mayorga Organics Café Cubano Roast Arabica Bean Coffee
- 1.4 Cafe Don Pablo Dark Roast Subtle Earth Organic Coffee
- 1.5 Mavericks Low Acid Organic Coffee Ground
- 1.6 Lavazza Super Crema Whole Bean Coffee
- 1.7 Lavazza Certified Organic Fairtrade Kosher Coffee
- 1.8 Real Good Coffee Organic Dark Roast Coffee Beans
- 1.9 Peet's Coffee USDA Organic French Roast
- 2 What is Organic Coffee? Are There Global Standards?
- 3 Is Organic Coffee Better Than Regular coffee?
- 4 Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Organic Coffee
- 5 Final Words
Our Picks
Best Value | Best Rating | Premium Choice |
 |  |  |
Cafe Don Pablo Subtle Earth Organic Coffee | Lavazza Organic Whole Bean Coffee Blend | Lavazza Certified Organic Fairtrade Kosher Coffee |
Quantity: 2 Pound | Quantity: 2.2 Pound | Quantity: 2.2 Pound |
Flavor: Whole Bean Coffee | Flavor: Organic ¡Tierra! | Flavor: Three Sisters – Medium Roast |
Lavazza Organic Whole Bean Coffee Blend
Lavazza Organic ¡Tierra! has all the certifications you can ask for in a bag of organic coffee. For example, it is Canada Organic and UTZ & Euro Leaf Organic certified, alongside having a mandatory USDA organic certification. Since most other options only cover the USDA validation, it deserves some credit.
Moreover, these coffee beans are of 100% premium Arabica blend, roasted in Italy. Unless you’re into single-origin coffee, you will love their rich-bodied roast that has notes of malt, honey, and chocolate. Best of all, you can use any coffee maker with them although they are best for espresso. Key Feature:
- It has necessary certifications, including the USDA organic, Canada organic, and so on.
- 100% sustainable growing method.
- Premium Arabica blend with rich-bodied Italian roast offers unparalleled taste and aroma.
- Suitable for any coffee maker out there.
Cafe Don Pablo Subtle Earth Organic Coffee
This pack of whole bean organic coffee from Subtle Earth has a very profound chocolaty flavor. And when you pair that with the medium-dark roast, it is a tasty treat indeed. Besides, it has a velvety body, causing as little acidity as possible.
And as for origin, it is single-origin, coming from the farms of Honduras. Hence, you can expect this 100% Arabica coffee to have a consistent aroma.
Though it only comes with the CCOF organic certification, you can rest assured as CCOF has a similar set of guidelines like USDA. Most interestingly, these coffee beans are labeled GMO-free. So, it has nothing to do with genetic modification, providing an added peace of mind. Key Feature:
- Originated in Honduras, it offers a persistent taste.
- These medium roasted beans have a burst of chocolaty flavor.
- It is CCOF organic certified, leaving no scope for ecologically unfriendly effects.
- The GMO-free label assures healthy caffeine intake only.
Mayorga Organics Café Cubano Roast Arabica Bean Coffee
Unlike typical options, Mayorga Organics Café Cubano Roast doesn’t feature a chocolaty flavor. Instead, it comes with hints of vanilla combined with syrupy smokiness. Hence, it has a one-of-a-kind taste.
Furthermore, the origin of this blend is Peru, Nicaragua, and the already popular Honduras. Therefore, you can expect it to have an exceptional flavor profile. Plus, the shade-grown 100% Arabica beans go through a slow roasting process, which further enhances the flavors.
Besides, this coffee mostly comes from certified farmers and passes quite a lot of quality inspections. The USDA organic, non-GMO verification, and Kosher are a few of them. Key Feature:
- Hints of vanilla and sweet syrupy texture makes it a delightful drink.
- The blend has rich flavors from Honduras, Peru, and Nicaragua.
- Slow roasting process brings the most out of its flavors.
- It has necessary certifications required for organic coffee.
Cafe Don Pablo Dark Roast Subtle Earth Organic Coffee
This pack of 100% Arabica coffee is yet another offering from the Subtle Earth brand. Unlike the one we discussed previously, it comes with dark roasted beans. That means the beans were roasted longer than the medium roasted ones. Hence, you’re likely to get a standardized version of its otherwise rich chocolaty flavor.
Other than that, it has the CCOF organic certification as well as the GMO-free label. Therefore, you can count it as eco-friendly for the most part. Besides, it is single-origin, meaning it has a good level of consistency going on for the quality. Key Feature:
- Dark roast makes a great choice for people who love standardized flavors.
- Backed up by CCOF certification.
- No genetic modification involved.
- Sngle-origin coffee comes straight out of Honduras, having a persistent aroma and flavor.
- Low acidity.
Mavericks Low Acid Organic Coffee Ground
Mavericks is a well-known coffee brand whose products speak for them. And this organic coffee is no exception to that either. To clarify, it is one of the safest out there, with up to 90% reduced acid. So, you can drink it even if you’re suffering from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, heartburn, or similar medical conditions.
What’s more, it is perfectly okay to consume for people on a keto alkaline diet. Although there’s no mention of USDA, CCOF, or similar certifications, these coffee beans are pretty health-friendly with no added chemicals whatsoever. Key Feature:
- 90% less acid makes it a drink for everybody, no matter the health conditions.
- It does not collide with keto diet plans.
- Slow roasted beans provide more scope for flavor exploration.
- It has a chemical-free roasting and thus is ideal for human health.
Lavazza Super Crema Whole Bean Coffee
If you want something to replace boring chocolate-flavored coffee, the Lavazza Super Crema is an ideal pick. It has notes of hazelnuts along with brown sugar, offering a unique flavor. And thanks to the medium roasting it goes through, you can explore all that and still taste the distinct characteristics of the coffee beans.
Aside from that, this coffee has an exceptional blend with a subtle touch of Italian roast. As a result, you can easily feel the difference while comparing it to any single-origin or generic blend coffee. Key Feature:
- Notes of brown sugar and hazelnuts give it an exceptional taste.
- Mild, creamy espresso roast retains the characteristics of whole beans.
- Perfect for use with espresso machines.
- Italian blend and roast add a slight touch of uniqueness to it.
Lavazza Certified Organic Fairtrade Kosher Coffee
Compared to other options, this one from Kicking Horse Coffee has the most uncommon flavors. However, that does not mean it fails to deliver a great taste. It excels in the competition with notes of sweet tobacco, cocoa, and stone fruit. Once it gets into a drip machine or cold brew, you’ll love the burst of flavors.
Other than that, its origin is Central & South America and Indonesia. So, it has quite the variation anyone would expect from blended coffee. Lastly, this shade-grown organic coffee has Fairtrade, Kosher, and equivalent certifications. Hence, it is good for not only the consumer but also the farmers and our planet. Key Feature:
- It has a distinct combination of flavors with hints of cocoa, sweet tobacco, and stone fruit.
- Perfect for drip machine, French press, cold brew, and pour over.
- More than one origin keeps the variation alive.
- It comes with required certifications.
Real Good Coffee Organic Dark Roast Coffee Beans
If medium or slow roast coffee doesn’t attract you much, perhaps this is the best deal you can find right now. These sustainable yet premium dark roast Arabica beans let you kickstart the day with a tasty classic cup of coffee. And to top it off, there are hints of bell pepper and cedar combined with lemony acidity.
Most interestingly, these beans are single-origin, coming from Central & South America. Thus, you won’t find any taste shifting whatsoever. Besides, finding a machine for these beans is a breeze as they work with almost all of them. Key Feature:
- Dark roast allows you to get all the benefits without having to dive too deep into flavors.
- Hints of spices and cedar enhance the taste.
- The beans are single-origin, keeping things consistent.
- Works with any espresso maker, drip machines, French press, pour-over, and AeroPress.
Peet's Coffee USDA Organic French Roast
Peet’s Coffee has gone with dark roasted 100% Arabica beans with hints of caramel to create a smoky bittersweet taste. And they managed to deliver it right on point with this French roast pack.
Furthermore, these beans have USDA certification covered, which means their growing method was harmless to the environment. Also, they are grown with meticulous care so that the process remains sustainable, a must-have quality for organic coffee. Key Feature:
- Its tasty bittersweet flavor makes the perfect morning companion, with hints of caramel.
- It is USDA organic certified.
- Meticulously grown for ensuring utmost sustainability.
- Dark roast balances out the flavors pretty well.
What is Organic Coffee? Are There Global Standards?
Coffee produced without using certain additives, pesticides, herbicides, and other artificial chemicals is called organic coffee. There are other criteria also that organic coffee has to fulfill. For instance, the fertilizers must be 100% organic, keeping synthetic phosphate, nitrogen, and potash out of the list. Finally, it has to get certified as organic from organizations like USDA.
And for global standards, they aren’t the same for all the countries or regions. The USDA standards for the organic label won’t match entirely with other regulatory agencies in Europe, Japan, or China. While the World Health Organization sees no harm in using GMOs, some agencies might ban genetic modification.
However, they all have some factors that are pretty much identical to each other. Restrictions on using synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides remain the same from all agencies, for example.
Is Organic Coffee Better Than Regular coffee?
Organic coffee is better than regular coffee in some aspects. Despite being controversial, there’s an assumption that shade-grown coffee takes more time to ripen. As a result, it packs in better taste, providing a richer and brighter finish.
Other than the taste, organic coffee has more health benefits than conventionally grown coffee. After following all the regulations, it will barely have toxic chemicals, whereas regular coffee grows on them. Therefore, organic coffee is safer to consume.
Finally, what separates organic coffee from regular coffee is its eco-friendly growing methods. With governing agencies like USDA, the producers can’t get the organic label without ensuring sustainable growth. Meanwhile, they have to ensure worker rights as well. Unfortunately, producers of regular coffee hardly maintain any of these rules, making it inferior to the organic alternative.
Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Organic Coffee
While choosing regular coffee depends mainly on your take on taste and aroma, picking organic coffee is a bit different. Here’s more on that note.
Types of Organic Coffee
The two basic types that apply to any coffee you come across are single-origin and blend.
Single Origin
As the name suggests, single-origin coffee comes from a single source, either from one country, region, or producer. In other words, these whole bean coffee bags are packed without mixing with beans from other farms or sources. Some also come with a label saying ‘Single Farm Coffee’ to assure the consumers.
Besides, single-origin coffee has its appeal as it originates in farms often not heard about. For example, a small 6-acre farm in Nicaragua that produces the Lifeboost coffee beans is one of its kind. So, if you consider yourself an enthusiast, these coffee beans are worth giving a try.
The best thing about single-origin coffee is its purity and quality. Since all of the beans were nurtured the same way, they produce an excellent aroma. However, they can sometimes be a little bit expensive. So, there’s that.
Blend
Blend coffee beans are the opposite of their single-origin counterparts. As you can probably guess, these come from a group of places rather than a single region or farm. Although it sounds like an inconsistency, it has its perks. For instance, different origins mean different flavors, which complement each other to give an even better outcome. Best of all, you get a more balanced taste, which is often missing from single-origin coffee.
Growing Process
The growing process has a whole lot to do with the actual shifting towards organic alternatives. You see, the motive is to get the best for us while keeping our environment in its best shape. Here’s a couple of processes that you should know about before getting a bag of organic coffee.
Shade-Grown
The shade-grown coffee gets its name from the unique way they are grown, under the shade of large trees. Unlike the conventional sun-grown process, this method improves water retention and saves biodiversity, pollination, and native plants. Considering the global shortage of pure water, it contributes a lot.
Wet Processed
In the case of wet-processed coffee, the coffee fruit, aka coffee cherry, is separated from the bean shortly after picking. And the separation is carried out even before washing or drying the beans. According to many people, this extra step helps retain a special sort of taste in single-origin coffee.
However, the process is not that eco-friendly as it uses way more water ergo than required otherwise. When you compare it with the natural process where the fruit and bean are dried together, the latter turns out better. But if neither of these interests you, there’s an intermediary process that uses honey.
Certifications: USDA Organic
The USDA organic certification means the growing process of the coffee beans happened under the federal guidelines. In other words, there is a dedicated Organic 101 series from USDA that defines what is allowed and what is not.
For example, you can grow the beans on fields that have no records of producing banned substances in the last 3 years. Moreover, it also says that the farmers need to collect meticulous records, which accredited agencies inspect each year.
Most interestingly, these agencies can verify farms all over the world. Therefore, even if a coffee bag comes from remote African regions, you can rest assured if it is USDA organic certified.
Bird-Friendly
Usually, this certification gets issued from an agency called Smithsonian. The main focus is to preserve the natural habitat of birds using a strict set of shade-grown guidelines.
Rainforest Alliance
This certification goes further into environmental protection than the USDA. Anyhow, it also works to maintain proper community relations and ensure that workers get their deserved treatment.
Final Words
As remote work is becoming a choice rather than an obligation, coffee needs are higher than ever. And to keep up with all that, buying a pack of best organic coffee can be your next best investment. Hopefully, our review sections helped you get a clear understanding of the best available products.
Yet, if you’re still baffled about what to pick, we suggest the Lavazza Organic ¡Tierra! whole bean coffee. You cannot go wrong with this one as it comes with a light roast that is perfect for beginners. Also, it ticks all the right boxes when it comes to sustainability, with all the necessary organic certifications.
However, the Lavazza Super Crema is also a good choice if light roast coffee bothers you. This one has a medium roast profile, with notes of hazelnuts and brown sugar. So, it has a nutty bittersweet taste that can reduce the monotony caused by regular coffee.
With that out of the way, you have to consider whether the coffee works with the machine you have. While many of them will work great with all types of machines, some are specific for espresso. So, make sure you don’t end up buying the wrong combination.
