The pros: Trader Joe's Honey Processed Organic Nicaraguan Coffee is new and a mild medium brew.
The cons: If you were hoping for a coffee that does not require some sugar, then you might be disappointed. But the bag does explain the whole "honey processed" name.
The verdict: I'm pretty sure that every time Trader Joe's has a small lot variety of coffee, I end up picking it up. This was no exception when I picked it up back in August. Sometimes I just get backtracked in writing reviews for various items.
Now, most of Trader Joe's regular rotation of coffees are found in cans with a couple exceptions like the not so great Geisha Coffee. However, most of the small lot, single origin coffees tend to be found in bags. This bag is no different. It holds twelve ounces of coffee and sells for $8.99. It's a bit of a premium, however the coffee is labeled as organic which always seems to raise the price of anything.
The first thing that stood out to me is the honey processed name. Sounds appetizing to me. However, while it appears in the name, it does not translate to honey actually being in this product. It's actually a reference to how these beans are dried. So you are getting a medium roasted bean that has a nice sheen to each bean. Once ground, it has a pleasant coffee like fragrance.
Once brewed you'll end up with a pleasant, but not distinct cup of coffee. The coffee is very smooth and not acidic. It's also well balanced. It also has a subtle creaminess to the flavor that works well if you add milk to your cup of joe. Now, while Trader Joe's offers lots of coffee varieties in the medium to dark range, there is a problem with offering so many: they start to blend together. Don't get me wrong, this is good coffee, but I also like feeling like I am drinking something different and unique. Around the holidays Trader Joe's offers a flight of chocolate that will have you picking apart different notes of the chocolate. I think if I had a dozen medium brews lined up, there are only a handful that I could pick up. Overall, it was a good choice and made for an otherwise pleasant cup. But there was nothing standout either. So, it might end up in my cart again. It might not. It is just another medium brew with only the slightest notes that scream "I'm different from every coffee on the shelf." I was missing that. Plus, Trader Joe's seems to come out with a new single origin coffee seemingly every other month so there is always something new to reach for (like the Zambia coffee I just bought the other day).
Here is the visual run down of what you get if you buy this product:
The bag:
How Trader Joe's describes this and how to prepare:
Out of the package you get:
After being brewed you get:
Would I buy this again? Trader Joe's Honey Processed Organic Nicaraguan Coffee is good, but there are so many good choices in the medium roast range. There was nothing truly standout about the flavor, but it was a good coffee.
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
judilyn says
Too bad they don't have small "trial size" bags of coffee. I've seen vacuum-packed two-ounce sized bags in the grocery store, but have never purchased them. Would think this would be a good way to try out a coffee without having to buy so much of it at a time. A 12-ounce bag of coffee lasts me three weeks, and I make a quart a day.
Does your store have a suggestion box?
Virtual hugs,
Judie
becomebetty says
Hey Judie! I couldn't agree more. The only time I've seen the 2 ounce sample size was with the flavored holiday coffees. Which is a bummer because I would love to run through their entire coffee aisle. On a happy note, I've only had a couple of coffees I would never repurchase.
Thanks for sharing as always!
vintage45 says
I shop Trader Joe's every week. Over the years I've found some of their products change and aren't worth buying again. Example:Sourdough pizza. First one was great. Real sourdough flavor. After that...someone lost the recipe.
I've been getting their Meringue cookie lately and enjoying them. Years ago Whole Foods had the same thing. It also came in coffee and lemon. at TJ it's vanilla only. Maybe because it's their store brand and they decided not to add any other flavors. Hopefully in the nar future they'll get with it.
becomebetty says
Trader Joe's Vanilla Meringue cookies reminded me of the marshmallows in Lucky Charms (in a good way). Anyways, Trader Joe's sometimes changes the packaging to have you think that it's a new product when it has been on the shelves previously. In fact, I just picked up Trader Joe's Blueberry Waffles and it appears that the packaging is new but the product might be the same as last year. Thanks for sharing!
Ashley Minor says
I loved this coffee and bought three bags. It takes on such a different flavor when it is processed with cold brew.
becomebetty says
Hey Ashley! I saw it back on shelves (this year it was in a yellow bag and was black honey processed I believe). Thanks so much for the tip on the cold brew. I'll make it a point to try more coffees as cold brews. Only problem lately is that they've come out with so many small lot brews I can't get to them fast enough! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by!