7 Best Breakfast Blend Coffee Reviewed

crazy by Editorial Staff | Updated on April 26th, 2023

The best breakfast blend coffee is a must for any coffee lover. It’s the perfect way to start your day and can even give you a little boost of energy.


But there are so many brands of breakfast blend coffee and varieties within each brand. So which one should you choose?

top view of strawberry and berries parfait in bowl near croissant and laptop

To help you find the best breakfast blend coffee, we’ve researched for you.

We’ve found the top five breakfast blends on the market based on taste, price, and quality.

EDITOR’S CHOICE2ND PICK3RD PICK

Real Good Coffee Co - Whole Bean Coffee - 2 Pound Bag -...

McCafe Breakfast Blend, Light Roast Ground Coffee, 30...

BrandReal Good CoffeeMcCafe Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
Ratings
Size2 lbs30 Ounce Canister100 Count
GroundedNoYesk-cup
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What is breakfast blend coffee?

Generally, the term “breakfast blend” can mean different things depending on who you are asking and the brand you are drinking. By and large, most breakfast blend coffees are well-balanced, mild, and straightforward. They are not too weak, watery, or overly acidic and will still have a bit of kick if brewed the right way. You can think of them as a palatable, neutral brew that helps you start your day without blowing out your palate.

It is believed that the name has been taken from the fact that we need the highest dose of caffeine in the morning, and that is why the lighter roast of coffee beans is used in this morning or breakfast blend.

Who started the breakfast blended coffee?

Gevalia brand has been using that name since the 1990s. Starbucks with its breakfast blend since 1998.

But.

We found this fantastic story about Eight O’Clock Coffee while doing our research work. The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company produced 8 o’clock coffee in 1859.

1894 newspaper ad for "Eight O'Clock Breakfast Blend" coffee from A&P
1894 newspaper ad for “Eight O’Clock Breakfast Blend” coffee from A&P

Do you know why the eight o’clock coffee was named? They did a survey and asked people about the time they usually drink their coffee. Most people they questioned said they were drinking their coffee at 8 a.m. And at 8 p.m. A&P then removed the word “Breakfast” from the name, rebranding its signature coffee as “Eight O’Clock.”

Blend coffee meaning

When you see the term blend in the coffee’s name, the manufacturer blended different coffee beans into one coffee. Typically, coffee beverage manufacturers write what coffee beans make their special blend of coffee.

What is Morning blend coffee?

It is another name for breakfast blend coffee.

How is it roasted?

Breakfast blend coffees are a lighter roast. How lighter largely depends on the manufacturer and the brand name you select. One sure thing is, if brewing a breakfast blend coffee in the morning, it will be a lighter roast than many other coffees. 

Tip! Currently, no standard defines how light a breakfast blend should be. But generally, it shouldn’t be too light, so it won’t be bitter and not so dark as to be intense. 

Breakfast blends aim for a milder roast, so they will be more mellow and smooth to appeal to a broader range of palates. In addition, it is made to be less intense to not shock you awake in the morning. 

Flavor profile 

Most people prefer their cup of joe to be acidic, smooth, balanced, tangy, and rich in flavor. They usually use South American coffees, mainly Colombian and Brazilian ones. They are known for their balance and consistency. Then mix them with a more flavorful Indonesian coffee or Central American. This is done to increase the body and reduce acidity. Next, they mix it between light and medium roast, purposively to preserve acidity and balance it.

Brew style 

Breakfast blend coffees suit brewing styles that require a medium or coarse grind. While it is possible to brew them for an espresso brew, if ground finely, darkly roasted single origins are the best for that style. Note that breakfast blend beans are from various regions and species. Traditional drip coffee makers or manual pour-overs are far more symbolic of how breakfast blends are formulated.

Caffeine content 

To understand the caffeine content in your breakfast blend coffee, you first need to understand the two species’ caffeine levels: Arabica and Robusta. On average, Robusta beans have a 2.2% caffeine content, whereas Arabica has 1.2%. Of course, these numbers can change slightly between each species’ varietals, but that change is ordinarily negligible and challenging to measure the precise amount consistently.  

Coffee beans lose density as they roast. So, when measured by weight, it is likely for a dark roast to have more caffeine per cup than a light roast; however, the differences are still negligible. 

Light or medium-roasted breakfast blends favor the use of Robusta beans to max the overall amount of caffeine per serving. They also depend on arabica varietals since they produce the milder flavor profiles that most coffee lovers prefer. 

Regarding the extraction method, it is worth noting that espresso brewing can have more caffeine per ounce than a drip-brew cup of coffee.

However, you are more likely to consume a higher volume of coffee and drink more caffeine with a drip-brewed cup, which suits a breakfast blend coffee best. Unless artificially added, a breakfast blend coffee shouldn’t have more caffeine than any other blend. 

Note that artificial additives can significantly affect the quality of your cup. For that reason, you want to be careful when trying blends that have extra additives. 

Breakfast blend coffee calories

There is about one calorie per ounce of coffee. That means a 10-ounce cup of black coffee will have 10 calories. However, as soon as you add syrup-based flavorings, sugar, or cream, that number increases exponentially.

As much as 2 ounces of nonfat milk can add up to 22 calories, while a single teaspoon of sugar accounts for 16 calories on its own. But, served plain, the energy you get from a cup of breakfast blend coffee will come mainly from the caffeine content rather than its caloric value.

Considering breakfast blends are often a medium roast coffee that mixes regional varietals to achieve a bright and mild flavor, drinking it without add-ons isn’t as challenging as blends that favor darker roasts with bitter profiles.

Note that breakfast blend coffee doesn’t have any inherent caloric differences from any other blend of coffee. Neither does the roast quality of a coffee bean impact how many calories a brewed cup can have.

Donut Shop Coffee vs. breakfast blend coffee 

While both coffees are meant to be enjoyed, they are not similar. 

The Donut Shop Coffee is served along with the donuts. Therefore, it must be bold, clean, and flavorful, not fancy. Most of the flavors are made from Arabica beans, and the coffee itself is straightforward without any fun aftertaste.

The breakfast blend is often a lighter roast than the Donut Shop coffees and doesn’t taste that strong. Breakfast blends are more acidic because of this lighter roast and have higher caffeine content. Not that full-bodied, but it can give you a kick in the morning! It was not prepared to pair with donuts or other pastries like the Donut Shop Coffee, though you can experiment!

The best breakfast blend coffee on the market

With that in mind, here are some of the best breakfast blends on the market we urge you to try.

Real Good Coffee Breakfast Blend (Best Whole Bean)

This blend yields a cup of joe that highlights the aromatic, citrus-like qualities of its most flavorful soluble compounds. It works well when you grind your coffee fresh and can be used anywhere between a coarse to fine grind. 

A French press or pour-over brewing method allows you to extract its flavor when craving something flavorful in the morning. It is a light roast with a pleasantly smooth profile and 100% arabica bean blend of varietals. 

McCafe Breakfast Blend Ground Coffee (Best Ground)

An aromatic blend based on arabica varietals makes this a favorite among the top breakfast blend ground coffees.

Their selection of Central and South American beans makes for a smooth body and balanced flavor.

As a light roast, fewer volatile oils allow the coffee’s fresh, natural notes and aroma to come forward and satisfy the palate through a mixture of scent and taste.

The pre-ground coffee works best for pour-over and drip brewing methods rather than an espresso machine or French press.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Breakfast Blend

This offering from Green Mountain is worth your small fortune. It blends Indonesia and Central America beans for an acidic and palatable morning java. 

The company goes to any length to ensure you enjoy a great cup of coffee. By paring coffee from different regions, Green Mountain ensures you get a rich flavor without the bitterness inherent in some single-origin Robusta beans. 

Starbucks Breakfast Blend, K-Cup for Keurig Brewers

  • Caffeine content: caffeinated
  • Weight: 0.7 pounds
  • Ingredients: coffee
  • Unit: 16-count breakfast blend K-cups
  • Item form: coffee brewing machine capsules and pods

More details

  • k-cups work impeccably for brewing individual servings
  • Crisp and tangy, with a touch of citrus, a lighter-bodied and balanced flavor
  • Works in any Keurig coffee brewing system

Folgers Breakfast Blend Mild Roast Ground Coffee

Folgers’ morning blend is smooth, with just the right amount of bitterness and richness. Many people might complain about Folgers, and it’s easy to see why. It was cheap, and it’s everywhere. Chances are, you might have started your coffee journey with Folgers. It feels nostalgic, and it does taste good. They are the Smucker Company, so why not pair it with some peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the morning?

Gevalia Signature Blend Coffee K-Cups

Gevalia has been known for its quality blends for decades and still holds its own through current trends, with its K-Cup products now up for grabs.

Their years of experience blending varietals to achieve a perfect balance between pleasant aroma, rich body, and smooth flavor give this mild-to-medium roast a hint of chocolate and the bright top notes that suit a breakfast blend best.

New England Coffee New England Breakfast Blend

The story of New England Coffee began in 1916 in Boston, MA. This New England Coffee is a medium-roast ground coffee made from 100% Arabica coffee beans, roasted in small batches for excellent flavor, and sourced from Africa and Central and South America. It has an apparent, low-level acidity, is slightly nutty, a little astringent, not bitter and not too bold, and with enough caffeine.

Conclusion

We hope we have made it easier for you to understand what breakfast blend coffee is. We have even given you some of the best options on the market to try. It is now your turn to settle on your favorite brand. We recommend trying all as it will be easier to pick one that satisfies you.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using these links. Remember to support us by purchasing through the Amazon/Walmart/Impact Radius links provided. Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Disclosure: No compensation or free products were received in exchange for writing this review.

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Editorial Staff

The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.