All Things Pinoy,  Product Reviews

Filipino Coffee brands I’ve been loving (Part 1)

To say that I’m one of those incredibly happy about the surging Filipino coffee scene would be an understatement. First it was chocolate and now it’s coffee– two of my favorite things in the world! Ever since my introduction to Figures of Beans, I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for other local brands. It didn’t take long for more brands to sprout online, and my adventures in trying out the different Filipino coffee brands out there began to take shape.

Years ago, I had no idea that there were so many places that cultivated coffee in the country. Batangas barako was always famous, but it has been the Mountain Provinces that have been taking the spotlight in recent years. There are now a lot of farmers growing mostly arabica and robusta in the Cordilleras, specifically Benguet and Sagada. Mindanao also produces quite a bit of coffee, although I have yet to try any.

The best part about this growing coffee industry in the country is how much it helps the lives of Pinoy farmers. I have always wondered why the government gives too little attention to farmers, but somehow I am relieved that at least some private individuals recognize the importance of the local farming industry. Most of the Filipino coffee brands I will be sharing today have made it a mission to partner with local farmers, not just to keep their business going, but to give their partner farmers a consistent source of livelihood.

And that’s why I decided to write this little post here today. It’s my way of recognizing all the effort put into creating these products. I don’t know how much this will help in the grand scheme of things, but I want people to know that Filipino coffee can be just as good as those expensive imported coffees. Heck, I am so proud that we can make this kind of coffee actually. From the quality of beans down to the super swanky packaging, these Filipino coffee brands can absolutely stand their own against foreign brands. 

Obviously there are tons of other Filipino coffee brands I have not yet tried so I only have a handful of them in this list, but I have tried enough to pick favorites. (Marked them with stars, I did!) I have in fact already repurchased several of them.

You will notice that a lot of the Filipino coffee brands in this list come in drip coffee form, just because it is such a convenient way to get a nice brew. I also do do not add any sugar or cream to my coffee, preferring it black and full-flavored. Just a little disclaimer however: Because I am not a coffee tasting expert, I can’t really give you super specific descriptions. (I would love to learn though!) However I do know what I like in a coffee and that’s how I’ve managed to choose my faves. Well, I’ve blabbered way too long. Let’s get on with the list, shall we?

1. Basilio ⭐️

Basilio’s coffee beans are sourced from different parts of the Philippines. The company teaches local farmers air roasting techniques to allow them to sell their coffee in their own communities, and not just to supply to Basilio. Their blends are made up of Philippine Arabica, Robusta, and Excelsa beans. At first, I only encountered Basilio coffee coming in big bags of coffee beans, but when they came out with drip bags I jumped on the chance to try this Filipino coffee. And I am so glad I did!

They have several available blends but I’ve only tried this one so far and I LOVE IT. I feel like the air-roasting adds an amazing scent and this toasty dark roasted taste to the coffee that is strong and deep. Maybe people who don’t enjoy strong coffee will want to drink this with lots of milk and sugar, but this is the kind of coffee I like drinking black. Dark and bold and nuanced, with a scent that makes any coffee-lover smile!

Website | Facebook page | Where to buy

2. BrewsCo

BrewsCo is a Filipino coffee brand that boasts an expertise in proper coffee bean roasting and coffee bean evaluation. Their in-house quality control person even happens to be a certified member of several coffee guilds in America. Their beans however do not exclusively come from Filipino farms, because they also source from abroad. All the processes to create the finished and packaged product are done locally though.

I bought myself BrewsCo’s assorted pack of drip coffees, and I just want to say the colorful packaging of these products are so nice to look at! I love that there are descriptions of the blends so people will know what to expect. The flavored ones aren’t my favorites from the pack although they smelled pleasant enough. My favorite here is the Moreno, which to me is their darkest and deepest blend.

Website | Facebook page | Where to buy

3. Cafe Amadeo

This brand’s coffee comes from the municipality of Amadeo in Cavite, home of the Pahimis Festival from which one of the blends gets its namesake. It is proudly one of the suppliers of coffee beans to Nestle Philippines, Universal Robina Corp., and Figaro, to name a few. Of course, they also sell their beans under their own Amadeo name.

This is the first coffee I’ve tried that comes in a tea bag for steeping, and I think it’s a clever idea. Except the strings on these tea bags get detached so easily! I also want to mention that the teabags do not come individually packed inside the plastic. I suppose that’s how they keep this product super cheap.

If you don’t like strong coffee and prefer something on the light side, Cafe Amadeo’s blends will become your friend. You absolutely must use only a small amount of water in a teacup for best experience. This to me tastes like a drowned out Americano, with the Pahamis having maybe a bit more flavor than the Excelsa. It does not give me the satisfying hit or flavor profile I personally look for in coffee, so I am not a big fan of these blends. However, I thought it was worth a mention for those who like coffee lite.

Website | Facebook page | Where to buy

4. Cafe-Te-Ria ⭐️

From the packaging alone, it’s clear that Cafe-Te-Ria proudly highlights the local origins of their coffee. Seeing the potential of the rich mountain soil of the Philippines in producing quality coffee, this family-owned business was started in 2014. To this day, Cafe-Te-Ria continues to produce quality coffee while also engaging in the mission of empowering local farmers by teaching them modern farming methods. Their dream is to see the local coffee industry become great again. (A dream I share.)

I am always so grateful when brands make these kinds of sampler sets so that potential customers can get a little taste before committing to buy big bags. However, because Cafe-Te-Ria does not sell their coffees in drip bags, you will need some sort of brewing instrument to drink this. For the record, I enjoyed every blend available in this box, but my favorite is the Jacinto blend. I even bought a big bag of ground Jacinto blend coffee so that my family can try it out too.

Website | Facebook page | Where to buy

5. Daybreak Coffee

If you’re looking for straightforward coffee blends, Daybreak Coffee is your go-to. Their blends are identified by source, making it easier for you to identify your coffee preference. There is liberica or barako from Batangas (medium roasted with a bold taste and strong aroma), Arabica from Benguet (full-bodied, balanced, with hints of citrus), and finally, Arabica from Sagada (dark-roasted with a smooth body).

This was one of the first few brands I tried since falling in love with coffee from the Mountain Provinces. Ironically, my favorite from the set is the Batangas Coffee, though the Sagada one does a great job of waking me up too! My only gripe with this brand is how frail its drip bag is. The handle sometimes breaks off from the bag even as I am just halfway through pouring the water in.

Website | Facebook | Where to buy

6. Dipbrew Coffee Co.

Dipbrew is a beautifully packaged brand that sources their beans from different regions in the Philippines. They make use of a wide range of recipes that infuse the best qualities of each coffee species to create their blends. Dipbrew comes in four blends: Classic, Morning Kick, Macadamia, and Hazelnut-Vanilla. They also come in both drip coffee and big-bag coffee sizes.

The grind this brand puts into their drip bags is coarser than most, and the mouth of their bag doesn’t quite open too big so you have to be careful with the hot water. I’ve also had handles break off from the bag occasionally. This used to be a favorite but I had to downgrade it when I noticed that the quality of the coffee on my second buy doesn’t seem to be as good as my first buy. However I still enjoy their Classic Blend the most. Just like with BrewsCo, I’m not terribly fond of the flavored blends.

Facebook | Where to buy

7. Figures of Beans ⭐️

Ah, the coffee brand that started my love affair with local coffee! I’m not going to write a long introduction about Figures of Beans because I already wrote an entire blog post about it. I am going to say however that this brand has a special place in my heart, not only for the reason I mentioned in the first sentence, but also because it makes damn good coffee.

They don’t pack their coffee in drip bags (yet?), but I absolutely love looking through the coffee sets they come up with! Their black packaging is super saucy and sleek. It’s export-ready, to be frank. I also love the names they assigned to their coffee blends.

This is probably the only brand I’ve tried so far where I enjoyed the flavored blends because it infuses more naturally with the coffee. The flavorings don’t stand out in a semi-sickly sweet way but blends in with the scent and flavor of the coffee ever so nicely. Most recently, we bought and finished up a bag of Metaphor (Caramel Coffee). When we’re in a more serious-coffee mode, we go for Irony (Sagada) or Paradox (Benguet).

Website & Shop | Facebook page

8. Great Basket Third Wave Coffee ⭐️

This drip coffee is the Great Basket brand’s flagship product, so it follows that they have done extensive research- followed by a long search around the country for the best organic coffee- to be able to make a topnotch product. I can’t find a lot of info on this product online, which annoys me because I really like this coffee!

I was instantly in love with Great Basket the moment I took my first sip. The intensity of the roast and the blend of the beans were perfect for my tastebuds, and I find myself sipping ever so slowly so I can savor this coffee. Just like most black coffees, I find it pairs well with dessert hehehe… My only issue with this brand is that it is so elusive! I wish more online stores carried it because it deserves a wider fanbase!

Facebook | Where to buy

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And there you have it! My brain is currently not coming up with any words for an outro but I certainly hope this post introduced some new things to everyone. Which of these Filipino coffee brands have you tried? Which brands are you excited to try? Comment down below while I go and grab myself a cuppa!

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