Frequently Asked Questions
blue bottle coffee hayes valley espresso blend
About Us
Where is Blue Bottle Coffee from?
Blue Bottle began in Oakland, California, with our founder, James Freeman. What started as a single small cart selling roasted coffee beans at the Old Oakland Farmers Market has evolved into a rich and diverse community of cafes that span the globe from New York to Shanghai.
Where can I buy Blue Bottle coffee?
You can buy Blue Bottle Coffee online, in our cafes, and at select retail partners. Find our coffee at your local market, or find a cafe location near you.
Is Blue Bottle considered specialty coffee?
Blue Bottle is specialty coffee, crafted with care. Every coffee we offer — whether a dependable blend or a newly released single origin — is tasted at least 50 times by our team before it reaches you. We partner with producers we’ve built long-term relationships with, working together for an average of five years or more to ensure full traceability. Our packaging is also carefully engineered to shield beans from light, air, and moisture, preserving freshness for up to 100 days after roasting, right up until the bag is opened.
Our Coffee
How long does your coffee stay fresh?
Every bag of Blue Bottle coffee is sealed in our premium, high-barrier packaging, designed to protect what matters most: flavor. The hermetic seal keeps oxygen out, while a one-way valve allows the coffee to release any remaining gases naturally. The result is coffee that remains vibrant and delicious for up to 100 days after roasting — ready whenever you are. Once open, we recommend brewing within 14 days for peak deliciousness.
Is Blue Bottle Coffee organic?
The majority of Blue Bottle coffee is certified organic. Occasionally, we source from suppliers with a legacy of environmental stewardship and high traceability, if the beans are from a region where organic certification is not feasible. Blue Bottle builds lasting relationships with producers and pays a premium to ensure top-quality coffee.
The following blends are certified organic: Bella Donovan, Three Africas, Giant Steps, 17ft Ceiling Espresso, and Hayes Valley Espresso.
Can I buy Blue Bottle coffee ground?
All of our coffee is shipped whole bean. Our coffee grinders make it easy to grind your beans fresh at home, or shop our delicious Craft Instant Coffee if you’re looking for coffee with no grinder required.
Does Blue Bottle Coffee roast its own beans?
Blue Bottle obtains our coffees through fully traceable sourcing, frequently partnering with growers we’ve collaborated with for five years or longer. Each batch is roasted in small quantities to ensure freshness. After roasting, the beans are sealed in high-barrier bags equipped with one-way valves, preserving optimal flavor until the moment they’re opened. Attention to detail drives everything we do. Every coffee is developed with a tailored roast profile to highlight its unique characteristics, supported by a rigorous scoring process to ensure consistency and quality.
What are single origin coffees?
At its core, single origin coffee is defined by where it comes from. It can be traced back to a specific coffee farm, producer, harvest, season, or processing style. In contrast, blends — while equally essential and beloved on our menus — bring together beans from different regions and sources to create a consistent and intentional flavor profile. A single origin remains tied to one place, offering a pure, unaltered expression of that source. Because it’s easy to think of coffee as a uniform everyday staple, single origins give us a chance to highlight what makes each one distinct. Single origin coffees invite us to appreciate the depth, nuance, and wide range of flavors that can exist in a single cup. Shop our available single origin coffees.
How does a Blue Bottle Coffee subscription work?
Blue Bottle offers tailored coffee and matcha deliveries to meet your preferences — change, pause, or cancel anytime. Besides the convenience of premium coffee delivered straight to your home, Blue Bottle Coffee subscribers get complimentary shipping, early access to product releases, exclusive savings, and more. Shop subscriptions.
Craft Hōjicha
What is the difference between hōjicha powder and matcha powder?
The primary difference between hōjicha and matcha is the roasting process and caffeine content. While both originate from the same plant, matcha is made from steamed, stone-ground raw tea leaves, whereas hōjicha is made by roasting green tea leaves and stems at high temperatures.
Does hōjicha have less caffeine than matcha?
Yes, hōjicha contains significantly less caffeine than matcha. The high-heat roasting process used to create hōjicha naturally reduces its caffeine content. Among green teas, hōjicha is considered one of the lowest in caffeine, without the bitterness that you sometimes find in other teas. As a low-caffeine tea, hōjicha can be enjoyed in the evening, after meals, or as a relaxing wind-down drink.
What does hōjicha taste like?
Hōjicha has a bold, toasty, and nutty flavor profile with a natural sweetness. Unlike traditional green teas, it lacks astringency and bitterness.
Key flavor notes:
Smoky caramel: A result of the roasting process (the Maillard reaction).
Earthiness: Deep, woody undertones similar to cacao or coffee.
Creamy finish: When whisked as a latte, it takes on a malt-like richness.
Blue Bottle Membership FAQs
What is Blue Bottle Membership?
Blue Bottle Membership is a way to create more rewarding rituals and enhance your life with great taste. Rooted in omotenashi and built with intention, the program will continue to evolve to ensure our guests can have meaningfully rewarding Blue Bottle experiences. We believe that wholehearted hospitality is defined by generosity. There is much joy to be had in the act of giving.
Enjoy just-for-you gifts and offers throughout the year, just because. Our app is the best place to stay tuned for any future updates.
Simply download the Blue Bottle app and enter your phone number to start earning points on purchases.
What are the benefits of the Blue Bottle app?
Download the app to start earning points and become a Blue Bottle Member. After you create an account and place your first order on our mobile app, we’ll send you a welcome reward of 50% off a beverage on your next purchase within 14 days.
You can use the app to pre-order and save time on your cafe purchases, as well as earn, track, and redeem points. You can earn points on every cup in a cafe or through our app and redeem points for free drinks for yourself or gift a drink to a friend.
Get notified about special perks: Enjoy just-for-you gifts and offers throughout the year, just because. We’ll keep you up to date on the latest with Blue Bottle sales and other special offers. Our app is the best place to stay tuned for any future updates to the Membership program.
Is Blue Bottle Membership the same as Blue Bottle coffee subscriptions?
Blue Bottle Membership and Blue Bottle coffee subscriptions are not the same program. Blue Bottle Membership is a cafe-specific program available through the latest version of our mobile app. Our iOS/Android app supports ordering, receiving, and redeeming reward points at our cafes.
Coffee and Matcha Subscriptions are only available through our online store. Each plan sends you coffee (or matcha) through the mail on a regular schedule of your choice.
Each program currently uses a separate login system. At this time, neither subscriptions nor other online purchases count toward your rewards total — only select purchases made in our cafes are eligible.
Cafes and More
How many Blue Bottle locations are there?
Today, there are more than 100 Blue Bottle cafes across the U.S. and Asia, alongside our e-commerce platform and subscription service. Find a Blue Bottle cafe near you with our cafe locator.
Can I order ahead for a cafe?
Download the Blue Bottle app to order ahead and start earning points on select cafe purchases.
Still have questions?
Looking for more answers or help with your subscription or order? Head to our Help Center, where one of our expert team members can guide you through any questions or concerns you may have.