International Rank: #7 out of 1059
Ranking is based on a combination of reviews and popularity on CoffeeRoast.com
United States Rank: #4 out of 579
Ranking is based on a combination of reviews and popularity on CoffeeRoast.com
Illinois Rank: #1 out of 11
Ranking is based on a combination of reviews and popularity on CoffeeRoast.com

Intelligentsia Coffee

Flag of United States Chicago, Illinois
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4.54(23)

23 ratings
Ratings here are based on aggregated user reviews of individual roasts from Intelligentsia Coffee.
5 star
30%
4 star
69%
3 star
0%
2 star
0%
1 star
0%

Intelligentsia is a renowned Chicago-based roaster. Their Fulton Street Roasting Works is home to three Gothot roasters, a QC lab, training room, coffee storage, screen printing workshop and headquarters.

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Intelligentsia Coffee is a coffee roaster from Chicago, IL United States. We have 34 cataloged roasts with 23 total reviews with a score of 4.54.

34 roasts

Name Roast Level Bean Source
Medium International Blend
Light Ethiopia
Light Ethiopia
Light Guatemala
Light Ethiopia

5.00(1)

Dark International Blend
- International Blend
Light Medium Burundi
- Peru
- International Blend

4.50(1)

Light Costa Rica
- Ethiopia
Light Medium Colombia
Light Peru
- -
- Guatemala
- Costa Rica
Medium Rwanda

4.00(1)

- -

0(0)

- -
- Bolivia
- Colombia
- Guatemala
- International Blend
- International Blend
- International Blend
- International Blend
- International Blend
- International Blend
- International Blend
- International Blend
- International Blend
- International Blend
- International Blend

Top Reviews(23)

  • Victoria S-C

    539 roasts rated, avg score of 4.31

    5.00 - Average

    Ted recently bought three good espresso and while they were all good this one I liked the best.
    10 months ago · See more from Victoria
  • Haley Grant

    2 roasts rated, avg score of 5.00

    5.00 - Average

    4.00 - Aroma

    5.00 - Value

    4.00 - Finish

    4.50 - Flavor

    3.00 - Acidity

    4.00 - Balance

    Love this coffee! very savory taste
    1 year ago · See more from Haley
  • Theo Chan, Managing Editor

    1364 roasts rated, avg score of 4.29

    5.00 - Average

    4.00 - Aroma

    4.50 - Value

    5.00 - Finish

    5.00 - Flavor

    5.00 - Acidity

    5.00 - Balance

    A spectacular gesha that's a little bit different from the usual. Less fruity and more floral. The platform is distinctly earl grey, with a very subtle herbal/pine hint (I'm OK with Intelligentsia's choice of juniper to describe it). There's also a touch of sweet tropical fruit, like a ripe pineapple.

    It's incredibly smooth - not a hint of bitterness, and has a super clean finish. It's very easy to drink a whole cup of this without thinking about it.

    Cupping Method:At Intelligentsia in Watertown, MA

    11 months ago · See more from Theo
  • Theo Chan, Managing Editor

    1364 roasts rated, avg score of 4.29

    5.00 - Average

    4.50 - Aroma

    5.00 - Finish

    5.00 - Flavor

    5.00 - Acidity

    5.00 - Balance

    A truly delicious Ethiopian with some twists on the usual character. You definitely get the florals here in the form of a bergamot/earl grey base. I got a little bit of peach, and then strawberry/raspberry with a touch of lactic character. No funk at all and a very clean finish.

    Cupping Method:At Intelligensia in Watertown. They said 18-1, 209 off the boil.

    11 months ago · See more from Theo
  • Theo Chan, Managing Editor

    1364 roasts rated, avg score of 4.29

    5.00 - Average

    5.00 - Aroma

    4.00 - Value

    5.00 - Finish

    5.00 - Flavor

    5.00 - Acidity

    5.00 - Balance

    5.00 - Quality

    The best coffee I had in 2022. I had this twice in the Intelligentsia store in Chicago. I doubt this is one you'll see in stock a lot but I hope it's available year to year. Might be worth setting a Google alert.

    I think these are remarkable beans, carefully treated, then perfectly roasted by a great roaster. Mossto anaerobic means the coffee seed was submerged in its fruit pulped, and then the juice was expelled in a container for more than 3 days.

    How to describe the result - there is a lot going on, and it's all amazing. The first thing you notice, on the nose and first sip is the floral notes, paired with a strong Earl Grey tea type scent. The acidity is crisp and just right through, a kind of pineapple lime, and then the finish is a combination of all of it, and lingers a long time.

    Cupping Method:2x pourover in Chicago Intelligentsia, summer 2022

    1 year ago · See more from Theo
  • Theo Chan, Managing Editor

    1364 roasts rated, avg score of 4.29

    5.00 - Average

    5.00 - Aroma

    5.00 - Value

    4.50 - Flavor

    4.50 - Acidity

    5.00 - Balance

    This is the best organic value coffee I've had. On those nose, I got cherry cola and champagne - that effervescence has really been there for me. This made brilliant pourover. Balanced, smooth, just the right amount of acidity. If I had a cafe where I had to serve one light roast all the time, this one might be it. Intelligentsia puts out remarkable quality at the scale they operate at.

    Cupping Method:Chemex pourover, 207 F

    1 year ago · See more from Theo
  • Theo Chan, Managing Editor

    1364 roasts rated, avg score of 4.29

    5.00 - Average

    4.50 - Finish

    5.00 - Flavor

    5.00 - Acidity

    4.50 - Balance

    Today I had a late-in-the-day cup Intelligentsia Coffee's Ethiopia Washed Buku Organic at Life Alive in Harvard Square, Cambridge, and it was awesome.

    Honestly, Intelligentsia is at the scale where I usually see roasters fall on their face...but every time I have a cup, it's somewhere between excellent and inch-perfect.

    This was pretty close to perfect.

    This coffee roast had incredibly bright strawberry iced tea notes that immediately caught my attention. There was a lovely peachy quality to it, complemented by a vibrant acidity that made each sip refreshing and lively.

    Before I even checked the photo of the bag, I had already jotted down hints of citrus and raspberry in my notes. These flavors came through beautifully, showcasing the complexity of the coffee. The smooth, honey-like mouthfeel added a delightful richness, making the whole experience even more enjoyable. The finish was long and fruity, leaving a pleasant lingering taste.

    Cupping Method:Life Alive's new pour-over option really elevates the coffee experience, and this particular brew was a perfect example of how a well-prepared coffee can shine. I don't know how the barista made it since I was dealing with my kids but it looked like a metal Clever setup.

    5 months ago · See more from Theo
  • Victoria S-C

    539 roasts rated, avg score of 4.31

    4.50 - Average

    Really good! Tamarind, pineapple notes.
    11 months ago · See more from Victoria
  • Theo Chan, Managing Editor

    1364 roasts rated, avg score of 4.29

    4.50 - Average

    4.50 - Value

    4.50 - Finish

    4.50 - Flavor

    5.00 - Acidity

    4.50 - Balance

    This is quite good cold brew type coffee (not totally clear how it's made) that's the style I like it and make it. It's very fruity with a great acidity that's bright red berries. It has natural sweetness, and a little bit of chocolate at the front of the palate.

    I will say that there's a lot of people who like darker roasts who probably won't be totally into this.

    Cupping Method:I bought this can at Intelligentsia in Watertown, MA but didn't drink it for a few weeks.

    9 months ago · See more from Theo
  • Theo Chan, Managing Editor

    1364 roasts rated, avg score of 4.29

    4.50 - Average

    4.50 - Aroma

    4.50 - Value

    4.50 - Finish

    4.50 - Flavor

    4.50 - Acidity

    4.50 - Balance

    I've been testing out/working with 4 espresso roasts, and this is a pretty darn good one. A really nice medium roast with balanced acidity. Very good cafe roast. A medium crema in size and fluffiness. Caramel notes, slight nuttiness, and dark berry/citrus acidity.

    A good versatile espresso.

    Cupping Method:Espresso, Americano (hot an iced), made lattes for my wife. Worked very well pulled at 95C, 19 grams

    10 months ago · See more from Theo

Editor's Overview

Even as it has scaled, Intelligentsia Coffee has maintained exceptional quality and a genuine connection with specialty coffee. Unlike certain other brands (ahem, La Colombe) that have encountered challenges during their expansion, Intelligentsia's commitment to offering excellent single-origin roasts, blends, and cafes at fair prices has cemented its well-deserved reputation. -Ted Chan, Managing Editor of Coffee Roast
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