If you’re the kind of person who’s always ordering the fun new seasonal pour-over option at your local craft coffee shop, or who hunts down rare bean varietals like it’s your job, Podium Coffee Club’s Podium Platinum is the coffee subscription for you. Founded in 2023, Podium is a relatively new kid on the block in the world of coffee subs. The concept? A subscription service that solely sends out coffees that have stood on the podium (hence the name) at a major US coffee competition. The brand’s Podium Platinum subscription focuses on coffees that are unique and experimental in some way, be it flavor-wise, varietal-wise, or through the processing technique used.
Testers: Noah Kaufman, senior commerce editor, and Alaina Chou, commerce writer
In the two months we’ve tested this service, we’ve received two bags of coffee that have lived up to that claim. The first bag was a light roast from Royal Flamingo Coffee, a micro-roaster based in Columbus, Ohio. The beans, grown in Colombia, were made using the Black Honey process and mossto lactic fermentation, which you can read more about on Podium’s website. The notes of blueberries, white chocolate, and florals definitely came through in the brewed coffee in both smell and taste, though not too aggressively. We quite enjoyed this one.
The next coffee hailed from Wonderstate Coffee in Wisconsin and claimed notes of gummy bear, melon, and cooked berries. That might seem like a crazy flavor profile for a bag of coffee, but the brewed stuff was subtle and highly drinkable.
The bottom line: This is a great coffee subscription to get if you’re looking to explore, nerd out on coffee-making processes, or discover award-winning roasters from across the country. Note that Podium also offers a less expensive Podium Gold subscription option, which does not get you the same unique selection that the Platinum offers.
| Specs |
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| Price: $29.50/10.58-oz. bag |
| Delivery frequency: Every month |
| Our go-to order: Podium Platinum subscription |