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Espresso Style Dark Roast Ground Coffee (10 oz Can)

The yellow-can Latin espresso grind: dark, bold and cheap, built for moka pots, cafecito and milky drinks.

7.5

Good

Coffee Reviews score

See the breakdown →

Community

—/10

Roast: Dark
Format: Ground
Caffeine: Regular
Price per serving: $0.40 / cup

Roasty
Earthy

Kosher

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Last reviewed October 17, 2026 by the Coffee Reviews editors · How we score

The yellow-can Latin espresso grind: dark, bold and cheap, built for moka pots, cafecito and milky drinks.

Café Bustelo's classic Espresso Style coffee is a finely ground dark-roast blend sold in the familiar 10 oz yellow can (and in vacuum-packed bricks). The brand says its traditional espresso grind is roasted darker and is generally stronger than regular coffee, and it is marketed for cafecitos, café con leche and drinks with milk and sugar. It is one of the cheapest ways to make strong, espresso-style coffee at home, but the beans' origins are not disclosed and there is no roast date.

Best for

Cafecito and café con leche at home
Moka pot and budget espresso drinkers
Strong, cheap everyday coffee with milk and sugar

What we like

Very low cost per cup
Fine espresso grind works in moka pots, AeroPress and espresso machines
Strong, dark flavor that stands up to milk and sugar
Can and vacuum-packed bricks are easy to find in most US grocery stores

Watch-outs

Origins, bean species and roast date are not disclosed
Almost powder-fine grind, far finer than French press brewers expect
Dark, bitter edge is too intense for drinkers who prefer light or medium roasts

Flavor profile

What it tastes like.

In the roaster’s words

“Inside our famous yellow coffee can is a delicious dark roast blend… Classic and timeless. Bold and distinct. Lleno de sabor.”

Roasty
Earthy

acidity
body
sweetness
bitterness

LightMediumDark

How it scored

The breakdown.

7.5Good

Cup score out of 10, weighted across five factors.

Flavor & cup quality30%7.6
A bold, rich dark roast that shines in moka pots and milk drinks; Tasting Table found it rich and structured but thinner than Bustelo's newer medium roast.
Quality & freshness20%6.8
Sold in a sealed metal can (or vacuum-packed bricks), but there is no roast date and the bean grade is undisclosed.
Value20%9.2
About $0.40 a cup at 15 g per cup from a $7.59 10 oz can, among the cheapest strong coffees in the category.
Sourcing & transparency15%4.5
The brand only says beans come from suppliers in more than 20 countries; no origins, species or certifications beyond kosher are published.
Community love15%8.9
A decades-old cult staple: creators and forum users praise its strength, versatility and price, with some calling it bitter or earthy.

Creator video reviews

Watch it in action.

4 positive

Independent creators, verified with YouTube and TikTok. We don’t pay for reviews and creators don’t pay us.

What people are saying

From the forums.

Verbatim from Reddit, forums and long-term owner write-ups — linked so you can read the full thread.

“This was certainly a rich cup of coffee with a structured profile”

Meredith BurkhartTasting Table · 2025-12

“Tastes significantly better than a pour-over … and is cheap as chips.”

talldayoHacker News · 2024-12

“it is more bitter and earthy than what most palates are used to.”

FuriouslyAdriftHacker News · 2022-05

Details

The particulars.

Format: Ground
Caffeine: Regular
Best brewed as: Moka pot, Espresso, Drip machine, French press, Cold brew, Lattes & milk drinks
Certifications: Kosher
Typical price: $7.59 for 10 oz (checked October 2026)
Servings: ≈ 19 cups at 15 g per cup (Target shelf price; the brand site does not sell direct)

Official product page

Community

Member tasting notes & discussion.

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Discussion

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FAQ

Good questions.

Is Café Bustelo Espresso Style stronger than regular coffee?

Café Bustelo says its traditional products are an espresso grind made from a darker roast and are generally considered stronger than most regular coffees. The brand does not publish a caffeine figure for the ground coffee.

How should I brew it?

The brand says it works with most methods and singles out the stovetop moka pot, with French press and drip as other options. Because the grind is almost powder-fine, a moka pot, AeroPress or espresso machine usually suits it best.

What is the difference between the can and the brick?

Both hold the same Espresso Style dark roast. The can comes in 10 oz, while the vacuum-packed brick is sold in 6, 10 and 16 oz sizes and a 4-count pack, according to Café Bustelo's product pages.

Is it 100% Arabica?

Café Bustelo does not state the bean species for its traditional espresso coffee. Its FAQ says only that the newer medium-grind line is made with Arabica coffee.

Sources (11)