Coffee gift for dad: which bag and how to present it

Buy the bag that matches how he already drinks coffee, not the bag you would want. A dad who makes a drip pot every morning wants a coffee that tastes good in a drip pot; a dad with an espresso machine wants something that pulls a thick, chocolatey shot. Below are three of ours matched to three habits, with the label facts so you can see why, plus a gift note and the one option that beats a single bag.

First, watch what he does

Three questions answer this whole post. Does he drink it black or with milk? Does he make a pot or a cup? Does he own a grinder? Black and by the cup points to something with more character. Milk and a pot points to something with body that will not disappear under half-and-half. No grinder means you order the ground version, which every one of our coffees has at the same price.

Three dads, three bags

The drip-pot dad

He wants a coffee that tastes like a good diner cup, only better. No. 7 Praxis, a fully washed Guatemala from Antigua, grown at 1,200 to 1,616 m, medium roast, with dark chocolate, bright fruit and butterscotch on the label. It works in any method, holds up to milk, and it is the one the roaster suggests brewing at two strengths to find what you like. Safe, and not boring.

The espresso or moka-pot dad

No. 3 Position, a wet-hulled Sumatra from Aceh, Takengon, grown at 1,100 to 1,600 m. Dark chocolate, dried fruit and earthy on the label; heavy body, low acidity, and it holds its shape under milk and under ice. Pulled 1:2 in about 28 seconds it makes the kind of shot that people who own a machine and do not talk about it will notice.

The dad who drinks it black and slowly

No. 2 Good Sense, a natural Ethiopia from Sidama at 1,700 to 1,900 m, medium-light roast, milk chocolate, fruit and caramel. This is a pour-over coffee for someone who already has a pour-over. If he does not, pair the bag with a $25 cone brewer and paper filters and you have a complete present.

How to present it

The bag itself does most of the work. The front label lists the region, altitude, process, varietal, roast and notes, and most dads will read it standing in the kitchen, which is the reaction you want. A few things that make it land:

• Ship it to yourself first if you want to wrap it, or ship it straight to him with a note in the order. Both are free.
• Write the brew on the card. "Four level tablespoons per big mug, water just off the boil" is more useful than "enjoy".
• Do not pair it with a mug that says something about dads. Pair it with a real one, or with nothing.

Gift note ideas

"Everything about this coffee is printed on the front. Read it, then make a pot." Or, for the espresso dad: "Pull it 1:2 in 28 seconds and tell me I was wrong." Or, plainly: "Roasted after I ordered it. That is the whole trick."

The gift that beats a single bag

A subscription in his name, set to monthly, sends a fresh bag roasted after each order at 11 percent off. What makes it a good gift rather than an obligation: he can skip a month or cancel from the account in one click, no email and no phone call. Put in your card and his address, and after the first delivery you can hand the account over to him. If you are not sure which coffee, start with Praxis and let him switch; every bag is the same price range, 8 to 8 for 12 oz, and shipping is free in all fifty states.

All ten coffees are on one page with their label facts. Pick the one that matches his mornings, not yours.