Brewed Cacao Drink Sampler Starter Kit, 5 Varieties, No French Press

I appreciate the samples of different flavors. I definitely liked some, disliked some, and was indifferent about one. Now I know which ones I'd buy in larger sizes. It's not a great flavor, just like how I think coffee isn't. But, it does taste less bad than coffee. Additives help with flavor, just like coffee. The water goes through it very slowly. So, if you don't have a slow drip available, watch out, your device may overflow with water. I make sure I'm using a small enough amount at a time to avoid an issue. I also like how theobromine doesn't have a "caffeine buzz" feeling, unlike coffee.

We bought this to try the differentflavors. So far the flavors are excellent. But the best is Mocha so far! Will buy again

If you are a huge fan of coffee, this is NOT a replacement. It does not taste like coffee at all. However, I am writing this as someone sensitive to coffee. I love the IDEA of having a morning cup of coffee every day, but I don't tolerate the caffeine. Even decaf bothers me. I can tolerate tea, however. Unfortunately, tea just doesn't give me the same experience. I want something I can doctor up with different flavored syrups and creamers. I want the morning coffee EXPERIENCE without the jitters. Crio Bru gives me that. I've only tried one of the varieties made in a coffee pot with a mesh filter. I prepared it according to package directions and flavored it like I flavored my coffee. I think it tasted like watered-down, less sweet, hot chocolate, but it wasn't unpleasant. I am interested in seeing if using a french press improves it as I'd prefer a slightly richer flavor. Still, I think this will suit my needs as a morning coffee alternative since I'm more interested in the experience than the drink itself.

There was so much “not coffee” that I wasn’t sure what to expect. It smells amazing. When I opened it and got the first whiff I smiled. The texture of the grounds is more uneven and flakey than a coffee ground. I brewed it in a coffee maker and it is noticeably slower than brewing coffee. I’d say it took at least twice as long for the same amount of water. I don’t like my coffee black, so I wasn’t surprised when drinking this black was a little meh for me. I added some sweetened creamer and that woke it up for me. It is missing some of the richness of a cup of coffee for me. That’s not a complaint, more of an observation. I wouldn’t replace “drinking decaf” with this. Instead it’s a new different thing - somewhere between hot chocolate and tea. Not between coffee and hot chocolate. All in, I am enjoying it, and will keep it stocked. Not as a daily, but as an option for when the mood strikes.

Pros: it has a vaguely chocolate taste. It doesn't give the coffee java jitters. Cons: It doesn't have much chocolate flavor or any other flavor. Your drink will be murky, muddy with fine bits of the "grinds" floating in it. The drink has more oil/fat than coffee and solidifies as your cup cools. Your can't use paper filters as the fine bits will clog it. The fine bits are also what gives the color. Cleaning the French Press filters is easy with hot water after making coffee. This requires soap to really clean the filter after making Crio Brū I have used both an Aeropress and a French press to make this. I am scared to make it in my Pebo or Moka pot as the clean up would not be easy. And no, I won't be putting it into a refillable K-cup for my Keurig for the same reason. If you love the taste then you probably won't mind the clean up hassle. Personally, I will stick to my coffee and maybe occasionally make this and then remember why I like coffee more.

Just received the Sampler Kit. I’ve only tried 2 but look forward to sampling more. It has been a nice change from coffee which was causing some digestive issues. Look fried to starting my day with a healthier hot drink.

Sadly, I can't drink coffee anymore. I read rave reviews of Crio so I thought I'd try it. I am sorry but this review gets one star. It doesn't brew easily like everyone says. I have tried brewing it in my coffee maker and it doesn't really go all that well. I have used a french press and that doesn't work well either. It always tastes watery. And just to get flavor, you have to use a lot more grounds than the directions say. With the flavor itself, maybe it just isn't my preference but I don't care for it. When a drank coffee, I could add a splash a oat milk and I was good to go. I could even drink it black depending on the roast. With this, I have to add all kinds of things to it to make it tolerable. And it's so watery that there isn't much flavor at all. I followed all the directions too (stiring in the french press, etc.) I just don't think the cacoa beans transfer flavor as easily as coffee beans. One other thing that is frustrating is that if you look at their ads, they say 100% guarentee. Apparently, this doesn't hold true on amazon. I bought this pack (not cheap as you can see) and it isn't returnable at all. It is okay. I only used one pack and have tried multiple times to brew it with adjustments but it just isn't working out. It has been such a fail that I am not planning to use the other four packs at all. Therefore, I plan to just give them away to family members if they want them. I'll still share my experience. But my family is adventerous and they may enjoy the challenge. Plus, it is better to have someone try it rather than just throw it away. If others like it, great. But for me, it just wasn't something I liked at all. It didn't work as easily as they said. And since it is expensive, I am not planning to keep trying to make work either. I have switched to tea seemlessly enough (no added sugar and I don't even add my oat milk) and I think this is an easier road for my transition away from coffee. Plus, the tea is much less expensive than the Crio.