We tested Taylor Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch Craft Coffee, Cole Hauser’s Free Rein Coffee Co., and the namesake Yellowstone Coffee promoted by chef “Gator.”
Late last year there was some trouble a-brewin’ behind the scenes of Yellowstone as Taylor Sheridan and Cole Hauser approached a legal dispute over their respective coffee brands. Fans were taken aback; after all, we didn’t need more personnel drama to slow down the inevitable final episodes of the country’s favorite Western series.
Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed, lawsuit threats were rescinded, and both coffee brands went on with their missions to keep the cowboys and cowgirls of the world awake and alert.
I don’t work the land — as my waistline would attest — but I do require a strong cup of bean-based ambition every morning, just like them cowboys. When the buzz about the temporary Yellowstone brew battle of ’23 broke out, I mail-ordered the three coffees closest associated with the show. I didn’t know which would win a war in court (thank goodness it never came to that), but I was willing to make my final flavor judgment on each. And so it went …
BOSQUE RANCH CRAFT COFFEE
Brew date: Taylor Sheridan partnered with the established Louisiana brand Community Coffee to launch Bosque Ranch Craft Coffee in June of 2023. Inspired by the early-morning (and late-night) lifeblood of the hardworking hands on the namesake ranch, Sheridan and Community aimed to make “cowboy coffee done right.”
Blend strength: In the spirit of the no-frills cowboy life, Bosque Ranch Craft Coffee offers only medium and dark roast blends, available in whole bean, ground, and K-Cup varieties.
Morning method: We ordered and brewed up some of the medium roast ground, first using a standard drip machine and then trying a simple (but much more pure-of-heart) moka pot.
What’s the buzz? Even with the medium roast, there’s an intensity to Bosque’s blend that could prove intimidating to standard drip-pot drinkers. I found it to be much smoother and more satisfying when prepared with greater strength (imagine that) in the moka pot, with added steamed milk, etc. I realize that cowboys and cowgirls on the trail have no room in their sacks for milk frothers so please don’t, ahem, roast me.
Order some yourself: communitycoffee.com/br
FREE REIN COFFEE COMPANY
Brew date: Hauser and his partners made Free Rein available in October after repurposing the local San Angelo, Texas, institution Longhorn Coffee. They thought the long-established roaster met the standards of, again, the working cowboys who rely on coffee for daily survival.
Blend strength: Free Rein lists a variety of blends and strengths, all sporting evocative names and implicit purposes. American Dirt is Hauser’s favorite, according to the company—it’s a dark roast with bold and earthy notes. There are breakfast blends (Prospect), chocolatey full-bodied roasts (Mesteno), and the afternoon-appropriate Texas Pecan medium roast.
Morning method: We went for the Branded Spiced Roast. Life with Rip(‘s coffee) should always be spicy, right? We tried it via pour-over pot, with a little added cream to bring out the spice even more.
What’s the buzz? This is an experiential, enjoy-it coffee, balanced and flavorful. The stronger blends of Free Rein likely stack up more evenly against the headier brews, for those who need a kick in the pants every morning.
Order some yourself: freereincoffee.com
YELLOWSTONE COFFEE
Brew date: Sheridan and Hauser are of course able to promote these coffee brands on the strength of Yellowstone’s popularity. But neither can claim to sell the show’s signature joe. That distinction would belong to the namesake Yellowstone Coffee, launched after the show broke out in popularity. Gabriel "Gator" Guilbeau is the show’s craft services director (and the Duttons’ on-screen chef) who partnered with Paramount to release the coffee, in addition to a line of steak rubs.
Blend strength: Yellowstone Coffee offers three varieties: the Ranch House dark roast, the Bunkhouse medium, and the Caramel Oatmeal light roast.
Morning method: Drip, baby, drip. I ordered the Bunkhouse medium roast ground. I wanted to experience this brew straight-up without anything added. The way the boys in the bunkhouse would drink it (well, maybe not Walker. He probably pours in some bourbon.)
What’s the buzz? It’s not life-changing, and it’s not the slightest bit bad. It’s what most folks would want with a morning of work ahead of them – strong enough to make a difference, but won’t float a nail or anything.
Order some yourself: eatyellowstone.com/products/coffee
Care to join our as-yet-informal C&I coffee club? You might start by trying some of the varieties and brands we’ve already recommended in previous issues, including this guide to gourmet mail-order joe in the West. And before we tell you what we think about the new line of espresso and regular-roast blends from Wyoming’s Snake River Roasting Co. (review coming soon!), make it fun and get some for yourself so you’ll know whether you agree or disagree with our java judgments.
