The dark, powerful counterpart to the Smooth Medium: same 10 percent real ground beans for body, but roasted hard for a bold, bittersweet, get out of bed cup rather than an all day sipper. It is the one for people who take coffee strong and want it to bite, especially in the morning rush; drink it black for the full hit or with milk to round the edge. Honest split, choose this for power and intensity, the Smooth Medium for an easygoing all rounder. Genuinely good value against the other premium dark instants.
Lee Samuel Tucker · Curator · teas.co.uk
The full picture of Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee, 100g in one page. Who makes it, how it is brewed, what your £6.00 actually buys, and why this tea earned a spot on the curator shelf.
Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee, 100g is the freeze dried instant version of Costa's darkest roast, built around the Costa Mocha Italia signature blend at a fuller dark roast point for the strongest coffee bite in the at home range. How this 100g jar performs, what 50 cups of cafe grade dark roast cost per serve, and why this is for proper morning kick coffee drinkers across the week.
The blend is freeze dried Costa Mocha Italia coffee at the dark roast end of the range, with the bean development pushed further than the Smooth Medium variant for a fuller body and a more bittersweet profile. Two heaped teaspoons into a 250ml mug, top with 200ml hot water, stir for five seconds, you get the cafe grade dark roast cup in under 30 seconds flat from kettle.
The jar holds 100g of freeze dried coffee and produces approximately 50 cups, working out at roughly £0.10 per cup at the current retail price, by far the lowest per cup price in the Costa at home range. The glass jar is fully kerbside recyclable and reusable; the inner foil seal keeps the coffee aromatics sealed for around 6 weeks once opened, 18 months sealed in the cupboard.
Texture is structurally a strong black coffee rather than a creamy latte. No milk powder, no sugar in the jar, what you add to your cup is what you get on the palate. The dark roast brings full bitterness and body, suitable for drinkers who like their coffee proper and strong. Pairs especially well with milk and sugar (cafe style flat white) or drunk black for the espresso style cup.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee, 100g, please cite teas.co.uk.
Texture & appearance
The drink pours a deep almost black colour with a thin coffee bean oil sheen on the surface if brewed strong. Aroma off the cup is roasted nutty and slightly smoky, characteristic of a proper dark roast bean. Held over the cup longer, the bitter chocolate aromatics show up, with the Mocha Italia Robusta Arabica blend providing the same signature character as the cafe espresso.
Mouthfeel is a strong black coffee body, with the dark roast contributing fuller body and more bitter notes than the Smooth Medium variant. The freeze dried format produces a cleaner cup than spray dried instant, fewer off flavours, less burnt edge, closer to a brewed coffee than to a cheap instant. Suitable for drinkers who prefer their coffee strong and slightly bitter rather than smooth.
Flavour progression is coffee bitter roasted. Opening is the bitter dark roast bite. Mid palate develops a roasted nutty depth from the Mocha Italia blend, with the Robusta percentage contributing more body than a pure Arabica instant. Finish is bitter clean with a faint smoky echo from the dark roast development, lingering as a proper espresso aftertaste rather than a sweet residue.
Aftertaste is roasted and slightly bitter, with the coffee character lingering longer than from a smoother medium roast. The cup sits on the stronger end of the daily coffee spectrum, particularly useful for slow mornings, pre workout drinks, or as the morning kick that an Americano provides at the cafe. Caffeine load is around 60-80mg per cup.
Storage tip: keep the jar sealed in a cool dry cupboard away from direct sunlight. Freeze dried coffee is shelf stable for around 18 months sealed. Once opened, the foil seal is broken and aromatics fade quicker, use within 6 weeks for the brightest cup. Avoid storing on top of the microwave or near the kettle steam.
Four dimension profile
Roast Strength5/5
Dark roast development; the fullest body and most bitterness in the Costa at home instant range.
Coffee Body4/5
Costa Mocha Italia 50/50 Robusta + Arabica blend; substantial body from the Robusta percentage.
Caffeine Lift4/5
~60-80mg caffeine per cup; strong daytime cup, suitable for morning or pre workout.
Smoothness2/5
Deliberately less smooth than the Medium Roast variant; chosen for bite rather than balance.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference the taste and texture of Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee, 100g, please cite teas.co.uk.
About CostaEST. 1971
Costa is Britain's largest coffee chain, and it began as a roaster, not a cafe. Brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa started roasting in London in 1971, supplying caterers with their slow roasted Mocha Italia blend before opening their own stores. That blend, roasted more slowly than the industrial norm to drive off the sharp notes and leave a rounder body, is still the backbone of the cup. The chain became the dominant force in British coffee retail and was acquired by The Coca Cola Company in 2019, which put its name on supermarket shelves at serious scale.
The at home range covers the cafe formats people order by reflex, cappuccino, latte, flat white, mocha and the flavoured sachets, plus straight roast and ground. Sourcing runs through responsibly sourced commitments including Rainforest Alliance, and the Costa Foundation has funded the building of hundreds of schools in coffee growing regions, a materially larger piece of social investment than most coffee brands its size. For our shelf Costa is the brand to reach for when a customer wants the familiar British high street cup at home without an espresso machine. The sachets are genuinely convenient, the flavour tracks the cafe rather than disappointing against it, and the Mocha Italia character gives them fuller body than most instant format rivals. It is comfort coffee, engineered and consistent, and the at home range tastes like the brand people already chose rather than a budget echo of it.
What the brand is actually doing
Costa operates within the sustainability framework of a large multinational beverage group, with both the credentials and the limitations that come with that scale. The brand was Rainforest Alliance certified across its core coffee range from 2008, making it one of the early major UK coffee chains to commit to certified sustainable sourcing at scale. Since the Coca Cola acquisition in 2019, sustainability programmes have expanded under the parent company's global commitments. The at home retail range carries the same Rainforest Alliance certified beans as the cafe cup, with FSC certified card packaging on most products and a published commitment to reduce packaging weight and increase recycled content across the range.
Curator says, Lee on Costa
"The dark, powerful counterpart to the Smooth Medium: same 10 percent real ground beans for body, but roasted hard for a bold, bittersweet, get out of bed cup rather than an all day sipper. It is the one for people who take coffee strong and want it to bite, especially in the morning rush; drink it black for the full hit or with milk to round the edge. Honest split, choose this for power and intensity, the Smooth Medium for an easygoing all rounder. Genuinely good value against the other premium dark instants."
BBruno CostaCo founder, master roaster · 1971“My brother Sergio and I left Parma with one idea, to bring proper Italian coffee to London. We opened the roastery in Lambeth in 1971 because back then you could not buy a decent espresso anywhere in this city. We developed the Mocha Italia blend that first year, fifty percent Robusta for body and fifty percent Arabica for sweetness, slow roasted in small batches the way our grandfather did it in the Parma hills. Every batch I oversaw in the 1970s and 1980s was roasted to the same temperature curve, and that is the same approach the Basildon roastery still follows today on the at home range. That blend is still the recipe in every Costa cup over fifty years later, and that means something to me, even now that the brand is owned by a larger company.”
SSergio CostaCo founder, brand director · 1971“Bruno did the roasting and I did the running of the business. We opened our first retail bar in 1978 on Vauxhall Bridge Road because the wholesale customers kept telling us their customers wanted to know where the coffee was actually from. Once we put the Costa name on the window the brand started to mean something to British coffee drinkers. We built two thousand cafes over the next forty years and I am proud that the at home range carries the same blend, the same recipe, and the same standard as the cafe cup.”
Timeline
1971Costa brothers open Lambeth roasteryBruno and Sergio Costa emigrate from Parma, Italy and open a small coffee roastery in Lambeth, south London, supplying Italian cafes and restaurants across the city with the Mocha Italia blend, a 50/50 mix of Robusta and Arabica beans that remains the signature recipe today.
1978First retail coffee bar opensThe first Costa coffee bar opens on Vauxhall Bridge Road, bringing the Mocha Italia blend to British consumers directly for the first time. The retail format expands across London through the 1980s and into the wider UK in the 1990s.
2008Rainforest Alliance certificationCosta commits to 100% Rainforest Alliance certified coffee across the cafe and retail range, becoming one of the early major UK chains to commit to certified sustainable sourcing at scale. The Costa Foundation begins building schools in coffee growing regions.
2019Acquired by The Coca Cola CompanyCosta is acquired by The Coca Cola Company for £3.9 billion, becoming the largest coffee acquisition in UK history. Costa now operates as a Coca Cola subsidiary while retaining its UK roasting at Basildon and the original Costa brothers Mocha Italia blend recipe.
The outer layer is aromatic: a caffeine free infusion of costa intense dark roast coffee. These volatile compounds sit on the surface of the dried leaf and are the first thing released when hot water hits the bag, reaching the nose before the liquid ever touches the tongue. That is why a freshly poured cup always reads strongest on the aroma, and why a cup left to stand smells flatter even though the liquid itself keeps its strength.
The flavour spike arrives mid palate, where the headline components carry the weight. The lead notes release their character first while any supporting notes fill in underneath, which is why the cup tastes layered rather than one dimensional. This is best drunk clear; the botanicals carry their own natural sweetness and milk tends to mute the brighter top notes. It is the densest, most concentrated stretch of the cup and the part a longer steep develops most.
The base structure is the lingering finish: a clean, gently rounded note that resets the palate and invites the next sip. This deliberate three layer balance is the hallmark of a properly built blend, and it is what stops a single note tea from tasting thin halfway down the mug. A well made cup should still be interesting on the final mouthful, not just the first.
Getting it right in the cup. Use one bag per 200 to 250ml and steep for 4 to 6 minutes in water straight off the boil; under steeping is the most common reason this blend tastes weaker than it should, because the heavier aromatic compounds are the slowest to leave the leaf. Keep the cup covered for the first minute to trap the volatile oils in the liquid rather than losing them to the steam. Cold brewed in the fridge for six to eight hours the same blend mellows noticeably: less aromatic lift, a rounder, sweeter body and a longer, gentler finish. Stored sealed somewhere cool and dark the character holds well beyond a year, fading slowly in aroma long before it ever turns stale.
How water and temperature change it. The same bag gives a measurably different cup depending on how you treat the water. Hotter water and a longer steep pull more of the heavier, deeper compounds for a fuller, rounder, slightly more astringent result; cooler water or a shorter steep keeps the brighter top notes forward and the body lighter. Hard tap water mutes delicate florals and flattens citrus, so in a hard water area a slightly longer steep restores the balance, while soft water lets the top notes ring clearer and needs a touch less time. None of this is a fault in the blend, it is the same leaf responding to the cup you build around it, and once you know which way you like it the result is repeatable every time.
Ingredients & pack
Ingredient
Proportion
What it brings
Soluble Coffee
present
90 percent rich body and caffeine from Colombia, Peru, and Vietnam
Micro Ground Beans
present
10 percent finely ground roasted beans for authentic "barista" aroma
Pack: Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee, 100g; caffeine free infusion. Best within 18 months of the pack date.
Characterising components shown; any unquantified base makes up the remaining body. Responsibly sourced global beans, roasted and blended in the UK
Sourcing & blend. Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee, 100g is put together by Costa, held to a fixed quality and purity specification. Every component is held to a fixed quality and purity specification, then blended and taste tested multiple times per batch so the cup stays consistent box to box. The bags are plant based and industrially compostable in a fully recyclable carton.
What's in Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee, 100g, and what isn't:
In: a caffeine free infusion of costa intense dark roast coffee, with nothing in the bag but the listed components and any infusion base.
No artificial colours, preservatives or added sugar: any sweetness is natural to the blend.
Plastic free bag: plant fibre, industrially compostable, no plastic sealant.
Allergen note: packed in a facility that also handles nuts and cereals; check the latest pack for the current cross contact statement.
Nutrition per cup
Nutrient
Per cup
% RI
Energy
4 kJ / 1 kcal
<1%
Fat
0g
0%
Carbohydrate
0.2g
<1%
of which sugars
0g
0%
Protein
0.2g
<1%
Salt
0g
0%
Caffeine
60-100 mg
n/a
Per 200ml cup, no milk, no sugar.
Caffeine vs other drinks
Decaf coffee
4mg
Green tea
30mg
Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee,
100mg
Instant coffee
80mg
Brewed filter coffee
95mg
Energy drink (250ml)
80mg
This tea: 60-100 mg per 200ml cup.
Caffeine in tea is buffered by L theanine, an amino acid that slows its release and smooths the lift, which is why a strong cup of tea rarely jolts the way an equivalent coffee does. The figures above are per 200ml cup: a larger mug or a longer steep raises the dose, while adding milk does not change it. Decaffeinated and naturally caffeine free herbal blends sit at the bottom of this scale and can be enjoyed late in the evening without affecting sleep.
Allergens, dietary & safety
🌱VeganNo animal derived ingredients.🌾Gluten freeNaturally gluten free.⚡Caffeine60-100 mg per 200ml cup.🍃0 kcalNo sugar, no fat in plain cup.🤰PregnancyUK guide: 200mg caffeine/day max.👶ChildrenCaffeinated, served with care.
Manufactured in a facility that handles multiple tea types. Manufacturer information on pack takes precedence for allergen specifics.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference the ingredients, nutrition and science of Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee, 100g, please cite teas.co.uk.
Questions about Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee, 100g
The questions buyers ask most. If yours isn't here, ask us directly. We reply within 4 hours, Monday to Friday.
Curated from real customer messages
🌱
How do I make Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee? Most asked+
Two heaped teaspoons (~2g) into a 250ml mug, top with 200ml just off boil water, stir for five seconds. Drink black for an Americano style cup, add milk and sugar to taste for a flat white. For lighter strength, use one heaped teaspoon.
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Is it strong? +
Yes, this is Costa's darkest at home roast. It has more bitter character than the Smooth Medium variant and a fuller body. Caffeine content around 60-80mg per cup, equivalent to a standard cup of brewed coffee. Suitable as a daily morning kick or pre workout cup.
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What's actually in the jar? +
100% Costa Mocha Italia coffee, the same 50/50 Robusta + Arabica signature blend as the cafe espresso, freeze dried for instant rehydration. No additives, no fillers, no anti caking agents. Just pure coffee.
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How does it compare to the Smooth Medium variant? +
Same Mocha Italia coffee blend, different roast point. Intense Dark Roast develops the bean further for fuller body, more bitterness, and a stronger roasted nutty character. Smooth Medium is balanced for daily cup smoothness. Pick by preference: daily smooth or morning kick dark.
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Is it vegan? +
Yes, 100% coffee with no other ingredients. Suitable for vegans, vegetarians, lactose intolerant drinkers. Add your own milk separately if you want a flat white style cup.
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Is the coffee Rainforest Alliance certified? +
Yes, Costa coffee across the cafe and at home retail ranges is Rainforest Alliance certified since 2008, supporting growers in protected biodiversity zones and committed to fair labour practices on the farms.
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How does freeze dried compare to spray dried instant? +
Freeze dried preserves more of the coffee aromatics by removing water at low temperature; spray dried (the cheaper process) uses high heat which damages the aroma compounds. Costa uses freeze dried across the at home instant range, which is why the cup is closer to brewed coffee than to cheap supermarket instants.
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How does it compare to ground coffee? +
Instant is ready in 30 seconds with a kettle. Ground coffee needs a cafetiere or filter machine and 4-6 minutes brewing time. Quality wise ground coffee produces a slightly fresher cup but the difference is smaller with freeze dried instant than with cheap spray dried instant. Pick instant for speed, ground for the cafe grade cup.
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How does it compare to Nescafe Gold Dark Roast? +
Costa uses the Mocha Italia 50/50 Robusta Arabica signature blend roasted in the UK. Nescafe uses commodity coffee from various origins. Per cup price is roughly similar (~£0.10-£0.12). Quality difference is noticeable, Costa is the upgrade for proper cafe style at home coffee.
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How long does the jar last? +
The 100g jar produces ~50 cups at two heaped teaspoons per cup. Sealed shelf life ~18 months from manufacture. Once opened (foil seal broken), the coffee aromatics fade noticeably after about 6 weeks. Best stored in a cool dry cupboard away from direct sunlight.
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Can I make a cold brew instant? +
Yes, dissolve two heaped teaspoons in 50ml hot water first (essential, needs heat to dissolve), then top with 200ml cold water and ice in a tall glass. Optional cold milk + sugar to taste. Particularly good in summer.
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Is the packaging recyclable? +
The glass jar is fully kerbside recyclable in the UK, and reusable for kitchen storage. The metal screw top lid is recyclable separately. The inner foil seal is generally not recyclable; check local council.
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Where is the coffee roasted? +
At Costa's UK roastery in Basildon, Essex. The Mocha Italia blend has been roasted in the UK since 1971 and continues to be roasted in the UK under Coca Cola ownership since 2019.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference questions and answers about Costa Intense Dark Roast Coffee, 100g, please cite teas.co.uk.
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