Taste-Off: The most delicious coffee ice creams — and the bitter disappointments

Coffee ice cream is a favorite among java lovers but while some brands shine, others are merely meh. Here's how Trader Joe's, Straus, Talenti, Van Leeuwen and other brands measure up.

There’s something about the nutty, bitter flavor of coffee that just begs to be doctored — with cream, perhaps, or sugar. But for a real treat, add both sugar and cream and freeze the concoction until it becomes one of the most delicious desserts ever — coffee ice cream. Made right, it’s coffee perfection on a spoon.

One of the most loved flavors among java fans, coffee ice cream has been around since 1869, when it was first used in a coffee parfait. Its history is also intertwined with Italian desserts, from coffee gelato to affogato — espresso poured over vanilla ice cream.

Here in the U.S., coffee ice cream is a standard flavor found in freezer cases everywhere. It may not rank among the top 10 favorites, but at this time of year — perhaps because we are nearing National Coffee Ice Cream Day on Sept. 6 — it’s often sold out. (Perhaps we’re not the only ones adding a scoop to our iced coffee.)

Many ice cream brands combine coffee ice cream with nuts, caramel or chocolate, but for this taste-off, we stuck with plain coffee ice cream, gelato and sorbet.

Great coffee ice cream tastes like a perfectly brewed cup of top quality coffee mixed with just the right amounts of sugar and cream. It’s rich, decadent and flavorful. Bad coffee ice cream is cloyingly sweet, disappointingly bland, or so muddled with gums and other additives that it loses the nuances of freshly brewed coffee.

Here are details on the dreamy, creamy scoops that capture all that’s good about coffee — and the wimpy duds to avoid. Nutrition info refers to 2/3 cup.

Trader Joe’s Coffee Bean Blast Ice Cream

Those who love crunching into a chocolate espresso bean will appreciate the bold smack of brewed coffee in this ice cream. It delivers a bitter-yet-sweet bite of coffee deliciousness. 320 calories, 18 g fat, 65 mg sodium, 32 g sugar, 5 g protein. $4.49 for 1 quart. (4 stars)

Straus Family Creamery Organic Coffee

Fresh cream mixed with toasty coffee and a pinch of cocoa powder makes this an elegant, silky bite that’s perfect for latte lovers. 290 calories, 20 g fat, 30 mg sodium, 22 g sugar, 4 g protein. $6.99 for 16 ounces at Whole Foods. (4 stars)

Gelateria Naia Philz Gelato

This Berkeley-based offering has deep caramel color and bright, light-roast coffee flavor that shines through the cream. It tastes like a cup of barely sweetened coffee with just a dash of cream. 210 calories, 9 g fat, 90 mg sodium, 25 g sugar, 6 g protein. $7.99 for 14 ounces at Whole Foods. (3½ stars)

Van Leeuwen Coffee Affogato Ice Cream

Frappuccino fans may love this wonderfully decadent confection. It delivers on coffee flavor despite being extra-creamy. 260 calories, 17 g fat, 120 mg sodium, 21 g sugar, 5 g protein. $5.23 for 14 ounces at Walmart. (3 stars)

Talenti Cold Brew Coffee Sorbet

This nondairy mix made with fair trade, cold brewed, Brazilian and Colombian coffee is surprisingly creamy, but it’s far too sweet. It’s like coffee with a triple shot of syrup. 280 calories,15 fat, 20 mg sodium, 32 g sugar, 3 g protein. $6.99 for a pint at Safeway. (2½ stars)

Haagen Dazs Coffee

Think of this as coffee ice cream for wimps. It’s creamy and sweet with minimal coffee flavor.  It would be great with an espresso pour-over, affogato style. 300 calories, 21 g fat, 60 mg sodium, 24 g sugar, 5 g protein. $6.99 for 14 ounces at Target. (2 stars)

Breyers Coffee Ice Cream

This lower-fat version has a decent punch of quality coffee, but it’s more of an ice milk than ice cream. If you’re looking for a less caloric scoop, this is it. 140 calories, 4 g fat, 50 mg sodium, 16 g sugar, 2 g protein. $6.99 for 48 ounces at Safeway. (2 stars)

Dreyer’s Coffee Ice Cream

It’s shocking how little coffee flavor is in this ice cream. It smells and tastes more like caramel than coffee. 170 calories, 9 g fat, 50 mg sodium, 17 g sugar, 3 g protein. $7.49 for 1.5 quarts at Safeway. (1½ stars)

365 Whole Foods Market Coffee Ice Cream

To label this as coffee ice cream is a mistake. It’s creamy with a kick of vanilla, but the coffee flavor is buried in sugar and cream. 190 calories, 11 g fat, 50 mg sodium, 19 g sugar, 4 protein. $5.99 for 1.5 quarts. (1 star)

Less Talk More Coffee Tin Pot Creamery Ice Cream

This ice cream from San Carlos-based Tin Pot Creamery has coffee in its name, but while we appreciate its salty, sweet, creamy flavor, the coffee note is missing. 320 calories, 21 g ft, 160 mg sodium, 28 g sugar, 6 g protein. $9.99 for 14 ounces at Whole Foods. (½ a star)

Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at timespickyeater@gmail.com. Read more Taste-off columns at www.mercurynews.com/tag/taste-off.