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A cup is 8 fl oz. Standard strength is 13 g of coffee per cup, from the Specialty Coffee Association Golden Cup ratio of 55 g per liter. Mild is 11 g and strong is 15 g. A month is 30 days.
First Impressions
The first thing you notice in Major Dickason’s is scorched wood. It leads the aroma and the first sip. Behind it come dark chocolate and an earthy sweetness, and if you pay attention, a little lemon and a spice close to cardamom.
For a coffee this dark, it drinks smoothly, with a clean finish and no harsh bite.
What’s in the Blend
Peet’s blends beans from Latin America and the Indo-Pacific, a mix of washed and wet-hulled coffees. Peet’s describes the result as rich, smooth, spicy and complex, and that matches what we tasted. The finish balances nuttiness with warm spice.
Peet’s scores the blend 75 of 100 for roast, 75 for body and 56 for brightness. That means a full, heavy cup with moderate acidity. If acidic coffee bothers you, it is easier to drink than most light roasts.
Drawbacks
- Smoke leads everything. If you like fruity or floral coffee, this is the wrong bag.
- Costco.com ships the 2 lb bag only to the western US. Elsewhere, check your warehouse or buy the 18 oz bags on Amazon.
- The beans come out of the bag with an oily sheen, which is normal for a roast this dark. That oil coats grinder burrs over time, so plan on cleaning the grinder more often, and skip this bag if your espresso machine’s manual warns against oily beans.
- Two pounds is a lot of whole bean coffee for one drinker. Keep the bag sealed between uses.
Who It Is For
Major Dickason’s suits people who want an intense, roasty cup that still has some sweetness and spice. It is also a safe choice for an office or a household that goes through coffee fast. The 2 lb Costco bag and the Amazon 2-pack both suit heavy use.
Major Dickason’s is one of several Costco coffees we have tried. See our pick of the best coffee at Costco, updated as the stock changes with the seasons.
How to Brew It
Peet’s recommends a French press, which brings out the blend’s full body. Match the grind to your brewer.
| Method | Grind |
|---|---|
| French pressRoaster's pick | Coarselike coarse sea salt |
| Cold brew | Coarselike coarse sea salt |
| Drip machine | Mediumlike sand |
| Pour-over | Mediumlike sand |
| Espresso | Fine |
Where to Buy Major Dickason's
- Check Costco's price
Costco
- Check 2-pack price
Amazon
- Check Price on Amazon
Amazon
Common Major Dickason's questions
Is Peet's Major Dickason's good?
Peet's Major Dickason's is a good pick for anyone who likes dark, full-bodied coffee. It is Peet's all-time best seller, and Peet's rates it 75 of 100 for both roast and body. Major Dickason's tastes smoky and woody with dark chocolate underneath. Fans of bright, fruity light roasts will find it too heavy.
Who is Major Dickason?
Major Dickason was Key Dickason, a retired army sergeant and a regular at Peet's original Berkeley store. He brought the idea for the blend to Alfred Peet in 1969, and the two refined it together. Peet named the blend after him and promoted him from sergeant to major in the name.
What coffee is similar to Peet's Major Dickason's Blend?
Coffees similar to Peet's Major Dickason's are other full-bodied dark roasts with smoky, chocolate notes. At Costco, the closest matches we have reviewed are San Francisco Bay French Roast, which is smoky and woody, and Kirkland Signature Sumatran, which is earthy and spicy. Peet's also sells a Decaf Major Dickason's.
How much caffeine is in Peet's Major Dickason's?
Peet's Major Dickason's brewed at home has about 95 mg of caffeine in an 8-ounce cup, the figure Peet's gives for brewed coffee in general. Store-brewed cups run much higher. Consumer Reports measured 281 mg in a small and 468 mg in a large Major Dickason's from a Peet's coffeebar.
Does Costco sell Peet's Major Dickason's?
Costco sells Peet's Major Dickason's as a 2 lb whole bean bag, item 670441. Costco.com shows the price only to logged-in members and ships the bag only to the western US. On Amazon, the same blend costs about $0.78 an ounce in a 2-pack of 18 oz bags in September 2026.
