Arbuckles' Ariosa: The Coffee That Won the West

Arbuckles coffee, sold as Arbuckles’ Ariosa, was a pre-roasted coffee glazed with a coating of egg and sugar to keep it fresh, packed in one-pound bags and shipped across America in the late 1800s. It became so common on ranches and chuck wagons that it earned the nickname “the coffee that won the West,” and each package came with a stick of peppermint candy. For many cowboys, “Arbuckle’s” simply meant coffee.

Here is the story of the Pittsburgh grocers who changed how Americans bought coffee, the clever glaze behind it, and the peppermint lore that made it a legend of the frontier.

Before Arbuckles: The Green Coffee Problem

In the mid-1800s, most Americans bought coffee green. Unroasted beans keep for a long time, but they have to be roasted at home in a skillet or oven, a smoky job that easily ended in a pan of half-raw, half-burned beans. Roasted coffee was available in some places, but it went stale quickly once it was exposed to air.

That staleness problem is the same one coffee lovers think about today. Roasted beans release gases and lose aroma over days and weeks, which is why freshness matters so much. If you are curious about the science, our article on coffee degassing explains what happens to beans after roasting.

John Arbuckle and the Egg-and-Sugar Glaze

John Arbuckle (1838–1912) and his brother Charles ran a grocery business in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the 1860s. Their breakthrough was a glaze made with egg and sugar that coated freshly roasted beans and helped seal in flavor. The Arbuckles patented their process in the 1860s (sources give dates ranging from 1865 to 1868), and they sold the glazed beans already roasted, so customers only had to grind and brew.

Why the glaze worked

• A barrier against air: the coating slowed the staling that ruined roasted coffee.
• Convenience: no more home roasting over a fire or stove.
• Consistency: every bag was roasted the same way, so the taste was predictable.
• Portability: sturdy one-pound packages traveled well by rail and wagon.

The coffee was packed in distinctive yellow packages with bold red “ARBUCKLES’” lettering and a flying angel trademark above the words “ARIOSA COFFEE.” The bags were shipped a hundred to a wooden crate.

How Arbuckles Coffee Won the West

As railroads, cattle drives and mining camps spread west, pre-roasted coffee that kept well on long journeys was exactly what people needed. By the late 1800s, Arbuckles’ Ariosa had become a fixture of chuck wagons, ranch kitchens and trading posts across the West.

The brand grew enormous, and the Arbuckle business became one of the biggest coffee companies in the country.

The peppermint stick lore

Every package of Arbuckles’ Ariosa included a stick of peppermint candy. On the trail, the coffee still had to be ground before brewing, and cowboy lore says the cook would call out something like “Who wants the candy?” Whoever volunteered got the job of cranking the coffee grinder and earned the peppermint as a reward. It is a small detail, but it is one of the most loved stories in American coffee history.

Coupons and cowboy slang

Each bag carried a signature coupon that could be saved and redeemed for goods such as handkerchiefs, razors, scissors and even wedding rings. The brand became part of the language too: “Arbuckle’s” was slang for coffee in general, and an inexperienced ranch hand was jokingly called an “Arbuckle,” supposedly because the boss must have paid for him with coffee coupons.

Business Battles and Later Years

John Arbuckle was also a fierce competitor. When he started packaging sugar, he set off a price war with sugar magnate Henry Havemeyer. Both sides sold below cost and lost huge sums before they agreed to end the fight in 1901, with Havemeyer accepting Arbuckle as a player in the sugar business. The Arbuckle company introduced the Yuban brand in 1913, a year after John’s death. Over the following decades, the original Ariosa faded from everyday use, though the Arbuckle name was revived by a Pennsylvania company in the 1990s.

Arbuckles Coffee Then vs Fresh Roasted Coffee Now

Arbuckles solved the freshness problem of its day with a glaze. Today, roasters can solve it more simply: roast close to shipping and get the beans to you fast.

If you want to make campfire-style coffee yourself, start with a coarse grind, about 2 tablespoons (10–12 g) per 8 oz (240 ml) of water, bring it just off the boil, steep for four minutes, then let the grounds settle before pouring. For more trail-friendly methods, see our guide to coffee for hiking and camping, and for why freshly ground beans matter, read whole bean vs ground coffee.

Arbuckles Coffee FAQ

What was Arbuckles’ Ariosa coffee?

It was a pre-roasted coffee developed by John and Charles Arbuckle of Pittsburgh, coated in an egg-and-sugar glaze to keep it fresh. It was sold in one-pound packages and became hugely popular in the American West in the late 1800s.

Why did Arbuckles coffee come with peppermint?

Each package included a peppermint stick as a little bonus. Cowboy lore says trail cooks offered the candy to whoever agreed to grind the coffee.

Why was it called the coffee that won the West?

Because it was so widespread on ranches, cattle drives and mining camps. Its pre-roasted, well-sealed beans traveled far better than ordinary roasted coffee.

Is Arbuckles coffee still sold?

The Arbuckle name was revived by a Pennsylvania company in the 1990s. The original 19th-century company also launched Yuban in 1913.

Conclusion

Arbuckles coffee showed that convenience and freshness could sell coffee to an entire nation, one peppermint stick at a time. If you love the idea of a bold cup with cowboy spirit, try our Cowboy Blend, a mix of dark and medium roasts with notes of cocoa, caramel and vanilla. For something sweet and minty, our Peppermint Mocha flavored coffee is a fun nod to that famous candy. Every Feel Espresso coffee order is roasted 1–5 days before delivery, no glaze required.