Coffee Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Coffee Beans

Best Mexican Coffee: Brands, Flavors, and Growi...
The best Mexican coffee scores 80+ on the SCA scale, uses high-altitude Arabica beans, undergoes washed or honey processing, and is roasted fresh with traceable origin. To choose the best Mexican coffee, consider the roast level, flavor profile, brewing method, price, and freshness, and prioritize brands that source beans directly from farmers. Mexican coffee is generally mild and light with...
Best Mexican Coffee: Brands, Flavors, and Growi...
The best Mexican coffee scores 80+ on the SCA scale, uses high-altitude Arabica beans, undergoes washed or honey processing, and is roasted fresh with traceable origin. To choose the best Mexican coffee, consider the roast level, flavor profile, brewing method, price, and freshness, and prioritize brands that source beans directly from farmers. Mexican coffee is generally mild and light with...

Best Guatemalan Coffee: Brands, Taste, and Grow...
Guatemalan coffee, primarily Arabica varietals like Typica and Bourbon, is grown in eight main areas, including Antigua, Fraijanes, and Huehuetenango. Guatemala produced 3,4 million 60-kg bags of coffee in 2023, about 3% of its GDP. Guatemalan coffee production involves planting seeds, transplanting to high-altitude plantations with fertile soil, using shade-grown methods, and hand-harvesting ripe cherries from November to April. The...
Best Guatemalan Coffee: Brands, Taste, and Grow...
Guatemalan coffee, primarily Arabica varietals like Typica and Bourbon, is grown in eight main areas, including Antigua, Fraijanes, and Huehuetenango. Guatemala produced 3,4 million 60-kg bags of coffee in 2023, about 3% of its GDP. Guatemalan coffee production involves planting seeds, transplanting to high-altitude plantations with fertile soil, using shade-grown methods, and hand-harvesting ripe cherries from November to April. The...

Best Honduran Coffee: Brands, Taste, and Regions
The best Honduran coffee is single-origin Arabica, grown at high altitudes (SHG), and scores over 80 on the SCA scale. Some of the best Honduran coffee brands are Colipse Coffee, San Rafael Coffee, Spirit Animal Coffee, and Finca Jerusalén Coffee. Popular bean types are Lempira, Bourbon, Pacas, Catuaí, and Caturra. This coffee has a smooth, rich flavor with medium to...
Best Honduran Coffee: Brands, Taste, and Regions
The best Honduran coffee is single-origin Arabica, grown at high altitudes (SHG), and scores over 80 on the SCA scale. Some of the best Honduran coffee brands are Colipse Coffee, San Rafael Coffee, Spirit Animal Coffee, and Finca Jerusalén Coffee. Popular bean types are Lempira, Bourbon, Pacas, Catuaí, and Caturra. This coffee has a smooth, rich flavor with medium to...

Best Peruvian Coffee: Brands, Flavors, and Grow...
The best Peruvian coffee beans are 100% Arabica, specialty grade, and freshly roasted to order. When searching for Peruvian coffee beans, look for "specialty grade" from brands that focus on traceability and give you detailed information about the coffee's origin, the farm it came from, and how it was processed. No single brand is best, as ideal beans vary by...
Best Peruvian Coffee: Brands, Flavors, and Grow...
The best Peruvian coffee beans are 100% Arabica, specialty grade, and freshly roasted to order. When searching for Peruvian coffee beans, look for "specialty grade" from brands that focus on traceability and give you detailed information about the coffee's origin, the farm it came from, and how it was processed. No single brand is best, as ideal beans vary by...

Best Costa Rica Coffee: Brands, Taste, and Grow...
The best Costa Rican coffee are single origin SHB Arabica beans with superior flavor from specialty coffee brands like Colipse, Café 1820, or Café Britt. Not all brands are equal. Choose the best Costa Rica coffee by comparing roast level, flavor profile, freshness, grind size, price per ounce, and customer reviews. Costa Rican coffee beans are typically high-quality Arabica beans...
Best Costa Rica Coffee: Brands, Taste, and Grow...
The best Costa Rican coffee are single origin SHB Arabica beans with superior flavor from specialty coffee brands like Colipse, Café 1820, or Café Britt. Not all brands are equal. Choose the best Costa Rica coffee by comparing roast level, flavor profile, freshness, grind size, price per ounce, and customer reviews. Costa Rican coffee beans are typically high-quality Arabica beans...

Brazilian Coffee: Production, Taste, and Buying...
Brazilian coffee refers to beans grown in Brazil, the world's top coffee producer. Brazilian coffee beans can mean any beans from Brazil, including Arabica and Robusta. The most popular ones, like Santos, Bourbon, and Jacu, are usually high-quality Arabica. Over 90% of Brazil's coffee comes from the southeast states: Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Espírito Santo, and Bahia. Brazil produced over...
Brazilian Coffee: Production, Taste, and Buying...
Brazilian coffee refers to beans grown in Brazil, the world's top coffee producer. Brazilian coffee beans can mean any beans from Brazil, including Arabica and Robusta. The most popular ones, like Santos, Bourbon, and Jacu, are usually high-quality Arabica. Over 90% of Brazil's coffee comes from the southeast states: Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Espírito Santo, and Bahia. Brazil produced over...

Bali Coffee: Types, Taste, and Where To Buy
Bali coffee is from the Indonesian island of Bali. Balinese coffee beans are mainly Arabica, but they also grow Robusta. Some famous types are Blue Moon and Kintamani, and Kopi Luwak (civet coffee). Balinese coffee production involves harvesting cherries, pulping and fermenting the beans, drying them, hulling them, roasting them, and grinding them. Balinese coffee has a balanced, smooth taste...
Bali Coffee: Types, Taste, and Where To Buy
Bali coffee is from the Indonesian island of Bali. Balinese coffee beans are mainly Arabica, but they also grow Robusta. Some famous types are Blue Moon and Kintamani, and Kopi Luwak (civet coffee). Balinese coffee production involves harvesting cherries, pulping and fermenting the beans, drying them, hulling them, roasting them, and grinding them. Balinese coffee has a balanced, smooth taste...

Indonesian Coffee: Growing, Taste, and How To C...
Indonesia, the fourth largest coffee producer globally, offers a diverse range of coffee beans. Indonesia produces many specialty coffees from high-quality Arabica and some Robusta beans. These include Kopi Luwak, Gayo, Kintamani, Bali Blue Moon, Mandheling, Toraja, Wamena, and Temanggung. Indonesian coffee grows mainly on Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi. Small farms grow the beans using diverse methods influenced by regional...
Indonesian Coffee: Growing, Taste, and How To C...
Indonesia, the fourth largest coffee producer globally, offers a diverse range of coffee beans. Indonesia produces many specialty coffees from high-quality Arabica and some Robusta beans. These include Kopi Luwak, Gayo, Kintamani, Bali Blue Moon, Mandheling, Toraja, Wamena, and Temanggung. Indonesian coffee grows mainly on Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi. Small farms grow the beans using diverse methods influenced by regional...

Best Sumatra Coffee: Beans, Taste, and Growing ...
The best Sumatra coffee is specialty-grade Arabica, freshly roasted to order for an earthy, spicy, and chocolatey flavor. Look for Sumatra coffee beans online, in specialty shops, or from suppliers by flavor, roast, grind size, price, reviews, and discounts. Sumatran coffee features earthy, herbal, and woody notes, sometimes with hints of moss and tobacco. Sumatra grows coffee in Aceh, North,...
Best Sumatra Coffee: Beans, Taste, and Growing ...
The best Sumatra coffee is specialty-grade Arabica, freshly roasted to order for an earthy, spicy, and chocolatey flavor. Look for Sumatra coffee beans online, in specialty shops, or from suppliers by flavor, roast, grind size, price, reviews, and discounts. Sumatran coffee features earthy, herbal, and woody notes, sometimes with hints of moss and tobacco. Sumatra grows coffee in Aceh, North,...

Rwanda Coffee: Production, Taste, and Best Brands
Rwanda Coffee refers to coffee grown in the high-altitude regions of Rwanda, a small coffee producer in East-Central Africa. Most Rwandan coffee is Arabica, and 95% of that is the Red Bourbon variety. Coffee grows best in five areas of Rwanda, mostly in the south and west near Lake Kivu. These are the Virunga Mountains, Kivu, Kizi Rift, Muhazi, and...
Rwanda Coffee: Production, Taste, and Best Brands
Rwanda Coffee refers to coffee grown in the high-altitude regions of Rwanda, a small coffee producer in East-Central Africa. Most Rwandan coffee is Arabica, and 95% of that is the Red Bourbon variety. Coffee grows best in five areas of Rwanda, mostly in the south and west near Lake Kivu. These are the Virunga Mountains, Kivu, Kizi Rift, Muhazi, and...

Kenya Coffee: Growing, Taste, and Where To Buy
Kenyan coffee comes from Kenya, a country in East Africa. Coffee is one of Kenya's biggest exports. The main types of Kenyan coffee beans are Arabica cultivars. These include SL28, SL34, K7, Ruiru 11, and Batian. Coffee in Kenya grows in 33 counties and 18 coffee-growing regions. The main areas are Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Murang'a, Kericho, and Bungoma. Kenyan coffee...
Kenya Coffee: Growing, Taste, and Where To Buy
Kenyan coffee comes from Kenya, a country in East Africa. Coffee is one of Kenya's biggest exports. The main types of Kenyan coffee beans are Arabica cultivars. These include SL28, SL34, K7, Ruiru 11, and Batian. Coffee in Kenya grows in 33 counties and 18 coffee-growing regions. The main areas are Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Murang'a, Kericho, and Bungoma. Kenyan coffee...

20 Best African Coffees to Explore
The best African coffees are those that best suit your taste. Africa offers a wide variety of coffees, including Ethiopian coffee, Ugandan coffee, Tanzanian coffee, and more. African coffee refers to coffee beans grown on the African continent, often cultivated at high altitudes in shade-grown conditions by smallholder farmers using traditional methods. In the coffee year 2022/23, Africa produced 17.9...
20 Best African Coffees to Explore
The best African coffees are those that best suit your taste. Africa offers a wide variety of coffees, including Ethiopian coffee, Ugandan coffee, Tanzanian coffee, and more. African coffee refers to coffee beans grown on the African continent, often cultivated at high altitudes in shade-grown conditions by smallholder farmers using traditional methods. In the coffee year 2022/23, Africa produced 17.9...

Best Ethiopian Coffee: Beans, Flavors, and Grow...
The best Ethiopian coffee is freshly roasted to order, specialty-grade single origins Arabica from high-altitude regions like Yirgacheffe, Sidama, Kaffa, or Harrar. When choosing the best Ethiopian coffee, prioritize beans with bright flavor, high acidity, floral or fruity aroma and tea-like body from brands with strong ratings and balanced price-to-quality ratio. No one "best" coffee suits everyone. Compare beans by...
Best Ethiopian Coffee: Beans, Flavors, and Grow...
The best Ethiopian coffee is freshly roasted to order, specialty-grade single origins Arabica from high-altitude regions like Yirgacheffe, Sidama, Kaffa, or Harrar. When choosing the best Ethiopian coffee, prioritize beans with bright flavor, high acidity, floral or fruity aroma and tea-like body from brands with strong ratings and balanced price-to-quality ratio. No one "best" coffee suits everyone. Compare beans by...

Colombian Coffee: Growing, Production, Taste, a...
Colombian coffee comes from Colombia, the third-largest coffee producer in the world. "100% Colombian Coffee" means the coffee is entirely from Colombia. This term was made popular by a campaign that started in 1958, showing a fictional coffee farmer named Juan Valdez. Most Colombian coffee grows in the Coffee Triangle, a special area in central-west Colombia. Other regions like Huila,...
Colombian Coffee: Growing, Production, Taste, a...
Colombian coffee comes from Colombia, the third-largest coffee producer in the world. "100% Colombian Coffee" means the coffee is entirely from Colombia. This term was made popular by a campaign that started in 1958, showing a fictional coffee farmer named Juan Valdez. Most Colombian coffee grows in the Coffee Triangle, a special area in central-west Colombia. Other regions like Huila,...

Top 20 Coffee Producing Countries
Coffee producing countries are nations that cultivate, harvest, and process coffee beans for domestic use and global export. Major coffee-producing countries are located in Latin America, Asia, and Africa, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Crop Statistics 2021. Latin America, including Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and Peru, produces 55.5% of the world’s coffee and 80%...
Top 20 Coffee Producing Countries
Coffee producing countries are nations that cultivate, harvest, and process coffee beans for domestic use and global export. Major coffee-producing countries are located in Latin America, Asia, and Africa, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Crop Statistics 2021. Latin America, including Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and Peru, produces 55.5% of the world’s coffee and 80%...

Kona Coffee: Best Brands, Growing Regions, and ...
The best Kona coffee is 100% Kona, graded 'Extra Fancy', and estate-grown. It meets both Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Specialty Coffee Association standards. Kona coffee is a rare type of coffee grown only in Hawaii. While the terms "Kona coffee," "Kona coffee blend," and "Hawaiian coffee" might seem similar, they have different meanings. To be called 100% Kona coffee,...
Kona Coffee: Best Brands, Growing Regions, and ...
The best Kona coffee is 100% Kona, graded 'Extra Fancy', and estate-grown. It meets both Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Specialty Coffee Association standards. Kona coffee is a rare type of coffee grown only in Hawaii. While the terms "Kona coffee," "Kona coffee blend," and "Hawaiian coffee" might seem similar, they have different meanings. To be called 100% Kona coffee,...

Excelsa Coffee: Origin, Taste, and How to Choose
Excelsa coffee beans come from the Coffea liberica plant. They were first named Coffea excelsa, and later, they were considered a type of Coffea liberica. Excelsa coffee beans are medium-sized, oval-shaped, and have a slightly wrinkled surface. The coffee beans are about 2 cm long and 1.7 cm wide. Excelsa coffee is mainly grown in Southeast Asia. Vietnam, the Philippines,...
Excelsa Coffee: Origin, Taste, and How to Choose
Excelsa coffee beans come from the Coffea liberica plant. They were first named Coffea excelsa, and later, they were considered a type of Coffea liberica. Excelsa coffee beans are medium-sized, oval-shaped, and have a slightly wrinkled surface. The coffee beans are about 2 cm long and 1.7 cm wide. Excelsa coffee is mainly grown in Southeast Asia. Vietnam, the Philippines,...

Espresso Beans vs. Coffee Beans: What's the Dif...
Espresso beans are coffee beans roasted, prepared, and ground for espresso machines. Coffee beans are roasted and ground seeds from the Coffea plant. All espresso beans are coffee beans, but not all coffee beans are espresso beans. The key differences are the roasting process, grind size, and brewing method. Espresso beans are roasted longer than regular coffee beans. Espresso beans...
Espresso Beans vs. Coffee Beans: What's the Dif...
Espresso beans are coffee beans roasted, prepared, and ground for espresso machines. Coffee beans are roasted and ground seeds from the Coffea plant. All espresso beans are coffee beans, but not all coffee beans are espresso beans. The key differences are the roasting process, grind size, and brewing method. Espresso beans are roasted longer than regular coffee beans. Espresso beans...

Green Coffee: Taste, Benefits, and How To Make
Green coffee beans are raw, unroasted seeds from the coffee fruit. They come in two main types: Arabica and Robusta. Green coffee beans are the result of processing ripe coffee cherries. This involves harvesting, removing outer layers, and drying. Green coffee has a grassy, herbal, slightly bitter taste. It smells earthy, like fresh-cut grass or raw legumes, and lacks the...
Green Coffee: Taste, Benefits, and How To Make
Green coffee beans are raw, unroasted seeds from the coffee fruit. They come in two main types: Arabica and Robusta. Green coffee beans are the result of processing ripe coffee cherries. This involves harvesting, removing outer layers, and drying. Green coffee has a grassy, herbal, slightly bitter taste. It smells earthy, like fresh-cut grass or raw legumes, and lacks the...

What is White Coffee?
White coffee beans are roasted at a lower temperature (325 degrees Fahrenheit) and for less time than regular coffee. This results in a lighter, nuttier flavor that is less acidic and bitter. It tastes delicate, raw, and vegetative, with notes of peanuts, grass, hay, and wood. The white roast coffee beans are pale yellow, almost creamy, with no surface oils....
What is White Coffee?
White coffee beans are roasted at a lower temperature (325 degrees Fahrenheit) and for less time than regular coffee. This results in a lighter, nuttier flavor that is less acidic and bitter. It tastes delicate, raw, and vegetative, with notes of peanuts, grass, hay, and wood. The white roast coffee beans are pale yellow, almost creamy, with no surface oils....