Coffee Guide

Four factors shape what you taste in the cup: how the coffee was processed after harvest, how darkly it was roasted, where it was grown, and which variety of plant it came from. Each one leaves a distinct mark on the flavour.

Process

After coffee cherries are picked, they need to be dried and the seed extracted. How this is done has a major effect on flavour. Processing determines the balance between clarity and fruitiness: methods that leave the fruit on the bean longer produce sweeter, heavier cups, while methods that strip the fruit early let the bean's terroir speak for itself.

Washed

The cherry is removed before drying, letting the bean's inherent character shine through. Produces the cleanest, most transparent cups.

Typical flavours: Citrus, Floral, Tea-like

Body: Light to medium

Acidity: Bright, pronounced

See Washed coffees

Natural

The bean dries inside the whole cherry, absorbing sugars and fruit compounds. Produces bold fruitiness and heavier body.

Typical flavours: Blueberry, Strawberry, Tropical fruit, Wine-like

Body: Full, syrupy

Acidity: Moderate

See Natural coffees

Honey

A spectrum between washed and natural. More mucilage left on the bean means more sweetness and fruit character.

Typical flavours: Caramel, Stone fruit, Buttery sweetness

Body: Medium to full

Acidity: Moderate

See Honey coffees

Anaerobic

Fermented in oxygen-free tanks, concentrating specific flavour compounds. Amplifies what the origin and variety already bring.

Typical flavours: Intense tropical fruit, Spice, Wine-like

Body: Full

Acidity: Varies

See Anaerobic coffees

Wet-hulled

Unique to Indonesia. Beans are hulled at high moisture, creating a distinctive earthy, heavy profile.

Typical flavours: Earth, Wood, Cedar, Tobacco, Spice

Body: Very full

Acidity: Very low

See Wet-hulled coffees

Experimental

Includes carbonic maceration and other novel techniques. Results vary widely.

Typical flavours: Boozy, Tropical, Funky

Body: Varies

Acidity: Varies

See Experimental coffees

Roast Level

Roasting transforms green coffee into the brown beans you brew. The longer and hotter the roast, the more the bean's origin character gives way to roast character. Light roasts preserve what makes a coffee unique: its acidity, florals, and fruit. Darker roasts trade that transparency for body, sweetness, and roast-derived flavours like chocolate and caramel.

Light

Roasted just past first crack. Origin character dominates.

Typical notes: Bright acidity, Floral, Citrus, Tea-like

See Light roast coffees

Medium-light

Origin character with emerging caramel sweetness. Acidity starts to round.

Typical notes: Stone fruit, Honey, Caramel hints

See Medium-light roast coffees

Medium

The midpoint. Balanced between origin and roast character.

Typical notes: Caramel, Toasted nuts, Milk chocolate

See Medium roast coffees

Medium-dark

Roast character begins to lead. Acidity is muted, body is full.

Typical notes: Dark chocolate, Molasses, Dried fruit

See Medium-dark roast coffees

Dark

Roast-dominant. Origin character is largely gone. Oil visible on the surface.

Typical notes: Smoky, Bittersweet, Burnt sugar

See Dark roast coffees

Origin

Where coffee grows shapes its flavour more than any other factor. Altitude, soil, climate, and local farming traditions all leave their mark. African coffees tend toward bright acidity and floral complexity. Central and South American coffees are typically balanced and sweet. Asian coffees lean earthy and full-bodied. We group origins here by flavour family rather than geography.

Bright and floral

Ethiopia

The birthplace of coffee. Wild and cultivated varieties produce extraordinary range, from jasmine-scented naturals to tea-like washed coffees.

See coffees from Ethiopia

Kenya

Known for bold blackcurrant and tomato-like acidity. SL28 and SL34 varieties dominate, producing complex, wine-like cups.

See coffees from Kenya

Rwanda

Produces vibrant, fruit-forward coffees with bright acidity and floral top notes. Bourbon variety is common.

See coffees from Rwanda

Burundi

Similar profile to Rwanda with pronounced fruit acidity. Bourbon-based lots from high-altitude washing stations.

See coffees from Burundi

Balanced and sweet

Colombia

Year-round harvests from diverse microclimates. Expect caramel sweetness, stone fruit, and clean, approachable acidity.

See coffees from Colombia

Guatemala

Volcanic soils produce chocolatey, full-bodied coffees with bright acidity and brown sugar sweetness.

See coffees from Guatemala

Costa Rica

Clean, sweet, and consistent. Honey and natural processing are common, adding fruit complexity to the baseline sweetness.

See coffees from Costa Rica

El Salvador

Bourbon-heavy production with a soft, rounded profile. Stone fruit sweetness and gentle acidity.

See coffees from El Salvador

Honduras

Growing reputation for fruit-forward lots. Caramel, stone fruit, and mild acidity at its best.

See coffees from Honduras

Panama

Home of Gesha. Exceptional terroir in Boquete produces some of the world's most nuanced and complex coffees.

See coffees from Panama

Chocolatey and nutty

Brazil

The world's largest producer. Natural processing is dominant, producing low-acid, chocolatey, nutty cups. Common as espresso base.

See coffees from Brazil

Peru

Underrated origin with clean, balanced cups. Chocolate, caramel, and mild fruit in the better lots.

See coffees from Peru

Nicaragua

Soft body with caramel and chocolate notes. Improving quality from higher-altitude farms.

See coffees from Nicaragua

Mexico

Light body, mild acidity, and nutty sweetness. Often used as a base for blends.

See coffees from Mexico

Earthy and spiced

Indonesia

Wet-hulled processing creates distinctive earthy, full-bodied cups. Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi each have their own character.

See coffees from Indonesia

India

Spiced, earthy notes with low acidity. Monsoon Malabar is a unique process that creates an intensely woody, funky cup.

See coffees from India

Papua New Guinea

Earthy and herbaceous with some fruit character. Wild growing conditions create inconsistency but also interesting complexity.

See coffees from Papua New Guinea

Variety

Just as grape varieties produce different wines, coffee plant varieties produce distinct flavour profiles. Some varieties like Gesha are prized for extraordinary complexity. Others like Bourbon and Typica form the backbone of specialty coffee. Variety sets the flavour potential; processing and roasting determine how much of it is expressed.