How to Buy The Best Coffee Beans (Updated 2020)

Type

When it comes down to buying coffee beans, there are two ways to go: Arabica and Robusta.

1. Arabica

Traditionally known as the higher quality bean, Arabica beans are grown in higher altitudes and deliver a much sweeter, softer tone, and flavorfull taste. Since growing Arabica beans has a lower turnover, due to needing very specific growing conditions to reach their fullest potential

2. Robusta

Although inferior to Arabica in terms of taste, Robusta beans contain almost twice as much caffiene as Arabica beans. They are grown in much lower altitudes, and have a much higher turnover rate. They are usually found in grocery stores and in cafes like Starbucks.

Origin

Coffee is an agricultural product, meaning you can't understand why it tastes the way it does until you consider the conditions in which it was grown. Although many factors go into the taste of the bean due to it's origin, such as rainfall, soil, and climate, altitude is the most important one. Growing at higher altitudes means lower average temperatures, and moderate rainfall. Those conditions result in slower growing cycles, so flavors have more time to concentrate in the beans. The higher the altitude, the more flavorfull the coffee bean will be.

Origin

Coffee is an agricultural product, meaning you can't understand why it tastes the way it does until you consider the conditions in which it was grown. Although many factors go into the taste of the bean due to it's origin, such as rainfall, soil, and climate, altitude is the most important one. Growing at higher altitudes means lower average temperatures, and moderate rainfall. Those conditions result in slower growing cycles, so flavors have more time to concentrate in the beans. The higher the altitude, the more flavorfull the coffee bean will be.

South America - The coffees here are known to have a more "traditional" taste

Central America - Known for their bright flavor, and generally not as sweet, with stronger cocoa notes

Africa - Generally regarded as the area where the fruitest tasting coffee originates

Processing

After farmers harvest the coffee, it can go through several processing methods, to extract the bean out of the fruit. This divides into 3 methods

Washed

This type of processing focuses soley on the bean, not the fruit it originates from. Washed beans depends 100% on the flavor the bean absorbed through it's natural growing cycle.

Natural/Dry

The natural process, also known as dry processing, is considered the type of processing that yields the most flavorful bean, as it allows the beans to ferment in the sun while taking in more flavor from the fruit

Honey/Pulped

A mix between dry and washed processing, honey processing is removing the skin and pulp from the fruit, while allowing the bean to ferment with the remaining layers.

Organic

Just like any agricultural product, some coffee is grown organically and some isn't. Besides the fact that buying organically grown coffee means that you won't have any harmful pesticides and fertilizers in the growing process, it is also very environmentally friendly. Organice coffee usually needs more shade, so farmers plant more trees which allows for richer soil for the plant to grow in.

Fair Trade

Regardless of the average price of coffee, Fair Trade coffee is guaranteed to have the farmers be paid a certain amount, that is usually significantally higher. These farmers generally put much more care into their coffee process

Roast

Finally, the taste of coffee greatly depends on how it was roasted:

Light

Light roast coffee has a lighter color and generally has a crisper acidity, brighter flavors, and is higher in caffiene

Medium

Medium roast coffee is brown and usually has the most balanced flavors. It is well rounded and usually sweeter than other roasts.

Dark

Dark raost coffee is a dark brown with deeper, darker flavors. The difference between light and dark roasts is quite dramatic.

After learning about all the different variants that give coffee it's flavor, here are our top 3 coffee beans:

You can see our other selection of recommended beans here.

1. Lifeboost Medium Roast Coffee 12 oz Bag

One of the more classic tastes you can find, the Lifeboost Medium Roast coffee will deliver a rich taste in a medium blend

Medium Roast Coffee 12 oz Bag

Medium

Nicaragua

$34.95

Details

View

Water Washed

Fair Trade

Organic

Single Origin

2. Koa Coffee Peaberry Dark Roast Whole Bean 100% Percent Kona Coffee

Genuine Kona Coffee is highly prized throughout the world for its full bodied flavor and pleasing aroma. As one of the rarer coffees, the Koa Coffee Peaberry Dark Roast Whole Bean is full bodied and smooth

Peaberry Dark Roast Whole Bean 100 Percent Kona Coffee

Dark

Hawaii

$45.00

Details

View

Water Washed

3. Volcania Bolivia Peaberry Coffee

This Bolivian Peaberry Coffee is famous for its sweet-toned and soft aroma, and with very pronounced sweet cocoa tones.

Bolivia Peaberry Coffee

Medium

Bolivia

$23.99

Details

View

Natural

Fair Trade

Organic

Single Origin