Buying coffee beans: how to choose

When you buy fresh coffee beans, you are really choosing four things: the type of bean, the origin, the roast and the freshness. Here is what each one means for your cup.

Arabica or robusta

Arabica grows higher, ripens more slowly and gives a softer, more aromatic coffee with finer acidity. Robusta has about twice the caffeine, tastes stronger and more bitter and gives a thick crema. Many espresso blends combine both. Our Burundi and Kivu are 100% arabica; our Espresso Blend combines arabica from Burundi with robusta from Uganda.

Single origin or blend

A single origin comes from one country or region and lets you taste that place: chocolate and caramel in Burundi, cocoa and hazelnut in Kivu. A blend is made for a consistent result, often for espresso with milk.

Light, medium or dark roast

The longer the bean is roasted, the less acidic and the more bitter and toasted it tastes. Medium is a safe choice for both filter and espresso. Our single origins are medium roasted; the Espresso Blend is darker, for espresso machines.

Freshness

Coffee tastes best between about 1 and 6 weeks after roasting. Keep the beans in the sealed bag with valve, in a cool, dry and dark place, not in the fridge. Grind just before brewing: ground coffee loses its aroma within minutes to hours.

Why whole beans only

We only sell whole beans, because they keep their flavour much longer than ground coffee. No grinder? A simple electric burr grinder already makes a big difference.

Which beans suit your machine?

Machine	Our pick
Bean-to-cup or lever machine (espresso)	Espresso Blend, or Burundi for a softer espresso
Filter, V60 or Chemex	Burundi or Kivu
French press (cafetière)	Kivu, for more body
Moka pot	Espresso Blend or Kivu

Want to know more about brewing? Read the brewing guide.