Are you a coffee enthusiast? I assume you love to drink coffee and are searching for the best coffee beans for beginners. That tells me you are just starting your journey to the world of coffee beans. The adventure commences when individuals grow tired of their daily coffee routine and yearn to explore new flavors. However, in a word organic medium-roasted coffee beans and blue mountain coffee beans from Ethiopia are the best coffee beans for beginners especially. Stay with us to know more about beans. This blog will turn you from a beginner into an expert in coffee beans. You will also get to know the recommendations from some expert baristas.
First, you need to understand coffee bean types.
Coffee Bean Types
There are mainly two types of coffee beans that are reigning in the bean world: Arabica and Robusta.
- Arabica Beans: these are smooth beans with a nuanced flavour. These beans are low in caffeine and are often considered the barista’s choice.
- Robusta Beans: these beans have higher caffeine and a stronger flavour. These are popular for their strong flavour and versatility.
Beans origin and territory
There are coffee beans from various places. Some places produce extraordinary quality beans and some produce average-quality beans. However coffee beans are like people, they maintain their culture. Every coffee bean has its own flavour.
Latin American Beans
These are popular beans in the USA. these beans tend to offer a bright flavour added with fruity and floral notes. Region, This region includes coffee beans coming from Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Mexico. Coffee beans from this region possess a taste of acidity and very lively flavours. For example, Columbian coffee is renowned for its balanced acidity and caramel sweetness.
African Coffee Beans
Coffee made from African beans is celebrated for its complex flavour. It features a vibrant fruitness and an acidity that tastes like wine. How cool is that?
Region: This region includes countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania etc. African coffee beans are celebrated for their diverse flavours.
For example, Kenyan coffee is known for its intense brightness and strong flavours. The high altitude helps to give this complex flavour to coffee beans from this region. this elevation and climate contribute to this unique African taste.
Indonesian and Pacific island Coffee Beans
These beans are quite special and give an unfamiliar taste to every coffee lover. These beans contain an earthy flavour. You may find hints of spice, cedar or maybe tobacco too. These beans are known for their acidity and rich but syrupy texture.
Regions: This region includes coffee beans from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and other Pacific islands.
Even coffee from two countries from this region may differentiate in taste. That’s how rich in territorial flavour these beans are.
Other Coffee Bean Regions:
Central American beans: this region includes countries like Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. These beans often offer a balanced taste with nutty or chocolaty flavour. Most beginners choose beans from this region, as these don’t hit hard the first time and feel familiar with regular coffee.
Indian Coffee Beans: India produces a wide variety of coffee beans. The diverse climate and territory help the production. Beans from this region are renowned for their unique aging process.
Roast levels
Just getting the best beans will not be enough to have the best beans for a beginner. You must get the best beans according to their roast level. Normally there are three types of roast-level beans. Let’s find out which one is best for you
Light roast:
light roast beans generally retain more of the bean’s natural flavour, acidity and brightness. They have a crisp, clean taste with floral notes. Light roast are good with those beans that contain the territorial unique taste, and you want to retain the flavour. Some of the popular light roast beans are Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Kenyan AA and beans from the Indonesian region.
Medium roast:
Medium roast beans are the most popular option among people nowadays. M retain the authentic essence of the coffee beans, avoiding excessive boldness in flavor. They harmonize various flavors, ensuring a balanced and well-rounded coffee experience.” Most beans that you find in grocery stores are medium roast beans. Normally coffee labeled as breakfast blends are medium roast beans. Medium roast beans are the best beans for a beginner, as they give a balanced taste.
Dark Roast:
Dark roast beans have a bold, intense flavour and reduced acidity. You will find a strong flavour along with notes of dark chocolate, and sometimes smokiness too. French roast and Italian roast are popular examples of dark roast beans. You can have the dark roast beans, the Central American beans dark roasted. It will create a nice delightful fusion for the coffee.
Single-origin Beans vs Blends
There are two types of beans that are popular in the coffee connoisseurs community. One type keeps its territorial originality and does not.
Single-origin Coffee Beans:
Single-origin beans are collected from a single territory and then they are managed in a single farm to keep the originality of that area. These are beans that retain their territorial flavour.
Coffee Blends:
Blends combine beans from different origins to create a balanced flavour. These are normally made with customers’ choice in mind. Normally blends are created to give the expected flavour to the consumer. Most consumers do not like the originality of a single territory, and blends are for them.
Recommendation
Our recommendations might be helpful for both a seasoned coffee drinker who already knows about coffee beans and also for a beginner. We have 5 recommendations for the best coffee bean for beginners.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe – Light Roast: It is renowned for its acidic flavour, mixed with floral notes and fruity undertones. A light roast will help to retain these flavours, and you can have a vibrant coffee experience.
Columbian supremo-Medium dark roast: These beans are known for their balanced flavour with nutty & chocolaty notes. Medium dark roast will bring out the sweetness of columbian coffee while retaining moderate acidity.
Sumatra Mandheling- Dark Roast: It offers a bold and earthy flavour with lower acidity. The dark roast will help to ensure the richness and boldness more thus making it one of the best choices.
Kenyan AA – Medium Roast: These beans are renowned for their bright acidity, and fruity flavour accompanied with a wine-type flavour. Medium roast will allow for a balance of the flavour between all the characteristics. It will give you the best coffee without overwhelming the territorial flavours.
Italian espresso Blend: It generally contains beans from multiple regions, roasted to a dark level. However, it gives a bold, intense flavour.
It can have smokey notes which are perfect for classic espresso-based drinks like latte. This espresso blend might be the best coffee beans for beginners. Now you know how to choose the best beans from all the regions in the world. However, there are still some questions that we get asked quite often. If you have any questions scroll below to see if we have already answered your question.
FAQs
Q1. what are the steps to choose the best coffee beans for beginners?
- Step 1: Choose the variety of the bean (Arabica or Robusta)
- Step 2: Choose the origin or the growing regions
- Step 3: roast level
- Step 4: flavour profile
- Step 5: freshness
Q2: what roast level should I choose for my coffee?
Genertally if you are not sure or confused choose the medium roast level. It will give you a balanced flavour to give you the best shot.
Q3: Do I have to keep in mind the brewing method when selecting beans?
Yes, the brewing method affects the flavour of the coffee. For example, espresso beans are roasted differently from the French press. So, choose the beans according to your brewing method
Q4. Is the freshness of beans really important?
Freshness is extremely important for beans. Whichever beans you choose try to have it within 2 to 4 weeks after roasted. It will give you the best flavour of those beans.
I am Mojoon, a certified and award-winning barista by choice, with 7 years of experience in the field. I have served and trained coffee shop baristas worldwide. I worked at Krispy Kreme for an extended period, and now I aim to help regular people brew coffee like me. I pursue this job with my passion for writing and also provide one-on-one coaching for newly minted baristas.