Which Coffee Beans Are the Best?

When it comes to obtaining the perfect cup of coffee, the type of beans you choose make the difference. Each variety has a distinct flavor that goes well with a range of food and drink recipes.

Panama is the top contender with its unique Geisha beans. These beans are highly graded in cupping tests and are also costly at auction. But Ethiopia especially Yirgacheffe beans is close behind.

1. Geisha Beans from Panama

Geisha beans are the best coffee beans you can find anywhere in the world. Geisha beans are coveted for their unique flavor and aroma. These rare beans, which are produced at high altitudes, undergo an unusual process that gives them their signature flavor. The result is a coffee that is smooth, rich, and full of flavor.

Geisha coffee is a native of Ethiopia but was introduced to Panama for the first time in 1963. Geisha coffee is known to win competitions with its prestigious taste and flavor. Geisha beans are also expensive coffee beans due to the work involved in their cultivation. Geisha coffee plants are more difficult to grow because they require higher elevations and unique climate conditions.

Geisha beans need to be handled with care, as they are delicate. They need to be carefully separated and meticulously prepared for roasting. Otherwise, they will turn acidic and bitter.

The beans are grown at the Janson Coffee Farm, which is located in Volcan, Panama. The farm is focused on quality production and is dedicated to improving the environment. They utilize solar panels for energy, recycle waste materials and water, and use enzyme microbes to improve the soil. They also plant trees and utilize recycled water to wash. The coffee they produce is a Washed Geisha and was awarded the highest score at the Panama Coffee Competition.

2. Ethiopian Coffee

Ethiopia is a major coffee producer with a long tradition of producing some of the world's finest brews. Ethiopia is the fifth largest coffee producer in the world. Their beans are highly appreciated for their distinctive fruity, floral flavor profiles. Ethiopians are different from other beans, taste best when they are roasted to medium roast. This allows the floral notes to be preserved while highlighting fruity and citrus flavors.

While Sidamo beans are renowned for their sour, citric acidity, coffees from other regions such as Yirgacheffe and Harar are also thought to be among the top in the world. Harar is Ethiopia's oldest and most popular coffee variety. It has a distinct mocha and wine flavor. Coffees from the Guji region are also renowned for their complex flavors and a distinct Terroir.

Natural Process is a different type of Ethiopian coffee that is processed using dry processing instead of wet processing. Wet-processing involves the washing of coffee beans that remove some of its fruity and sweet flavor. Until recently, natural process coffees from Ethiopia were less popular than their washed counterparts, and they were mostly utilized to brighten blends rather than being sold as a product of a single origin on the specialty market. Recent technological advances have led to higher quality natural Ethiopians.

3. Brazilian Coffee

Brazilian Coffee is a rich mix of various types. It is distinguished by its low acidity and a smooth body. It has a sweet taste with subtle cocoa. The flavors vary based on the state and region where it is grown. It is also known for its nutty and citrus notes. It is a great choice for those who like medium-bodied coffee.

Brazil is the largest producer and exporter of coffee in the world. Brazil produces more than 30 percent of the world's beans. It is a major agricultural industry, and Brazil's economy depends heavily on it. Brazil has a climate ideal for growing coffee and fourteen major coffee-producing areas.

The primary beans used in Brazilian coffee are Catuai, Mundo Novo, Obata and Icatu. All of them are varieties of Arabica. There are also a variety of hybrids which include Robusta. Robusta is a variety of coffee bean which originates in Sub-Saharan Africa. It's not as delicious and aromatic as Arabica, but it's more easy to cultivate.

It is important to note that slavery is still prevalent in the coffee industry. Slaves are exposed in Brazil to exhausting and long working hours, and could be denied adequate housing. The government has taken measures to address the issue, including establishing programs to assist coffee farmers pay their debts.

4. Indonesian Coffee

The top coffee beans from Indonesia are renowned for their dark, strong flavor and earthy taste. The volcanic ash that is mixed into the soil gives them a strong body and low acidity that makes them perfect for blending with higher-acidity beans from Central America and East Africa. They also respond well to roasts that are darker. Indonesian coffees are a bit rustic and nutty in taste with flavors of leather, wood tobacco, and ripe fruits.

Java and Sumatra are the two largest Coffee Beans Bulk buy-producing regions in Indonesia but some coffee is also cultivated on Sulawesi and Bali. A majority of farms in this region employ a wet-hulling method. This differs from the washed processing process that is prevalent in most of the world, where the cherries of coffee are de-pulped and then washed before drying. The process of hulling reduces the amount of water that is in the coffee, which reduces the impact rain can have on the quality of the final product.

One of the most sought-after and high-quality varieties of Indonesian coffee is Mandheling, which comes from the Toraja region. It is a rich and full-bodied coffee that has hints of candied fruit and a smoky taste of chocolate. Gayo and Lintong are also varieties of coffee that originate from this region. They are usually wet-hulled and have a full-bodied, smokey taste.