How to choose specialty coffee: origin, roast and grind
In this guide
This guide is about the coffee — the beans, not the brewer. If you're wondering which machine or method to buy, we have a dedicated guide for that: which coffee maker to buy. Here we answer the other question: of all the specialty coffee out there, which should you choose?
The 4 factors that really change the flavour
- Origin: the country and growing altitude set the base profile (fruity, citrusy, chocolatey...).
- Processing: washed (cleaner and brighter), natural (sweeter and fruitier) or honey (in between).
- Roast: light/medium brings out acidity and origin; dark prioritises body and bitterness — specialty coffee is almost always roasted light to medium.
- Freshness: a coffee roasted 2 weeks ago will always beat one roasted 6 months ago, wherever it comes from.
What to expect from each origin
- Colombia (washed): balanced, with notes of chocolate, panela and citrus — Inga, grown by the Inga indigenous community in Nariño.
- Ethiopia: floral and very fruity, the fruitiest origin — Guji.
- Kenya: spiced, with a lively, intensely citrus-like acidity — Kianamui.
- Rwanda: sweet, with notes of nougat and nuts — Ruanda Kivu.
- Brazil: smooth and chocolatey, a good base for moka pot/espresso — Brasil Cataguá.
- Costa Rica (honey): honey-like sweetness, medium body — Esperanza by Aquiares.
You can dig deeper into how climate, altitude and processing shape flavour in this article on origin and flavour, and into how to identify tasting notes with the coffee flavour wheel.
Choose the right grind for your brewer
The best origin is no use if the grind doesn't suit your method. At Quinto Café you can choose the grind for your brewer (whole bean, espresso, moka pot, filter or French press) when you buy each coffee. If you're not yet sure which brewer you use, take a look at our coffee maker guide first.
Looking for something caffeine-free?
Origin and process matter for decaf too: our Colombia Decaf uses the Sugar Cane process precisely to preserve the chocolate and sweetness of its origin. All the details in this article on decaffeination methods.
Not sure where to start? Try several origins
If you want to compare profiles without committing to a single bag, the DÚO and TRÍO subscriptions send you coffees with different profiles every month.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best specialty coffee to start with?
A washed, medium-roast Colombian origin like Inga is the safest bet: balanced, with no extreme acidity, and easy to enjoy with any method.
Do whole beans last longer than ground coffee?
Yes. Coffee loses its aroma much faster once it's ground — that's why we recommend buying whole bean and grinding just before brewing, or choosing the grind for your brewer if you don't have a grinder.
How long does an open bag of coffee last?
Well sealed and away from light and heat, it keeps its aromas well for about 3-4 weeks; after that it starts to lose intensity, although it's still safe to drink.
Does specialty coffee have more caffeine than commercial coffee?
Not particularly — caffeine depends more on the variety and the roast (lighter roasts retain slightly more) than on whether it's "specialty" or not.
