You need the best quality beans to make the most flavorful coffee. You’re in the right place to purchase top arabica coffee beans that deliver delicious flavor with every sip.
Arabica beans are smoother and sweeter with notes of fruit, chocolate, and nuts. They are also generally lower in caffeine, making them less bitter.
1. Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
Often called “Ethiopian Crown Jewel,” the Yirgacheffe is the top arabica coffee bean that delivers bright citrus, floral, and wine-like flavors with a smooth finish. Dry or wet processed, Ethiopian Yirgacheffes exhibit a mild body with a delicate acidity. They are grown in a coffee-rich region that has plenty of shade and moisture, the soil is also filled with natural nutrients, helping yield an exceptional coffee.
Yirgacheffe translates to “garden of flowers” (in the local Guji dialect), and the coffee from southern Ethiopia is prized because of its delicate scent. It’s also known for its silky smooth texture that is more refined than other coffees from the country. This milder variety of Ethiopian coffee displays a light body and a fresh, floral, citrus taste with undertones of wine or berry.
Coffee beans from this region, located at an elevation of 1,700-2200 meters is often called high-grown and qualify for Strictly High Grade. The elevation of the plant allows it to grow more slowly, resulting in a more complex flavor.
Ethiopian coffee is typically wet processed by soaking the coffee beans submerged in huge vessels of water until all the fruity, wine-like mucilage has been removed. This method is not as widespread in Latin America but it is the reason for the famous washed Yirgacheffe cups.
For the best Yirgacheffe, opt for a light roast that brings out the bean’s lemon acidity. Its clean quality also makes it a top arabica coffee to use in espresso. The flavor will endure quite well in the dark roast stage, as the fruity flavor will be present. Pour-over brewers are excellent way to taste the flavor of Ethiopian Yrigacheffe.
2. Colombian Supremo
The mild flavor and smooth texture of Colombian Supremo coffee beans is well-known. Many coffee drinkers enjoy them. The rich soils and climate of Colombia create the perfect conditions for growing the world’s finest coffee beans. The distinct flavors of Columbian coffees are also dependent on regional influences and grading system. Each bean type has its own unique characteristics that create a rich blend of flavors in every cup of Colombian Coffee.
The Columbian Supremo is based on the uniformity and size of the beans. This system of grading guarantees the quality of the beans in Colombian coffee. The higher the grade, the larger the beans.
This coffee is roasted in small batches to give a rich and balanced flavor. It has a sweet, fruity flavor that is perfect for a midday coffee or morning coffee.
The Colombian Supremo has a bright acidity, floral or fruity notes, and a silky body. Its balance and versatility make it a popular choice in many coffee blends.
This particular Colombian Supremo is grown in the Popayan Region at elevations up to 6,000 feet above sea level on the Sierra Nevada mountain slopes. This coffee thrives best at high altitudes with volcanic soil. The coffee is then transported to the wet mills where it is sorted by hand to determine quality. The coffee is then fermented in order to enhance its distinctive characteristics. Following this process, coffee is dried at a controlled temperature to prevent spoilage. The coffee is then roasted to medium or dark roast, depending on the flavor profile of the final cup. The coffee is available in three different grinds that include fine grind, drip grind, and whole beans. All three are suitable for a variety of methods of brewing.
3. Jamaican Blue Mountain
A truly unique and rare coffee, Jamaican Blue Mountain is a single origin premium arabica coffee that is grown only in the Blue Mountains region of Jamaica. The beans are known for their distinctive mild flavor and lack of bitterness. The beans are used to create coffee blends as well as the base of Tia Maria – a popular coffee liquor. Blue Moon, an ice cream with a coffee taste is also made from the beans.
The region’s unique growing conditions contribute to the beans’ high quality. The steep, rugged hills make cultivation difficult. The soil is rich in minerals, and there is a constant fog. The fog is important as it helps to slow the process of maturing the coffee berries. In addition, the weather is cool and cloudy, which prevents scorching heat that would damage the coffee plants.
The beans are also harvested by hand. This is a lengthy process that contributes to their superior quality. Only a tiny percentage of farmers are able to cultivate Blue Mountain coffee and must be able to meet strict standards. To be labelled as Blue Mountain coffee, a cup must be sourced from a parish and be cultivated at an elevation.
Because of its superior quality, taste and reputation, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is very expensive. The high prices have resulted in counterfeiters trying to disguise their products as authentic arabica coffee beans. To stop these counterfeits there are now systems in place to verify that a cup of coffee is actually from the Blue Mountains. The certification systems also stress ethical sourcing, including fair wages for the farmers and sustainable methods of growing. This is an important step to protect this world-class coffee.
4. Costa Rican Tarrazu
The Costa Rican Tarrazu is a coffee that takes its job very seriously. This region is known for its crisp, snappy acidity with an exquisite, savory aroma. Coffee from this region is full-bodied and has delicate sweet and citrusy flavor that makes it a cupper’s favorite.
Its altitude, rich volcanic soil and perfect drainage make it a highly sought-after region. The coffee produced by Costa Rican Tarrazu is considered to be among the top gourmet coffees around the world. The region is also famous for its beautiful landscape.
The coffee is grown on small cooperatives and farms owned by families. They have a close relationship with the micro mills who process their beans, so they are able to control the quality of their product from the beginning to the very end. They are Rainforest Alliance certified and strive to maintain an ecosystem that is sustainable, agro-education for farmers, and gender equity.
In the 1960s, profiteering private companies began purchasing Costa Rican farms in Heredia and putting their employees in charge. Farmers were worried about losing their financial support and ability to take care of their coffee crops. In 1961 they voted to establish the Coope Libertad.
This particular batch comes from the Bella Vista Farm in the Tarrazu Region of Costa Rica. It is medium-roasted, smooth, and has some hints of cocoa, caramel and fruit. Its acidity, sweetness and tart lemon are all balanced. The beans were harvested in January 2016 and are certified SHB. It’s the perfect combination of acidity, sweetness and a hint of tartness that we enjoy. We have a small amount of this coffee, so don’t delay!
5. Guatemalan Huehuetenango
Guatemalan Huehuetenango (way-way-ten-oh-gawn) is a classic Central American coffee region known for producing coffees with balanced fruitiness, chocolate notes and a rich mouthfeel. Coffees from Huehuetenango are characterized by a clean, crisp acidity and delicate fruity flavors like grape, lemon, and apple. They also have a smooth and long finish.
In the high mountain ranges of Guatemala, these farms are set amongst mist-shrouded mountains and fertile volcanic soil which is the ideal environment for growing the highest quality specialty coffees. In fact, the coffee industry has helped to establish Guatemala as one of the most renowned regions of the world for its distinctively delicious and distinctive coffees.
Huehuetenango is among the most well-known and renowned coffee growing regions in the country. Our coffee from Huehuetenango is grown by the ASPROCDEGUA Coop (Asociacion Productores de Cafe Diferenciados y Especiales de Guatemala). This co-op collaborates with farmers to cultivate and harvest premium arabica beans and improve the production methods and quality. They also focus on education and offering assistance to women working in the coffee industry, ensuring sustainable agriculture.
The coffee is roasted to reveal its best qualities. With the light roast, this coffee is bright and clean with a great balance of fresh roasted arabica coffee beans crop citric fruitiness and malty tones that are nutty. As the roast progresses into a medium ballpark, this coffee will display more vibrant acidity and will begin to develop sweeter dark tones for a great combination of flavors.
This coffee is part of our Great Arabica Series, a collection of some of the best arabica coffees from all over the world. Each of these single-source beans is carefully cultivated by smallholders and hand-sorted to ensure top quality. Our team of experts then roasts these beans to make the perfect cup of coffee.