How to Choose Your Coffee Beans: A Beginner’s Guide

Walking into a coffee shop and seeing bags of whole beans covered in tasting notes, elevations, processing methods, and roast levels can feel overwhelming. What does "washed process" mean? Does a higher elevation actually make a difference?

The good news is that you don't need to be a coffee expert to find a bean you'll love. Once you understand a few basic concepts, you’ll be able to easily find a roast that matches your preferences and taste.

How Does Roast Level Affect Coffee Flavour?

Roast level is one of the biggest factors influencing taste, affecting everything from acidity and sweetness to body and overall flavour. When you’re just entering the world of retail coffee beans, roast level is often the easiest place to start.

Light roasts preserve more of the coffee bean’s natural character. They're often brighter, fruitier, and more complex. You are more likely to notice flavours like citrus, florals, berry, or a tea-like sweetness.

Great for: Pour over, filter coffee, and anyone who enjoys vibrant flavours.

Medium roasts offer a curated balance between the bean's natural flavours and the sweetness developed during roasting. These coffees are often smooth, approachable, and versatile. You can expect notes such as caramel, roasted nuts, or crisp apples in a medium roast.

Great for: Everyday coffee drinkers. A medium roast is ideal if you’re buying for your office [link to wholesale coffee], as it is often the most universally enjoyed when it comes to a bean’s roast.

Dark roasts spend longer in the roaster, allowing the bean to develop deeper flavours like dark chocolate, caramelized sugars, and hazelnut. They typically have a fuller body and lower acidity, making it the perfect start to the morning for avid coffee drinkers.

Great for: Espresso lovers and anyone who enjoys bold, rich coffee.

At Humble, you'll find coffees across the full roast spectrum, from bright single origins like our Guatemala to richer dark roasts like The Royal. We roast each coffee to highlight its natural character rather than simply making it lighter or darker.

Does Growing Elevation Affect Coffee Taste?

Yes. Beans grown at higher elevations generally develop more slowly, creating denser beans with brighter acidity and more complex flavours.

Coffee grown at higher elevations develops more slowly because of cooler temperatures, allowing the beans to become denser and packed with more complex flavours. In your cup, this often means brighter acidity, greater sweetness, and more distinct flavour notes. Lower-elevation coffees can be smoother and more mellow.

Generally speaking:

• Higher elevation: Brighter acidity, floral aromas, fruit-forward flavours.

• Lower elevation: Fuller body, chocolate, nuts, and earthy sweetness.

While elevation isn't the only factor affecting taste, it gives you a clue about the bean’s overall character.

Processing Methods: What Happens After Harvest

Coffee processing refers to how the fruit is removed from the coffee bean after harvesting, and it has a significant impact on overall flavour and body. The method of removal has a bigger impact than many people realize.

Washed process means the fruit is removed before drying. Beans are typically clean, crisp, and bright, allowing the natural flavours to shine through. Seeing this process on your bag of coffee beans means you can expect bright acidity and clear flavour notes.

In a natural process, the coffee is dried with the fruit still attached. This often creates sweeter, fruit-forward coffees with heavier body and flavours.

We at Humble choose coffees based on how these growing and processing methods contribute to the final cup, not simply because they're from a particular country. Every coffee is selected for consistency, balance, and flavour before it joins our lineup.

How to Understand Coffee Flavour Notes

Notes like blueberry, chocolate, or brown sugar, doesn’t actually mean your coffee will taste like those foods. Flavour notes aren’t added flavours. Instead, they serve as descriptors that help you understand what a coffee might remind you even before you taste it. 

Our Guatemala medium roast has notes of toffee, apple, and mixed nuts.

With notes like chocolate, caramel, and nuts, you can expect a comforting and familiar cup. Berries, citrus, or stone fruit usually indicate a brighter and more vibrant coffee experience.

Start With a Drink You Enjoy

If you're a regular at Humble, choosing a bag of whole beans doesn't have to be a guessing game. One of the easiest ways to find a coffee you'll enjoy at home is to start with the drink you already love ordering in the café.

These Humble recommendations are a great place to start.

Of course, these are simply starting points. The best way to discover your favourite coffee is to stay curious, try something new, and pay attention to the flavours you enjoy most. There is no wrong answer when it comes to great coffee.

At Humble, we believe great coffee should be approachable. When it comes down to it, the best coffee for you is the one you look forward to brewing every morning.

If you're still unsure which coffee is right for you, stop by the café and ask one of our baristas. We'd love to help you find a bean you'll be excited to take home.

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#220 635 8 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta