I’m glad I don’t have to pick! I’m a sucker for variety. I always have natural and washed coffee on hand and I try to have a honey processed coffee whenever possible.
If I had to blindly pick a coffee and it needed to be great, I would pick a washed coffee, probably a “medium” roast. The flavor profile is fairly narrow at that point, but it can still be great coffee. I do (barely) prefer a delicate cup so most of the best cups of coffee I’ve had have been lighter roasted washed coffees.
But my most delightfully surprising cups of coffee, by a mile, have been natural process coffees. It probably wouldn’t be good if a light roasted washed coffee surprised me at this point. Natural processed coffees continue to surprise me in good ways.
For a consumer, if their preferences are equal, I think consistently good coffee is mostly about finding a good roaster. I’ve had plenty of mediocre to bad coffee from each fermentation process, many varieties, and all roast levels. I’ve seldom had a bad bag of coffee from roasters I trust.
Yeah. I mostly prefer washed, but still nothings beaten that one time I found a light roast Ethiopian natural blueberry bomb that made the most incredible espresso. Now if I buy a funky natural its only to chase that dragon.
Strongly agreed. The variety is what makes it good. Its nice to switch back and forth day by day so it never gets “samey”. Its like those air fresheners that switch back and forth.
If i had to, though, I would pick a natty ethiopian if I had to pick just one.
Also, it really is in the roaster. I’ve been to a few that will have coffee from 20 different countries, but somehow make it taste all the same.
I’m glad I don’t have to pick! I’m a sucker for variety. I always have natural and washed coffee on hand and I try to have a honey processed coffee whenever possible.
If I had to blindly pick a coffee and it needed to be great, I would pick a washed coffee, probably a “medium” roast. The flavor profile is fairly narrow at that point, but it can still be great coffee. I do (barely) prefer a delicate cup so most of the best cups of coffee I’ve had have been lighter roasted washed coffees.
But my most delightfully surprising cups of coffee, by a mile, have been natural process coffees. It probably wouldn’t be good if a light roasted washed coffee surprised me at this point. Natural processed coffees continue to surprise me in good ways.
For a consumer, if their preferences are equal, I think consistently good coffee is mostly about finding a good roaster. I’ve had plenty of mediocre to bad coffee from each fermentation process, many varieties, and all roast levels. I’ve seldom had a bad bag of coffee from roasters I trust.
Yeah. I mostly prefer washed, but still nothings beaten that one time I found a light roast Ethiopian natural blueberry bomb that made the most incredible espresso. Now if I buy a funky natural its only to chase that dragon.
Strongly agreed. The variety is what makes it good. Its nice to switch back and forth day by day so it never gets “samey”. Its like those air fresheners that switch back and forth.
If i had to, though, I would pick a natty ethiopian if I had to pick just one.
Also, it really is in the roaster. I’ve been to a few that will have coffee from 20 different countries, but somehow make it taste all the same.