What coffee beans are right for your coffee at home?
Barista made coffee is getting expensive–we won’t lie about that. If you’ve noticed just how high coffee prices have skyrocketed in recent years, chances are you’ve invested in a home coffee system to save some money. Whether you’ve got a french press, espresso machine or a moccapot, you’re probably also searching for the perfect coffee beans to kick start your mornings the right way.
Coffee beans aren’t all processed the same way. The roast level, grind size, and origin of coffee beans all influence how they extract from different home brew systems. You’re here because you’re wondering what coffee beans are best for your specific brewing method, so without further adieu, let’s see how you can choose the right coffee beans for you.
Understanding Coffee Bean Characteristics
Let's take a moment to appreciate the characteristics of coffee beans—because their flavor, roast, and grind can make or break your perfect cup.
Coffee bean characteristics, roast level, grind size, processing method, origin
Roast Level
Coffee beans are roasted to different levels, which greatly impact their flavor, aroma, and body.
Light Roast: Retains more of the original bean characteristics, has a higher acidity, and often features floral, fruity, or tea-like notes.
Medium Roast: Balances acidity and body, bringing out caramelized sugars and nutty or chocolatey flavors while maintaining some original bean nuances.
Dark Roast: Features deep, bold flavors with reduced acidity, often exhibiting smoky, chocolate, or roasted nut notes.
Grind Size (could attach some pictures for reference?)
The size of the coffee grind determines how quickly water extracts flavor from the beans.
Coarse Grind: Best for immersion methods like French press and cold brew, allowing for a longer extraction time without over-extracting bitter compounds.
Medium Grind: Ideal for drip coffee makers and pour-over systems, ensuring an even and balanced extraction.
Fine Grind: Necessary for espresso and Moka pot brewing, as the quick extraction process requires more surface area to extract concentrated flavors.
Bean Origin
The region where coffee is grown affects its flavor profile due to variations in soil, climate, and altitude.
Latin American Beans: Often exhibit chocolate, nutty, and caramel flavors with balanced acidity.
African Beans: Known for bright acidity and fruity, floral, or tea-like flavors.
Asian Beans: Typically have earthy, spicy, and bold flavors with a heavier body.
Processing Method
The way coffee beans are processed after harvest influences their taste.
Washed (Wet) Process: Produces a clean, bright flavor with pronounced acidity, as the beans are fermented and washed before drying.
Natural (Dry) Process: Results in a fruitier, sweeter taste due to the beans drying inside the coffee cherry before removal.
Semi-washed process: also called wet hulled, this method is a balance between the natural and washed processes
Honey Process: A hybrid method where some fruit mucilage remains on the beans, creating a balance of sweetness and acidity.
With these factors in mind, let’s explore which beans are best suited for various brew methods.
1. Espresso Machines
For flat whites, cappuccinos, topped up long macchiatos and lattes, espresso brewing requires a fine grind and a coffee with balanced acidity, body, and sweetness.
Best Roast Level: Medium to dark roast. These roasts bring out caramelized sugars and reduce acidity, which works well with the pressure extraction of espresso machines. It’s also worth noting the darker the blend the easier it can be to work with making these blends a home machine friendly option.
Best Bean Origin: Latin American beans (such as Brazilian or Colombian) provide a balanced, chocolatey profile, while African beans (like Ethiopian) can add fruity complexity.
Recommended Beans:
Brazil Santos (nutty and chocolatey)
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe (floral and citrusy for a bright shot)
Sumatra Mandheling (earthy and full-bodied for a bold espresso)
Most coffee beans are created with a blend to have milk drinking coffee in mind, so you want to pick a roast that has flavour profiles that you like and works with the milk you drink.
2. French Press
The French press is an immersion brewing method that highlights body and richness, requiring coarsely ground beans to avoid over-extraction.
Best Roast Level: Medium to dark roast. The heavier body and reduced acidity work well with full immersion brewing.
Best Bean Origin: Sumatran and Colombian beans bring out chocolate and earthy notes, while Guatemalan beans add a balanced acidity.
Recommended Beans:
Sumatra Mandheling (bold and earthy)
Guatemala Antigua (nutty with a touch of spice)
Ethiopian Harrar (wild berry flavors for a complex cup)
3. Pour-Over (V60, Chemex, Kalita Wave)
Pour-over brewing highlights clarity, acidity, and nuanced flavors, requiring a medium-fine grind for even extraction.
Best Roast Level: Light to medium roast. This preserves delicate flavors and brightness.
Best Bean Origin: African and Central American beans are excellent due to their bright acidity and fruity/floral notes.
Recommended Beans:
Ethiopian Sidamo (bright and tea-like)
Kenyan AA (blackberry and citrus flavors)
Costa Rican Tarrazú (clean, crisp acidity with nutty undertones)
4. Aeropress
The Aeropress is a versatile brewer that works well with both immersion and pressure-based brewing. It can accommodate a wide range of grind sizes and roast levels.
Best Roast Level: Light to medium roast for a cleaner, brighter cup. However, medium-dark roasts can also work well for a richer profile.
Best Bean Origin: African and Central American beans shine in the Aeropress for their bright acidity and complex flavors.
The aeropress is a very popular portable coffee brewer, and is a great option for regular campers and hikers.
Recommended Beans:
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe (bright and floral)
Colombian Supremo (balanced with caramel sweetness)
Panama Geisha (delicate and tea-like with jasmine notes)
5. Cold Brew
Cold brew requires a coarse grind and a long extraction time, producing a smooth, low-acid coffee.
Best Roast Level: Full range as this process can bring out clean flavours so can taste the impact of the roasting. Darker roasts bring out chocolate and caramel flavors, while medium roasts offer balanced acidity.
Best Bean Origin: Brazilian, Sumatran, and Colombian beans are excellent for their chocolatey, nutty, and low-acid profiles.
Recommended Beans:
Brazil Cerrado (chocolatey and smooth)
Sumatra Mandheling (rich and syrupy)
Nicaraguan Jinotega (sweet and nutty)
6. Moka Pot (Stovetop Espresso Maker)
Moka pots create a strong, rich brew similar to espresso, requiring a fine to medium-fine grind.
Best Roast Level: Medium to dark roast. This enhances caramelization and balances bitterness.
Best Bean Origin: Brazilian and Central American beans provide a classic espresso-like profile with nutty and chocolatey notes.
Recommended Beans:
Brazil Santos (rich and smooth)
Italian Roast Blend (dark and smoky)
Honduras Marcala (chocolatey with a hint of spice)
7. Drip Coffee Makers (Auto Brewers)
Drip coffee makers work well with a medium grind, offering a balanced cup with minimal effort.
Best Roast Level: Medium roast. This preserves a balance of body and acidity.
Best Bean Origin: Colombian and Central American beans provide a balanced, crowd-pleasing cup.
Recommended Beans:
Colombian Supremo (classic, balanced profile)
Guatemalan Huehuetenango (bright and nutty)
Mexican Chiapas (smooth with chocolate undertones)
Our Coffee Beans at Timber Cafe
At Timber Cafe, we use a variety of coffee beans carefully selected for each of our brewing methods and what we know our customers love.
For all of our milk based coffees we use our house blend from Grand Central. This is a blend that is designed with 3 different origins each providing a different flavour aspect to our cup all to cut through milk and provide the customer with a great balanced cup of coffee.
We then also offer a range of black coffees (espresso, long black, nitro cold brew and batch brew) for this week source Single Origins from a local Perth based roaster allowing us to taste some of the world's best coffees with WA best roasters (Grand Central, Loot, Margaret River Roasting Co., Twin Peaks and Daylight).
All of our coffee beans are available to purchase in our cafe in Harrisdale in 250g, 500g or 1kg bags.
At the end of the day…
The best coffee beans for you depend on your brewing method, flavor preferences, and roast preferences. By selecting the right beans for your brew system, you can enjoy your version of happiness in a cup. Whether you love bold espressos, smooth cold brews, or bright pour-over coffees, there’s a perfect coffee bean waiting for you to discover.
If you’re still unsure on what coffee beans to get, come visit our cafe in Harrisdale and chat to our friendly baristas. We can help you find the perfect coffee beans for you!
