if you’re not like me and haven’t spent waaaaaaaaay too much time down YouTube rabbit holes and endless forum pages then i hope this information is helpful to you as you consider purchasing some beans today. i am a tasting note skeptic even though you’ll find tasting notes here. why? no one buys coffee unless they have some sort of idea what it will taste like and whether or not they want fruity overtones or chocolatey undertones — tamarind or tobacco. so take them for what they are = the opinion of the roaster. however! they are not totally superficial but based on three very important things: the grower and how they processed the bean, the grinder you’re pulverizing the beans with, and the brewer you’re using to fill up that favorite mug of yours…

grower

different farms grow different quality beans and process them in a variety of ways. this is the first factor into what your final cup will taste like.

grinder

different grinders produce a variety of cup characteristics due to the type of burr set they have (conical < > flat) and the size of those burrs. those mysterious tasting notes rely heavily on the grinder and grind setting.

brewer

different brewers impact the drinking experience because there are so many different methods to bringing life to roasted beans with near-boiling water. turkish gives you insane body while oxo rapid brewers offer soup. filter brewers tend to be clearer than their syrupr espresso cousins while there’s plenty in between.

tl:dr

catching the flavor train > > >

#1 = bean quality + process
#2 = grinder + grind setting
#3 = brewer + brew method