Most arabica beans from Africa are washed and higher in sparkling acidity than any beans in the world except those from Costa Rica and Guatemala. Kenya beans have a blackberry flavor or wine flavor; sharply acidic and only slightly sweet berry. Kenya beans incorporate the wet process, which is used by most in the world today. Most of the beans sold today go through some wet process before they are shipped to the roasters. Kenya produces most of its beans through co-ops rather than large coffee estates. Noted as some of the best washed beans to hail from Africa, they are clearly defined with a very bright acidity and strong sweetness. The beans from Kenya also tend to have a blackberry type taste that is only matched by those found in Harrar beans. With government support, Kenya has some of the highest standards in producing coffee.

Wildly known for their true Mocha blends, the beans from this region typically have a strong body and fruity aromatic quality to them that is best described as fruity and winy. The four beans from this region are the Harrar and Dijimmah from Ethiopia, and the Mattari and Sanani from Yemen. By far, the Harrar, with its blueberry taste, is the most sought after bean of this region. Ironically, one of the fastest ways to identify these true Mochas is by their extremely high price. But what’s the reason for this high price? Simple: these beans are extremely rare and the process that is used in that region does not wield a large amount of beans. Placed in thin layers and dried in the sun, these beans take around 10-14 days, before the excess parts of the cherries are removed. In other regions of the world, it is considered an archaic way of making beans, but many attest to the process creating some of the most intriguing flavors in the world.

 Most of the beans from Indonesia are dry-processed rather than washed. So just like the African beans, they maintain a sense of wild raw flavor. But that’s where the similarities end. Rather than having a winy, fruity kind of taste, Indonesian beans have an earthy mushroom type flavor. Named after the three regions that they hail from, the Indonesian beans are called Java, Sulawesi, and Sumatra. The Sulawesi is the rarest of the three due to the scarcity of beans due to their type of processing.

Many people consider the beans grown in India as a poor man’s Sumatra. While the beans are more plentiful and lower priced than Indonesia beans, they have yet to gain any notoriety with the roaster companies. Best described as very mellow with a bit of spiciness,  they are the best alternative to the higher priced beans found in Sumatra and Sulawesi.

One of the main targets of coffee roasters, along with Guatemala, they produce the best balance of coffee. Not overly acidic and possessing body that is not overpowering, it has been described as chocolate and smoky. In Europe, Costa Rican and Guatemalan beans are in very high demand. Usually hailing from Tres Rios, Dota or Tarrazu, they are labeled under the same name. More than likely it is usually Tarrazu, which produces most of the beans. Costa Rican coffee beans have a more streamlined processing technique so those looking for a little adventure with some imperfections, Guatemalan beans are the way to go.