Specialty Coffee Beans
Latest articles, industry insights and brewing guides
Arabica vs Robusta: The Two Main Coffee Species
Learn why Arabica makes up 70% of global coffee and why Robusta, though harsher, plays a key role in blends. Key growing facts inside.
NINETY PLUS Panama Geisha: What Makes It Special
Explore why NINETY PLUS Panama Geisha coffees stand out with rare cupping scores over 90 and unique processing methods like W2, N2, and H2.
What Makes Ethiopia’s Yirgacheffe Aricha G1 So Special?
A roaster recalls falling in love with a 'first love' cup profile—and finding it again in Yirgacheffe Aricha G1, a rare Ethiopian natural-process coffee.
Where Does Blue Mountain Coffee Really Come From?
Learn why Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is rare, expensive, and famed for its balanced flavor profile, rooted in its unique high-elevation growing conditions.
How Mandheling Coffee Defies Its Reputation
This rare Mandheling processed via honey fruit method delivers bright fruit, balanced acidity, and signature Indonesian body.
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Blue Nile G1: Coffee from the Blue Nile
A highly rated Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Blue Nile G1 offers vibrant floral and citrus notes, scoring 94 in Cupping, with a sweet, layered profile.
Arabica vs Robusta: The Two Main Coffee Species
Learn the key differences between Arabica and Robusta coffee species — including flavor, growing conditions, caffeine levels, and usage.
How Nestlé’s Model Boosted Yunnan Coffee Farming
Nestlé’s 1997 entry into Yunnan turned local farmers toward coffee, creating 25,000 jobs and producing 11,500 tons of beans last quarter.
Yunnan BM Coffee Beans: The Blue Mountain Variety
Explore Yunnan’s BM coffee beans, a high-altitude cultivar linked to Jamaica’s Blue Mountain, grown in Simao and Baoshan at 1500–2000m.
How Lao Coffee Farmers Handpick Ripe Arabica Cherries
Lao coffee farmers hand-select only bright red, ripe Arabica cherries—rejecting green and overripe ones—for optimal flavor. Learn the exact picking process.
Yunnan Arabica Coffee Growing Environment Explained
Learn the ideal climate, elevation, soil and sunlight for growing Yunnan Arabica coffee, with key temperature and altitude thresholds.
Yunnan Smallholder Arabica Coffee Cultivation Guide
Discover where and how Yunnan grows its famed small Arabica beans at 1,100m altitude in dry-hot valleys for balanced acidity and rich flavor.
Mandheling Coffee Myths and Facts Every Coffee Lover Should Know
Clarifying misconceptions about Mandheling, Gayo, and PWN Golden Mandheling coffee, including grading, origin, and flavor profiles.
What Is Yirgacheffe Coffee and Why Is It So Famous?
Learn what makes Yirgacheffe coffee famous — its altitude, origins, and unique citrus-floral profile that put Ethiopian coffee on the map.
Minister Han Changfu on Yunnan Coffee: 'Good Coffee Starts in the Field'
China’s former agriculture minister says high-quality coffee begins with cultivation. Learn why Yunnan’s terroir is ideal and how farming practices shape flavor.
Yunnan Coffee Bean Prices Surge 86% in 2014
Brazil’s drought drove global coffee prices up over 80% by March 2014, pushing Yunnan green bean costs from ¥14 to nearly ¥26 per kg.
The Coffee Farmer Who Transformed Yunnan’s Highlands
A Shanghai-native turned Yunnan coffee pioneer planted at 1,400–1,500m, creating citrusy, full-bodied beans with Ethiopian-like brightness.
Yunnan to Launch 20,000-Ton Instant Coffee Line in 2024
Yunnan plans to start production of 20,000 tons of instant coffee annually from next year, solidifying its role as China’s top coffee-growing region.
Yunnan Coffee Prices Swing Wildly: What’s Behind the Volatility?
Yunnan coffee prices surged then dropped due to global supply shocks and futures speculation. Here’s why, and why local control remains elusive.
How Two Taiwanese Roasters Are Building China’s Blue Mountain in Yunnan
Two Taiwan-born roasters aim to elevate Yunnan-grown coffee to rival Jamaica’s Blue Mountain, using altitude, climate, and single-origin precision.