When you visit any store, you’ll see rows of coffee packages on the shelves.

Do you love coffee but sometimes get unsure which one to pick?

Once you get the hang of it, choosing delicious coffee is actually very simple!

This is because coffee is an indulgence, and “delicious” means it matches your personal taste.

Here are five easy steps that even beginners can follow to find a cup they’ll love.

You’ll surely discover your best coffee among the many options in the world.

Step 1 — How to Choose Coffee by Flavor

First, choose a coffee origin based on the flavor you prefer!

Origins are sometimes blended, so it’s enough to recognize the country that produces the flavor you like.

If you like sweet coffee

For those who prefer sweet coffee, try beans from Brazil, El Salvador, or Guatemala.

Brazilian beans have nutty, milk-chocolate-like sweetness with mild acidity and easy drinkability.

El Salvadorian beans offer honey-like sweetness and a well-balanced body.

Guatemalan beans have chocolate or toffee-like sweetness and a mellow aftertaste.

If you like bitter coffee

If you enjoy bitter coffee, try beans from Indonesia, India, or Vietnam.

Indonesian beans have a powerful bitterness and a distinctive spicy character for a deep flavor.

Indian beans are notable for a unique, smooth bitterness with rich density and weight.

Vietnamese beans tend to be particularly bitter and are often used for instant coffee or espresso.

If you like acidic coffee

If you prefer bright acidity, try beans from Ethiopia, Kenya, or Costa Rica.

Ethiopian beans have a floral, showy acidity with lemon-like and floral aromas and fruity notes.

Kenyan beans offer a juicy, wine-like acidity with a bright, clean finish.

Costa Rican beans display citrus or green-apple acidity with an emphasis on delicacy.

If you like aromatic coffee

If you enjoy aromatic coffees, consider beans from the United States (Hawaii), Panama, or Colombia.

Hawaiian beans have an elegant sweet aroma like honey or vanilla with a superb balance of freshness and body.

Panamanian beans are very floral and luxurious, with a transparent, floral flavor profile.

Colombian beans feature caramel, orange, and hazelnut-like aromas and are very well balanced.

Step 2 — How to Choose by Roast Level

Next, understand the characteristics of roast levels to narrow down your preference.

Roast levels are often matched to certain flavors, so check whether the roast suits the flavor combination you like.

  • Light roast — fruity and light. Pairs well with acidic or aromatic coffees.
  • Medium roast — good balance of sweetness and acidity. Pairs well with sweet or aromatic coffees.
  • Dark roast — strong bitterness and body. Pairs well with sweet or bitter coffees.

Once you know which roast complements your preferred flavor, you’ll get much closer to the taste you want.

Generally, light roast is called “light roast,” medium roast “medium roast,” and dark roast “dark roast,” so use those as a reference.

Step 3 — How to Choose by Processing Method

This is a bit more technical, but if you care about details, choosing the processing method can get you even closer to your ideal taste.

There are mainly two processing methods to consider, and the most common is the washed process.

Washed process

This method washes the harvested coffee cherries, removes the pulp, ferments and washes them, then dries the beans.

It produces coffee with fewer off-flavors and a clean aftertaste, giving a lighter impression.

The washed process pairs well with bitter and acidic coffees.

About 50–60% of the world’s coffee production uses this method.

Natural process

With the natural process, harvested cherries are dried in the sun with the fruit still attached; once fully dried, the skin and pulp are removed.

The fruit’s sweetness and aroma transfer to the bean, resulting in pronounced sweetness, body, and fruitiness with a rich flavor.

The natural process pairs well with sweet and aromatic coffees.

About 30% of the world’s coffee production uses this method.

Step 4 — How to Choose Grind Size

Caring about grind size puts you in the realm of pros!

Grind is generally classified into five sizes, each with different characteristics.

  • Coarse — mellow with restrained bitterness. Pairs well with acidic profiles.
  • Medium-coarse — clean and well-balanced. Pairs well with sweet and aromatic profiles.
  • Medium — a classic, balanced mix of sweetness, acidity, and bitterness; versatile.
  • Medium-fine — somewhat stronger bitterness and body with concentrated aroma. Pairs well with sweet and bitter profiles.
  • Fine — rich with strong bitterness and body. Pairs well with bitter profiles.

In the market, coffee is commonly sold as medium grind.

Only those who buy whole beans and grind them at home will typically enjoy exploring these differences.

Step 5 — How to Choose by Freshness

Finally, and simply, freshness strongly affects coffee flavor.

Roasted beans lose flavor over time, so choose the freshest beans possible.

  • Choose beans with the most recent roast date possible.
  • Grind beans just before brewing.
  • Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
  • Consume within two weeks of opening.

Combine the Five Steps to Find Your Best Coffee

Using these five steps, you should be able to find the coffee that’s best for you.

As a final summary, here is how Waikiki Coffee applies these steps.

At Waikiki Coffee, we aim for a Hawaiian-style tropical sweetness and fruity aroma.

Step 1 — Aromatic origins like Hawaii or Colombia and sweet origins like Brazil
Step 2 — Medium roast, which pairs well with aromatic and sweet coffees
Step 3 — Natural process, which pairs well with aromatic and sweet coffees
Step 4 — Medium-coarse grind, which pairs well with aromatic and sweet coffees
Step 5 — Small-batch production whenever possible and nitrogen flushing to preserve freshness

This combination creates an ideal blend for sweet, aromatic coffees.

We hope you’ll find your own perfect cup of coffee.