All Starbucks Coffee Beans and Their Introduction - 13 Types of Starbucks Coffee Beans and Their Quality Level

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Currently, Starbucks regularly sells 13 types of coffee beans, including both single-origin beans and blends from different regions. They come from Yunnan and Indonesia in Asia, Guatemala and Colombia in Central and South America, as well as Ethiopia and Kenya in Africa. Additionally, Starbucks launches limited edition single-origin coffee beans during different holidays/event seasons.

Introduction to Starbucks' 13 Coffee Beans

First: Colombia

Medium roast beans from the Latin America region, containing nutty flavors. Some might be surprised here - isn't coffee always bitter? Only drinkable with milk and sugar. Of course not, the beans themselves have their own unique flavors.

This was when my store manager hand-brewed coffee for me during my onboarding, taking me through the four steps of coffee tasting: smell, slurp, determine, describe. For small cups, you can cover the rim; for large cups, you can fan the aroma toward your nose. This bean's balanced acidity and body gave me a very comfortable feeling.

Second: Breakfast Blend

Medium roast beans from the Latin America region, with refreshing and lively flavors. This was the bean chosen when my mentor conducted a coffee tasting. It was morning, and this bean has strong acidity with low body, which can be described as refreshing, lively, and bright, with a hint of sweet aftertaste that adds vitality.

Third: Sumatra

Dark roast beans from the Asia/Pacific region, with long-lasting herbal flavors and earthy aromas. I was a bit reluctant to try dark roast beans before, but when I actually tasted them, I discovered it was another wonderful experience.

You might notice that the packaging color is different from the previous two beans. Coffee beans have different roast levels, which also affect their flavors. Coffee-colored packaging represents medium roast, where the coffee beans' caramelization is well preserved, resulting in smoother, more balanced flavors. Nearly black packaging represents dark roast, which makes the coffee beans' body richer and more intense.

Fourth: Kenya

Medium roast beans from the Africa region, rich in flavor with intense grapefruit and blackcurrant notes, high acidity, and full body. Renowned overseas and quite favored by customers.

We can summarize the world's three main coffee growing regions: Latin American beans have refreshing, lively acidity with nutty, cocoa, and subtle spice flavors; African region beans are rich and juicy with floral, citrus, and berry notes; Asia/Pacific region beans are full-bodied with herbal and earthy aromas.

Fifth: Guatemala Antigua

Medium roast beans from the Latin America region, with cocoa and spice flavors. When truly tasting, you can feel a smoky flavor, which is its most distinctive characteristic.

Finally, let me introduce the four basic elements of coffee brewing: proportion, grind size, water, and freshness. It's recommended to use 10g with 180ml of water (ratio is 1:18). Grind size determines the contact time between water and coffee - too fine and the brewed coffee will be too bitter. Generally, grind at level 7 or 5, with 1 to 9 being the range, where larger numbers indicate coarser grind particles. Water should be low-temperature, pure filtered water, with heating temperature between 90°C to 96°C being ideal. Brewed coffee should not be left for more than 20 minutes, as it will become bitter and affect the coffee's original flavors.

Sixth: Pike Place Roast

Medium roast from the Latin America region, washed process, medium body, medium acidity. It blends Latin American beans with subtle cocoa and roasted nut flavors. It was created in 2008 to commemorate Starbucks' first coffee store in Seattle's Pike Place Market, hence the special packaging.

Seventh: Ethiopia

Medium roast from the Africa region, with dark cocoa and citrus flavors, washed process, medium body, high acidity.

Processing methods also affect coffee bean flavors. The washed process helps enhance coffee's acidity and aroma, giving the coffee a soft, refreshing quality with a clean aftertaste. Colombia, Breakfast Blend, Kenya, and Guatemala Antigua all use this processing method. Additionally, there are semi-washed and natural drying methods. The former highlights coffee's herbal, earthy flavors and rich body - readers who saw the previous article won't have difficulty guessing that Sumatra uses this processing method. The latter gives coffee soybean pulp and floral flavors, with sun-dried Sidamo coffee using this processing method.

Eighth: House Blend

Medium roast, washed process, the first blend coffee launched in 1971, medium body, medium acidity, rich and lively flavors, with roasted nut and cocoa-like aromas.

Ninth: Anniversary Blend

Washed and semi-washed process, specially created in 2009 to celebrate Starbucks' 10th anniversary in the Chinese market. It blends Asia/Pacific region and Yunnan coffee beans, with herbal flavors, low acidity, and medium body.

Tenth: Dragon Scale Blend

Dark roast from the Asia/Pacific region, washed and semi-washed process, with rich fresh herbal flavors and lingering spice notes, full body, low acidity, (attention!) low caffeine.

Eleventh: Verona

Dark roast from multiple regions, washed and semi-washed process, with roasted sweetness and dark cocoa flavors, full body, low acidity. This is a coffee bean full of love, with enhanced flavors when paired with dark chocolate.

Twelfth: Espresso Roast

From multiple regions, washed and semi-washed process, full body, medium acidity, rich and caramel-like sweetness, the best match for steamed milk, and the coffee bean used for espresso drinks in Starbucks stores.

Thirteenth: Italian Roast

From multiple regions, medium body, low acidity, recommended for drip brewing, especially suitable for pairing with caramel-flavored desserts.

How to Brew Starbucks Coffee Beans?

1. Pour coarsely ground coffee powder into the pot, 2 teaspoons (10 grams) for 180 milliliters of water.
2. Pour in just-boiled water.
3. Steep for 4 minutes.
4. Slowly press the filter and pour out the coffee to drink.

When purchasing beans, have the store staff grind them. You might also need a measuring cup with markings or an electronic scale. Before brewing, fill the pot with hot water then pour it out (to warm the pot), and use your phone's stopwatch for timing. If you want to pair with pastries, choosing chocolate-containing pastries is never a wrong choice.

Important Notice :

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