Coffee culture

13 Starbucks Coffee Bean Varieties: Which to Recommend & Taste Differences - Best Pour-Over & Americano Coffee Beans

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/28, For more professional coffee knowledge and coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). FrontStreet Coffee is here to share some thoughts about the beans purchased from Starbucks recently. This isn't professional expertise, just pure sharing with highly personal and subjective opinions. From right to left, numbered 1, 2, 3, Arabica

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style).

For more premium coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat account: qjcoffeex

Starbucks currently sells coffee beans divided into Reserve Selection and non-Reserve Selection categories. The non-Reserve Selection coffee beans are further divided into regularly available long-term supply coffee beans, seasonal limited editions, and single-origin varieties, totaling thirteen different types.

If you want to make pour-over coffee, we recommend using medium roast coffee beans. If you want to make Americano and espresso coffee, we recommend using dark roast coffee beans.

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The darker the roast level, the richer, mellower, and more robust the coffee's flavor. As a coffee with a larger coffee-to-water ratio and drip-filter extraction method, pour-over coffee has a relatively cleaner taste compared to espresso and Americano, with clearer and more defined flavor profiles. Dark roast coffee beans are also suitable for pour-over coffee, but if you want to experience better layering and complexity, medium roast coffee beans can retain appropriate acidity from the coffee beans, resulting in more rich mouthfeel and flavor.

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Espresso and Americano (espresso diluted with water) both require high-pressure, high-temperature extraction through a coffee machine. Due to the high temperature and rapid extraction, the final coffee concentration is also high. If coffee beans with acidic notes are used for extraction, the acidity can be amplified, becoming sharp, astringent, and thin in mouthfeel. Therefore, we recommend using dark roast coffee beans for making these beverages.

Medium Roast

Starbucks Breakfast Blend Coffee Beans

This light-bodied blend coffee is lively and refreshing, awakening your taste buds and giving you a bright first impression to start your day refreshed.

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Acidity: High

Body: Low

Origin: Latin America

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Refreshing, aromatic

Food Pairing Suggestions: Nuts, apples, blueberries, lemons

Similar Coffee: Starbucks Willow Blend

Starbucks Pike Place Coffee Beans

A very balanced coffee with nut and cocoa-like aromas, made from high-quality Latin American coffee beans. We have been offering this representative blend to coffee enthusiasts from the very beginning.

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Acidity: Medium

Body: Medium

Origin: Latin America

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Lively, balanced

Food Pairing Suggestions: Nuts, apples, blueberries

Similar Coffee: Starbucks Guatemala Antigua

Starbucks Colombia Coffee Beans

Known for its balance, medium-bodied, smooth and balanced taste, with a full mouthfeel and refreshing nut-like flavors.

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Acidity: Medium

Body: Medium

Origin: Latin America

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Nutty and cocoa-like flavors

Food Pairing Suggestions: Walnuts, milk chocolate

Similar Coffee: Starbucks Pike Place

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Starbucks Dancing Phoenix Blend Coffee Beans

This Asia/Pacific blend is Starbucks' first blend incorporating coffee beans from China's regions since 2009.

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Acidity: Low

Body: Medium

Origin: Asia/Pacific

Processing Method: Washed/Semi-washed

Flavor: Mild and refreshing acidity, medium body, balanced flavor with herbal and spice notes

Food Pairing Suggestions: Cream cheese foods, toffee, maple, and nut-based foods

Similar Coffee: Decaf Xianglong Blend, Starbucks Sumatra

Starbucks Pike Place Roast Coffee Beans

Medium body with subtle flavors of cocoa and roasted nuts, presenting a pleasant and balanced cup of coffee.

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Acidity: Medium

Body: Medium

Origin: Latin America

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Cocoa, roasted nuts, smooth, balanced

Food Pairing Suggestions: Chocolate, cinnamon, nuts

Similar Coffee: Starbucks Pike Place, Starbucks Verona, Starbucks Guatemala Antigua

Starbucks Kenya Coffee Beans

Kenya coffee has multi-layered complex flavors, including juice-like acidity, distinct rich grapefruit notes and wine-like aromatic flavors, with medium body.

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Acidity: High

Body: Full

Origin: Africa/Arabia

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Grapefruit, berries, juice-like, rich mouthfeel

Food Pairing Suggestions: Grapefruit, berries, seedless raisins, raisins, oranges

Similar Coffee: Starbucks Ethiopia

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Starbucks Guatemala Antigua Coffee Beans

This is an elegant, rich coffee with depth, whose refined acidity is perfectly balanced with subtle cocoa powder texture and soft spice flavors.

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Acidity: Medium

Body: Medium

Origin: Latin America

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Cocoa and light spice notes

Food Pairing Suggestions: Cocoa, apples, caramel, nuts

Similar Coffee: Starbucks Pike Place

Starbucks Ethiopia Coffee Beans

This carefully presented blend coffee has a mild, smooth mouthfeel with floral and spice notes, expressing our sincere tribute to the birthplace of coffee.

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Acidity: High

Body: Medium

Origin: Africa

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Citrus, dark chocolate notes

Food Pairing Suggestions: Dark chocolate, citrus

Similar Coffee: Starbucks® Kenya

Dark Roast

Starbucks Espresso Roast Coffee Beans

This is a rich-bodied multi-region blend coffee, roasted darker than espresso roast, with moderate body and post-roasting sweetness.

Roast Level: Dark Roast

Acidity: Low

Body: Medium

Origin: Multi-region

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Roasty notes, sweet

Food Pairing Suggestions: Chocolate, caramel, spices

Similar Coffee: Starbucks Espresso Roast

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Starbucks Espresso Roast Coffee Beans

This blend coffee is the core of all our espresso beverages, characterized by rich aroma and soft acidity, balanced with rich caramel sweetness.

Roast Level: Dark Roast

Acidity: Medium

Body: Full

Origin: Multi-region

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: Rich, caramel-like sweetness

Food Pairing Suggestions: Caramel, spices, chocolate, nuts

Similar Coffee: Starbucks Espresso Roast

Starbucks Verona Coffee Beans

This is a blend of Latin American coffee and Asia/Pacific region coffee, with full body and the sweetness of Italian roast coffee.

Roast Level: Dark Roast

Acidity: Medium

Body: Full

Origin: Multi-region

Processing Method: Washed, semi-washed

Flavor: Roasted sweetness, dark cocoa notes

Food Pairing Suggestions: Milk and dark chocolate, caramel

Similar Coffee: Starbucks Espresso Roast

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Starbucks Decaf Xianglong Blend Coffee Beans

With rich herbal, spice, and earthy aromas; this rich and balanced Asia/Pacific region blend shows a good balance between full body and surprising acidity.

Roast Level: Dark Roast

Acidity: Low

Body: Full

Origin: Asia/Pacific

Processing Method: Washed, semi-washed

Flavor: Rich herbal notes

Food Pairing Suggestions: Cinnamon, oatmeal, maple, buttered bread

Similar Coffee: Starbucks Sumatra

Starbucks Sumatra Coffee Beans

With strong earthy aromas and exceptionally concentrated flavors; full-bodied and rich, Sumatra coffee is one of our very popular single-origin coffees.

Roast Level: Dark Roast

Acidity: Low

Body: Full

Origin: Asia/Pacific

Processing Method: Semi-washed

Flavor: Earthy aromas, herbal notes

Food Pairing Suggestions: Cinnamon, oatmeal, maple, butter, toffee

Similar Coffee: Starbucks Decaf Xianglong Blend

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