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Coffee Bean Beginner Guide_Introduction to the Three Famous Coffee Beans in the World_Coffee Beans Beginner Zhihu

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style) What are coffee beans? Coffee beans are the seeds that grow on coffee trees, and the beans have flavor differences depending on their growing regions. Factors that affect flavor include the variety of coffee trees, the nature of the soil, the climate and altitude of the plantation, the care in harvesting,

Professional Coffee Knowledge Exchange

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

What Are Coffee Beans?

Coffee beans are the seeds that grow on coffee trees. The beans vary in flavor depending on their growing region. Factors that affect flavor include the variety of coffee tree, soil properties, climate and altitude of the plantation, careful harvesting, and the bean processing methods. These elements vary by region, and roasters and blenders seek the unique characteristics of each area to create distinctive flavor profiles. You can pursue your dream coffee.

After harvesting and before going to market, the outer skin, pulp, parchment, and silver skin must be removed. Beans are then processed using either washed or dry methods. Coffee beans range in color from light to dark. Through dark roasting, coffee beans crack open, expanding to double their volume while losing nearly 1/4 of their weight.

Washed Method (Wet Method)

Advantages: Good luster, fewer foreign impurities, slightly better acidity. Used in Colombia, Mexico, and Guatemala.

Disadvantages: Poor processing time can produce off-odors and special acidity.

Natural Dry Method (Dry Method)

Advantages: Possesses soft acidity and balanced bitterness. Used in Brazil, Ethiopia, and Yemen.

Disadvantages: Susceptible to weather conditions, higher chance of mixing with defective beans and foreign matter.

Coffee Bean Grades

1. Bean Formation

Coffee fruits consist of two oval-shaped seeds facing each other. The side where they connect is flat, called flat beans. However, some fruits contain a single round seed, called peaberries, which taste no different from regular beans.

2. Altitude

According to the cultivation altitude, beans are classified into various grades (typically 3, 4, or 7 grades). Generally, high-altitude beans have better quality than low-altitude beans, and due to increased shipping costs, they are also more expensive.

Grade Classifications:

Premium beans: 1,500+ meters
High-quality beans: 1,200-1,500 meters
Medium-quality beans: 1,000-1,200 meters
Premium washed beans: 900-1,000 meters
High-quality washed beans: 760-900 meters
Excellent washed beans: 610-760 meters
Good washed beans: below 610 meters

3. Quality

Quality is determined by calculating the types and quantities of impurities in a sample into a percentage called "defect count." The smaller the defect count, the higher the quality.

World's Three Most Famous Coffee Beans

1. Blue Mountain Coffee

Jamaican Blue Mountain region coffee has three grades: Blue Mountain Coffee, Jamaica High Mountain Supreme Coffee Beans, and Jamaica Prime Coffee Beans.

Blue Mountain Coffee possesses mellow characteristics with a hint of sweetness in its bitterness, offering a smooth and pleasing taste. It also has slight acidity that enhances the sensitivity of taste buds, allowing one to appreciate its unique flavor. It is considered the pinnacle of coffee.

2. Kopi Luwak

Kopi Luwak is one of the world's most expensive coffees. "Kopi Luwak" is just a nickname; its formal name is Kopi Luwak, where "Kopi" means "coffee" in Indonesian, and "Luwak" refers to a wild animal called the civet cat. The brewed coffee has a thickness comparable to syrup, a truly "exclusive" aroma, and leaves a faint minty coolness in the mouth.

3. Cubita

Exclusively produced in Cuba's Crystal Mountain, it holds a high reputation in the coffee industry. Cuban Crystal Mountain coffee ranks among the top in the world. Crystal Mountain is geographically adjacent to Jamaica's Blue Mountains and has similar climate conditions, making it comparable to Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. Cubita adheres to the principle of perfect coffee, producing only single-origin coffee. Coffee beans are harvested by hand, plus washed processing ensures coffee quality. Cubita is like an elegant princess, possessing noble, gentle, and graceful characteristics. It has excellent balance, with bitterness and acidity harmoniously combined, delivering a delicate, smooth, refreshing, and elegant tasting experience. The designated coffee of the Cuban Embassy, it's known as a unique Caribbean-style coffee.

Beginner Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted beginner coffee beans - such as Yirgacheffe coffee, Panama Butterfly coffee, and Indonesian Mandheling coffee - offer full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they offer extremely high value. A half-pound (227g) package costs only around 80-90 RMB. Calculating at 15g per pour-over coffee, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each single-origin coffee costing only about 6 RMB. Compared to coffee shop prices that often reach dozens of RMB per cup, this offers exceptional value.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online shop services: https://shop104210103.taobao.com