Buy Colombian if you want one dependable cup for every morning: our No. 1 Common Sense is cocoa, red apple and brown sugar at medium roast, and it takes milk. Buy Tanzanian if you want something bright to drink black from a pour-over: our No. 9 Optimism is pear, floral, jasmine and strawberry at medium-light. Both are $28 for 12 oz with free US shipping, so the choice is about taste, not budget.
How do Colombian and Tanzanian coffee compare side by side?
Everything below comes from the two labels, roasted by Temecula Coffee Roasters in Temecula, California.
| Colombian: No. 1 Common Sense | Tanzanian: No. 9 Optimism | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Huila and Medellin-Antioquia | Mbeya |
| Altitude | 1,300 to 1,500 m | 1,200 to 1,900 m |
| Process | Fully washed, solar dried | Fully washed, dried on raised beds |
| Varietal | Castillo, Caturra, Colombia, Typica | Bourbon, Kent |
| Roast | Medium | Medium-light |
| Notes | Cocoa, red apple, brown sugar | Pear, floral, jasmine, strawberry |
| Best brew method | Drip or French press | Pour-over or AeroPress |
| Price | $28, 12 oz | $28, 12 oz |
Both are fully washed, so the difference you taste is not wet against dry processing. It comes from the lot, the varietals and the roast. The altitude ranges overlap, and Tanzania's range is wider, so we would not read much into that line.
How do they taste different?
No. 1 Common Sense sits on the sweet, rounded side: cocoa first, then red apple and brown sugar. It is the cup you make without thinking about it. For a longer look, see what body means in coffee, which uses our bags as examples.
No. 9 Optimism leans lighter and higher: pear and strawberry for fruit, jasmine for the floral side. The roaster describes it as bright and tea-like. The details are in what No. 9 Optimism tastes like, cup by cup.
Which one should you brew how?
Match the coffee to the brewer.
- Drip machine or French press: No. 1 Common Sense, at 60 g per litre with water just off the boil. If you are sizing a pot, the how much coffee per cup page has the grams and scoops.
- Pour-over or AeroPress: No. 9 Optimism. The full recipes are in the No. 9 Optimism brewing guide, and pour-over for beginners covers the gear.
- With milk: No. 1 Common Sense. The roaster says it takes milk without falling apart.
- Drunk black and hot: No. 9 Optimism. The roaster notes it flattens faster than the others as it cools, so drink it while it is hot.
Does roast level change the choice?
A little. Medium roast, which No. 1 Common Sense uses, tends toward the sweet and chocolate end of the cup. Medium-light, which No. 9 Optimism uses, keeps more of the fruit and floral character. We do not quote a roast date for either, since both are roasted on demand.
The practical advice is simple. If the Tanzanian bag tastes sour or thin, grind a little finer or brew a little longer rather than switching coffees. If the Colombian bag tastes flat, check your water temperature first, which should be just off the boil.
Which one should you buy?
If you drink one pot a day and want it to taste the same on a Tuesday as on a Saturday, buy No. 1 Common Sense. If you brew a single cup slowly and want to taste something, buy No. 9 Optimism. If you cannot decide, order one of each, since the price is the same. For a closer look at the Tanzanian bag alone, read about our Mbeya bag.
Our pick
No. 1 Common Sense
Huila and Medellin-Antioquia, Colombia · 1,300 to 1,500 m · Fully washed, solar dried · Castillo, Caturra, Colombia, Typica · Medium
Cocoa, red apple and brown sugar on the label, for the cup you make every morning without thinking about it.
Our pick
No. 9 Optimism
Mbeya, Tanzania · 1,200 to 1,900 m · Fully washed, dried on raised beds · Bourbon, Kent · Medium-light
Pear, floral, jasmine and strawberry on the label, for the morning you want to start well.
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Questions people ask
Is Colombian or Tanzanian coffee better?
Neither is better. Colombian (our No. 1 Common Sense) tastes of cocoa, red apple and brown sugar at medium roast. Tanzanian (our No. 9 Optimism) tastes of pear, jasmine and strawberry at medium-light. Pick by the cup you want.
Which is better with milk, Colombian or Tanzanian coffee?
Colombian. The roaster notes that No. 1 Common Sense takes milk without falling apart. No. 9 Optimism is bright and tea-like and is meant to be drunk hot and black.
Which is better for pour-over?
Tanzanian. The roaster suggests pour-over or AeroPress for No. 9 Optimism. No. 1 Common Sense is meant for drip or French press.
Free printable
Keep the ratio chart on your fridge
One page with grams, level tablespoons and scoops for every cup size and for coffee makers from 2 to 14 cups. Leave your email and the download link appears right here.