Buy No. 8 Consent (Costa Rica) if you want a sweet, round cup that takes to any brewer, and No. 9 Optimism (Tanzania) if you want something bright, floral and tea-like. Both are $28 for 12 oz with free US shipping, so the choice comes down to taste. Consent is roasted medium and Optimism is roasted medium-light, both by Temecula Coffee Roasters in Temecula, California.
How do the two labels compare?
Everything below is printed on the bags.
| No. 8 Consent | No. 9 Optimism | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Alajuela, Costa Rica | Mbeya, Tanzania |
| Altitude | 1,300 to 1,445 m | 1,200 to 1,900 m |
| Process | Eco-pulped, sun dried | Fully washed, dried on raised beds |
| Varietal | Caturra, Catuai | Bourbon, Kent |
| Roast | Medium | Medium-light |
| Notes | Sweet apple, raisin, honey | Pear, floral, jasmine, strawberry |
| Best brewer | Drip or pour-over | Pour-over or Aeropress |
The altitude ranges are worth a second look. Optimism spans 700 meters, which tells you the lot blends coffee from a wide band of the mountain. Consent spans about 145 meters, a much tighter band. We do not know more about how either lot was assembled, and we will not guess.
Why do they taste so different?
Three label lines do most of the work. The first is roast. Medium-light usually keeps more of the bean's own fruit and floral character, and medium leans toward sweetness and body. That fits the notes on each bag.
The second is process. Fully washed coffees are generally described as clean and clear, and drying on raised beds is a common method for keeping the cup that way. Eco-pulped, sun dried is a different path, and the roaster lists apple, raisin and honey for it. We repeat the process terms as written and do not claim what they cause in the cup beyond the notes on the bag.
The third is varietal. Caturra and Catuai on one side, Bourbon and Kent on the other. We list them because they are on the label, and we are not going to pin a flavor on a variety name.
Which one should you buy?
Pick Consent if you drink drip coffee every morning, add milk, or are buying for someone who says they do not like black coffee. The roaster describes it as clean and sweet with nothing in it to push back against. Brew it at 60 g per litre in a drip machine or pour-over.
Pick Optimism if you drink pour-over or Aeropress and like a cup that reads like tea. Drink it while it is hot. The roaster notes it flattens faster than our other coffees. Our No. 9 Optimism brewing guide has the recipes, and our Tanzanian pour-over post walks through that method.
Our pick
No. 8 Consent
Alajuela, Costa Rica · 1,300 to 1,445 m · Eco-pulped, sun dried · Caturra, Catuai · Medium
Sweet apple, raisin and honey, the clean and sweet cup of the pair.
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, the bright and tea-like cup of the pair.
If you cannot decide, order one of each and taste them back to back, black, in the same brewer. Our subscription is 11% off, and you can skip or cancel in one click, which makes it easy to alternate. You can also see all ten coffees.
What does a side by side tasting look like?
Brew both the same way for a fair test. Use a pour-over, 60 g per litre, and the same water. Taste Consent first, then Optimism, since the brighter cup can make the sweeter one seem flat if you go the other way around. Let both cool a little as you drink. Consent should stay round as it cools. Optimism, according to the roaster, loses its lift faster, so take your first sips while it is hot.
Write down one word for each cup. If your word for Consent is "sweet" or "easy" and your word for Optimism is "bright" or "floral", the labels have done their job, and you now know which style you reach for. If the words come out the other way, that is useful too, because it tells you how you taste coffee.
Is there another comparison worth reading?
If Optimism's brightness appeals but you want it sharper, we compared Tanzania against another origin in Tanzanian vs Peruvian coffee. If Consent's sweetness appeals, Kenyan vs Costa Rican coffee shows the other side of Costa Rica. For what each cup tastes like on its own, see what No. 8 Consent tastes like and what No. 9 Optimism tastes like.
Questions about how we roast and ship are answered on our FAQ page.
Questions people ask
Which is sweeter, Costa Rican or Tanzanian coffee?
Of our two, No. 8 Consent from Costa Rica. The label lists sweet apple, raisin and honey. No. 9 Optimism from Tanzania lists pear, floral, jasmine and strawberry, which reads brighter and more tea-like.
Is Tanzanian coffee lighter roasted than Costa Rican?
On our two bags, yes, by one step. The roaster lists No. 9 Optimism as medium-light and No. 8 Consent as medium. We cannot say how other roasters treat coffee from either country.
Can I drink both with milk?
Consent is the safer pick for milk, since it is sweet and has nothing sharp in it. Optimism is best black and hot, because the roaster notes it flattens faster than our other coffees as it cools.
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.