Our Ethiopian natural coffee is No. 2 Good Sense, from Sidama, Ethiopia: natural process, hand sorted and dried on raised beds, medium-light roast, with milk chocolate, fruit and caramel on the label. It suits anyone who drinks coffee black and wants to taste something, and it ships free in the US as a 12 oz bag, whole bean or ground, for $28.
What is natural process, and what does it do to the cup?
In a natural process, the coffee cherry is dried whole and the fruit is taken off afterward. The beans pick up sweetness and fruit flavor along the way. That is why the label here reads milk chocolate, fruit and caramel, and not the cleaner, brighter notes of a washed coffee.
The roaster, Temecula Coffee Roasters in Temecula, California, lists the varietal as indigenous heirloom cultivars, and the altitude as 1,700 to 1,900 m. We do not add scores, grades or anything else the label does not state.
Our pick
No. 2 Good Sense
Sidama, Ethiopia · 1,700 to 1,900 m · Natural, hand sorted, dried on raised beds · Indigenous heirloom cultivars · Medium-light
Milk chocolate, fruit and caramel on the label, made for the slow first cup when you want to taste something.
How does it compare with our other coffees?
If you are weighing it against something else, here are two that a buyer might consider. All three are $28 for 12 oz.
| No. 2 Good Sense | No. 9 Optimism | No. 8 Consent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Sidama, Ethiopia | Mbeya, Tanzania | Alajuela, Costa Rica |
| Process | Natural, hand sorted, dried on raised beds | Fully washed, dried on raised beds | Eco-pulped, sun dried |
| Roast | Medium-light | Medium-light | Medium |
| Altitude | 1,700 to 1,900 m | 1,200 to 1,900 m | 1,300 to 1,445 m |
| Notes | Milk chocolate, fruit, caramel | Pear, floral, jasmine, strawberry | Sweet apple, raisin, honey |
Choose Optimism if you want fruit with a floral, lighter feel and a washed process: see our Mbeya bag and the No. 9 Optimism brewing guide. Choose Consent if you want sweetness and a clean finish, which our Alajuela bag page covers. If fruit is what you are shopping for, which of our ten taste most like fruit goes through all ten by label notes.
How do you brew an Ethiopian natural?
The roaster's setting for Good Sense is pour-over:
- Use 60 g of coffee per litre of water. For one 12 oz (355 g) mug that is about 21 g, or 4 level tablespoons.
- Heat the water to 94 °C (201 °F).
- Bloom for 40 seconds with just enough water to wet the grounds.
- Pour the rest in slow circles and finish in about three minutes.
- Drink it black. The roaster says a natural Ethiopia goes to fruit, and milk buries it.
For the general numbers on how much to use for other sizes, see the pour-over ratio cheat sheet. If you are new to pour-over, pour-over for beginners covers gear and the first three brews.
Is the subscription worth it?
If you finish a 12 oz bag every two to three weeks, yes. The subscription is 11% off, with skip or cancel in one click. Without it, every one of our ten coffees is the same $28 price, so you can choose by taste only. You can see all ten coffees here, or read the FAQ on shipping and grinding.
Whole bean or ground?
Whole bean if you own a grinder, since you can set the grind for a pour-over and change it as you tune the cup. Ground if you do not, and you can choose that when you order. Either way the bag is the same 12 oz for the same $28. At the roaster's 60 g per litre, a bag makes roughly 16 mugs of 12 oz, so a daily pour-over drinker gets a bit over two weeks from one bag.
What should you expect from a medium-light roast?
Medium-light is the roaster's declared level for Good Sense, one step lighter than the medium of Consent. In practice it means the cup will taste lighter in body than a medium roast, with the fruit and chocolate more noticeable than any roasted flavor. If you want a heavier cup, our guide to body shows which of the ten fit better.
Who should skip it?
If you add milk and sugar to every cup, this is not the bag for you. The roaster says plainly that milk buries a natural Ethiopia. Look at No. 8 Consent or the rest of the range instead. If you drink a big pot of coffee through the day and want one that is very hard to ruin, the roaster points to No. 6 Hegemony, which is described as low in acidity with heavy body.
Good Sense is the one to buy when you want the cup to be the thing you notice.
Questions people ask
What does natural process Ethiopian coffee taste like?
On our label, No. 2 Good Sense lists milk chocolate, fruit and caramel. Natural process means the beans are dried with the fruit still on, which pushes the cup toward fruit.
Is Ethiopian natural coffee good with milk?
The roaster says to drink it black. A natural Ethiopia goes to fruit, and milk buries it.
Can I buy Ethiopian natural coffee beans ground?
Yes. No. 2 Good Sense comes as a 12 oz bag, whole bean or ground, for $28 with free shipping in the US.
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.