Buy the Ethiopian natural, No. 2 Good Sense, if you want a slow black cup that tastes of fruit. Buy the Guatemalan, No. 7 Praxis, if you want dark chocolate and butterscotch with some brightness and a coffee that works in any brewer. Both come from Temecula Coffee Roasters in a 12 oz bag at $28, whole bean or ground, with free shipping in the US.
How do they compare side by side?
Every line below is from the label of each bag. Nothing is added from outside the label.
| No. 2 Good Sense | No. 7 Praxis | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Sidama, Ethiopia | Antigua, Guatemala |
| Altitude | 1,700 to 1,900 m | 1,200 to 1,616 m |
| Process | Natural, hand sorted, dried on raised beds | Fully washed, sun dried |
| Varietal | Indigenous heirloom cultivars | Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, Typica |
| Roast | Medium-light | Medium |
| Notes | Milk chocolate, fruit, caramel | Dark chocolate, bright fruit, butterscotch |
| Best for | The slow first cup, when you want to taste something | Working out what you actually like |
Why do they taste different?
The biggest difference is process. A natural coffee is dried with the fruit still on the bean. That is common public knowledge, and it is why naturals lean toward fruit. A fully washed coffee has the fruit removed before drying, which usually gives a cleaner cup where the chocolate and sweetness of the bean are easier to find. Our two labels line up with that: fruit comes first for the Sidama, chocolate comes first for the Antigua.
Roast adds to it. Good Sense is medium-light and Praxis is medium. A lighter roast leaves more of the bean's own character in the cup, and a medium roast moves toward caramel and butterscotch. Altitude differs too, with the Ethiopian grown higher, at 1,700 to 1,900 m against 1,200 to 1,616 m. We do not claim more than the label says about what altitude does to either cup. If you are curious how to read that number, see what altitude on a coffee bag tells you.
Which one should you buy?
Pick by how you drink coffee, not by price, because both cost the same.
- Buy No. 2 Good Sense if you brew a pour-over, drink it black and want the fruit. The roaster suggests 60 g per litre, 94 °C (201 °F) and a 40-second bloom.
- Buy No. 7 Praxis if you want one bag for every brewer, or you add milk. The roaster suggests brewing it twice, once at 60 g per litre and once at 70, and keeping whichever you preferred.
Not sure about your ratio? The pour-over ratio cheat sheet gives grams and water for common cup sizes. If you are choosing between other pairs, we also compared Ethiopian natural vs Kenyan for pour-over and Guatemalan vs Costa Rican for a drip machine.
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
The label notes are milk chocolate, fruit and caramel, which is the fruit-forward side of this pairing.
Our pick
No. 7 Praxis
Antigua, Guatemala · 1,200 to 1,616 m · Fully washed, sun dried · Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, Typica · Medium
The label notes are dark chocolate, bright fruit and butterscotch, and the roaster says it works with any method.
Can you try both?
Yes. A simple test is to buy one of each and taste them back to back, black, in the same brewer. For more on what each bag is, read our Sidama bag and our Antigua bag. The subscription is 11% off, and you can skip or cancel in one click. All ten coffees are $28 for 12 oz, whole bean or ground, with free shipping in the US.
What if you drink it with milk or iced?
Milk changes the picture. The roaster's own note on Good Sense is that a natural Ethiopia goes to fruit and milk buries it, so if you pour milk into every cup, Praxis is the safer bag. Praxis lists dark chocolate and butterscotch, which are flavors that tend to stay audible next to milk, though we have no tasting data beyond the label and will not promise more. For a cold cup, see our iced coffee comparison, where the same label-first approach applies to two other bags.
Which is easier to brew well?
Praxis. The roaster's note says it works with any method and suggests trying it at 60 g per litre and again at 70. That gives you a simple experiment that teaches you your own taste: brew both, taste them, and keep the stronger or lighter ratio for the rest of the bag. Good Sense rewards more care, with a 94 °C (201 °F) pour-over, a 40-second bloom and no milk. If you are new to the pour-over method, pour-over for beginners covers the gear and the first three brews.
What do the labels not tell you?
Quite a bit. Neither label gives a cupping score, and we do not quote one. We also do not describe the farms beyond what the roaster prints, and we will not guess at flavors beyond the listed notes. What you have is region, altitude, process, varietal, roast and notes, and that is enough to make a good choice between these two.
Brew them side by side once, and the choice usually makes itself.
Questions people ask
Is Ethiopian natural coffee fruitier than Guatemalan coffee?
On our labels, yes. No. 2 Good Sense lists milk chocolate, fruit and caramel and is a natural process, while No. 7 Praxis lists dark chocolate, bright fruit and butterscotch and is fully washed. Both mention fruit, but the Ethiopian is the one built around it.
Which is better for pour-over, Ethiopian or Guatemalan?
The roaster recommends pour-over for Good Sense, brewed black. Praxis works with any method, so it is the easier choice if you switch between a pour-over, a French press and a drip machine.
Which is better with milk?
Praxis is the safer pick. The roaster's guidance for Good Sense is to drink it black, because milk buries the fruit of a natural Ethiopia.
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.