Buy No. 2 Good Sense if you want a soft, fruity cup with milk chocolate and caramel, and buy No. 4 Conjuncture if you want a bright, citrus and floral cup that tastes sharp on purpose. Both are $28 for 12 oz, whole bean or ground, with free shipping in the US. One is a Natural from Sidama, Ethiopia, the other a Fully washed coffee from Othaya, Nyeri County, Kenya.
What is the difference between Ethiopian natural and Kenyan coffee?
The biggest difference is process. A Natural coffee is dried with the fruit still on the bean, which usually pushes the cup toward fruit and sweetness. A Fully washed coffee has the fruit removed before drying, which usually gives a cleaner, brighter cup. The two labels follow that pattern: Good Sense lists milk chocolate, fruit and caramel, and Conjuncture lists orange, lemon and floral.
Altitude is almost the same. Good Sense grows at 1,700 to 1,900 m and Conjuncture at 1,700 to 1,890 m, so altitude will not help you choose. Process, varietal and the way you brew will.
How do they compare side by side?
| No. 2 Good Sense | No. 4 Conjuncture | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Sidama, Ethiopia | Othaya, Nyeri County, Kenya |
| Altitude | 1,700 to 1,900 m | 1,700 to 1,890 m |
| Process | Natural, hand sorted, dried on raised beds | Fully washed, dried on raised beds |
| Varietal | Indigenous heirloom cultivars | SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian |
| Roast | Medium-light | Not declared by the roaster |
| Notes | Milk chocolate, fruit, caramel | Orange, lemon, floral |
| Price | $28 for 12 oz | $28 for 12 oz |
We only state a roast level when the roaster declares one, so for Conjuncture we do not give one. Everything else in the table is printed on the bag.
Which one tastes sweeter, and which one tastes brighter?
Good Sense is the sweeter of the two on paper, with milk chocolate and caramel next to the fruit. Conjuncture is the brighter one, with orange and lemon leading and a floral note behind them. If you usually reach for a cup with chocolate in it, start with Good Sense. If you like the sharp edge of citrus in a cup, start with Conjuncture.
For a longer description of the Kenyan cup, read what No. 4 Conjuncture tastes like, cup by cup. To see how a Kenyan bag behaves with ice, see Tanzanian vs Kenyan for iced coffee.
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 roast
Milk chocolate, fruit and caramel on the label, for the slow first cup when you want to taste something.
Our pick
No. 4 Conjuncture
Othaya, Nyeri County, Kenya · 1,700 to 1,890 m · Fully washed, dried on raised beds · SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian
Orange, lemon and floral on the label, for the cup where the coffee is the loudest thing in the room.
How should you brew each one?
Our label advice for Good Sense is pour-over at 60 g per liter, with water at 94 °C (201 °F) and a 40-second bloom. Drink it black, because a natural Ethiopia leans to fruit and milk buries it.
For Conjuncture, the label says pour-over, a touch coarser than usual, at 94 °C. Kenya is acidic on purpose. If it tastes sour rather than bright, grind finer. The full steps are in the No. 4 Conjuncture brewing guide, and the grams and water for any pour-over are in the pour-over ratio cheat sheet.
Sixty grams per liter is about 14 g for a 8 oz cup, or 22 g for a 12 oz mug, if you do not want to do the math. If your cup tastes too sour or too bitter, our fix for sour pour-over and for bitter pour-over cover the grind and time changes.
Who should buy which?
- Buy Good Sense if you drink one slow cup in the morning, like fruit and caramel, and brew with a pour-over.
- Buy Conjuncture if you like citrus, want a lively cup, and are happy to adjust the grind until it tastes bright and not sour.
- Buy both if you cannot decide. They are the same price, and you can see all ten coffees on one page.
A subscription is 11% off, and you can skip or cancel in one click, so switching between the two is easy.
If you only have room for one bag this week, pick by the first word on its label: fruit or citrus.
Questions people ask
Is Ethiopian coffee sweeter than Kenyan coffee?
On our labels, yes. No. 2 Good Sense lists milk chocolate, fruit and caramel, while No. 4 Conjuncture lists orange, lemon and floral, which reads brighter and sharper.
What is a natural process coffee?
A natural process coffee is dried with the fruit still on the bean. Good Sense is a Natural from Sidama, hand sorted and dried on raised beds.
Which is better for pour-over, Ethiopian or Kenyan?
Both are labeled for pour-over. Good Sense uses 60 g per liter at 94 °C with a 40-second bloom, and Conjuncture is ground a touch coarser than usual at 94 °C.
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.