Start with No. 1 Common Sense: a Colombian coffee from Huila and Medellin-Antioquia, fully washed and solar dried, with label notes of cocoa, red apple and brown sugar. It suits anyone who makes a pot every morning and wants a coffee that works black or with milk. Every one of our coffees ships free in the US in a 12 oz bag, whole bean or ground, for $28.
If you already know you like fruit, or you drink everything with milk, the table below points you to a different one of the ten.
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 roast
Label notes of cocoa, red apple and brown sugar, and the roaster says it takes milk without falling apart.
Which of the ten should I start with?
Pick the row that sounds like you. All ten cost the same, so choose by taste and not by budget.
| If you… | Start with | Label notes |
|---|---|---|
| make one pot every morning and want it easy | No. 1 Common Sense | Cocoa, red apple, brown sugar |
| like chocolate and a smooth cup the whole house will drink | No. 6 Hegemony | Cocoa, smooth |
| drink black and want to taste something | No. 2 Good Sense | Milk chocolate, fruit, caramel |
| want the brightest, citrus-leaning cup | No. 4 Conjuncture | Orange, lemon, floral |
| put milk in everything, or make espresso | No. 3 Position | Dark chocolate, dried fruit, earthy |
| want something sweet that tastes like dessert | No. 5 Canela (flavored) | Cinnamon roll |
| do not know yet and want to learn | No. 7 Praxis | Dark chocolate, bright fruit, butterscotch |
The other three, Consent (sweet apple, raisin, honey), Optimism (pear, floral, jasmine, strawberry) and Folklore (salted caramel, citrus, silky), are good second bags once you know which direction you lean. See all ten coffees for all ten.
How does Common Sense compare to the two I might weigh it against?
| No. 1 Common Sense | No. 6 Hegemony | No. 2 Good Sense | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Huila and Medellin-Antioquia, Colombia | Parana and Sao Paulo, Brazil | Sidama, Ethiopia |
| Process | Fully washed, solar dried | Pulped natural, sun dried | Natural, hand sorted, raised beds |
| Roast | Medium | Medium | Medium-light |
| Notes | Cocoa, red apple, brown sugar | Cocoa, smooth | Milk chocolate, fruit, caramel |
| Best for | The cup you make every morning | The pot everyone in the house drinks | The slow first cup, drunk black |
Hegemony is the lower-acid, heavier-bodied choice, and Good Sense is the fruit-forward one that milk covers up. Common Sense sits between them. If you want to see how two origins differ in a real cup, read Ethiopian natural vs Kenyan for pour-over.
How do I brew it?
The roaster suggests drip or French press at 60 g per litre with water just off the boil. That is about 15 g, or 3 level tablespoons, for every 8 fl oz. For a full pot, our how much coffee per cup page has the chart, and the French press coffee ratio covers each press size. No scale? Use how to measure coffee without a scale.
Should I buy whole bean or ground?
Both ship in the same 12 oz bag at the same price. Whole bean gives you the chance to grind just before brewing, and ground is ready to scoop. If you have a grinder, whole bean is the usual choice. If you only own a drip machine, ground is fine. For a drip machine specifically, see single origin ground coffee for a drip machine.
What about a subscription?
If you like the first bag, the subscription is 11% off, and you can skip or cancel in one click. A 12 oz bag makes about 22 mugs of 8 fl oz coffee at 1:16, so one bag a month fits a daily cup or two, and you can change the coffee when you want to try another.
Order the bag that sounds most like you, brew it a little different the second time, and you will know your next pick.
Questions people ask
What is the best specialty coffee for a beginner?
We suggest No. 1 Common Sense: cocoa, red apple and brown sugar notes, medium roast, and it works black or with milk. Hegemony is the smoother alternative.
Should I buy whole bean or ground specialty coffee?
Either. Both come in the same 12 oz bag at $28 with free US shipping. Whole bean lets you grind just before you brew, and ground is ready to scoop.
How much coffee should I use for my first brew?
Use 60 g per litre, about 15 g or 3 level tablespoons per 8 fl oz of water. Adjust by a few grams on the next pot if you want it stronger or lighter.
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.