Fruity coffee beans: which of our ten taste most like fruit

The most fruit-forward label in our range is No. 9 Optimism, a fully washed coffee from Mbeya, Tanzania with notes of pear, floral, jasmine and strawberry. It suits anyone who wants a light, tea-like cup, and it ships free in the US as a 12 oz bag, whole bean or ground. Two other bags that name fruit on the label are No. 4 Conjuncture (orange, lemon, floral) and No. 2 Good Sense (milk chocolate, fruit, caramel).

Which of our coffees taste most like fruit?

We ranked them by what the roaster lists on the label, and nothing else. Optimism names two fruits and two floral notes. Conjuncture names two citrus fruits. Good Sense says only "fruit", so we cannot tell you which one. After those three, No. 8 Consent lists sweet apple and raisin, No. 7 Praxis lists bright fruit, and No. 1 Common Sense lists red apple, but each of those has chocolate or sugar notes next to the fruit.

The label gives the altitude as 1,200 to 1,900 m, the process as fully washed and dried on raised beds, and the varietals as Bourbon and Kent. It is a medium-light roast. The roaster describes it as bright and tea-like.

How does Optimism compare with Good Sense and Conjuncture?

These are the two bags a buyer is most likely to weigh Optimism against. All three are $28 for 12 oz.

Choose Optimism for soft, floral fruit. Choose Conjuncture for citrus, and know that the roaster says Kenya is acidic on purpose. Choose Good Sense if you want fruit with chocolate and caramel next to it. For the Kenyan side, see our Nyeri bag and Tanzanian vs Kenyan for iced coffee.

How do you brew a fruity coffee?

The roaster suggests pour-over or Aeropress for Optimism, and says to drink it while it is hot because it flattens faster than the others. Our No. 9 Optimism brewing guide has the three ways we make it, so we will not repeat them. The roaster's general note across our range is 60 g per litre, and you can find the numbers for your pot on the how much coffee per cup page. For the cup in detail, read what No. 9 Optimism tastes like and our Tanzanian coffee beans page.

What does each fruit-forward bag give you?

Optimism is the lightest of the three. The label says medium-light, the varietals are Bourbon and Kent, and the notes lean floral as much as fruity, so expect something closer to tea than to juice. Conjuncture comes from Othaya in Nyeri County, Kenya, at 1,700 to 1,890 m, with SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 and Batian varietals. The roaster says it is for the cup you make when you want the coffee to be the loudest thing in the room, and that if it tastes sour rather than bright you should grind finer. Good Sense is a natural from Sidama, Ethiopia, at 1,700 to 1,900 m, and it is the one to drink black, because the roaster says a natural Ethiopia goes to fruit and milk buries it.

If you drink coffee with milk, none of these three is the roaster's pick. The roaster points to No. 1 Common Sense for a cup that takes milk without falling apart, and to No. 3 Position for anything you are going to put milk in. Fruity coffees are best brewed for sipping, and a pour-over is the method the roaster names for all three.

Whole bean or ground?

Both come in the same 12 oz bag for the same $28. Whole bean is the choice if you own a grinder and want to set the grind yourself, which matters for a bright coffee, since the roaster's fix for a sour Kenya is a finer grind. Ground is the choice if you brew in a drip machine or do not own a grinder, and you can pick it at checkout.

Can you subscribe to it?

Yes. Our subscription is 11% off, and you can skip or cancel in one click. The price per bag is $28 for 12 oz with free US shipping otherwise. You can pick whole bean or ground. You can also browse all ten coffees if you want to compare more labels.

What can the label not tell you?

A label lists notes, not flavor strength, so "strawberry" means the roaster tasted strawberry, not that the coffee tastes like a fruit juice. We do not give grades or scores, because the roaster does not provide them. If you want the sweetness of fruit and a more familiar cup, Good Sense is the gentler place to start.