No. 9 Optimism is a fully washed Tanzanian coffee from Mbeya, dried on raised beds, with pear, floral, jasmine and strawberry notes on the label. It suits anyone who likes a bright, tea-like cup, and it ships free in the US in a 12 oz bag for $28, whole bean or ground.
What is on the bag?
Everything here comes from the label. The roaster is Temecula Coffee Roasters in Temecula, California, and the ingredients are coffee and nothing else.
Our pick
No. 9 Optimism
Mbeya, Tanzania · 1,200 to 1,900 m · Fully washed, dried on raised beds · Bourbon, Kent · Medium-light
Pear, floral, jasmine and strawberry on the label, for the morning you want to start well.
Where does it grow, and how is it made?
Mbeya is in southern Tanzania. The label gives the altitude as 1,200 to 1,900 m. Fully washed means the fruit is removed from the bean before drying, and the beans are then dried on raised beds, which lets air move around them. The varietals are Bourbon and Kent. We do not name a farm or give grades or scores, because the label does not.
Who is this Tanzanian coffee for?
It is for the person who wants a lighter, brighter cup: fruit and flowers, not chocolate. It reads tea-like, so it works best black. If you want a soft cocoa cup that takes milk, a different bag will suit you better, and No. 1 Common Sense is where we would send you.
One honest note from our own brewing advice: drink it while it is hot. It flattens faster than the others as it cools.
What does it taste like?
The label lists four notes: pear, floral, jasmine and strawberry. Read them as a light, aromatic cup, closer to tea than to cocoa. Pear gives it a soft, juicy sweetness. Jasmine and floral are about aroma. Strawberry is the fruit note. The roaster calls the roast medium-light, which fits a cup built on those notes and not on heavy body.
Whole bean or ground?
Either one. Whole bean gives you the most control, and a burr grinder keeps the particles even, which matters for a delicate coffee like this one (see burr vs blade grinder). If you do not own a grinder, order it ground and tell us the brewer you use. The trade-offs are in whole bean vs ground coffee.
How far does a 12 oz bag go?
A bag is about 340 g. At the standard 1:16 ratio, an 8 oz cup takes about 15 g, so one bag makes roughly 22 cups of 8 oz. That is about three weeks at one cup a day. For other sizes, see how much coffee for 8 oz of water.
How does it compare with two other coffees?
These are the two we would hold up next to it. All three are $28 for 12 oz and ship free in the US.
| No. 9 Optimism | No. 4 Conjuncture | No. 2 Good Sense | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Mbeya, Tanzania | Othaya, Nyeri County, Kenya | Sidama, Ethiopia |
| Process | Fully washed, dried on raised beds | Fully washed, dried on raised beds | Natural, hand sorted, dried on raised beds |
| Label notes | Pear, floral, jasmine, strawberry | Orange, lemon, floral | Milk chocolate, fruit, caramel |
| Roast | Medium-light | Not declared | Medium-light |
| Pick it if | You want a delicate, floral cup | You want citrus and floral | You want fruit and caramel |
For a head to head with the Kenyan, read Tanzanian vs Kenyan for iced coffee. For the Tanzanian alone, what No. 9 Optimism tastes like goes cup by cup.
How do you brew it?
Pour-over or AeroPress. The full three-way recipe is in the No. 9 Optimism brewing guide, so we will not repeat it here. For quick numbers, the pour-over ratio cheat sheet and the AeroPress ratio page have grams for every size.
Can you get it on subscription?
Yes. The subscription is 11% off, and you can skip or cancel in one click. If you want to compare other origins first, the all ten coffees page lists every bag with its label notes.
One bag of Optimism is a good way to find out whether bright is your style.
Questions people ask
Where are your Tanzanian coffee beans from?
No. 9 Optimism comes from Mbeya, Tanzania. It is fully washed and dried on raised beds, with Bourbon and Kent varietals, and it grows at 1,200 to 1,900 m according to the label.
What does Tanzanian coffee taste like?
Our label lists pear, floral, jasmine and strawberry. We brew it as a pour-over or AeroPress, where it is bright and tea-like.
How much is a bag of Tanzanian coffee beans?
No. 9 Optimism is $28 for a 12 oz bag, whole bean or ground, with free shipping in the US. All ten of our coffees are the same price.
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.