Single-Origin Coffee vs Blends

Is single-origin coffee or blends better? This is a question that depends entirely on your own preference and what is more suitable for you as a coffee drinker. This blog shall explore the advantages and disadvantages of each for you to consider.

Taste is key, so trying both will be beneficial to your final decision!

What is Single-Origin Coffee?

Single-origin coffee consists of coffee beans which have been produced in just one farm or a co-operative of coffee farms within the same region.

Consequently, single-origin coffee is preferred because of its flavours directly associated with how the coffee was grown, from what is in the soil to climate and so on. Flavours tend to be diverse from bag to bag and may entail a different way of brewing to get the best taste.

Single-origin coffee is commonly consumed without milk and sugar for a powerful tasting experience.

What are the Advantages of Single-Origin Coffee?

Single-origin coffee tends to be favoured by those who enjoy a diverse taste of coffee, and every coffee is an exciting and surprising drinking experience.

They offer coffee shops an ever-changing coffee menu as not only do single-origin coffees tend to differ in taste, but they are affected seasonally, thus making it all that more exciting.

What are the Disadvantages of Single-Origin Coffee?

All in all, many would argue that single-origin coffee is not as ‘well-rounded’ as blends. There are no other means for different acidity levels, for example, to help smooth out sharper tastes. This may mean that single-origin coffee is not as consistent in taste as blends.

However, this is not exactly a negative trait; it is just a different experience, making the coffee all the more interesting.

Some single-origin coffee tends to cost a bit more because it is exclusive to certain months of the year, for example.

What are Coffee Blends?

As you can most likely guess from the name, coffee blends are a blend of coffee beans from varying farms.

For example, the beans could originate from different continents across the world or could be regionally specific and may be combined from different coffee farms in one area of a country.

For more information, take a look at our blog which describes how coffee across the world tastes.

What is the Purpose of Coffee Blends?

A general coffee blend’s aim is to have a reliable taste which can be distributed evenly and consistently to coffee businesses. In doing so, severe and bitter tastes are more likely to be spread evenly throughout the beans, reducing any harsh flavours. For example, the acidity of one type of coffee bean may be combined alongside a bean with a softer taste.

By evenly distributing taste like this, coffee blends are more likely to appeal to a broader range of coffee drinkers.

What are the Advantages of Coffee Blends?

In coffee blends, you are not as likely to taste seasonal variations. As previously mentioned, the combinations of coffee beans allow some overpowering tastes to be thinned out by other, less overwhelming flavours of the bean.

Coffee blends also tend to be better suited to espresso shots as they offer a more balanced flavour between acidic and sweet notes as well as producing more suitable levels of crema.

What are the Disadvantages of Coffee Blends?

Essentially, coffee blends enhance the flavours of various coffees to produce a distinct taste. There is a thorough amount of planning, expertise and production that goes into creating a unique coffee blend. However, if not carefully considered, there is also the potential to develop an underwhelming flavour of coffee too.

It does also mean that if you do prefer robust flavours, this will often be lost in the roasting process.

Some products are also not considered as reputable because they aim to save business expenditure by covering the taste of inferior-quality beans. However, this entirely depends on each company and the aim of their product. It should not be used as an overall decider on whether to choose coffee blends or single-origin coffee.

So there we have it, a brief overview of single-origin and blends coffee. You don’t have to pick only one or the other; you can always try both.

Which do you prefer and why? Let us know on our social media channels; we would love to hear from you!

Make sure you make the perfect coffee every time and check out our range of expert products, including our travel coffee maker!