Plain-English answers drawn from the Specialty Coffee Association, World Coffee Research and the National Coffee Association. These explain general coffee knowledge, not the scores or identity of any untested coffee. The full searchable answer bank is available below when you need something more specific.
Are tasting notes ingredients added to coffee?
Usually not. Notes such as citrus, cocoa or jasmine describe aromas and flavors a taster perceives in brewed coffee; they are not an ingredient list. Flavored coffees are a separate category. A roaster's tasting notes are its descriptions, not proof that we independently tasted that bag.
Why this matters: A descriptive assessment records perceived sensory characteristics. It is separate from an evaluator's judgment of quality.
Explore the flavor wheel · Source: Specialty Coffee Association — Coffee Value Assessment
What is the difference between washed, natural and honey coffee?
In broad terms, washed coffee is depulped and its mucilage is removed before drying; natural coffee dries inside the whole cherry; honey coffee is depulped but dried with some mucilage remaining. These process labels do not guarantee a particular flavor or a higher score.
Why this matters: Processing choices influence fermentation and drying, but variety, ripeness, handling and roasting also affect the cup.
Compare coffee processes · Source: National Coffee Association — Coffee Processes
Is Arabica a coffee variety?
Arabica is a species, Coffea arabica. Bourbon, Typica, and many other named lines are varieties within that species. A variety name can help explain agronomic traits, but it cannot identify a farm or establish that a particular lot tastes a certain way.
Why this matters: Growing environment, plant health and postharvest decisions matter alongside genetics.
Understand coffee genetics · Source: World Coffee Research — Arabica catalog
Is dark roast stronger than light roast?
Dark roast can taste more bitter or intensely roasted, but that does not by itself mean it contains more caffeine. Roast color labels are not uniform across companies. Compare the same coffee brewed at the same dose before attributing flavor or strength to roast alone.
Why this matters: Roast degree affects flavor, while brewing dose and recipe affect the concentration in your cup.
Read the roasting guide · Source: National Coffee Association — Coffee Roasts
How should I store whole-bean coffee?
Keep beans in an airtight, opaque container in a cool, dry, dark place, away from moisture and heat. Grind just before brewing when practical. Freshness depends on the roast, packaging and how the coffee has been stored; a single universal peak-freshness date is not reliable for every bag.
Why this matters: Air, light, warmth and moisture all speed flavor loss or create storage problems.
Explore brewing methods · Source: National Coffee Association — Storage and Shelf Life
Can one tasting score prove which coffee is best?
No. A score reflects a particular evaluation method, sample and taster or panel. The Specialty Coffee Association distinguishes sensory descriptions, judgments of quality, physical characteristics and information such as origin traceability. We publish our own scores only for coffees actually brewed and reviewed by us.
Why this matters: A competition result, a roaster's flavor description and an independent tasting score answer different questions; they should not be converted into one universal ranking.
How we research and rate coffee · Source: Specialty Coffee Association — Coffee Value Assessment
Research update · Genetics
Is Pink Bourbon actually a Bourbon?
Genetic tests reported by Cafe Imports in 2017 and 2023 indicate that sampled Pink Bourbon material belongs closer to Ethiopian landrace ancestry than the traditional Bourbon variety. The older Red × Yellow Bourbon origin story should not be repeated as established fact.
A farmer or roaster may use Pink Bourbon as the trade name for a pink-cherry coffee; a name and cherry color do not prove genetic parentage. Some tested samples had mixed markers, so the identity of any particular lot still needs evidence.
Read the corrected comparisonSource: Cafe Imports — Pink Bourbon genetics report (2023)