SINGLE ORIGIN COFFEE OR COFFEE BLENDS, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
When it comes to drinking coffee, understanding the difference between single origin or blends can make or break your coffee experience. Are you chasing the unique flavours of beans from a single farm or region, or do you prefer the balanced harmony of a well-crafted blend?
If you're a home brewer exploring single origin or blend options and want to go down the rabbit hole of flavour by coffee region, this guide breaks it down. We'll explore the differences, pros, and cons to help you decide which reigns supreme for your taste buds—and your roastery cart.
What is Single Origin Coffee?
Single origin coffee comes straight from one specific place—but sometimes its not that straight forward. Within the industry it’s usually broken down by either country of origin, region, appellation, wash station or a single farm. But there are a few factors to take into consideration.
For example, let’s take a common coffee bean found on our shores: Brazil Cerrado. This bean is a single origin, which would make you think it comes from one place right? And it does… but that ‘place’ or catchment is farther flung than you might think. It is a collection of beans coming from many farms in the region with a varying amount of varietals. In this case, the origin is a region and that is something to be aware of. A single origin can mean one single farm, or it can mean one single area or country.
Your local roaster should be able to advise you on the origin of your beans. As with most things, if you can’t get an answer, then go elsewhere. It is generally safe to say, the more info you can find out about the beans the higher calibre roaster you are buying from.
Knowing where to start can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. The first step is to ask yourself if you are looking for a cup with base notes (chocolate and sugar browning) or if you’re after something more vibrant and higher in acidic notes. Again, talking to your local coffee roaster can guide you through this process.
filter to espresso, what’s the difference between roasts?
Generally, beans that have a shorter roast development time (often labelled as filter roast) will yield more prominent acidic notes; this coffee tends to be a higher quality grade (Q grade). Look for anything over an 83 on the Q grade system.
If you’re seeking those richer chocolate notes then look for medium or espresso roasts, these terms can be a bit misleading, but they are still the common words used by roasters. To explain it simply: lighter roasts showcase the acidity found in beans and medium roasts have burnt off the acids to focus on the caramelisation process of the carbohydrates (sugars) by breaking down the cellulose of the coffee bean.
Avoid darker or espresso roasts if you don’t like bitter coffee. The darker the roast the more compounds have been roasted off—what you are essentially tasting is carbon—hence the bitterness.
How do regions affect the flavour of singles?
We need to talk about regions and their flavour characteristics. As an industry we lazily clump them into three regions: the Americas, the Africas and Asia/Pacific. They cover huge distances with a lot of varying coffee flavours.
We generally credit the Americas with having prominent citrus-style acidity in the coffee beans, and the Africas as having bold berry notes. Beans from Asia/Pacific are known for more herbaceous, leather and earthen notes.
Keep in mind though, there are lots of exceptions. Different processing styles can dramatically change the flavour profiles of the coffee beans.
Pros of Single Origin:
Unique flavours: each cup tells a story of its origin and processing, perfect for those who love experimenting with choosing coffee by country
Transparency: ethical sourcing is often emphasised, supporting small farmers directly
Specialty appeal: often higher quality, scoring 80+ on the Q grade scale for higher cup clarity
Cons:
Seasonal availability: means your favourite might vanish
Higher price tag: due to limited supply
Less forgiving in brewing: over-extraction or under-extraction can cause those delicate notes to turn bitter
so what about blends?
On the flip side, coffee blends mix beans from multiple origins to create a signature taste. Think of it as a coffee cocktail.
In New Zealand the classic old school blend was a mix of beans from Brazil for body, Ethiopia for brightness, and Sumatra/PNG for earthiness, all roasted and combined for consistency. Classics like a breakfast blend or espresso mix fall here, designed for reliability. This gives the coffee roaster a chance to release the same flavour spectrum even if the singles that make up the blend change seasonally.
If your beans don’t have a blend percentage breakdown or at least a list of the origins, then I would be worried—anything could be in there.
The worldwide industry is slowly moving away from complex blends (blending more than three single origins). That’s because if you have lots of singles going into a blend at varying ratios then you can’t guarantee a consistent mix falling onto the grinder burrs every time.
It’s why we try to make our blends with no more than three singles with more or less equal ratios.
Pros of Blends:
Consistency: same great cup every time, ideal for daily drinkers or cafes
Versatility: excels in espresso, milk-based drinks, or cold brew without losing balance
Value: often more affordable, blending lower-cost beans with premium ones
Cons:
Less "storytelling": flavours are rounded, not spotlighted
Can mask defects: if not expertly crafted
Might taste generic: to flavour chasers
Blends are the reliable workhorse in the single origin vs blends debate, especially for businesses prioritising steady supply.
The Main Takeaway
Taste as much as you can to find the benchmark of your personal preference. From there talk to your local supplier and start venturing out to see what sits well. Talking with coffee professionals will always yield useful titbits of information to help you on your journey, and remember its only coffee. So have fun with it.