Single-origin vs Blends: Is there a winner in this race?

If you’ve been around coffee for a while, you might have heard the term “single-origin coffee” thrown about but you might not be 100% sure of its meaning or relevance. Lucky for you, we’re gonna break down its definition in this blog and find out whether single-origin coffee really is as superior to blends as some claim.

Single-origin coffee is made from beans that are sourced from one location or region and grown in single estates. For example, our “Drive” coffee is only made with beans harvested from Sipi Falls, Uganda. A single-origin coffee gives the drinker the most original, raw taste and feel of the place from which it came. Think about it like tuning your car. You’re still keeping the OEM parts and getting the best they have to offer. That’s the same deal with single-origin coffee.

A blend, as the name suggests, is achieved with beans from multiple regions. The only blend we currently offer is our “Race Fuel” coffee made with beans from Central America, South America, and Africa. These beans often complement each other’s taste which leads to a more balanced taste than single-origin beans. Think about blends as a mix of a turbocharger, a downpipe, and a tune, all working together to give your car a balanced blend of performance.

So why would you want to taste coffee from just one place as opposed to multiple places all at once? By not mixing it with anything, you get a purer and higher quality taste than if you were enjoying a blend. Since single-origin coffee is dependent on the region the beans hail from, they might only be available during certain times of the year which adds to the character of that specific coffee. Varying weather conditions may also contribute to the taste of the coffee, allowing for a unique taste with every batch.

In the end, there’s no right answer to which is better as it all comes down to preference. If you want coffee that has the same, consistent taste with each cup, then blends are the way to go. If you want to experience a unique flavor every time you wake up, then single-origin is the one for you.