Roasting coffee on your own does sound like an even more delicious idea, and it has a name: home roasting.
When you buy raw coffee beans, they’re not roasted and green in color. But, this means you can apply the magic of roasting yourself and to your liking. You also end up saving quite a lot of money along the way.
However, all this is only possible if you have the best raw coffee beans.
So, how do you go about searching for them? Lucky for you, I’ve already done that.
Each of the 6 awesome unroasted green coffee beans reviewed below offers some unique characteristics.
The variety is also quite impressive if you ask me. Let’s get to know all of them!
Table of Contents
- Our Reviews For The Best Raw Coffee Beans
- 1. Single Origin Unroasted Green Coffee Beans
- 2. French Roasted Coffee Llc Green Unroasted Coffee Beans
- 3. Papua New Guinea Organic Unroasted Green Coffee Beans
- 4. Ajuvo World Market Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee
- 5. Teasia Coffee Tanzania Peaberry Green Unroasted Coffee Beans
- 6. Malawi Mzuzu Unroasted Arabica Green Coffee Beans
- Unroasted Coffee Beans: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide
- Conclusion
Our Reviews For The Best Raw Coffee Beans
1. Single Origin Unroasted Green Coffee Beans
The top pick is by none other than Primos Coffee Company since the Single Origin Unroasted Green Coffee Beans are premium Arabica.
They are specialty beans with minimal defects. The brand claims zero primary defects in every 300 grams, while their moisture content is between 11% and 13%.
These Nicaraguan coffee beans are cultivated under shade, then harvested manually. Finally, they are naturally dried.
As for sustainability, the standards of natural resources are kept in mind during the manufacturing process—from coffee cherry growth, through picking by growers, selecting, and direct trade.
I would recommend applying the medium roast profile. It’s known as regular or city. This roast is my personal favorite as it highlights the coffee’s true essence.
But no matter the roast, the profile of these beans is very rich and deep, and the taste remains consistent with each batch. This is something I know you’ll appreciate quite a lot.
Even the aroma earns full points. Once brewed, the coffee tastes phenomenal, no doubt. There’s no acidic presence as well so your sensitive tummy doesn’t necessarily have to bear the brunt.
It’s hard to find a flaw when the roast is so bold and not at all bitter.
What remains for you is to look forward to smoothness, richness, and a sort of fruity character too, with delicious caramel and cocoa notes!
PROS
- Minimal amount of defective beans guaranteed by manufacturer
- Phenomenal, rich, and full taste
- No acidity
CONS
- For deep pockets—but is to be expected with the pedigree
2. French Roasted Coffee Llc Green Unroasted Coffee Beans
This Colombian Supremo coffee is an ideal choice for home roasters and espresso enjoyers as these Arabica beans are of the highest quality, with absolutely no artificial flavors, additives, and preservatives. You can roast these coffee beans however you like and still enjoy a unique taste, which is quite balanced, thanks to the cherry and honey cupping notes.
But it’s not just the well-proportioned flavor that you’ll devote your taste buds to. It’s genuine Colombian coffee, after all, so the beans are packed with a rich aroma too.
The manufacturer produces coffee with great love and even greater consideration by k in mind crucial factors like quality, origin, and flavor profile. This is how they deliver exceptional coffee consistently.
The light roast has a sumptuously sweet and citrusy essence, even with some hints of spice! As for the dark version, it is much deeper-flavored, and even more complex.
However, these coffee beans are perfect for those with mellow preferences. If you enjoy something with a hard flavor punch, you shouldn’t go for this one.
PROS
- Rich high-quality bean from Colombia, both in taste and in aroma
- Made with great consideration and love
- Low acidity
CONS
- The roast is light, so might not be to your taste if you prefer stronger shots
3. Papua New Guinea Organic Unroasted Green Coffee Beans
Now, here you’re dealing with wild-grown, organic coffee beans—a specialty coffee indeed. These are elongated and large Arabica beans grown under shade. Some of the coffee plants are also grown on high altitudes.
The company also doesn’t forget to care for the farmers and the environment in the process.
Therefore, you don’t have to feel guilty just because you want to enjoy a cup of your own roasted coffee at home.
Moving on to the really important aspect, the Papua New Guinea Unroasted Green Coffee Beans do not fail to impress your taste buds. Each brewed cup is pleasantly mellow and incredibly smooth, with a rich, high body that too!
If you’re concerned about the consistency of the roasting results, just relax., as the manufacturer has taken care of that already.
No matter the roast, dark or light, the essence remains the same throughout. In fact, the roast you pick adjusts its character to accommodate your preferences.
Low acidity, floral notes, and a full-body roast—that’s how I would describe this organic coffee.
But if you’re looking for the quintessential French roast character, you won’t find it here. The flavor, in this case, is not that deep. This is not so much a flaw as it is a personal choice.
PROS
- Wild-grown organic beans
- Low acidity, and great full-bodied taste
- Accommodates both dark and light roasts
CONS
- The flavor is a bit shallow, might be your pick or maybe not
4. Ajuvo World Market Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee
Now here are the best fair trade coffee beans for any coffee roaster
The Ajuvo Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee is completely organic. So, if you’re a caffeine lover and an organic lifestyle enthusiast, this option is very likely to tickle your fancy. The product is quite popular for its unique flavor. You’re in for a treat is what I’m trying to tell you.
This is 100% Ethiopian coffee that offers a light to medium roast, that brews an amazing cup—no two ways about that.
What makes it even more remarkable is the combination of low price and high quality.
The stimulation effect here is so powerful and clear. Once hooked, you might not want to switch to another brand anytime soon.
After all, the beans come from Sidamo, Ethiopia, where coffee was first cultivated. It’s where the popular Ethiopian Yirgacheffe comes from—arguably the tastiest coffee in the world.
The aroma is bright, floral, and nutty, and the cup very smooth. Acidity levels aren’t emphasized either. To top it off, the aftertaste is like light chocolate, and not unpleasantly bitter!
But what’s slightly upsetting is that the coffee beans, during roasting, expand a bit too much. So you might struggle to achieve consistency while roasting them.
PROS
- 100% organic Ethiopian coffee
- Low price, but high quality
- Bright and floral emphasize
CONS
- Achieving consistency during roasting is difficult with these beans
5. Teasia Coffee Tanzania Peaberry Green Unroasted Coffee Beans
What’s the unique characteristic here?
It’s the Tanzanian Peaberry part. These beans are 100% Arabica, and 10% of the beans are peaberry.
They are round and small with a richer personality, and thus make your every cup full-bodied with a fragrant and indulgent aroma.
As for the taste, there’s a lot in the cards: herbal, lemon, and pomelo are the highlights. And like I already mentioned, the coffee is full-bodied and rich, yet the flavor is crisp and clean.
The quality of the coffee beans is unquestionably specialty-grade.
They are produced and managed in limited batches, while also being carefully selected to ensure the original flavor profile and quality.
You can play around with the roast to enjoy bolder coffee, as the beans allow you to do that, which is great news when having in mind some other recommendations I include here.
Just don’t be disappointed at the non-uniformity of the coffee beans, which, nevertheless, roast very quickly.
The end result is always mildly fruity, well-balanced, smooth, and nicely textured.
PROS
- One of the richest tastes, with shades of lemon, pomelo, and herbals
- Suitable for darker roasts
CONS
- Non-uniform beans after roast
6. Malawi Mzuzu Unroasted Arabica Green Coffee Beans
The coffee beans are 100% Arabica and of the highest quality.
They are sourced from Northern Malawi, so you can expect the flavor to include lime, pear, and tropical fruit.
But let’s also not forget the health benefits here. These raw coffee beans offer more chlorogenic acid in comparison to roasted, regular coffee beans.
The freshness of the beans is also another deciding factor in my opinion.
When roasting at home, you definitely want the original flavor, aroma, and quality to remain intact. In that regard, expect no setbacks of any kind.
The medium roast, in particular, is quite solid—it has hints of tree nut and citrus peel. But, there are many dark roast lovers also who swear by the taste and flavor of this coffee.
Since the beans are very large, the second crack might take a while. But I’m sure you don’t mind being a little patient when you know the wait is going to be worth it.
PROS
- Highest quality Arabica beans
- Rich and full taste
- Provide health benefits, if not overly roasted
CONS
- Large beans mean longer and more tedious roasting process
Unroasted Coffee Beans: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide
What Are Green Coffee Beans?
You might be thinking about coffee beans as a healthier alternative, especially to traditional coffee.
Well, they’re not healthier as much as they’re stronger because they contain more caffeine.
I am talking about coffee whole raw beans here. They are not processed and contain a stronger dose of nutrients than processed beans.
High-quality beans come from all around the world (but mostly from Latin America and Africa): Brazil (from the cerrado, the Brazillian savanna), Costa Rica, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Sumatra, Indonesia, Kenya, and Nicaragua.
Some grow on volcanic soil, some are grown on low and high altitudes, and also in dry and wet climates. These all affect the taste. The two most common types of coffee are Arabica and Robusta.
This section focuses on the appeal of raw coffee beans and their composition.
Are They Nutrient-Dense?
Why, yes, of course! Green coffee beans contain much more concentrated nutrients, such as antioxidants and caffeine.
They also contain chlorogenic acids which have distinctive anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Coffee beans that aren’t roasted or processed in any way are green coffee. Traditional coffee beans go through a whole series of roasting steps.
Being roasted at 475 °F (about 250 °C) alters the taste, aroma, and chemical structure of the beans. That’s how you can get its powdered form to mix with hot water or milk.
Green beans do not come in an instant powdered form. They’re in a pill form, usually made from crushed raw coffee beans.
You take them as you get them, and you can roast them at home using your own coffee grinder and roaster.
Having said that, there is a way to go about it. You can’t be as generous with unroasted coffee beans as you can with traditional coffee.
The roasting process strips the coffee beans of their high chlorogenic acids, which makes raw coffee beans far more superior than traditional coffee.
Why Roast Green Coffee Beans at Home?
So you’re thinking, why should I go through the trouble of roasting coffee beans on my own at home?
The answer is quite simple. You go that extra mile so you can enjoy a steaming cup of aromatic and even more delicious brew.
The thing about green beans is that they offer minimal taste. All the tempting aroma and flavor of coffee comes out only during a part of the roasting process called the Maillard reaction. It’s what transforms meat into steak and bread into toast.
Another fun fact about roasting coffee is that it generates a lot of carbon dioxide. Freshly roasted coffee beans contain huge amounts of carbon dioxide.
That gets eliminated over a matter of a few days. Thus note that during this time, these beans aren’t prepared for brewing.
Coffee beans still full of carbon dioxide taste quite unpleasant and sour and they have to lay low for 4-7 days to get rid of most of the gas.
After this period, you can brew them for the most flavorful and freshest cup. But you’ve got to do it soon.
Because once most of the carbon dioxide dissipates, oxidation begins. This particular phase turns the beans stale.
How Much Caffeine in Green Coffee Beans?
One cup of eight ounces of raw coffee beans has 20 to 50mg of caffeine. This is the average capsule size for a single serving.
Some people take 2 capsules per cup. On average, if you consume 1-5 cups of coffee per day. Your caffeine consumption shoots up to about 100 to 450mg of caffeine daily.
Now you must be thinking, is this more than traditional coffee? The truth is that roasting coffee beans enhance the caffeine in the beans.
So where a single serving of traditional coffee will give you a higher dose of caffeine, that same cup made from green coffee beans will give you a less dose of caffeine–at least 3x less.
How Does Green Coffee Affect the Body?
Here’s a better way to convince you to make the switch from regular coffee to green coffee. All I have to do is have your back by showing you its health benefits.
Aids Weight Loss
It works as you thought it never would since the concentration of chlorogenic acid is not reduced in green coffee beans.
It has a higher impact on the body, especially on the body’s glucose metabolism.
It reduces glucose absorption in the body. This means that it burns glucose faster which aids weight loss and body fat loss.
Lowers Blood Sugar and Blood Pressure
As chlorogenic acid burns body fat, its anti-inflammatory properties lower glucose levels. This has a direct effect on normalizing blood sugar levels.
A recent study on the effects of caffeine further supports this notion—within 3 hours of caffeine consumption, there is a reported rise in metabolism.
Also, due to its high chlorogenic content, green coffee can also normalize insulin responses.
For people with high blood pressure, this is good news!
Improves Cholesterol Levels
Raw coffee beans have plenty of anti-inflammatory benefits. But the one that stands out is this: there is a reduction in liver triacylglycerols and cholesterol concentrations.
This, along with a 44% reduction in plasma cholesterol, shows the benefit of chlorogenic acid found in these coffee beans.
You can pave your way to a healthier heart, with significantly fewer chances of developing heart diseases!
Builds Up Stamina And Improves Focus
I don’t have to spell this one out for you. Once caffeine enters the bloodstream, it has a direct impact on focus, concentration, and energy levels. Why else do you think people working demanding and stressful rely on cup after cup of coffee?
Caffeine targets adenosine receptors that instantly recharge the brain, resulting in a stamina boost, increase in alertness, and enhanced brain function.
What is the Best Way to Store Green Coffee Beans?
According to the National Coffee Association, coffee is best stored in an airtight container. But is that enough?
Storing raw coffee beans is not as tricky as you might think.
First things first, keeping moisture away from the beans are important. It’s critical to both the texture and the roasting process of the beans at home.
The ideal humidity level of storing raw coffee beans is between 11% and 12.5%.
Storing unroasted coffee beans in airtight plastic containers is your only shot. It does not allow moisture to get in even if the external environment contains too much moisture.
You want to retain the acidity, flavor, and aroma of the green coffee beans as naturally as possible.
The thing about temperature is that if it’s comfortable for you, storing the beans at room temperature is probably alright.
Also, keep in mind that storing the coffee beans in a refrigerator will make the container too moist, which can result in a higher risk of moisture getting in the container.
It’s best to store the coffee beans outside in a cupboard as long as the external environment is dry, cool, and at room temperature. The raw coffee beans are safe, healthy, and mold-free.
The longest these beans can last for is from 6 months to a year, from the package’s arrival date. So check the seal of the raw coffee beans you like before buying.
Conclusion
So now you know what raw coffee beans are.
They’re seeds from the coffee tree fruit. It’s the process of roasting that changes the green to brown. What shade of brown is based on the roast preference.
Green coffee beans i.e. raw coffee beans are just dried and then cleaned, while the roasting part is in your hands at home.
So if you like the idea of roasting your own coffee, you can try any one of the 6 best green coffee beans I’ve reviewed in the article.
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