I used to prefer dark roasts but now I almost exclusively buy light. Much more complexity of flavor, and you can taste the individual notes better. I like beans that have notes of cherry, toffee, and caramel.
this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2026
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Red fruit notes in coffee are super good
Depends on the mood and the day. One of the things I enjoy most with coffee is the wide variety of flavours you can experience from your daily cup. Lately I've been really into fermented coffee.
What do fermented coffee usually taste like?
Depends on the bean and the type of fermentation, there are a couple of different ones like honey, dry process, anaerobic etc. Typically you get fruit-forward notes with some acidity, but there is a special kind of tangy/funky flavour you only really get in fermented coffee, like a sweet wine or maybe hints of a fruit liqueur almost. It's very distinctive and I really like it. It's not for everyone, though.
Gotta try it.
Vanilla all day every day. Also hazelnut if I'm in the mood.
Are you talking about creamer?
Coffee and creamer, but not a lot. Probably like 1:12 ratio cream to coffee. Edit: also, the creamer must be actual dairy
Two bonuses from vanilla flavored coffees: - it's usually a lighter roast, which I enjoy more. - it smells great when brewing.
Flavoured coffees smell amazing but I find them nearly undrinkable.
The flavouring completely overwhelms any of the natural notes you get from the beans with the only thing making it through is the bitterness.
I dunno, maybe I just haven't tried the right brand or roast but every time I do I end up regretting it. It has to be cut with cream.
Yeah, I'm similar. Its not quite undrinkable for me, but I do find that plain coffee just tastes better. Absolutely love the smell though, if they made a raspberry+coffee candle I'd buy out the whole store
I really like Lion Coffee, a Hawaiian brand you can buy on amazon. It's not crazy expensive like some Hawaiian coffees.
The Fresh Market sells my favorite coffee. They're worth checking out if you're near one.
Blueberry, stone fruit.
Do you have a suggested roaster? Those notes sound good.
I buy green and roast myself. Ethiopian, Kenya and Burundi beans are the most likely here.
Sometimes I like the more fruity acidic notes, but mostly I gravitate to any roast that mentions chocolate.
Yeah sometimes those darker flavors are very satisfying.
I'm partial to the creamy sweetness that shows through on honey process coffees. Years ago I used to love Blackcurrant notes, enough that I'd be frequently importing green beans from Yirgacheffee, Kenya to the US to have processed by a local roaster to my spec. I don't have that kind of disposable income anymore 😅.
My perfect cup of coffee nowadays should have a full bodied earthiness, and notes of dried fruit and chocolate. For these reasons I usually reach for Guatemalan coffee lately.
If you like earthy coffee, have you tried Sumatra Mandheling? It's a bit of a divisive taste but I really enjoy it now and then, super low acidity and very earthy flavours, like leather and tobacco notes and often with a spiciness like white or black pepper almost.
That sounds divine 🤤 and like it would be magnificent on an early morning hike. I'll have to look out for some, thank you for your suggestion 🙏
Sumatra coffees are also good candidates for aging, if you can find a good aged Mandheling that's an even more intense and complex flavour. I bought a bag of quality aged Mandheling a year or two ago and it was the most intense flavour I've tried, earthy like drinking the damp forest floor of a jungle (but in a good way!), very strong pipe tobacco and pepper notes and an aftertaste that felt like it kept developing for like a minute after a sip.
Fruity. I like my coffee acidic more than anything else. Occasionally I'll be in the mood for chocolatey, but that's very occasional. Generally the more bitter it is the less I go for it, which is why I started salting my coffee in the first place
Blueberry, fruit loops, funky (Edit: i.e. most Ethiopian naturals 👌)
Bergamot and blueberries
Haven't tried the beans but love some peach, nut butter, and blackberry jam notes (not all at once mind you) in my coffee.
That would be an instant buy if those notes were at my local shop.
I find it depends on my mood and the method of brewing. I enjoy fruity and berry flavors, and chocolate and nutty flavors, and really kind of anything that isn't too funky or burnt. I seem to be a little strange and fortunate in that I love light, medium, and dark roasts. I always have multiple bags going and switch between them depending on what I feel like in the moment.
Chocolate, nutty and some fruits. Anything floral or herbal is a no-go for me. I have been liking some funky coffees lately. I have also gravitated away from dark roasts to medium and light.
What type of funky flavors? I haven't got to explore that side much yet
I think it has to do with longer bean fermentation periods. I haven't really looked into how they accomplish it, but it is like a miso or other fermented flavor that adds complexity. I usually have to sweeten those coffees, or add some cream to balance it out, but I do enjoy the flavors once I get them toned down a bit. I can see myself building up to drinking them black eventually.
Depends on the mood. Sometimes I'm down for something with chocolate, caramel, honey or toffee notes. Often I tend to gravitate towards fruity acidity and raspberry or cherry notes.
Jasmine and blueberry - Ethiopian of course.
Bannana, apricot, walnuts, and peanuts as well.
i got a real light roast as a present a few years ago that had really strong notes of peach and cardamom. it was amazing.
That sounds so amazing