10th Frame Coffee

# A Journey Through Coffee Origins: From Ethiopia to Your Cup **Published: February 3, 2026** Every cup of coffee tells a story—a story that begins thousands of miles away in the highlands of Ethiopia, the volcanic slopes of Guatemala, or the misty mountains of Colombia. Understanding where your coffee comes from isn't just about geography; it's about appreciating the terroir, the people, and the centuries of cultivation that have shaped the flavors in your morning brew. At 10th Frame Coffee, we're passionate about single-origin coffees because they offer a window into these unique stories. Each origin produces beans with distinct characteristics shaped by altitude, climate, soil composition, and processing methods. Let's embark on a journey through some of the world's most celebrated coffee-growing regions and discover what makes each one special. ## Ethiopia: The Birthplace of Coffee Our coffee journey begins where coffee itself began—in the ancient highlands of Ethiopia. Legend tells of a goat herder named Kaldi who noticed his goats becoming unusually energetic after eating berries from a certain tree. Curious, he tried the berries himself and discovered their stimulating effects. Whether or not this tale is true, Ethiopia remains the genetic birthplace of Arabica coffee, and Ethiopian beans are prized worldwide for their complex, wine-like characteristics. Ethiopian coffees are typically processed using either the washed method, which produces clean, bright flavors with floral and citrus notes, or the natural method, where the beans are dried inside the cherry, creating fruit-forward profiles with blueberry and strawberry notes. Our Ethiopia Natural showcases this latter style beautifully, offering a cup that's simultaneously bright and deeply fruity, with jasmine aromatics and a lingering dark chocolate finish. The coffee-growing regions of Ethiopia—Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, and Harrar—each have their own distinct flavor profiles, but they all share that characteristic Ethiopian brightness and complexity. When you drink Ethiopian coffee, you're tasting the original expression of what coffee can be. ## Colombia: The Gold Standard When most people think of coffee, they think of Colombia. This South American nation has built its reputation on producing consistently excellent, well-balanced coffees that appeal to a wide range of palates. Colombia's coffee-growing regions benefit from ideal conditions: high altitudes (typically between 1,200 and 1,800 meters), volcanic soil rich in minerals, and a climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. Colombian coffee is known for its medium body, bright acidity, and clean finish. The flavor profile typically includes notes of caramel, nuts, and red fruits, with a pleasant sweetness that makes it approachable yet sophisticated. Our Colombia single origin exemplifies these qualities, offering a smooth, balanced cup that works beautifully whether you're brewing a morning pour-over or an afternoon French press. What sets Colombian coffee apart isn't just the growing conditions—it's also the meticulous care taken at every stage of production. Most Colombian coffee is grown on small family farms where generations of knowledge have been passed down. The beans are hand-picked at peak ripeness, washed to remove the fruit, and carefully dried to preserve their delicate flavors. This attention to detail is why Colombian coffee has become synonymous with quality. ## Guatemala: Chocolate and Spice Nestled in Central America, Guatemala produces some of the most distinctive and complex coffees in the world. The country's diverse microclimates and volcanic soil create ideal conditions for growing coffee with remarkable depth and character. Guatemalan coffees are often described as having a full body with pronounced chocolate notes, complemented by hints of spice and a bright, wine-like acidity. Our Guatemala single origin comes from the renowned Antigua region, where coffee is grown in the shadow of three volcanoes. The volcanic soil is rich in minerals that the coffee plants absorb, contributing to the beans' distinctive flavor profile. When you brew a cup of Guatemalan coffee, you'll notice its substantial body—it has a weight and presence on the palate that makes it deeply satisfying. The flavor journey begins with dark chocolate and cocoa, transitions through subtle spice notes reminiscent of cinnamon and clove, and finishes with a bright, clean acidity that keeps the cup from feeling heavy. It's a coffee that works beautifully on its own but also stands up well to milk, making it a favorite for both black coffee purists and latte lovers. ## Costa Rica: Bright and Balanced Costa Rica has earned its place among the world's premier coffee origins through a combination of ideal growing conditions and a national commitment to quality. In fact, Costa Rican law prohibits the cultivation of Robusta coffee—only Arabica is allowed, ensuring that every bean meets high standards. Costa Rican coffees are characterized by their bright acidity, medium body, and clean finish. The flavor profile typically includes notes of citrus, honey, and stone fruits, with a sweetness that makes the coffee approachable and refreshing. The country's volcanic soil, high altitudes, and careful processing methods all contribute to this distinctive profile. What makes Costa Rican coffee particularly special is its consistency. The country's well-established coffee infrastructure, from cultivation to processing to export, ensures that quality remains high across the board. When you buy Costa Rican coffee, you know you're getting beans that have been carefully grown, harvested at peak ripeness, and processed to preserve their bright, clean flavors. ## Indonesia: Bold and Earthy Traveling to the other side of the world, we find Indonesia, a nation of islands that produces some of the most distinctive and polarizing coffees on the planet. Indonesian coffees, particularly those from Sumatra and Bali, are known for their full body, low acidity, and earthy, herbal flavors that set them apart from the bright, fruity profiles of African and Central American beans. Our Bali Blue exemplifies the Indonesian style while offering a more approachable entry point than the intensely earthy Sumatran coffees. Grown on the volcanic slopes of Mount Batukaru in Kintamani, these beans are processed using the wet-hulled method unique to Indonesia. This technique contributes to the coffee's characteristic full body and complex flavor profile, with notes of dark chocolate, molasses, and brown sugar. Indonesian coffees work particularly well in darker roasts, where their inherent earthiness and low acidity shine. They're excellent choices for espresso and for those who prefer their coffee with milk, as the bold flavors stand up well to dairy. If you've only ever tried bright, acidic coffees, Indonesian beans offer a completely different but equally rewarding experience. ## Mexico: Gentle and Nuanced Mexican coffee often flies under the radar in discussions of premium origins, but this is a mistake. Mexico produces excellent coffees that offer a gentle, nuanced drinking experience. Mexican beans typically have a light to medium body, moderate acidity, and a flavor profile that includes notes of chocolate, cinnamon, and green apple. What makes Mexican coffee special is its subtlety. These aren't coffees that shout at you with intense flavors; instead, they invite you to slow down and pay attention to the delicate interplay of sweetness, acidity, and gentle spice notes. Mexican coffee is perfect for those mornings when you want something comforting and approachable rather than bold and intense. The majority of Mexican coffee is grown by small-scale farmers in the southern states of Chiapas and Oaxaca, often using traditional, sustainable methods. Many of these farms are shade-grown, meaning the coffee plants grow under a canopy of trees that provide habitat for birds and other wildlife while protecting the soil and creating a more sustainable ecosystem. ## Terroir: Why Origin Matters The concept of terroir—the idea that a place's geography, geology, and climate shape the characteristics of what grows there—is just as important in coffee as it is in wine. The altitude at which coffee grows affects the density of the beans and the complexity of their flavors. Higher altitudes generally produce denser beans with more nuanced flavors, while lower altitudes yield softer, less complex profiles. Soil composition plays a crucial role as well. Volcanic soil, rich in minerals, contributes to the distinctive flavors found in coffees from Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Indonesia. The climate—including rainfall patterns, temperature variations, and humidity—affects how the coffee cherry develops and, ultimately, what flavors end up in your cup. Processing methods also vary by region and significantly impact the final flavor. Washed coffees, where the fruit is removed before drying, tend to have cleaner, brighter flavors. Natural processed coffees, where the beans dry inside the fruit, develop more fruit-forward, wine-like characteristics. The wet-hulled method used in Indonesia creates the full-bodied, earthy profile that defines Indonesian coffees. ## Celebrating Diversity in Every Cup One of the joys of exploring single-origin coffees is discovering how dramatically different they can be from one another. The bright, fruity complexity of an Ethiopian natural bears little resemblance to the chocolate richness of a Guatemalan or the earthy boldness of an Indonesian. Yet each is delicious in its own right, offering a unique expression of place and tradition. At 10th Frame Coffee, we source our single-origin beans from farms and cooperatives that share our commitment to quality and sustainability. Every bag is roasted the same day it ships, ensuring you experience these distinctive origins at their peak freshness. Whether you're drawn to the wine-like complexity of Ethiopia, the balanced approachability of Colombia, or the bold earthiness of Indonesia, there's a whole world of flavors waiting to be explored. So the next time you brew a cup of single-origin coffee, take a moment to appreciate the journey those beans have made. From the hands of farmers working in remote highlands to your kitchen counter, each cup represents a connection to a specific place, a unique terroir, and centuries of coffee cultivation. That's not just a beverage—that's a story worth savoring.