What is Blended Coffee?

Coffee roasters are always bragging about their blends and what makes them unique, but what is blended coffee anyways and what is the big deal about it?

In this post, we'll explore what a coffee blend is, why coffee roasters make them, and what you should know about them to make an informed buying decision.

What is a Coffee Blend?

Simply put, a blend is a coffee with green beans from more than one place. A roaster develops blends by combining coffees from different countries or regions to create consistent and balanced flavor profiles. . 

Beyond that simple distinction, blends are as varied as the people who produce them. Some are simple and mellow, while others are complex and layered. These are usually the offerings that roasteries keep on their shelves consistently, and really highlight the roaster’s skill.

Why Blend Coffees?

There are three primary reasons coffee roasters might blend coffees: to reduce production costs, to produce a consistent cup profile, and to create unique and distinctive coffee profiles..

The first reason is sadly all too common with mass produced blends. Major corporations have bottom lines to protect and shareholders to keep happy, so even though they aren't trying to make bad coffee, they sometimes do to keep costs low. 

Here at Lucky Goat we do it for the two last reasons; to make amazingly balanced and unique coffee that you can count on being great every time. 

For example, in our Roastmasters Blend we sourced beans from 4 different locations across the globe that each compliments and enhances the others.

How Are Blends Chosen?

Each coffee roaster approaches this a bit differently and sometimes they are looking to create a specific taste profile and work backwards. Whereas other times they have a certain bean they want to enhance and they will set out to find the perfect partner(s). 

We believe carefully crafting a blend recipe is part of the art of coffee roasting. Our coffee blends combine different flavors and profiles into perfect balanced harmony.  

How Is Coffee Blended?

There are two approaches: The first, post-blending, involves  blending the beans after they are roasted. The second, involves blending green coffee before it enters the roaster. The choice to use either of these techniques depend on the desired tasting profile, and similarities in each coffee that is being blended..

Many roasters use post-blending as a way to ensure each coffee is roasted to its maximum potential, as coffees from different regions may require unique roasting profiles and roast degrees.  

But it's not just commercial coffee roasters getting in on the game. These days, coffee drinkers  are experimenting with creating their own blends at home. Try it yourself sometime! All you need are two different beans, an open mind, and a curious palette.

Coffee Blends Vs Single Origins

So how do blends  stack up to single origins? We don't really see any reason to compare them, because it's all a matter of personal preference.

Are you seeking a balanced, mellow flavor profile that’s available year-round? Or are you after specialty microlots with unique tasting notes that rotate with the seasons? . 

Another reason it may be hard to compare the two is that single origins can be vastly different in their scope of a region. Some single origins come from single estates, where they develop one-noted tasting profiles, and simple cups of coffee.

Other single origins come from smallholder producers and farms across an entire region, and so they develop complex layers of tasting notes and nuances. This is where the excitement lies though; there are endless origins to explore and experience.

With that in mind, we say a simpler answer is that if you are looking to explore the distinct tastes of a particular region or type of bean, go with a single source.

Still not sure, check out our full comparison of Single Origin vs Blended Coffee. 

Are Flavored Coffees Blends?

Almost always! Flavored coffees start with simple and mellow blends, that lend easily to additional flavors. These are added in the form of aromatic oils, that leech their scent into a coffee bean to trick our brains into thinking we are tasting those flavors.

There are many ways to flavor coffee, but Lucky Goat uses “power beans”: coffee beans that have been soaked in concentrated aromatic oils.It only takes a few power beans to flavor an entire batch.

So, even if the original blend was single origin from one specific farmer and field, the moment the power

Most Popular Coffee Blends

If you are a daily drinker of coffee you probably already have blends you love, or have coffee you love and don't realize it's a blend. 

Either way, we have a full line of blended coffees to choose from, but you can't go wrong with our best selling blend, Billy Goat Breakfast Blend.