What Is in the Starbucks Autumn Blend Coffee?

Starbucks Autumn Blend, also called Thanksgiving Blend, is a seasonal blend coffee built from Sumatra and Guatemala Antigua beans. It combines an Asia/Pacific component known for full body and herbal, earthy notes with a Latin American component that brings bright acidity and nutty, cocoa and gentle spice flavors. The Guatemala Antigua starbucks history sits at the center of that Latin American side.

Processing shapes the cup as much as origin does. Most Asia/Pacific coffees in the blend are semi-washed, giving mild acidity and a heavy body, while washed Latin American beans keep the acidity lively and clean. The Sumatra portion is roasted deeper, so pour-over brewing with a medium grind and steady, moderate pour helps balance the earthy weight against the brighter Guatemalan notes.

Starbucks Autumn Blend Coffee Beans, also known as Thanksgiving Blend Coffee Beans, is a seasonally available blended coffee. It is carefully crafted from two classic bean varieties, Sumatra and Guatemala Antigua, mixed in proportion. This article will analyze the characteristics of Asia/Pacific and Latin American coffee beans from two dimensions: regional flavor and processing methods, and provide a detailed introduction to the differences between the washed and semi-washed processes. At the same time, the article reviews the origin story of this coffee bean and pairing suggestions. For enthusiasts who want to gain a deeper understanding of blending logic or try pour-over brewing, there are practical suggestions from Front Street Coffee at the end of the article, which are worth reading.

What are the characteristics of Starbucks Autumn Blend Coffee Beans? How should an Autumn Blend Coffee made from Latin American coffee be brewed as pour-over?

About Growing Regions Geographic growing regions are the expression of flavor

Asia/Pacific

Full-bodied, sweet, smooth, with herbal and earthy notes.

Coffee-growing regions in Asia/Pacific include the Indonesian archipelago, East Timor, South Asia, and Papua New Guinea. This vast region spans a variety of climates and terrains, and some of the world's most distinctive coffees can be found here. Except for washed coffees from Papua New Guinea and East Timor, most of the coffees we purchase from this region are processed using the "semi-washed" method and are known for their heavy body and spicy notes. Semi-washed coffees have mild acidity and herbal characteristics. Although some of the world's top 10 coffee-producing countries are located in Asia/Pacific, for a variety of reasons, Starbucks does not purchase coffee from all of these regions. (Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer, but its main harvest consists of Robusta coffee beans, and we do not purchase this type of coffee bean.)

*Robusta (Variety name: Canephora coffee; robusta refers to a highly adaptable tree, not the flavor in the cup.)

Latin America

Bright, lively acidity, with nutty, cocoa, and gentle spicy flavors.

Coffee-growing regions in Latin America include Mexico and the countries/regions of Central and South America. This is an extremely important region for Starbucks. In 2009, Latin American coffee accounted for more than half of our total purchases. Coffee from this region is usually called "washed" coffee and is generally processed using fermentation to develop flavor. We purchase washed coffees mainly because of their consistent taste and quality, using them as the foundation for our beloved blends. Latin American coffees tend to have a balanced flavor of cocoa and nuts as well as fresh, invigorating acidity.

About Processing Processing methods affect the overall flavor of coffee

Washed Method

The washed method helps enhance the acidity or aroma of coffee and gives the coffee a soft, refreshing quality with a clean finish.

As the name suggests, this method mainly relies on the use of water. This is especially true during fermentation, when the mucilage layer is dissolved in large tanks. This results in cleaner coffee beans and a cup profile with higher acidity. In fact, fermentation intensifies the acidity of coffee, which is why Latin American coffees (mostly processed using the washed method) are often known for their pronounced acidity.

① Collection: The coffee cherries will be transferred to the wet processing mill, where they are measured and placed into collection tanks.

② Depulping: After the cherries pass through the washing channel, they are sent to the depulper. Through friction, the pulp can essentially be removed from the coffee beans. The coffee beans await fermentation, while the pulp will be collected for use as compost.

③ Fermentation: After the pulp is removed, the coffee beans are sent to fermentation tanks and fermented for 18-36 hours. In the initial stage of fermentation, enzymes break down the mucilage so that the pulp can be removed. After fermentation, the coffee beans pass through the washing channel to remove all remaining mucilage.

④ Drying: The coffee beans are dried on drying tables in large outdoor yards or using mechanical rotary dryers. When drying outdoors, the coffee beans need to be constantly raked and turned to ensure even drying in the sun. This process takes 5-7 days.

⑤ Resting: The dried coffee beans are bagged and transferred to a warehouse, where they rest for two months while the coffee beans continue to develop flavor.

⑥ Hulling: After the coffee has rested, it is hulled. The final step removes the husk surrounding the outside of the coffee bean.

Semi-Washed Method

The semi-washed method highlights the coffee's herbal flavors, earthy aroma, and heavy body.

Indonesian coffee is often processed using the semi-washed method. Partial drying without fermentation gives semi-washed coffee its herbal notes, earthy aroma, and heavy body.

① Depulping: After harvesting, the coffee cherries are washed and cleaned while still on the farm, and the pulp is removed using a small hand-cranked machine.

② Rinsing: The coffee beans are placed in baskets and soaked in water for 1-2 hours, then rubbed against each other to remove mucilage. Some pulp remains on the coffee beans, which helps increase flavor.

③ Partial Drying: The freshly rinsed coffee beans still have parchment, so the coffee beans need to be spread out to reduce excess moisture. (Unlike the washed method, there is no fermentation step.)

④ Collection: The coffee beans leave the farm and are transported to the processing station.

⑤ Continued Drying: The rinsed and cleaned coffee beans still have parchment and need to be spread out on tarpaulins to dry in order to further reduce moisture to about 24%. This takes 1-5 days, depending on weather conditions.

⑥ Hulling: The outer layer of the coffee beans is removed, taking away all dried mucilage and parchment in one step. The coffee beans are then returned to the drying yard and raked flat to reduce moisture content to 10%-12%.

⑦ Final Drying: The green coffee beans are completely dried, sorted, bagged, and ready for transport.

About the Story of the Coffee Beans

Autumn Blend Coffee Beans are also called (Thanksgiving Blend Coffee Beans). In the United States, Thanksgiving Blend Coffee Beans were released in 2008. From 2008 to 2011, Autumn Blend Coffee Beans were called Thanksgiving Blend Coffee Beans. Thanksgiving Blend Coffee Beans pair especially well with traditional dishes, spicy foods, and delicious desserts.

*Thanksgiving: A traditional Western holiday

(Thanksgiving Day) is an ancient holiday uniquely created by the American people, and it is also a holiday for American families to gather together.

Until 2009, designers used orange (maple leaf), a color that blends more easily into autumn, as the main tone, immersing themselves in this autumn day, the artistic conception of autumn wind and falling leaves, to experience the feeling of autumn wind brushing past maple leaves. In order to develop this distinctive coffee, from more than 10 kinds of coffee initially considered, two classic coffees, Sumatra and Guatemala Antigua, were selected, and this seasonally available coffee bean was made through a perfect blending ratio.

This coffee is as full of vitality and life as spring, instantly awakening the still-sleeping earth. Every year, during this specific period, we offer this blended coffee from three precious growing regions. We harvest these Arabica coffee beans when they reach their optimal flavor, then blend and roast them. It is best enjoyed on sunny days, bringing you a pleasant coffee experience. In addition, this coffee was jointly launched by our coffee experts, well-known chefs, and restaurant operators as a Thanksgiving gift from Starbucks to its customers. It pairs well with croissants or other foods that combine sweet and savory flavors, and is meant to be shared with family and friends.

Front Street Coffee suggestion: If you want to brew this Autumn Blend Coffee Beans as pour-over at home, you can use a medium-fine grind, a water temperature of 90-92°C, and a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15, pouring in stages, with a total time of about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, which can better present its balanced nutty and cocoa flavors.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.