MiddleState Coffee: West Coast Single-Origin Specialists Rooted in Washed-Process Clarity
MiddleState Coffee is a West Coast roaster with one of the most single-origin-focused catalogs in the CoffeeByMe marketplace. With nine single-origin coffees and one blend, they have made a clear commitment to showcasing individual producers and regions rather than blending away complexity. Their catalog currently spans six countries—Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, and Honduras—and demonstrates a consistent preference for washed processing that yields clean, transparent, origin-expressive cups.
The two Ethiopian offerings highlight this approach beautifully. Nansebo from West Arsi delivers lime hard candy, honeysuckle, starfruit, and sparkling acidity—a medium-roasted heirloom lot that feels almost effervescent. Meanwhile, Habtamu Getu from Banko Gotiti is a light-to-medium roast showcasing peach, yuzu, jasmine, and orange zest from a collective of smallholder farmers. Between these two Ethiopians, MiddleState demonstrates the range of expression possible within a single country and processing method.
Beyond Africa, the Ndumberi AB from Kenya is a bright, juicy washed SL-28 and SL-34 lot with pink lemonade, hibiscus, and red kiwi that reflects the region's celebrated high-acidity character. The Ronal Gonzales Honduras brings a lighter-medium roast with tangerine, florals, and crisp green grape from the Parainema and Lempira varietals. Their Landspeed blend rounds out the range: a medium-roast combination of Ethiopian and seasonal washed coffees delivering chocolate, cherry, citrus, and floral notes that work across all brew methods. CoffeeByMe's AI recommendation engine can help you pinpoint which MiddleState origin best matches your preferred tasting notes.
Single Origins
| Name | Roast | Tasting Notes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Habtamu Getu / Ethiopia | Medium Light | Orange ZestJasminePeachBrightYuzu | $24.00 |
| Decaf / Colombia | Medium | Smoothcleanbalanced | $22.00 |
| Ronal Gonzales / Honduras | Medium Light | Green GrapeCrispTangerineFloral | $24.00 |
| Oscar Realpe | Medium | Orange ZestCherry PastryChocolateClean | $24.00 |
| ALEMU BUKATO | Medium | NectarineHoney Crisp AppleRhubarbFloral | $23.00 |
| Benicio Gastelo | Medium | ToffeeAlmond ExtractTart Green Apple | $23.00 |
| Ndumberi AB | Medium | Pink LemonadeHibiscusJuicyRed Kiwi | $24.00 |
| Victor Anzeuto / Guatemala | Medium | Brownie BatterFig NewtonRed AppleMaple | $23.00 |
| Nansebo | Medium | Sparkling AcidityStarfruitHoneysuckleLime Hard Candy | $24.00 |
Blends
| Name | Roast | Tasting Notes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landspeed | Medium | Lemon/LimeChocolate Covered CherryOreosFloral | $22.00 |
Roast Profile & Flavor Range
MiddleState keeps almost everything in the medium roast zone (level 3), with a couple of light-medium offerings (level 2). This consistency is intentional: medium roast is where washed-process coffees tend to show the clearest balance between origin character and developed sweetness. Flavor themes are notably citrus-forward and floral, with stone fruit, apple, and chocolate appearing across multiple origins. The decaf Colombia offers the same approachable style in a caffeine-free format, processed using the ethyl acetate method for clean flavor retention. Prices are uniform at $22–$24 per 10oz bag.
Why Buy MiddleState Coffee
Single-origin depth across six countries: With offerings from Ethiopia (three lots), Kenya, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, and Peru, MiddleState offers a genuine world tour of specialty washed coffees.
Consistent roast philosophy: Every coffee lands in the medium range, meaning you can compare true origin differences without roast level confounding the experience—perfect for systematic exploration using CoffeeByMe's tasting notes filter.
Transparent, producer-named coffees: Individual producer names like Habtamu Getu, Oscar Realpe, and Benicio Gastelo reflect a direct-relationship sourcing approach that honors the people behind each cup.
Uniform, fair pricing: At $22–$24 per 10oz across the entire catalog, MiddleState makes premium single-origin coffee accessible without variable price spikes—ideal for building a subscription or trying multiple origins at once.
