How to Read a Coffee Bag
When you pick up a bag of Fox Coffee, you’re not just grabbing beans. You’re holding a whole story. Behind that label is the journey of the coffee—from a farm on the other side of the world to your cup on a sleepy morning in Brisbane.
We include a lot on our coffee bags, but every word is there to help you make better choices, brew better coffee, and understand what you’re about to taste.
Here’s how to read a coffee bag like someone who knows what they’re doing.
Origin: Where the Flavour Begins
The origin tells you where the coffee was grown, and that’s a big deal.
Altitude, soil, climate, and even local farming traditions all shape the final flavour.
A coffee from Ethiopia might hit you with florals and stone fruit.
A Colombian might bring caramel and citrus. A Guatemalan? Think chocolate, spice, maybe a little toffee.
Every country—and sometimes every farm—has its own flavour fingerprint.
Roast Date: Forget "Best Before"
Coffee isn’t like wine. It doesn’t get better with age.
The roast date tells you when the beans were roasted, and freshness matters. Big time.
We recommend brewing coffee within 2 to 4 weeks of roast. That’s when flavours are vibrant, balanced, and true to origin.
At Fox, we roast daily and print the roast date right on the bag. No guessing.
Roast Level: Light, Medium or Dark?
The roast level shapes the flavour just as much as the origin does.
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Light roasts keep things bright, clean and complex
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Medium roasts are balanced, sweet, and great for all brew methods
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Dark roasts are rich, bold, and punchy—perfect for milk-based espresso
All our roast levels are designed to match the style of the coffee.
We don’t roast dark just for the sake of it—we roast to bring out the best.
Flavour Notes: Your Palate Cheat Sheet
You’ll usually see a few tasting notes on the label.
These aren’t added flavours—they’re just what we taste when we cup the coffee.
If it says “milk chocolate, honey and mandarin”, that’s what we’re tasting when everything’s dialled in just right.
It’s not about being fancy.
It’s just a guide so you know what to expect. Some coffees are adventurous. Some are crowd-pleasers. The notes tell you which one you’re getting.
Process: Washed, Natural, Honey?
How the coffee was processed after harvest changes everything.
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Washed coffees are clean and crisp, with bright acidity
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Natural coffees are sweet, fruity, sometimes wild
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Honey process is somewhere in between—smooth, rounded, sweet
We always include the process on the label so you can find what suits your taste.
MASL: Why Altitude Is on the Bag
MASL means "metres above sea level", and yep—it matters.
Coffee grown higher tends to develop slower, which usually means denser beans and more complex flavours. A high-altitude Ethiopian will taste different from a low-altitude Brazilian, even if everything else is the same.
It’s not something you have to know, but if you’re chasing depth, nuance, or clean acidity, MASL gives you a clue.
Why We Include All This
We don’t write these things on the bag to fill space.
We include them because we want you to enjoy your coffee more.
Whether you’re brand new to specialty or deep into your home barista journey, understanding the label helps you choose beans you’ll actually love—and brew them how they were meant to be enjoyed.
And if you ever have questions about what’s on your Fox Coffee bag? Just ask. We live and breathe this stuff.
When you pick up a bag of coffee, you're not just buying a morning ritual; you're purchasing a product of agricultural artistry and precise processing.
The label on a coffee bag is a treasure trove of information, telling the story of the coffee from its origin to your cup.
Let's delve into the key elements typically found on a coffee bag label and explain what they mean for flavour, quality, and ethical purchasing.