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New to coffee in Taiwan? How to pick your first bag
Updated · by the Today's Coffee Taiwan team
Short answer: start with one small bag (200–250 g) of a medium or light-medium roast. In Taiwan that costs about NT$180–400. If you have no coffee gear, start with drip bags (濾掛, also called 掛耳; compare them): they cost about NT$11–35 a cup and only need hot water. Drink it for a week, then change one thing at a time.
What should I buy first?
Pick by how you will drink it, not by the fanciest name on the bag.
Milk drinkers do best with medium roasts that taste of chocolate and nuts. Black-coffee drinkers can try a light-medium roast with fruit and honey notes.
| You drink it… | Buy this kind | Starter example | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| With milk (latte) | Medium roast, chocolate or nutty | Buon Caffe Guatemala Nut & Cocoa | NT$273 / 227 g |
| Black, and you don't like sour | Medium roast, Brazil or Colombia | KALDI Mild Blend | NT$179 / 200 g |
| Black, you like fruit and tea | Light roast from Ethiopia | Mocca Yirgacheffe Light Roast | NT$198 / 227 g |
| At the office, no gear | Drip bags (濾掛) | cama cafe drip bags (8) | NT$125 / 8 cups |
| Cold, in summer | Cold brew bags | UCC cold brew bags (40) | NT$499 / 40 bags |
| In the evening | Decaf | illy Decaf Beans | NT$373 / 250 g |
Do I need coffee equipment?
No. Drip bags and instant coffee need only a cup and hot water.
Whole beans need a grinder, or the shop can grind them for you. Ground coffee loses aroma faster, so buy small bags.
| Way | What you need | Cost per cup | Taste |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instant | Cup and water | About NT$10–42 | Simple, fast |
| Drip bag (掛耳) | Cup and hot water | About NT$11–50 | Close to fresh coffee |
| Cold brew bag | Bottle, water, 8–12 hours in the fridge | About NT$12–14 | Smooth, low bitterness |
| Pour-over (手沖) | Dripper, filter, kettle, grinder | About NT$6–45 from beans | Best for light roasts |
| Espresso machine | Machine and grinder | About NT$6–45 from beans | For lattes and cappuccinos |
How much should a beginner spend?
Compare the price per 100 g, not the price of the bag. Bags come in 100 g, 200 g, 227 g (half pound) and 454 g (one pound).
| Level | Price per 100 g | A 227 g bag costs about | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday | NT$55–110 | NT$180–250 | Your first bags, office, milk drinks |
| Specialty | NT$145–220 | NT$330–500 | When you start tasting differences |
| Treat | NT$275–370 | NT$620–840 | Geisha and rare lots, gifts |
| Grown in Taiwan | NT$150–800 | NT$350–1,800 | Alishan, Gukeng and Pingtung coffee |
One 250 g bag makes about 20–25 cups at 10–12 g of coffee per cup.
Your first week, step by step
- Day 1: buy one bag from the table above that matches how you drink coffee.
- Days 1–7: drink it the same way every day. Notice if you like it, find it too sour, or too bitter.
- Too sour? Next time choose a darker roast or a coffee from Brazil, Colombia or Guatemala.
- Too bitter or flat? Next time choose a lighter roast, for example from Ethiopia or Kenya.
- Liked it? Try the same roast from a different country, and keep only one change at a time.
Common questions
Is light roast coffee sour?
Light roasts are brighter and fruitier, and some people taste that as sour. If you don't like it, a medium roast tastes rounder and sweeter. See the least sour coffees on our list.
Does dark roast have more caffeine?
Not really. Gram for gram, light and dark roasts have similar caffeine. Dark roasts only taste stronger.
How long does a bag stay fresh?
Whole beans taste best within about a month of the roast date. Keep the bag closed, away from sun and heat. Ground coffee fades faster.
Can I try Taiwanese coffee as a beginner?
Yes, but it costs more: about NT$150–800 per 100 g. Start with a small 100–115 g bag, or try Krone Taiwu from Pingtung at NT$348 for 227 g. Compare all Taiwan-grown beans.
How we make these guides: we check every price on the shop's own page and writes down the date. Flavor notes come from the seller's listing. We earn a commission when you buy through our links; it never changes your price. We review this page every 3 months.