You have been there at some point – looking at a wall of consumer products and not knowing where to begin. Whether we’re talking about pet food, wine, bread, chocolate, or cheese, the abundance of choice can be overwhelming. Ultimately, most of us go with “Ah I don’t know, I’ll just get a Savvy A and some Brie, they were nice the last time”.
Coffee beans are no different. A world of data to research, choices aplenty, and still you aren’t any closer to selecting the right coffee beans for you. In this post, we’ll guide you through some key characteristics you should consider when you are making this crucial choice for your loved one or yourself. How To Choose The Right Coffee Beans?
How To Choose The Right Coffee Beans For Yourself
Selecting the Coffee Beans based on your personal taste
Some of us like our first cup to have a uniform, delicious taste. Arriving at this point takes a bit of practice. If you like coffee that has a smooth taste and different acidity levels, then you want to go with dry, lightly colored coffee beans. Their roast duration is shorter and the coffee made from them tends to have a less bitter taste.
If your preference lies in drinking coffee with a stronger taste, then you want to purchase coffee beans that were roasted longer. Such coffee beans tend to have a shinier and darker appearance. When prepared, they create a bitter and bold taste, producing more coffee oils to the surface.
Arabica. Robusta. What’s the Difference?
Although there are multiple families of coffee plants all over the globe, the two main ones are Robusta and Arabica. The first grows at low altitude and has more caffeine, less sugar, and richer crema. It is also more bitter and less acidic.
The latter often comes from high altitude and with a delicate taste. Many coffee suppliers go with Robusta in their blends as it produces the coffee with a denser cream. However, this doesn’t destroy the complexity of the coffee, rather, it can even intensify its taste and quality.
Gourmet Coffee Beans: How To Choose The Right Coffee Beans
In essence, gourmet coffee beans are simply regular coffee beans that have been blended with compatible flavors, all in the service of enriching the coffee’s taste and aroma. The essential coffee texture, aroma, taste, and stimulant effect are still there, but with a cue of, for instance:
- Vanilla.
- Mint.
- Caramel.
- Chocolate.
- Any other interesting flavor.
If you add to this the minute variations in texture and flavor of coffee beans from numerous parts of the planet with different climates and elevations you get the perfect combo for gourmet coffee.
Everyone has, at some point, drank a nice cup of coffee with something to chew on the side. Whether it was cheesecake, mint biscuits, nuts, or some kind of chocolate, with a gourmet coffee, you can feel like you’re consuming both, without actually eating the food. For a guide to the best-flavored coffee see The Coffee Folk.
Blend Versus Single Origin
Single-origin coffee beans come from a singular locale. You can imagine them as a wine made from grapes of one variety from a single vineyard. High-quality coffee beans often come from a single origin estate, each with different flavors and tastes.
However, not all single-origin coffee beans make a particularly interesting drink on their own, which is where blends come in. They usually are made from two types of coffee beans, selected for their complementary or contrasting flavors.
Higher quality blends often have the best taste, but you’ll discover that most supermarket coffee is a blend, since it’s easier to have the same flavor throughout the year.
On the other hand, single-origin coffee beans are in shorter supply. Blends usually utilize a combo of Robusta and Arabica, with Robusta’s strength working nicely here.
Roast Variation
This is the point where your personal taste for brewing methods comes first. There are no wrong solutions here, just select what you like to drink most. Filter roast versus Espresso roast – as the name says, coffee beans showcasing these tags were roasted with particular brewing equipment and method in mind.
A filter roasted coffee went through a smaller and faster roasting process in order to keep more of the shining acidity that the filtered cup of brew needs. Hence, if you prepare your coffee manually via an immersion brewer or a pour-over, then you would likely want coffee beans with a filter roasted tag on them.
On the other hand, an espresso roast coffee went through a more complex and longer roasting process, resulting in increased caramelization and body, which suits coffees prepared on an espresso machine. You can find a nice refurbished espresso machine to save money and start drinking the best coffee ever without breaking the bank.
That’s it. Following the tips provided here will allow you to purchase the best coffee beans and have the best possible cup of coffee in your kitchen. Always. Did we leave something out? Comment in the section below.
Dianna l Thomas says
Coffee is one think I don’t skimp on, Its my go to drink all day– It helps that one of my daughter owns a coffee shop too. Is and her girl friend are great at there craft with all the training they have had, and a young gal that works with them blends some of the best and roast the coffee about 8 miles from the house. Her business even in the mist of this virus scare has not changed, Thank the Lord. But your right by saying the right bean and roast makes all the difference in the world.