Most consumers would think that coffee is coffee and that it wouldn't matter if
it's instant or brewed as long as it tastes okay and wakes them up. While that
is all fine and dandy, it is worth noting that picking the best beans according
to your preference can result in a coffee which will be most looked forward to
every morning. And if you own a grinder or a grind and brew coffee maker, you
will notice the difference once you start thinking about your options and you
will be glad that you did.
Do Coffee Species Matter? There are different species of coffee
plants like Coffea arabica, Coffea benghalensis, Coffea canephora, Coffea
congensis, Coffea excelsa, Coffea gallienii, Coffea bonnieri, Coffea mogeneti,
Coffea liberica, and Coffea stenophylla. Each species produce beans that have
certain different characteristics and distinct flavor profiles.
Around 75% of the world's coffee trade is comprised of Coffee Arabica, the
reason being its preferred flavor and ability to thrive in most areas. Arabica
beans are coveted for the deep aroma and great flavor that can go with most
coffee additives like cream, sugar, and so on. This is something that most
coffee drinkers agree on with good reason. You can never go wrong with a high
quality brand of 100% Arabica with a medium roast.
Which Roast Is The Best? There are different types of roast,
depending on how long the beans are roasted. It can be determined by different
degrees of darkness. There are four main types of roasts - Light (Cinnamon
Roast, Half City, New England), Medium (Full city, American, Regular, Breakfast,
Brown), Dark (High, Viennese, Italian Espresso, Continental), and Darkest
(Italian, French, Spanish).
Describing the taste of different roasts is as subjective as that of wine.
There is no substitute to judging them with your own palate as only you can
decide what your personal taste is. Choosing a type of roast is mostly on
personal preference, but most people do like medium roast for its balanced
flavor and sweetness.
How Important Is The Origin? Coffee beans are distinct in their
terrier, or capturing the place in where they were grown. While differences in
flavor can be subtle, beans grown in Hawaii and Central America are more of
snappy and vibrant variety, while those from East Africa and Yemen are deeper in
bitterness, and those grown in Indonesia and Sumatra are even more complex in
flavor.
Storing Coffee Beans When open to air and light, roasted coffee beans
can lose their flavor and go stale quite quickly. The best way to store beans is
with an opaque airtight canister at room temperature. Theoretically,
refrigeration can help preserve the beans longer, but with frequent opening of
containers for use creating condensation, the moisture can tamper with the
beans' flavor.
When purchasing beans, make sure to get those stored in a sealed bag with a
one-way valve laminated on it, which lets carbon dioxide out and keeping outside
air from entering. Upon roasting, coffee beans produce prodigious amounts of
carbon dioxide, so such valves are necessary for initial storage. Either that or
frequent opening of jars for venting as done by most coffee shops. Do not go for
beans stored in open beans as they would mostly be stale.
Grinding It Right The perfect grind size is crucial so that the right
amount of the flavor is extracted from the beans without going to far, which
will take excess bitterness along for the ride. The smaller the grind size, the
more surface area there is and over extraction is a big possibility. Too big of
a grind size will just keep the hot water from getting enough flavor. Most
people would say that they don't like strong coffee, while the reality is that
they don't like bitter coffee. With coffee, strong doesn't really have to mean
bitter.
If your coffee maker comes with a grinder, then use it. Experiment with
different grind sizes to find your preference. If there is no grinder along with
your coffee maker, then a small coffee grinder with pulse action will do the job
just fine. Grinding your own is best as it is better to draw out the flavors
closer to brewing time than having them ground in the shop. Most find a 15-20
second grind best while espresso calls for a finer grind.
Selecting and storing the beans right can have a great impact on the flavor
of your coffee, a difference of changing the mediocre coffee from your coffee
machine to a restaurant quality one in the comforts of your own home. So next
time you are grocery shopping for coffee give coffee beans choice some
thought.
Having the best
coffee maker helps, but buying the best beans and grinding them right can
make a huge difference to the quality of your brew. Yogi Shinde is the webmaster
of Coffee
Maker Ratings & Reviews website which provides unbiased information on
different types and brands of coffee makers.This article is free for publishing
provided the resource link is maintained.
This author of this Article has choosen to make this article available with free reprint rights. Click here to copy this article.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
