Coffee Beans To Buy: What Nobody Is Talking About
Where to Buy Coffee Beans If you're a big fan of whole coffee beans The local independent roaster or coffee shop is the best place to purchase these beans. If you're not lucky enough to live near one, you can search for online companies which roast and ship to order. The origin of your coffee bean s will affect the flavor. Arabica vs. Robusta There are more than 100 different coffee varieties. The two most common are Coffea arabica (Robusta) and Coffea Canephora. Robusta is more resistant against drought, pests and diseases. It can be grown at lower elevations and produces more coffee cherries each year. It is also cheaper than arabica to grow. Robusta is responsible for 40% of the world's coffee production. Although a poor-quality batch may taste like burned rubber, a high-quality coffee made from specialty beans can match the taste of Arabica. The problem is with a few exceptions most of the robusta sold on the market is from plantations who are focused on quantity. The high content of caffeine in the beans makes them impervious to disease and pests. This is the reason they are a favorite selection in traditional diner drinks and instant coffees. While some companies claim their coffee as being 100 arabica, they often mix it with some sort of robusta in order to save money and offer their customers a less than desirable cup of coffee. Robusta is known to have a stronger, bitter and more grainy taste than arabica. It can also have the peanut, nutty or dark chocolate flavor. These flavors can be unpleasant to some or too strong for others. Origin Coffee beans are actually seeds which are cultivated inside small colourful fruits known as coffee berries. These berries are pulled from the coffee plant when they are ripe and then separated into two beans. The beans are roasted, and then used to make our favourite brew. Arabica is the most sought-after variety of beans in the world. They are renowned for their smooth, non-bitter taste. They're also renowned for their complexity and offer a wide range of flavors. They are mostly grown in Africa, Central America, and South America where the conditions are ideal for brewing high-quality coffee. They are more expensive than Robusta because their growth requires more care. They require specific temperatures and sufficient rainfall to develop their flavor profile. The top coffee beans in the entire world are from Africa. A lot of farms are family-owned and operated on a smaller scale. When purchasing coffee, it's important to determine if the coffee is of single origin or not. “Single origin” can refer to a variety of things, but typically it means that the coffee is sourced from one farm, a crop or region within a single country. This is an important part of what makes third wave coffee so amazing – knowing exactly where your coffee originated allows you to experience it in its purest form. Grind The quality of the coffee you consume is affected by the way it is prepared. Try different grind sizes and brewing techniques will help you discover the best blend of coffee that matches your personal preferences. The size of the grind plays a major impact on how the soluble coffee solids are extracted from the grounds during the brewing process, and it affects the taste of your cup of coffee. If the grind is too fine, water cannot penetrate the grounds to extract the solids of the coffee that are soluble. This is referred to as under extraction and can lead to weak coffee. If the grind is too fine, the water goes through the coffee too quickly and undergoes an over extraction, resulting in bitterness. You can buy pre-ground coffee however, it is recommended to purchase the whole bean and grind your own beans right away prior to making. This will ensure that your beans are fresh and will also last longer than if you were to purchase the pre-ground coffee. A burr grinder is the most popular tool for creating an even grind, but you can also use a hand-grinder or a food processor as well as a mortar and pestle. Burr grinders have two cutting discs which cut the beans into a certain grind consistency by altering the distance between the burrs. A smaller gap results in the finest grinding, while a bigger one produces a coarser grinding. Storage Coffee beans deteriorate rapidly after they've been opened. Therefore, it's a good idea to keep the bag tightly sealed and grind only enough for your next brew. You might want to invest in an open-top canister that is resealable to eliminate air and allow CO2 to escape after the beans are ground. If stored properly, whole bean coffee can be kept fresh for as long as one month. However, once the coffee is ground the quality of your coffee will decrease in just 30 minutes. It's best to only use the amount of coffee you need, and store the remainder in an opaque airtight container. You can find a vast selection of attractive and easy-to-use coffee storage containers. Some are vacuum sealed, which prevents moisture from entering. Some even have a one-way valve that releases the gasses produced by freshly roasted beans, which prolongs the freshness of beans. The best place to keep your coffee that you don't use is in a cool, dark area with constant temperature. Avoid storing your coffee near your stove or the oven as heat can accelerate chemical reactions that destroy the coffee. You should also keep the beans out of direct sunlight as they will absorb it and lose their flavor.