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 the beans. If you're not lucky enough to be in the vicinity of one, you can search for online companies that roast and ship to you.

Geography plays an important influence on what coffee tastes like So, be sure to consider the source of the beans you're purchasing.

Arabica vs. Robusta

There are more than 100 coffee varieties The two most commonly used are Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora (Robusta). Robusta is more resistant to drought, diseases and pests. It can be planted at lower elevations and produces more coffee cherries each year. It is also cheaper than arabica in terms of cultivation.

Robusta accounts for 40 percent of all coffees produced around the world. While it's true that a low-quality batch of robusta may taste like burned rubber, a premium robusta brewed with special beans can rival Arabica in flavor. The problem is there are a few exceptions, but most of the robusta sold on the market comes only from plantations that are concerned about quantity.

Robusta plants thrive in lower altitudes, and their resistance to diseases and pests is the result of the high caffeine content in the beans. This is the reason they are a popular option in traditional diner coffees and instant coffees. While some companies claim their product to be 100 arabica-based, they often mix it with some sort of robusta in order to save money, but offer their customers a less than desirable cup of coffee. Robusta coffee may be more bitter and more bitter than arabica. It can also have the flavor of peanuts or nutty. These flavors may be unpleasant for some or too strong for others.

Origin

Coffee beans are actually seeds that are cultivated inside small fruit that are colorful and sour, called coffee berries. When ripe, these fruit are removed from the coffee plant, and then separated into two beans. The beans are then roasted and used to make our cherished drink.

Arabica is the most popular variety of bean in the world. They are famous for their smooth, non-bitter taste. They are also renowned for their complexity and buy coffee beans can provide many different flavors. The main growing regions for these beans are Africa, Central America and South America, where the conditions for the production of high-quality coffee are optimal.

These beans usually have an expensive price than Robusta as they require more attention in order to thrive. They need specific temperatures and a sufficient amount of rainfall to establish their flavor profile. In reality, the top beans in the world come from Africa and the continent of Africa, where many coffee farms are run by family-owned farms and operated on a micro scale.

Aside from the region that is growing an additional factor to consider when purchasing coffee is whether or not it's of single origin. "Single Origin" could mean a number of things, but it most commonly means that the coffee comes from a single farm, crop, or region in a country. This is a significant part of what makes third wave coffee so appealing knowing exactly where your coffee came from allows you to enjoy it in its most pure form.

Grind

The quality of the coffee you drink can be affected by the way it is prepared. Experimenting with different grind sizes and brewing methods will allow you to find the most optimal blend of coffee that suits your individual taste.

The grind size has a major impact on the extraction of soluble coffee solids from the ground. This affects the flavor of the coffee. If the grind is too fine it is difficult for water to penetrate the grounds and extract the solids in the coffee that are soluble. This is called under extraction, and can result in weak coffee. If the grind isn't fine, the water will pass through the coffee grounds faster and will experience an over extraction. This can result in bitterness.

It is possible to purchase pre-ground coffee but it is better to purchase whole beans and grind them yourself before making. This will keep your beans fresher for longer than if they were already ground.

A burr grinder is the best tool to create an even grind, but you can also use a hand-grinder or a food processor as well as a mortar and pestle. Burr grinders feature two cutting discs that cut the beans into a specific grind consistency by altering the distance between the burrs. A smaller gap will result in more fine grind, while an increased gap creates a coarser grind.

Stores

Coffee beans are degraded in a rapid manner once they've been exposed, so it is a good idea to keep the bag tightly closed and only grind enough to make the next brew. You might want to invest in an open-top canister that is resealable to rid the air and permit CO2 to escape when the beans are ground.

If stored properly When stored properly, whole bean coffee will be kept fresh for as long as one month. But once it's ground the quality of your coffee may deteriorate in as little as 30 minutes. This is the reason it's important to only grind as much as you require and then store the rest in a sealed, airtight container.

You can choose from a range of attractive and practical containers for storing coffee. Some are vacuum-sealed, which will eliminate moisture from getting in. Some even have a one-way valve that lets out the gases created by freshly roasted beans, which prolongs the beans' freshness.

The best place to keep your unused hasbean coffee is a cool, dark area with an even temperature. Do not store it in the cabinet that is near your oven or stove as the heat can speed up the chemical reactions that degrade coffee. Also, keep the beans out of direct sunlight, as they absorb sunlight and reduce their flavor.