You’ve enjoyed plenty of coffees from cafés over the years and now want to have a go at brewing it yourself at home. You’re ready to put down the instant coffee and switch to a freshly brewed cup. But, choosing coffee beans can feel totally overwhelming. With more than 70 countries in the coffee belt producing as much as 10 million tonnes of coffee beans every year, that overwhelm is certainly justified.
What makes coffee ‘smooth’ or ‘bold’? Why does its origin make such a difference? What’s the difference between single-origin or blends? Perhaps you’ve already purchased a new coffee machine and have tried grinding your coffee beans but aren’t getting the same results you get from your local barista.
If you’ve spent many a morning with a disappointing cup of coffee, or many bewildered minutes in the coffee aisle each week, this blog is for you. It will give you a breakdown of how to choose coffee beans with confidence and get those smooth results you’ve been after.
What Exactly Makes a ‘Good’ Coffee Bean?
So, how can you tell what makes some varieties of coffee bean good, and others less so? Generally, it comes down to three key characteristics:
- Traceability: The exact origin of your coffee beans, i.e. where they were grown, and their processing are both totally transparent.
- Ethical sourcing: Your coffee beans come from ethically and sustainably run farms, with fair pay and good working conditions.
- Freshness: Your coffee beans were roasted within a window of 2-4 weeks.
Personal taste plays a big part, too. Coffee beans won’t be ‘good’ if they have a taste that you just don’t care for. Check your coffee packaging for their taste profile; do they have floral notes? Chocolate? Caramel? That will give you an idea of what your coffee might taste like, and whether it’s something you’ll be on board with.
Coffee Beans and Their Varieties: An Overview
Coffee comes in a huge range of varieties, but two come out on top: arabica and robusta.
Arabica coffee has a smooth and sweet complexity to its flavour. It can also boast some unique tasting notes, from chocolatey and nutty to floral and fruity, depending on where it was grown.
Typically, arabica varieties of coffee grow at altitudes of between 600 and 2,200 metres above sea level. In cooler temperatures, the beans grow slower and develop more complex and nuanced flavours.
Robusta coffee beans, on the other hand, grow much lower down – between 200 and 1,000 metres above sea level. This gives them a bolder and more earthy, even bitter flavour, making them work particularly well in espresso blends.
What to Avoid
So, you’ve got some ideas of what to look for, but what should you avoid? Here are some instant red flags:
- Bad Packaging: Valveless bags can get a buildup of CO2 and ruin your coffee’s flavour, and clear bags or glass jars let too much light in which destroys coffee. Instead, choose hermetically-sealed bags that preserve your coffee flavour, freshness and aroma.
- Vague Origins: The website or labelling of your coffee should clearly show the altitude at which they were grown, alongside the lot, farm or region.
- No Roast Date: The only way to determine if your coffee beans are fresh is to check what date they were roasted. If there’s no roast date, don’t buy the beans.
Ready to take the first step on your journey to freshly ground and brewed coffee from Inglewood Coffee Roasters? Browse our full range of coffee beans today, and see what piques your interest.