Where to Buy Coffee Beans

If you're in love with whole beans, the best place to buy them is at your local coffee shop or roaster. If you're not fortunate enough to be near one, look for online companies who roast and then ship to customers who order.

Geography plays a huge role in what coffee tastes like So, be sure to consider the origin of the beans you purchase.

Arabica vs. Robusta

There are more than 100 coffee varieties however, the two most frequently utilized are Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora (Robusta). Robusta is better able to withstand diseases, pests and drought. It can be planted at lower elevations and produces more coffee cherries every year. It is also cheaper than arabica to grow.

Robusta accounts for 40% of all coffee produced around the world. While it's true that an inferior robusta batch can taste like burnt rubber, a good coffee made with specialty beans can be able to surpass Arabica in flavor. The problem is with a few exceptions the majority of robusta sold on the market comes only from plantations who are concerned about quantity.

Robusta plants thrive at lower elevations, and their resistance to diseases and pests is because of the high caffeine content in the beans. It's this fact that makes them a popular option for traditional diner coffee and instant coffee. Even though some companies advertise their product as 100 arabica, they often mix it with some sort of robusta in order to save money and give their customers an inferior cup of coffee gift set. Robusta can have a harsher bitter, sour and Coffee gifts more grainy taste than arabica. It can also have a nutty, peanut or dark chocolate flavor. These flavors can be unpleasant to some people or too strong.

Origin

Coffee beans are actually seeds that grow inside tiny, colorful fruits called Coffee gifts berries. These berries are removed from the coffee plant once they have reached ripeness and then divided into two beans. The beans are then roasted before being then used to make our favorite drink.

Arabica is the most well-known variety of beans around the world. They are known for their smooth, non-bitter taste. They are also renowned for their richness and are able to provide diverse flavors. The most popular regions for these beans are Africa, Central America and South America, where the conditions for making high-quality coffee are ideal.

They are more expensive than Robusta, because their growth requires more care. They require specific temperatures and sufficient rainfall to develop their flavor profile. In reality, the best beans in the world originate from Africa, where many coffee farms are run by family-owned farms that operate on a micro scale.

Apart from the region of production an additional factor to consider when buying coffee is whether or not it's single origin. "Single Origin" could mean a number of things however, it typically refers to the fact that the coffee comes from one farm, a or region within the same country. Third wave coffee is great because you can taste it in its purest form by knowing where it came from.

Grind

A high-quality cup starts with excellent coffee beans but the process of grinding, brewing and serving will affect the final flavor of your cup. Experimenting with different grind sizes and brewing techniques will allow you to find the perfect blend of coffee that matches your personal preferences.

The size of the grind plays a major Coffee Gifts factor in the way that the soluble coffee solids are extracted from the grounds during brewing, and this impacts the taste of your cup of coffee. If the grind is too fine the water won't be able to get through the grind to extract the soluble coffee near me solids out. This is known as under extraction and can lead to a weak cup of coffee. If the grind is too fine, the water is able to pass through the ground too quickly, and it experiences an over extraction that results in bitterness.

You can purchase coffee that has been ground but it is best to purchase whole beans and grind them yourself immediately before making. This will ensure that your beans are fresh and will last longer than if were to buy the pre-ground coffee.

A burr grinder is the most popular tool for creating a consistent grind, but you can also use a hand-grinder as well as a food processor or a mortar and pestle. Burr grinders are equipped with two cutting discs that break the beans to a specific grind consistency by altering the distance between the burrs. A smaller gap results in an easier grinding, whereas larger ones result in an even coarser grinding.

Storage

It is best to keep your bean bag tightly closed and only grind the amount you'll need for the next brew. You may want to buy an open-top canister that is resealable to eliminate air and allow CO2 to escape after the beans are crushed.

Whole bean coffee can stay at its freshest state for up to a month if stored in a safe manner. However, once ground, the quality of your coffee may begin to decline in less than 30 minutes. This is why it's recommended to only grind the amount you'll need, and then keep the remaining beans in an airtight and opaque container.

You can choose from a variety of attractive and practical containers to store coffee. Some are vacuum-sealed to keep moisture from getting inside. Some come with a one-way valve that releases the gasses produced by freshly roasted beans, which helps prolong the freshness of beans.

The best place to keep the coffee you haven't used is in a dark, cool area with constant temperature. Avoid storing your coffee near your oven or stove as the heat can speed up chemical reactions that degrade the coffee. Keep the beans out of direct sunlight will cause the coffee to absorb and degrade the flavor.