What kind of coffee to choose and how

The article tells about different types of coffee, their features and advantages. This material will help everyone decide which coffee to choose in order to buy a drink that will bring maximum pleasure.

Coffee has been known to mankind for over 900 years. Much has changed during this time. Coffee trees, which initially grew only in the mountainous province of Kaffa, began to be grown in countries in Africa, South and Central America, Australia, and Asia. Coffee from different growing areas differs depending on climate conditions, soil quality, etc.

Brazil, Costa Rica, India, Kenya, and Guatemala are considered to be the world's largest coffee importers. Before reaching you, coffee beans make a long journey. The taste of the drink in your cup depends on your choice of coffee type and preparation method. Let's talk about coffee, its features, its impact on health, and the rules for choosing a good type and variety.

Do you like coffee? The Tiny Footprint Coffee online store is created for true fans of this wonderful drink. Our team of professionals will tell you how to choose the best coffee from a wide variety.

Features of coffee beans

There are more than 200 varieties of coffee beans. Each has its own special taste and aroma. Beans, even those grown on neighboring coffee plantations, have different aftertastes.

Features of coffee beans:

• Coffee from Brazil is characterized by a tart yet delicate nutty flavor;
• Colombian coffee has a subtle acidic note, but a balanced taste;
• Costa Rican coffee beans are distinguished by their high density and rich aroma;
• The chocolate-spiced flavor and floral notes are well felt in coffee from Guatemala;
• Indian beans leave a chocolate aftertaste;
• Kenyan coffee beans give a light wine flavor and a delicate berry aroma;
• Ethiopians grow coffee beans with a slight bitterness and berry flavor.

There are 4 varieties of coffee trees:

• Arabica (70% of world production),
• robusta (almost 30%),
• Liberica with Excelsa (less than 2%).

Let's talk about the first two types. Arabica is more difficult to grow, so this coffee is more expensive than Robusta.

The beans grow on two types of trees: Arabica and Robusta. The Arabica tree is difficult to grow. The oblong beans contain significantly less caffeine, but are richer in composition and aroma than Robusta beans. Acidity is a distinctive feature of Arabica coffee. The Robusta tree can grow in any climate. Robusta is characterized by a bitter taste and a high caffeine content.

Sell:

• pure Arabica (from 2 or 3 varieties),
• mixtures of Arabica and Robusta (blends).

A balanced blend composition allows you to reduce bitterness and astringency. Using expensive coffee varieties, you achieve the perfect balance of taste and aroma. Only a high-quality natural product will give you a boost of energy in the morning, and a cup of coffee from a cheap low grade will make you want to sleep even more. Therefore, many are interested, especially newcomers to the coffee world, in how to choose the right coffee. The main features of coffee beans are their appearance, smell, and type of processing (roasting).

Coffee beans: appearance and aroma

We start choosing coffee by assessing the type of beans. We are usually offered pre-packaged goods in hermetically sealed packaging. You should know about the size of the coffee beans. Arabica beans (on average from 6 to 8 mm) are generally larger than Robusta beans. However, the beans of some types (for example, Yemeni Arabica) are smaller than Robusta beans.

Of course, ideally we choose the coffee whose beans are all intact and the same size. The presence of deformed units with different sizes indicates the addition of a cheap Robusta variety to the package. High-quality natural coffee is velvety to the touch, the surface of the beans is without cracks and spots. Different colors mean that you see Melange coffee (different roasting of beans).

Another sign of the quality of coffee beans is its well-defined rich aroma, in which there is no bitterness, no smell of dampness with mold. Foreign smell indicates that these beans are not suitable for consumption.

Roasting coffee beans

One of the most important processes in the long journey to a cup of coffee is roasting the beans. This skill determines how the aromatic and flavor qualities of the coffee beans will manifest.

When frying:

• green grains lose water under the influence of high temperatures, but their size increases;
• sucrose becomes caramel (green turns to brown);
• caffeol is formed – a substance responsible for the special aroma;
• structural changes occur and essential oils emerge onto the surface of the grains.

There is roasting:

• Scandinavian type (very mild) – grains turn from green to beige, light brown, are distinguished by their tenderness and softness of taste;
• American type (medium) – the beans acquire a brown color, and the taste has a slight bitterness;
• Viennese type – the presence of essential oils is felt, dark grains shine, sweetness appears in the taste;
• French type (strong degree) – produces a chocolate shade of beans, a bright taste with a well-perceptible note of bitterness;
• Italian type (super strong) – the output is black oily beans with a velvety richness of expressive taste. This is the same classic coffee from a coffee shop, which is washed down with a cup of water.

Features of ground coffee

Of course, experts recommend choosing coffee beans. But if you don’t want to bother with the process of preparing a fragrant drink, use the ground version.

And naturally, it is necessary to choose a good quality product. In this case, it is the grinding that plays an important role.

When brewing in coffee machines, French presses, or cups, the soluble substances are mixed with water (the extraction process).

It is important to achieve harmony of taste and aroma. And this is possible with the help of grinding (the finer the ground beans, the faster the extraction process). All methods of preparation require a certain grind. With long brewing, a coarser grind is needed. But in Turks, the grains of sand create a pleasant thick concentration of the drink.

There is coffee:

• Coarse grind – requires about 7 minutes of infusion (10 second grind) from the cheap category;
• Medium grind – this type of coffee is brewed in Turks and coffee makers. 5-minute steeping, grinding time does not exceed 14 seconds;
• Fine grinding – 3-minute steeping process, used in coffee makers with filters. Grinding lasts 20 seconds;
• Universal grind type – for brewing in Turks, Espresso coffee makers. The beans are ground into coffee flour.

If you want to enjoy a fragrant drink from such coffee, do not stock up on a large package at once. After all, crushed beans can quickly lose their properties.

Instant coffee: features

The attitude towards instant coffee is varied and contradictory. This drink is made from coffee beans using different technologies, turning the original material into water-soluble particles (powdered or granulated). This drink has a taste reminiscent of natural coffee. Many people like to drink coffee from sticks or tins. And manufacturers use flavors to attract an audience. True gourmets do not recognize instant coffee. And this is their right. There is no accounting for taste. There is a demand for this type of coffee – there will be supply. But the indisputable fact is that instant coffee prepared in a couple of minutes cannot have a truly good taste and aroma.

How does different types of coffee affect a person?

There are many myths about the harmful effects of coffee on health. And they can become reality if abused, exceeding the daily dose (no more than 4 cups). Like every product, coffee has its advantages and disadvantages.

Pros:

• Coffee beans are beneficial, they are rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, pyridine, vitamins PP, contain caffeine, which stimulates the flow of strength, energy, improves metabolic processes and digestion;
• Natural coffee has aphrodisiac properties, it makes the brain work better, reduces the feeling of need for food;
• A high-quality natural product can improve mood, relax and stimulate the nervous system, reduce the risk of cancer, diseases of the digestive system, as well as heart and blood vessels.

Natural coffee beans and ground coffee will be beneficial for your body if you drink the drink in moderation and choose only good coffee. Regarding instant coffee, it is worth noting:

• no healing properties;
• often causes harm due to the use of unnatural flavors and added sugar;
• has many contraindications (it is forbidden to drink if you have hypertension, glaucoma, sleep problems, heart disease, gastritis).

Taste preferences of coffee lovers

The dilemma of choice: ground coffee or beans? Which is tastier? Such questions are not uncommon. And it is not easy to answer them. After all, each person has their own taste. The opinions of gourmets and picky critics are similar: they do not consider ready-made grinding worthy. But for a person who is always in a hurry and busy solving various issues, ground coffee is the best option.

To choose the best coffee for yourself, you need to try different options. It is possible to use both options. And the quality of ground coffee of many brands is quite high. The main thing is to be able to choose correctly.

Some tips on how to choose coffee beans

• It is advisable to buy coffee by weight, it is fresher than packaged coffee;
• If packaged, then only in sealed packaging;
• Remember the importance of bean size (Arabica is on average 6 to 8 mm);
• The grains should not have any pores or roughness;
• To enjoy the aromatic drink, you don't need to buy large packs, 200 grams is enough. After all, the smell evaporates from the open package. Much also depends on storage;
• It is optimal to use vacuum bags with valves;
• The type and degree of roasting are important;
• Specialized stores and coffee shops will offer you a wide range of products, and consultants will tell you how to choose natural coffee.

How to choose ground coffee?

• When choosing already ground coffee beans, we decide on the Arabica and Robusta varieties. This depends on how you will prepare the drink – in a Turk or a coffee machine. The type of machine also plays a role (there are filter and espresso);
• When choosing domestically produced products, GOST can be an assistant;
• The degree of roasting of the beans affects the taste;
• It is better to choose coffee in vacuum packaging; paper packaging does not cope well with the task of preserving the taste of this product.

You can resort to some tricks to determine the quality of such coffee. One of them will help with the determination of impurities (for example, chicory). Take a small amount of ground coffee and pour it into a glass of cold water. The coffee particles will float, and the chicory will color the liquid and settle at the bottom of the glass. Chicory will not harm us, but we want pure coffee and pay money for it. There are other interesting ways to check.